Cologne Smart - TriathlonSprint

I think in all the excitement I forgot to breathe. I felt great, and felt great swimming out to the start point. Right AC joint was a little achy, but nothing that concerned me. The beginning was as if it were my first time in the water. I think I started out OK, but looked to see how I was doing, and tried to muscle my way too fast through the water while forgetting to breathe. I ALMOST panicked but kept with it. I was prepared mentally to getting kicked, etc., and that did not phase me. But I did most of the swim doing a gasping breath-stroke. I saw some others breath-stroking and about 5 minutes into the swim, people who were not swimming faster than me. This encouraged me, as I felt that everybody was passing me in the beginning (a thing which I jokingly always said that I did not want to happen.) I think this is what threw me, and I let myself go totally "out of myself" and out of my form, technique, pace, and training. After 5 minutes or so, I was able to get some composure into my breath stroke. But I was still doing a lot of gasping for most of the swim. For the last 1/3 of the swim I got some more composure and was able to go into a crawl. I said to myself that I will NOT do this entire swim gasping through a breath-stroke. When I went into a crawl, I was still not able to maintain my good form which I have always felt during my months of training and had to periodically go back into a breath stroke to "recover." However, there were moments, when I went into a crawl, that I did use slightly less energy, and actually started to pass some other swimmers. But as a whole, most of my technique went out of the window. The water felt great. I was a little concerned about cold water. But after 2 minutes in the water, it felt great--just as when I had trained. The swim out to the start point felt great. I was in great form and felt fantastic. So I think that my mistake was in not focusing SOLELY on FORM, and not "owning" my form and pace. That, combined with my experience as a swimmer, the excitement of the moment, was mainly why I let myself "loose it" during most of the swim. I will give myself a "below average" and not bad mark just because I did stay with it and was able to regain some composure; even though I had pretty much crashed without any hope of recovering (in regards to the swimming.) Also my tenacity and endurance got me through without my tail completely between my legs. About half-way through the swim, I decided that I did NOT want to feel that I just got through it gasping for air, decided that I had to regain SOME composure, and do at least a LITTLE BIT of a decent crawl: and I did. So that I am proud of.

I think I would train more for speed; testing myself and my limits more during training. This is something I did a lot of with running and biking. I went extremely fast AND extremely slow, and had a variety of speeds and intensities to choose from. I had options. For swimming I had no options. My options were good form or bad form. I never contemplated what to do if I felt myself getting psyched out. My swim training was very comfortable, fun, and one-dimentional. I also never pushed myself that much, as I was concentrating mostly on technique. When the start came, I was suddenly in a position where I was pushing my body; a situation which I had NOT trained for. If I had it to do again under the circumstances, I would swim like I ALWAYS have been during the last two months. This would entail SWIMMING SLOW, with FORM--CONSISTANT, RELAXED, and SLOW, SLOW, SLOW (in my mind.) I am convinced that I had everything in me to have a great swim, and had I done these things, I would have gone considerably faster and placed better.

Transition felt great. I was in a Tri-Suit for the entire race. I felt good coming out of the water due to my "recovery" during the swimming section and the people waving us on. I pulled my goggles down over my neck, and removed my nose plug and ear plugs easily while jogging to the transition. At T1 I removed my goggles (putting them in my bag with my nose and ear plugs, rinsed off my feet, toweled them dry, put on my socks, put on my biking shoes, biking gloves, helmut (strapped my helmut), and glasses. I easily removed the bike from the rack and slowly but briskly jogged to the start point. Mounting the bike and slipping the cleats of my biking shoes into the pedals was easy. Starting and accelerating to racing speed was fine. I was aware of my body and form, yet pushed myself comfortably into racing speed. I did not rush through the transition and mounting, nor did I take my time.


I don't think I would do anything differently under the circumstances. Maybe I could have jogged faster out of the water. But for a first time, I was great.

