login
 Swim
Comments: I don't know if it was because of my state of mind, but I went out too fast. My form broke down after the first lap, I was gasping for air, my head was coming up every stroke, and not rolling but coming up. I was almost dead after three laps, but I kept going. I also had not been in the water for two weeks due to the Germany trip. Bad move. I also had heard that the fastest people were in the final heats, so it was in my head to go out as fast as possible... another bad move. I let someone else's race dictate my own, essentiall. What would you do differently?: Ok... doing this race while jet lagged was one minor problem. Racing for an hour and half to just make the start... really was a problem. And I let things get into my head. Looking at the rankings, and my time, I realize that it wasn't all that bad, but I honestly think I could have done better if I had swam more efficiently and not just tried to crank through the water. I think some visualization exercises or some meditation immediately preceding might have been a good thing... but I had zero time.  Transition 1
Comments: I was trying to focus getting my breathing under control. And my feet were rather sensitive. I really tried to get them as dry as possible so their dampness didn't cause the blisters to pop. What would you do differently?: I would choose different socks. I had grabbed socks that went up over my ankle, not my ankle socks. The ankle socks are much easier to get on over wet feet. I also will try putting the shoes on the bike and doing that sort of start in the future, but I didn't set up my transition area, others did, and they did a great job for me. I could see everything.  Bike
Comments: Again... due to the Germany trip, I hadn't been on a bike for almost two weeks. I was terrible. The hills killed me, and I know I have dealt with tougher hills. What would you do differently?: Ride more... and not take two weeks off before a race. Transition 2
Comments: I got a little confused coming in to T2 -- how far to ride before I got off, where my transition area was, etc. I found it all and had to snap out of the pedals, get my shoes off, and then my running shoes on. I had some debris in my eye since my glasses don't cover my eyes all that well. I got that out, grabbed my hat and took off. What would you do differently?: I could have taken my feet out of my shoes with the shoes still on the pedals, but I hadn't practiced that and during the race it didn't even occur to me to do so, but I can practice that. Better set up could help, but everything was really there and visible.  Run
Comments: I knew I was the last competitor on the course and I just enjoyed the run. Volunteers on the course kept asking me, "Are you the last one?" After a while I just enjoyed myself. I would smile and say, "Just call me toilet paper, 'cause I'm wiping up the rear." They all got a good kick out of that. I wasn't really paying attention to time, but at one point someone said, "Wow, you got around that loop pretty quick." I didn't really think about it. But it ends up that my run was one of the best 5ks I have ever run. I felt good and I DID run while in Germany. When I came up to the finish, my 4-year old son ran with me. That was cool. And of course everyone clapped for me. What would you do differently?: I don't know... this was actually the best part of the race for me. I ran a sub-11 pace at the end of a tri. I am really pleased with that. Best of all... no blisters popped! I was amazed. Post race
Warm down: I walked around, ate a banana, and drank some powerade (they had huge bottles of it!). I didn't feel dead. My wife thought I looked better than after my first tri last year. What limited your ability to perform faster: Jet lag, lack of swimming and biking for two weeks... Event comments: This was a good race. Unfortunately there seemed to be a lack of competitors. 53? How odd... But... as long as it isn't on a Sunday, I would do it again next year. Last updated: 2007-05-27 12:00 AM
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK
United States
85F / 29C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 47/53
Age Group = 30-39
Age Group Rank = 10/11
HA! I think I was an idiot for even attempting this. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. due to jet lag, since I returned from Germany only two days previous. I drank a cup of coffee, ate a couple of fruit bars, and then water until I led service at church at 10 a.m. Immediately after the service, I hit the road. I was on the road by 11:30 a.m. and I was flying low. I had about 100 miles to cover to reach the race and I had been told that my starting time was 1 p.m. or 1:12 p.m. It would be close. I managed to arrive right at 1 p.m. My wife (who had stayed at my parents' house since we had returned from Germany) was on site and had gotten the organizers to move my start to the 1:12 p.m. start, the very last heat. I jumped out of the car, pulled off my clerical collar and khakis right there in the parking lot. Thankfully I had planned ahead and had been wearing my tri suit underneath it all. ;) (Otherwise, Evil Lizzie who had arrived at exactly the same time, would be posting pics of the streaking pastor all over... I do believe that she has pics of me stripping in the lot) Anyway, my dad, wife and Evil Lizzie all helped get me ready while I got marked, and put my chip on. One problem, as I ran over to the pool and registration area, I was barefoot. I now have two large unpopped blisters on my feet due to the hot asphalt. I was majorly concerned about how these would affect my performance.
Next to no warmup. A little stretching... a few seconds in the pool. Whistle blows and I was off...