Tri for Real Triathlon #1 - TriathlonOlympic


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Herald, California
United States
TBF Racing
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 56m 56s
Overall Rank = 59/77
Age Group = M 45-49
Age Group Rank = 7/9
Pre-race routine:

I rode the bike over from the campground and filled out the USAT application. Got body marked and headed into transition and set up my spot. Once set up I walked back to camp.
Drank my usual instant breakfast and then ate a few potato chips.

Event warmup:

I nearly missed my wave start. While back in camp I was not wearing a watch and time got away from me. When I did check the clock it was 7:57! My heat started at 8:05, I still didn't have my wetsuit on, and I was a 5 minute walk from the water. I pulled the suit on up to my waist and took off running for transition (where I had left my goggles, cap, and ear plugs). As I was running I heard the start of wave 1 at 8:00. I ran into transition and grabbed the things I needed for the swim and ran through the entrance to transition, carefully avoiding crossing the timing mat. As I was running down to the beach I got both arms into the suit but didn't have the suit pulled up over my shoulders to give me as free a range of motion as I'd like. I looked around as my wife ran up and I had her help me zip the suit. As I wadded into the water I got the goggles and swim cap on. I put the ear plugs in while the 10 second countdown was going and tried to pull the sleeves up some more. Then the gun went off and I hit my 910 start button.
Swim
  • 28m 26s
  • 1640 yards
  • 01m 44s / 100 yards
Comments:

I started dead last in my wave of around 30 swimmers. I went into the water having not checked my goggles or ear plugs and without a swim warm up. I put my head down and just started swimming like I practice. When I found myself feeling like I was going too fast I slowed down and focused on my form to bring it all back into focus. As I focused on going my own pace I caught and passed quite a few swimmers from my wave (red caps). I passed a few swimmers from the first wave (white caps) at about halfway through my swim. Just before I reached the second turn buoy the first swimmer from wave 3 caught me (wow was he fast) After rounding the last buoy the second "yellow cap" caught me. I tried to draft off of him a bit but he was still too fast for me. The third one went by and that was the last person to pass me on the swim. I came out of the water 2nd of 9 in my age group and 10th out of 28 in my wave.
What would you do differently?:

Be ready at the start and get my suit on properly. The lack of easy mobility in the shoulders made my shoulders tired by the end.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Bike
  • 1h 23m 19s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 17.90 mile/hr
Comments:

The bike went well, but I'm quite slow for my age group. many who I passed in the swim passed me on the bike. I took 3 gels on the bike. One a couple miles in. The second at around 30 minutes in, and the third just after the 1 hour mark.
What would you do differently?:

Just train more.
Transition 2
  • 01m 37s
Run
  • 1h 01m
  • 6.2 miles
  • 09m 50s  min/mile
Comments:

I went out a bit too fast. first mile was around 9:00 pace and I was shooting for 9:30. By the last 2 miles I was feeling pretty wasted. I was feeling a side stitch coming on and I slowed down to prevent it hitting me full. Part of my mind actually though "it would be easier to just swim across the lake than finish this run". My last mile was in the range of 10:30. I was toast. There was nothing left when I crossed the line.
What would you do differently?:

Need to get my nutrition and pacing dialed.
Post race
Warm down:

walked/stumbled over to a shady spot and pretty much collapsed on the grass.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Nutrition and pacing. Training on the bike.

Event comments:

A good venue for my first Olympic.




Last updated: 2014-06-02 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:28:26 | 1640 yards | 01m 44s / 100yards
Age Group: 2/9
Overall: 30/77
Performance: Good
Suit: Synergy Adrenaline
Course: wading/treading water start next to the swim beach area. Straight out from shore past 2 orange sighting buoys then on to a white triangular buoy. Right turn and follow another long leg parallel to the far shoreline past another 2 orange sighting buoys to the last white triangle buoy. Right turn then straight on in to shore passing more orange sighting buoys and exiting at the swim finish arch about 100 yards down the shoreline from the start.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 70F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
01:23:19 | 24.85 miles | 17.90 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/9
Overall: 63/77
Performance: Good
Wind:
Course: Out and back along the park road and then onto hwy 104. A little vehicle traffic, but the drivers were careful as they passed. CHP monitored for safety. Roads in the park were ok, a little rough. Several speed bumps to cross. Areas with many small round pavement markers near pedestrian areas in the park also. Once onto hwy 104 the pavement is very rough, but very few potholes for several miles. Some low rolling hills but no big climbs. Then the pavement gets very smooth for several miles. Turnaround is very tight in the middle of the roadway, but well manned by volunteers warning riders in advance.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 85+
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:37
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
01:01:00 | 06.2 miles | 09m 50s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/9
Overall: 58/77
Performance: Below average
Course: Mostly out and back on fire roads, a little pavement, and some single track. Little to no shade anywhere.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5