Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Galveston, Texas
United States
EndorFUN SPORTS
72F / 22C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 35m 37s
Overall Rank = 337/
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 49/64
Pre-race routine:

Woke up about 5am. I had packed my stuff the night before and gone over it several times so I was confident I hadn't forgotten anything. Waited for Brad to come and pick up Hector, myself and my son Dylan so that we could get to the transition. Got body marked and made my way to transition to begin set up. Got transition set up and then had a bagel and some peanut butter out by the paddle boat.
Event warmup:

Put on the wetsuit and went for a swim for about 200 yards or so. Out to the start and then back several times. Water felt great. Not too hot, not too cold.
Swim
  • 17m 42s
  • 550 yards
  • 03m 13s / 100 yards
Comments:

I won't say much about the swim. When I checked the results on Saturday evening they had the distance posted at 480 and my pace was 3:41. When I checked it later they had increased the distance and my pace improved to 2:57. I can live with this. Everyone who reads my blog knows that the swim is difficult for me. My new lease is to enjoy triathlons. After all that is why we do this is it not. Obviously I was having trouble keeping my stroke. I had made a decision not to blow up and not to let it affect the rest of my race so I just did recovery strokes in between freestyle strokes. I just wanted to keep moving forward. I was not sighting well either cause I kept drifting out into the bay and I ran right into a surfer. She was sweet though and said, "you're almost done, you're doing good, just aim for the yellow flags." I did and everything was fine. Made my way to the strippers and was ready when I got there to have them rip off my wetsuit. Brad, Deborah and Dylan all cheering me on and taking pictures of me. That was nice to have some fans out there.
What would you do differently?:

I'm starting DAM swim classes hopefully this month. If not then next month for sure.
Transition 1
  • 03m 41s
Comments:

T1 is always the worst isn't it. You are a little dizzy from the swim and you have to do the most to get ready for the bike. I need to work on these but like I said, I'm enjoying the triathlons so much I'm not too worried about it right now. Jogged in from swim. Had suit stripped off, without bearing any of my private parts like I heard people had done after the race. Glad I didn't give those girls a show. Into transition, glasses, halo, helmet, socks, shoes, sip some gatorade and off I go. Uneventful and I'm pleased with the results.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe wait until I get on the bike to drink and skip socks? I don't know, I like having the socks on.
Bike
  • 45m 37s
  • 12.5 miles
  • 16.44 mile/hr
Comments:

Course was great. The sea was rolling and the roads were blocked off for us. I was pacing pretty good I thought and keeping my cadence up. I had switched my computer to show me distance and cadence since I train by cadence and not speed. As I made the turn onto Seawall Blvd. I reached down for my endurance drink, since I had grabbed the top of the bottle I went to toss it up and grab the bottom. Damn thing flew right out of my hand, I tried to catch it but could not do it. It was clearly an accident and I was right there by the protected turn so I guess I didn't get a penalty because of that. I don't know, still trying to figure all this out. Felt like a slight tailwind going out cause you could barely hear the wind and the rides seemed pretty easy. Whoomp, whoomp, whoomp, that is pretty much what I heard the whole way as people with disc wheels continued to pass me. I passed several people but got passed by probably a dozen people all playing the same tune. Whoomp, whoomp, whoomp. I would move over to the right and let them pass as I heard them coming up from behind. Since my crash two weeks ago I have these sores on my left arm and getting aeros was pretty uncomfortable. Plus I was leaving remnants of my skab behind everytime I got up to get a drink. So I just spent most time on the hoods or in the drops. At the turn around the road was blocked off again. I continued to make good time (for me anyway) at the turn around and continued to hear the whoomp of disc wheels flying past me. I just made sure that I was dropping back as they passed so as not to break any rules. I could feel a slight headwind but it wouldn't be obvious as to how stiff it was until I finally came up on the seawall. I was stuck behind this guy and couldn't get up the speed to pass him so I just turned it down a little and made sure I stayed my 3 lengths back and enjoyed the ride. All I had to do was turn my head and see that ocean and know that it didn't matter. This was a great course and I was loving every minute of it. Made the turn down toward Moody Gardens making sure know one needed to pass before I made the turn. Someone was back there so I turned wide and allowed them the inside. Onward to the transition. Beautiful ride. I want to go back and just ride along that seawall.
What would you do differently?:

