Lake Dunmore Triathlon II - Triathlon


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Salisbury, Vermont
United States
Vermont Sun Triathlon Series
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 05m 27s
Overall Rank = 43/63
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 2/5
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4:30, ate Chiobani plain Greek yogurt with walnuts, Craisins, and honey and half a dry bagel. Got dressed, filled water bottles, bike in car, coffee in a to-go cup. 1:15 drive to get to the venue. Pumped tires at the car. Site opened at 06:45, I was there at that time, got my bib packet, timing chip, and numbered; racked my bike, donned my running shoes and went for a mile jog to loosen the legs. The goal of this race was to use it as a trial run for my knee (I've had knee issues all winter) and planned to use the Galloway run a mile, walk a minute interval for the 10k to avoid injury - more on this in the run section.
Laid out transition area, hit the head, donned the wetsuit and went for a short 200 yard swim. Lake water was warm and fairly clear.
Event warmup:

Again, about a mile jog, no bike, about a 200 yard swim about 10 minutes before race start.
Took a GU about 15 minutes before the start.
Swim
  • 31m 30s
  • 1500 yards
  • 02m 06s / 100 yards
Comments:

Start was okay, the usual bumping and crowd around the first turn because it's so close - people haven't strung out yet. My sighting down the first long stretch was NOT good. I was army swimming - left/right. I've not had so much difficulty sighting before, strange. After the second turn to come the long way back I fell in behind someone I found was sighting well and just kept on her heels and occasionally checked our progress; it seemed to work well. I followed her all the way back and all the way back out again. The second to last turn brings you to an odd angle to the final 90 degree turn home, I lost her and the sun was coming up over the ridge causing blinding off the water. I could have maybe swum in a few more strokes before standing up to run. The run out was fine; getting cap and goggles off was fine on the run in.
What would you do differently?:

My sighting distracted me for sure on that first leg and I felt so slow. Normally I don't have an issue sighting so I'm not sure what happened here. I'm a dominant right side breather and all turns were to the left but I've done this race before and not had the problem.
Swim faster. My training times are significantly faster so this was frustrating.
Transition 1
  • 01m 27s
Comments:

I was happy with T1 time. Shoes went on quickly, same with sunglasses and helmet. Wetsuit came off well - a little stuck on the left foot but not bad.
What would you do differently?:

This was one of my faster T1 times but maybe get the wetsuit off my foot faster and learn to jump on my bike. I haven't gone to rubber-banding my shoes yet so that could help.
Bike
  • 1h 36m 34s
  • 28 miles
  • 17.40 mile/hr
Comments:

The ride starts right out going uphill and then into nice rollers. It's like a big rectangle - think of the start at about 3 o'clock position - riding clockwise around with the lake in the middle. The opposite side of the lake takes you on Route 7 which is a 50 mile/hr road for cars but has a decent shoulder (not a closed course). There is police presence at major intersections allowing wide, fast turns which is nice. The "hill" is at about 12 o'clock on the dial. It's really not too bad. There is a water station near this hill - the only one for the bike course. You do this loop twice. On my second time around I had a GU at about the 9 o'clock position. Shortly after this I made a wrong/early turn. Ooops. My own fault. I recognized it quickly, turned around and got back on course. A couple of people blew by me as I was coming back out and I couldn't get the momentum I had had earlier. The hill the second time around was not too much of a problem - just made me breathe hard. I had water in my Aerolite bottle and another water bottle underneath that was about 2/3 full - I did not need this one at all but drank almost all of the Aerolite bottle.
What would you do differently?:

I wouldn't take a wrong turn. Doh...
i think I would take a GU on the first lap and another on the second lap. I ate breakfast at about 04:45 and race start was at 08:00 so it's been a while for food.
Transition 2
  • 01m 24s
Comments:

Coming into T2 I crossed the blue timing mats and there was a raised rubber mat housing cords. As I crossed it, my bike bounced up and away from me. I leaned to catch it and my pedal drove into my leg just above my right ankle bone. I knew it as bleeding but assumed it was "but a flesh wound." A friend was in T2 chatting with me (he had finished the sprint) while I changed shoes, put on my visor and belt. I probably burned a few extra seconds there but no biggie.
My timing chip strap was coming undone and I had to take time to re-do the whole thing. I think this is where I burned my time.
What would you do differently?:

I wouldn't let my bike bounce up the raised rubber mat.
Run
  • 54m 30s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 08m 47s  min/mile
Comments:

I hydrated well on the bike - finally! My plan for the run to preserve the knee was to follow my training plan and run 1 mile, walk 1 minute and do these intervals for the bulk of the run. It was hard mentally to walk but I did about 4 walk intervals - 2 of them a full minute, 1 was 45 seconds, the last was 30 seconds (though i also made a point to walk through each water station so I shortened my last walks). I really felt great and not taxed on the run! I passed a fair number of people and my knee felt great. I did 8:47 min/mile with walking so I was happy with that and felt fine the whole time - smiling and encouraging others, high-fiving a couple of folks and chatting with others. Part of me wonders what my time would have been if I hadn't walked but I bet it wouldn't have been that much better and I would have been pooped. A woman I passed and chatted with stopped me after the race and talked with me about the program I did when I was running - she's interested!
The whole run I did feel blood running into my shoe from my cut above my ankle but the adrenaline was firing so I didn't let it bother me. As it turned out, I had a pretty gaping cut that could have used a few stitches. LOL. Ah well, that's what makes us tough...might have to get a tri tattoo to cover the scar!
What would you do differently?:

Not much! My goal was to see how my knee would react on the run and it was successful. Sure, I'd like to have not walked at all but to at what cost. My "A" race is next month.
Post race
Warm down:

a little stretching and had my cut cleaned up.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Poor sighting on the swim, walking on the run, lack of general strength on the bike.

Event comments:

This is a good venue for a triathlon. They did Oly Nationals here about 4 years ago so they must be doing something right! The race is very smoothly run and the volunteers are fantastic. There is good police presence. The only restrooms are the beach restrooms so about 6 restrooms for the ladies (no idea for the men); no porto-potties.
The water is generally quite clean and very few weeds. No medals but top 3 in each AG get pint glasses; there is a raffle at the end based on bib numbers (I got a t-shirt). Swag bag includes a water bottle, cliff bar, and you get free picture downloads which is very cool.




Last updated: 2015-08-11 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:31:30 | 1500 yards | 02m 06s / 100yards
Age Group: 4/5
Overall: 40/63
Performance: Below average
Suit: Xterra Vortex 4 full suit
Course: Course more parallels the shoreline than going out. A short out (about 100 yards) to a left 90 degree turn to parallel the shoreline. Way down you do a 180 degree turn and come all the way back to the first turn buoy and do another left 180 degree turn back down again, then another left 180 degree turn to about halfway back, a right 90 degree turn to the shore.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Average
Waves: Average Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 01:27
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
01:36:34 | 28 miles | 17.40 mile/hr
Age Group: 2/5
Overall: 45/63
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: 2 loops, all right hand turns. Rolling with one decent hill you have to do twice. Not a closed course.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:24
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:54:30 | 06.2 miles | 08m 47s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/5
Overall: 39/63
Performance: Average
Course: Out and back, rolling hills - front loaded with uphill. Shaded much of the way. Not a closed course. 3 or 4 water stations.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4