Big Creek Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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Polk City, Iowa
United States
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 38m 55s
Overall Rank = 98/304
Age Group = Clydesdales
Age Group Rank = 4/27
Pre-race routine:

Camped out about 7 miles away from the venue, rode to the race site the day before then then pre-rode much of the course. Did the packet pickup thing and laid down early Sat night - didn't really sleep though and after the kids were asleep joined my wife outside and just talked. Got to bed after midnight and woke up at 5:00 to get going. Made some hot water and had oatmeal, grabbed my stuff and was about to put my helmet on when I noticed some fuzz in one of the vents. Upon closer inspection, a spider had set up a nest in there. Got that cleaned out and grabbed my headlamp and left camp.
Event warmup:

Worked a little harder than I thought I should be riding to the venue - maybe it was just a little bit of nervousness riding while it was as dark as it was - I had expected lighter conditions, wished I had my tail light at least. So did the 30 minute ride there, got marked and set up transition. Didn't really feel like running but I did go down and try and identify some site lines for the swim, during that, I did do a little barefoot running on the beach. Putzed around some more then grabbed the goggles and went out and swam out the to No Boats buoys and back in along the swim finish line
Swim
  • 37m 28s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 17s / 100 yards
Comments:

I was anxious about this swim with the prospect of having to do a 1500 m open water swim without a wetsuit. DARYLJ helped me with that some before I left Denver and then doing a swim in the area the day before gave me confidence about it. I figured I was not going to be fast, but I just wanted to get out of the water controlled and ready to ride. I entered the water behind most of the people in my wave and I started way left since both Saturday and my pre-race swim I was pulling to the right drastically. I kept people in sight to my right which was a good thing, but I seemed to fall way behind the pack and they were off to the right. But it also seemed to my that the line of yellow buoys were not the straightest way to the turn buoy, maybe that was a big mis perception on my part but that was one I was going with during the swim. I spent most of the swim alone, which was good for the training and this was a "C" race, but I had hoped to get some good drafting practice. That didn't happen too much as I couldn't or didn't hold the feet that came by. I remembered some things BARQHEAD wrote to me before my first race of the year and tried to just focus on long and strong or more precisely to how I was swimming, long and not weak ;) and finished up. I was really disappointed to hit the beach and see my time of 36:## - that was just about worst case scenario. At least the HR avg came in at 142 so I did not waste a lot of energy going that slow. Later I heard comments from folks who thought it was about 175 long. Don't know if that was true or not but I would like to believe it was !!!!
What would you do differently?:

Swim more, maybe try and stay with the "school of fish" in the first 200 and hang in there
Transition 1
  • 01m 27s
Comments:

I tried to put the swim behind my - I had actually thought out - what if I swim 36 how do I react? So at least I had thought through it. Anyway, again it just didn't feel right but I was going through the motions. Later realized I had only forgot one thing and I did have a substitute for it.
What would you do differently?:

Move quicker
Bike
  • 1h 09m 28s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 21.46 mile/hr
Comments:

I don't know what to say about this. After the race I wasn't sure if I was happy about this effort or not. I felt good out to the turn around point but then coming back I kept the HR in zone 3/4 against the wind. I was only passed about 3 times in the first 20k, then I had some more go by me on the way back in - one pair I really don't count cuz they was cheatin' - but I could have pushed a little harder coming in. With about 3-5 k to go I took 2 gels to see how that would go (never taken two at one time) as well as a salt tab and finished off my gatorade. At the finish, I could have gone a little quicker, but was stuck behind someone getting out of his shoes. I want to take the last 300 yd more aggressively, but figured it was only a few seconds difference anyway so why sweat it. While this was one of my fastest bike avg's I had higher expectations.
What would you do differently?:

I feel like I could have pushed a little harder. Also, not let that drafting duo into my head so much.
Transition 2
  • 01m 4s
Comments:

I went in and racked my bike on the wrong side of my stuff so it was in the way a bit. but what is there to this, I take off my helmet, put on my hat and shoes, grab my number and go. I did pause to reset my stopwatch so I could fit mile splits on it.
What would you do differently?:

I am not sure how to get this as quick as some of these other folks. There was someone I finished around timewise that had a 22 sec t2 - how do you do that
Run
  • 49m 30s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 07m 58s  min/mile
Comments:

What is up with this, I have a better overall rank on the run than the bike???? This makes me feel like I really didn't push myself on the bike enough. It was hot and humid by the time we got to the run = not for the winner as I got to see him cross the finish line right after I left T2. By this time I knew my bike was not where I wanted it to be either and my pre race goal was out of reach, so now I just wanted a good run effort and see if I could PR my 10 on this course. Played leapfrog with folks early on and then settled in where I was at. Just dumped water on my head at the first mile did that in about 8:05 and then took in water and another salt tab at mile 2. Hit that @ 15:45. Walked when I drank. Mile 3 again was a slow mile - same as lake to lake - It clocked in at 9:08. I figured my PR goal was gone so I just started looking for everyone who looked like a brick outhouse and tried to pick them off. Nailed one and started on the next, then I started passing some people who passed me earlier. While there were others I had passed on the bike that came flying by me. One was a young lady who won the 20-25 age group - great runner. I had my sights set on one guy who looked big. I chased him for ever it seemed like, but then he was running on a team, so on to the next. In the last 250 I saw a guy and just pushed to get him. He picked it up too and held me off to the line, but in the process we nudged out another guy who happened to be a Clyde too! He immediately asked for help - hope he was okay.
What would you do differently?:

Don't know what I can do to prepare for humidity - thats part of what this race was for. I need more running at longer distances so I can push harder on the 10k's
Post race
Warm down:

Grabbed cold water, an energy drink some water melon and headed for the water. Soaked in it for quite a while.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of sleep, lack of swimming, lack of humidity and heat to train in.

Event comments:

Fun time, growth over last year, run on a very competitive weekend




Last updated: 2007-07-12 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:37:28 | 1640 yards | 02m 17s / 100yards
Age Group: 15/27
Overall: 204/304
Performance: Below average
Time includes about 1 minute run from the water to the transition area
Suit: None
Course: Clockwise rectangle
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 83F / 28C Current:
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 01:27
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:09:28 | 24.85 miles | 21.46 mile/hr
Age Group: 6/27
Overall: 78/304
Performance: Average
Went out in 22.0 to the turnaround point, avg dropped back to 21.0 before getting away from the headwind and then worked it back up to 21.4/21.5
Wind: Some
Course: Flat to rolling east to a turn south to a turnaround, back north against the wind with a further eastbound spur and then a 11 k return to the start.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:04
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:49:30 | 06.21 miles | 07m 58s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/27
Overall: 76/304
Performance: Good
mile 1 8:05 (172) Mile 2 7:38 (174) Mile 3 9:08 (174) mile 4 7:20 (175) mile 5 8:04 (182) Mile 6.2 9:14(198)
Course: Out on a road and back in along a paved trail. Frequently shaded on the trail portion. Actively sought the shade on the road part.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
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] 4