Tri for Real #1 - Olympic Distance Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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Rancho Seco, California
United States
TBF Racing
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 4h 16m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

(Times off watch, will be updated once official times in)

Got everything ready the night before, and set the alarm for 4:30 so I could get on the road by 5:00. As always, I end up having to rush around a bit and check everything 3 or 4 times, so I didn't actually leave until about 5:20. I've done this series for quite a while now, so no issues driving to the race site or anything. It was a nice drive and I ate my pre-race meal of a ClifBar on the way.

Found madkat (didn't see any other BT'ers) and we said Hi, and continued our organizational efforts. (I drank a bottle of sports drink to get some hydration/calories pre-race.) I felt really good coming into this race and like I was going to do well.
Event warmup:

Once I got all my stuff organized, headed down to the swim about 15 min before my wave start. Once I got there, I started to put on my cap, only to realize that my sunglasses were on my head, Aaugghh! So then I had to run back to the transition area and put the sunglasses where they should be. Yeah, gotta have at least one crazy moment. Then went back to the swim, put on my cap, and got wet. I had about a 3 minute warm-up.
Swim
  • 39m 50s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 26s / 100 yards
Comments:

Started well, but then had the first time experience of getting kicked in the head by someone - still not quite sure how that happened as she didn't seem to be doing anything weird. I managed to stay pretty well with the group til about the 1st buoy, then they started pulling away. So, where I ended up was at FOBOP. There were people behind me, but no one really around me or in front of me. Coming towards the 2nd turn (and then back to the finish) another woman was coming diagonally on my left, and we met at the 2nd buoy. We continued swimming nearly side by side - so I decided to draft off of her to the end of the swim. I figured I'd go just as fast and get a little rest.

This strategy worked really well except she was a bit of a zigzagger so it was a little hard to stay with her, cause she'd keep correcting her line. At the very end, she was heading way off to the right (and towards the middle of the roped off swimming area) so I let her go and veered off to the left to get to the actual finish line.

Ended up walking to the transition area, I was really out of breath for some reason.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - I'd like to swim faster but this wasn't bad considering I haven't been in the water since my mile swim last week. :)

The swim might have been just a bit long.
Transition 1
  • 02m 32s
Comments:

Got to my transition area, already had my goggles and cap off, threw them down, put on sunglasses, helmet, gloves, swallowed a gel, and ate a big bite of a ClifNectar, put on shoes, grabbed bike and I was out of there.
What would you do differently?:

Good transition, felt smooth.
Bike
  • 1h 41m 34s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 14.68 mile/hr
Comments:

This was a really good bike for me. I was really happy with it. I felt like I was holding a good pace and a good effort level throughout. Rolling hills, the whole way, and they didn't seem as hard as they have in the past. About .7 mph faster than last year so a definite improvement!

I did get passed by some people, but they didn't zoom past me and disappear so I felt like I was at least a bit more competitive. Really, it was the hills that slowed me down - but then again, I'm hauling a lot of extra poundage up them, and it does make a difference. And I didn't come in nearly last off the bike! Yeah! Okay, I was still in the BOP, but at least 6 or so people behind me even at the end.

The only irritating thing was that the girl I passed at the very beginning ended up passing me at the very end as I was huffing and puffing up the last hill. Dang.

Nutrition: one bottle sports drink, one bottle water, 5 gels.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing! Well, lose weight so I can go faster up the dang hills!

Okay, don't let the girl pass me at the end, so I can say I passed someone on the bike and they just had to eat my dust!
Transition 2
  • 03m
Comments:

Rack bike, take off bike stuff, put on run stuff (including socks) - eat one more gel, and head out with water bottle.

Ended up walking out of transition, I was tired.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing, except not be so tired...
Run
  • 1h 50m
  • 6.21 miles
  • 17m 43s  min/mile
Comments:

I felt really tired starting the run. Not sure, maybe I pushed too hard on the bike, although it didn't feel that way. Started running, and I just started falling apart. It was getting really HOT, about 90, and I haven't trained at all in the heat and the first part of the run is short steep rollers. I just couldn't do it the way I wanted to. Whenever I would start to run, I would alo start feeling a little sick and dizzy - so I just backed off and did my patented shuffle option. So, I decided not to push it too hard, cause I didn't want to end up feeling really sick afterwards.

Ended up walking a lot more than I wanted, ended up getting passed by everyone that hadn't passed me before (except one person) and ended up going slower and slower as the run progressed.

I did finally finish though... beating only one person, the 78 year old. (the oldest participant) Yeah! I smoked an octegenarian!
What would you do differently?:

Run more and not SLACK OFF! AND train in the heat, I know what this race is like, I've done it before. No excuse.
Post race
Warm down:

Mmm... cool shower afterwards at the site - felt SO good. Then went with madkat and her guy and we got some Mexican food which was also SO GOOD!

And I HATE the pics of me from this race so just some general race shots. If you really want to know, go look at my albums, I look just about the same.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Weight, weight, weight.

Good on the swim, good on the bike, bad on the run - maybe next time it'll all come together...

Event comments:

Nice smaller race.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-02-13 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:39:50 | 1640 yards | 02m 26s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Suit: swim suit
Course: Rectangular.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:32
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
01:41:34 | 24.85 miles | 14.68 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Out and back on rolling country road. One bad RR crossing.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 80+
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:00
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:50:00 | 06.21 miles | 17m 43s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Bad
Course: Out and back, rolling fire road, pavement, little dirt trails.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? No
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