Push a little harder. I could have posted higher speeds if I had. I also had it in me when the ride was over to have pushed harder. I need to ride the big ring more.
Transition 2
  • 01m 40s
Comments:

Into transition running in my shoes and I went down the wrong side of my isle. I should have gone to the outside instead I went to the inside and had to crawl under the bar to get my shoes on. Bike racked, helmet off, halo off, shoes off, running shoes on and hat on and off I went. Oh yeah, I forgot. I had two gels on the bike. One at the beginning and one at the end. I had cramped up in Athens and wanted to make sure that didn't happen this time.
What would you do differently?:

Go on the right side of my transition area.
Run
  • 26m 55s
  • 3 miles
  • 08m 58s  min/mile
Comments:

BT woohoo! I said that to every jersey I saw on the run. Got responses at the aid station and from a couple of runners on the course. I went out and wanted to make sure that I didn't blow up too soon. I was having such a good time with this race and I wanted to finish strong. G-O-O-D..J-O-B...Good Job! That would be the thing that stood with me most through out this run. The cheerleaders were just awsome and I laughed when I heard this cheer. It really was uplifting. The volunteers were great and I was joking with them at the one mile mark. I was like "that's one mile left to go right?" They just started laughing and I thanked them for being there and making the race enjoyable. I was pacing pretty good and didn't get passed until the last mile. I did however pass several people on the way out. One guy kept coming right up beside me real fast and would just pull ahead a little and then fade back. He did this about three times and I just stayed steady the whole way. It must have been frustrating for him because he gave this sound like he was about to collapse and faded back even further. I never saw him again. I was chatting with everyone that I was running with and laughing and just having a good time. Had I known what my pace was I probably would have shut up and ran. I realize now that I probably could have made better time with my pace if I had done so, but it was just too good the way it was. The bad cover band singing ACDC on the back side was awsome. I applauded them after their cover of that song "You shook me all night long" sorry can't remember the name. The cheerleaders, the guy that I chatted with as he passed me. I tried to make him feel good by letting him know that he was passing number 10 (he was 306 I believe). I don't think it worked but it got a laugh out of him. Hopefully it gave him that push to finish hard. The mom that passed me by the paddle boats, her little girl was so proud of mom. I just let her go by and said. Mom's doing good huh sweety. She giggled and dad laughed. As I rounded the corner by the expo tent I hit it hard and sprinted through the line. Brad, Deborah, Dylan, Hector (who finished earlier) and Bianca were all there cheering me on. It was awsome. I was done. This was my best run to date and I couldn't be happier with my performance.
What would you do differently?:

Shut up and run when I am pacing like that. I can't believe I was running that fast. Nahh. I won't shut up. All the chatting and laughing just makes that time that much sweeter.
Post race
Warm down:

Now that's what I'm talking about. That is what I got from Brad with my sprint finish. Apparently I hadn't sprinted hard enough at Athens so I made sure to do it this time. Grabbed my bottle and towel and drank and chatted and loved finishing that race the way I did. Considered getting everything out of transition and then the skies just opened up and let it rip. Stood under the Mavic tent and chatted with some folks. Felt sorry for the folks just starting out on their run. Went and got my stuff out of transition and thanked the volunteers who where keeping up the enthusiasm even though they didn't have shelter to go to. Two in particular I told were just awsome for their enthusiasm. They thanked me and asked me how my race went. Racked the bike next to the expo tent and then went in to grab some food and check results.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swimming.

Event comments:

I love this race and will be back next year. Next year I would like to get one of those finisher medals and race the quarter. I also want to hang out with the BT folk. I didn't get a chance to meet any of them and that is my greatest regret from this race. Next time guys. Thanks for reading my report.




Last updated: 2006-11-07 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:17:42 | 550 yards | 03m 13s / 100yards
Age Group: 50/64
Overall: 0/
Performance: Below average
Suit: QR UltraJohn
Course: Open water, protected bay. Out and turn to shore.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:41
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:45:37 | 12.5 miles | 16.44 mile/hr
Age Group: 44/64
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Flat and fast along the seawall. Beautiful, just beautiful.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 90
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:40
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:26:55 | 03 miles | 08m 58s  min/mile
Age Group: 49/64
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Course: Lovely course through Moody Gardens. Fast and fun.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
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