Bassman Spring Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Well, it took the RD forever to start the race. They were 30 min behind schedule and then as we walk towards the water he tries to call us back because he wants to say more. We kept walking!!

It was 39 and under in my wave. We started in knee deep water and it was measured from waist deep water (so he said). The water was a bit nipply (57ish) but tolerable. I placed myself in the front thinking that I had gotten faster in the water, so I can hang...

The horn went off and I went after it. I tried to catch one guys feet and all I got was a knee to the elbow. Yeah...that didn't work. By the time I got to the first buoy, I was already anerobic. I was mad at myself for doing this but I really thought that I was a fast swimmer now. Well...I was wrong. By the time that I settled into my pace, I had missed the first pack of swimmers. I could see them about 25 meters in front of me. I would use them to sight off of later.

Well, I wasn't even 3 min into the swim and I had already beaten myself up mentally. I wanted to do really well here as a tune up for FL 70.3 but figured that I had lost it on the swim. I finally got myself together when I felt a slap on my calf. I just figured it was me correcting into someone's line. Nope...I had a little fishy following me. How do I know? Because he did it about 4 more times. I put on a bit of a surge and dropped him like a bad habit.

I ended up just pushing the pace to a high tempo, but never really went after it for the rest of the swim. Nan said my turnover was really slow in the water. She could tell it was me because I was the only one with dark hands. After the first turn, I was glad that I am Bi. Bilateral that is (dirty dirty). The sun was on my left side and since I had chosen poorly to not wear my tinted goggles, I was blinded if I looked that way. It didn't help when I made the turn for home with the sun in my eyes. I then spotted off of swim caps and caught a glimpse of the buoy and shore every once in a while.

Came out of the water and Nan's family was screaming and yelling. I think they were...or there was a shark behind me...not sure. I told Nan that if I wasn't top 10 coming out of the water, to just yell out "Go". Well, needless to say, Nan yelled Go as I came out of the water.

Oh...while waiting after the race, I saw a band of people with Princeton Swim club jackets on...so I didn't feel so bad about my swim.

Not go out so fast. I never draft during a race because I suck at it, but every race I try and go out fast. Just settle into my race pace early and let the people come to me.

Be positive with myself. It's a Triathlon...not a swim!!

It was a long run from the beach to the back of transition. I had my top off fairly early but then the arm stuck on my watch band. I had forgotten to put it back over my watch. Then I later found out that I dropped my goggles. It's ok...I needed a new pair anyway.

I ran into transition and I had placed a towel on the corner of my rack so I could find it. It helped my navigation skills. I had some issues with my Black Pearl coming off around my ankles. I need to work on that! Socks went on ok (YES...I wear socks!!) and helmet. I ran out with my bike and jumped on. I was into my shoes within 20 seconds and headed down the road.

Remember to cover my watch over with my suit. That's extra drag you know. Be smoother in T1.

I got on the bike and was determined to make up the time I had lost on the swim. The bike has been my weapon so far this year, so I was hoping it was going to come through for me. As I left T1, a car crossed over the road and was sitting between myself and another rider in front of me. I knew there was a stop sign coming up, so I just used the car to draft. Granted, we were only going like 18/19 at the time. I pulled around the car and shot by the person in front of me as they slowed into a curve.

My stomach wasn't likeing the extra sugar I put in my WaWa coffee. I felt like I had to puke for the first bit of the ride. I kinda forced myself to expell something, but it was just more of a dry heave. It got a bit better when I took some gel. I guess gel counters sugar. Maybe I'll write a diet book around that philosophy...

Now I had to find a new victim. I ride much better when someone is in front of me to chase down. The wind was constant, but not horrible. While watching out for pot holes, you had to watch out for bridges too...the wind would be terrible there with no cover. I didn't feel like I was really going after if for the first 5 or so miles. I was still mad about my swim and not pushing myself. I came up on a guy and slowly passed him and then he repassed me. This kinda woke me up. I got out of his draft zone and then put it up a gear. I dropped him fairly quickly after passing him. I then started to pick up the pace.

A couple of miles down the road, I heard a disk wheel coming up behind me. I was determined not to get passed on the bike. I picked it up a bit but it was to no avail. He passed me and I repassed him. Well, this time I pissed HIM off. He came back around and next thing I know he was out of sight! So now I'm alone again...

At around the 20 mile marker, I chased down a guy in a California Tri suit (logo, not brand and no it wasn't pink) I pull around him and continue to hammer. I am pushing myself and am finally in my race rhythm. About a mile after passing him, I look back and he is right behind me. I guess I didn't put any distance on him. At first I though he was drafting and started to get pissed. But the longer he sat there, the more I realized he was just using me as a pacer. I bumped it up a bit more and then started encouraging the riders on the out portion of the bike. I know how I use to feel seeing people come back when I was just leaving. I got a lot of smiles and fist pumps from them so that was encouraging. I never want to be pompus enough to not encourage those that are trying just as hard as I am but just happen to be a bit slower than I am at the time.

With about 3 miles to go, California guy comes around me and says that I am setting a great tempo. I say thanks and then use him as a pacer. It was very interesting working with another cyclist in this manner. It's a fine line between drafting and pacing. I tried my hardest to keep my distance but I did find myself inside the 7 meter zone on occasion. Just like I KNOW he was inside that 7 meter zone from time to time when I was out in front. So I had to think long and hard if this was drafting or not. I don't think it was but I was close to be honest.