Biking felt great. I was consistent and passed a dozen or so other bikers. A half-dozen or so passed me, some of which I passed again. I pushed (within reason) a lot of the time, but felt great. I took a few sips of water from my bike during the first lap when I was feeling a little dry, and took a red bull cocktail from a cute blonde at the beginning of the second lap. I sipped about an ounce of the cocktail during most of the 3rd 1/4, before discarding it.

I am very happy with my performance.

Transition went smooth. Releasing the cleats and dismounting the bike went smoothly. I jogged briskly but lightly with the bike into the transition area. My legs were a little tight, but nothing terrible at all. I felt great. Racking the bike was a little cramped as it seemed that somebody had moved my stuff a little. Maybe not, because I do not know who or why. But this was nothing extreme. I sat on a towel, removed my biking shoes, put on and laced my running shoes, removed my biking gloves, and took two gels. I headed out, and a helper called to my attention the fact that I had not removed my helmut. She took it for me and returned it to my transition area. I felt great going into the run, starting out a little slow to feel out my legs, and accelerating to racing speed within the first few minutes of the course. ...gave two kids a high 5 on the way onto the course.

Forgetting to remove my helmut was not such a big deal. Properly putting on and lacing my running shoes was my first priority. Maybe next time, I'll follow the rule of removing the helmut first.

The run was my best part. I was concerned about my legs being tired, or being fatigued after pushing on the bike. I started out confident, but paying close attention to how my legs felt. After a few minutes I pushed to a really nice, brisk racing speed while keeping good form. Form was great the entire way. I was at a comfortably fast racing pace for the entire run passing many other runners. A couple passed me, some of which I passed again. I did pass one other runner near the end who overtook me again right before the entrance to the straightaway. I felt great and confident yet always stayed in touch with myself-never pushing myself to the limit. I took the hills fine. I never took on water, and never needed the gels. Although they gave me a nice sense of security.

I was very happy with my performance. I did stop to talk to another runner. He was going at a slower pace. We had met at the transition area. I was passing to overtake him and ran side by side with him for a couple of minutes and chatted with him (mainly remarking about this hot blonde who had passed us a few minutes before.) I then passed him. I would have completed the triathlon a little faster if I would not have slowed up to run with him.

I finished the race in terrific form, at fast racing speed, feeling great with my head held high and with a smile. After crossing the finish line, I went to a very slow jog, and continued to jog to the end of the straightaway. I completely stretched for 10 minutes.


With swimming, I would have performed considerably faster if I would have focused on SLOW, and FORM--as I said. With further training I can go faster in all three areas. Perhaps a little bit of gel towards the end of the run would have given me an extra burst. But the Red Bull Cocktail was already making my stomach a little sour during the last 1/4 of the run. So I think that training can ultimately make me faster next time around. As for this time... Maybe pushing a little harder. But it was my first time. So I would rather not push enough and do what I did than push too much and crash or inure myself.


I was a little disappointed that I did not get a medal. But I did get my certificate, and am still happy to have completed the way I did. Overall, it was a totally fantastic experience! Aside from the swimming, I am very pleased with my performance. I am so pleased with my running, biking, and even my regaining of composure during the swim, that I feel that I made up for the problems during the swimming section. I'm extremely happy. I felt great after. I ate some raw carrots and fruit, a protein bar, and drank water. I walked around after the race, biked to the hotel, took a long shower, two long saunas, laid down in the recliner naked, fell asleep, ate three more protein bars, drank plenty of water, and took another good shower. The most noticeable post-race effect was my digestive system--LOTS of gas. I had a nice big dinner with a celebratory glass of champagne in the early evening, and then took a short, leisurely walk after dinner. ...took a night train to Berlin. ...arrived 4:30 am. ...got home quickly, showered and shampooed, drank some more, and was in bed by 6:00 am. Slept until 11:00. Today (the day after the race), aside from feeling hung-over before an aspirin and cup of coffee, I feel terrific!