Alligator's Creek Triathlon - Triathlon


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O'Fallon, Missouri
United States
City of O'Fallon
75F / 24C
Precipitation
Total Time = 1h 37m 31s
Overall Rank = 39/173
Age Group = M30-34
Age Group Rank = 5/10
Pre-race routine:

Didn't feel well getting up in the morning (had some GI issues aka diarrhea...ack). Got some breakfast down and had the car already packed up the night before, so was able to get to the race site for check in and body marking with plenty of time to spare.
Event warmup:

Some light stretching and about 300 yards in the pool to get the blood flowing.
Swim
  • 04m 28s
  • 300 yards
  • 01m 29s / 100 yards
Comments:

Pretty good swim. Had to pass one guy, but he was kind enough to stop at the wall so that was easy. Didn't feel great the last 100 - just didn't seem to have any power in my arms. This would be a continuing theme.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

T1 included in bike time (I think). Felt just as slow as all my other T1s.
Bike
  • 1h 04m 35s
  • 18.6 miles
  • 17.28 mile/hr
Comments:

With the precipitation, I dialed it back a bit in the corners and on some of the descents. Just couldn't risk a crash this close to my HIM. Starting out I didn't feel much power in my legs - that probably didn't come until at least mile 6. They weren't tired or sore, I just didn't get anything when I tried to push. May have been from the activities the day before (see post-race comments).

Had to take off my glasses around mile 12 or 13 because the mix of drizzle and humidity had them too fogged up to see through. By that point most of the bigger descents were finished, and since it was overcast I didn't need them for the sunlight so I just hung them off of the shifter cables.

I also didn't finish my water bottle and probably should have. It was not very hot, but it was humid and so I may have benefited from drinking a bit more despite not feeling overly thirsty.

I think between T1 and T2 I probably had 3:30 - 4:00 of time, so this segment may have been closer to an hour.
What would you do differently?:

I haven't been training for a course like this, since the HIM is going to be pancake flat and this is a very hilly course. My legs are ready to turn cadence forever and ever, but those spikes in power required on a course of this type make for a different type of training. Still happy with the results though.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

(T2 included in bike, I think). With the hill leading into T2 I didn't have much of any opportunity to get my shoes unstrapped before getting off the bike. I got one but not the other. Also slipped getting my shoe on and ended up sitting down to get it done right. By this time my socks were soaked from the rain so that didn't help much.
What would you do differently?:

Not much to do - the layout is what it is.
Run
  • 28m 27s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 09m 11s  min/mile
Comments:

This run was just as tough as I remember. It absolutely feels like two miles of uphill followed by one of downhill that don't equal each other. Like the bike, I just wasn't getting very good turnover out of my legs. I was starting to get thirsty in spots, but the run is no place to fix that and so I just gutted through it. Had one racer try to sprint me to the finish line off the final downhill (~1/4 mile or so) but I held him off by the slimmest of margins. A few of the final strides I could feel my hamstring wanting to cramp so that made for an interesting final 50 yards or so.
What would you do differently?:

Again, see post-race comments.
Post race
Warm down:

Walking around, stretching out my hamstring and getting water in the system.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Honestly, the Dunkelganger. My wife and I doubled with another couple on a trip to Urban Chesnut Brewing Company (UCBC) the afternoon before and I knowingly overdid it. I wasn't hung over or anything like that, but I have to think that the lack of power available to me during the race was affected in good part to that trip.

Event comments:

This course is definitely more in my ability range than it was two years ago when I first did it. If I trained more hills (both biking and running) I think I could do quite well on it. The training plan for the season just doesn't dictate spending enough hill time (I know that sounds weird, but due to time constraints it is).

The volunteer crew was awesome, and the RD said that the city road crews put in 80 hours of work sweeping and repairing potholes just for this event. It showed, as the roads were in terrific condition outside of the wetness.

It's unfortunate that with a pool start and the toughness of the bike and run legs that the awards and raffle end up being SOOO late compared to when I get done with the race as one of the first in the water. There's absolutely nothing that can be done about this, but it is unfortunate.




Last updated: 2014-07-22 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:04:28 | 300 yards | 01m 29s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/10
Overall: 18/173
Performance: Good
Suit: Club Tri Kit
Course: Serpentine pool swim.
Start type: Inside Pool Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:04:35 | 18.6 miles | 17.28 mile/hr
Age Group: 4/10
Overall: 42/173
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: One loop on the roller coaster. Very good road conditions as far as road smoothness, but some precipitation both overnight and during the race caused some braking where I may not have otherwise.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Below average
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:28:27 | 03.1 miles | 09m 11s  min/mile
Age Group: 8/10
Overall: 74/173
Performance: Below average
Course: Very hilly run around the nearby neighborhood.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4