With about a half mile to go, I repassed him because he slowed down a bit or I picked it up...not sure. I think he was content to sit behind me because I had done most of the work since I went by him initially. I think I woke him up like the other guy woke me up.

As I entered T2 I saw Matt (my BIL) holding a stop sign at the dismount line. I wasn't expecting that. He said, "Stop here or I'll fine you". I thought it was funny. Plus I think I freaked him out because I came around the corner already out of my shoes and leaning the bike on one side around the corner.

As I came into T2, Nancy yelled out "8th...you're 8th". That was a surprise..I didn't think I had passed that many people on the bike.

Settle into my pace quicker and realize that you can't do anything about the leg you just finished.

Ran with my bike well. I actually held my bike up so my shoes would stay on. I felt a bit disjointed but I just need to practice T2.

Nothing. Just practice more.

So I came out of T2 feeling good. California guy came out before I did so he was about 10 yrds in front of me and a guy in an Elite Bikes uniform was 15 meters in front of him. My plan off the bat was to run down the California guy and then the Elite guy.

I never looked at my watch for the splits but knew that we were hauling some serious booty. After mile 1, I changed my mind to chasing these guys down to trying to stay with them. About mile 2, my body said...Dan...I need to pee. We passed an aid staion and I didn't take any water for that reason. So about mile 2, my body said..."Dan...I don't think you heard me...I really have to pee". Well, at the first round about, I saw that I had a couple of chasers and they were closing fast. I couldn't stop to pee...so what to do?

I slowed up a bit and let it out. I tried to time it just after a water stop. I wonder if the volenteer questioned why I took some water but never drank it... The bad part is that I had to slow down a bit to do this. So the elastic broke between me and California guy. I knew that I was in 9th place according to Nan since he came out of T2 before I did.

Then around mile 3, I went from trying to keep with these guys to trying to see them around corners and not get run down. Every round about, 2XU guys was getting closer and closer. He passed me with about 3/4 of a mile to go. He asked, "How many up there?". I said, "You're 9th now". I was now determined not to get passed again because I really wanted to finish top 10.

I stayed about 10 meters behind him but was never able to reclose the gap. I think he slowed up because he realized that he couldn't make up the time on California guy. He was moving right along when he came by me and then I was able to stay with him. The weird part was the run course crossed over itself twice. I almost got taken out by someone in their first 1/2 mile while I was on mile 3.5. Luckily the volenteer said, "Look out". Then with 200 meters to go, you cross back over, but the course was clear. Good thing because I was moving and trying to close the gap but it didn't happen.

Red shirt guy who was behind 2XU guy looked like he was closing but it was my imagination. So I had a clear path to the finish. I told Nan that if I was in the clear I wanted to cross the line with her. I saw her and told her to come one. She didn't because she didn't want to get me DQ'd. I think she's just shy like that. Women are weird. But Nan still rocks!!

Crossed the line and felt pretty good. The winner was there to shake my hand and I thought that was awesome. It's weird being in the 'front pack' of a race. After 2 more people came in, it was another 4-5 minutes before anyone else crossed....really weird.

Nothing really. I just need to work more on my run. Mentally challenge myself to stay with someone and not give in when getting passed. I think I could have given 2XU guy a run for his money in the last 3/4 of a mile. But that's something to work on.

When I was done, right where my glutes attach to my hamstrings locked up something fierce. I have never had that happen before. I went to bend down and a shot of pain went through my body. It didn't hurt when I was racing, but when I stopped.

I hobbled back to the car, changed and Nan worked on my glutes. It was almost right where my saddle sits, so I wonder if that was it? Not sure. But it felt weird getting massaged on a picnic table. :P

Nan's family was awesome and Kara (Nan neice) was clapping every time someone crossed the line. She's just over a year old.

The food was good at the finish. I'll give them that. Chicken, potato salad and brownies.


Mental Mental Mental. I took myself out of the race within the fist 200 meters of the race. Luckily, my body is good on auto pilot but I have to be more positive towards myself.


Ok...the course was a good one. But outside of that...this race was horrible!
1) It was $100 to start off with.
2) It started 30 min late.
3) The water stops were manned by girls that didn't feel they had to leave their seats. That's fine, but the water stops were at a point of a turn where you are running on the extreme opposite side of the road as where they placed the water stop (going into a round about). They put the stop where you have to cross the road and then continue on. Horrible!!
4) This was in conjuction with a Duathlon and on a turn 30 yds from the finish in deep sand you had to go right for Tri and left for Du to different finishing chutes. Why not put that sign (the size of a postage stamp) a bit further up course so you're not deciding in a sprint in deep sand? Just a thought...
5) The preliminary results didn't come out for 2.5 hrs after the race was done! They posted one sheet of Du results and it was wrong so then they took that down. So I waited for almost 3 hrs and never actually saw the results. They just announced them and I left.
6) You didn't get to keep your race number. They collected them at the end of the race to re-use them. That's fine and all, but where is all the money going?!
7) The shirt was nice.

Basically, I won't be doing this race again. But I'm glad that my in-laws got to see me race. That was the point of going up there.