Santa Barbara Triathlon - Women Only Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Santa Barbara, California
United States
65F / 18C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 01m 31s
Overall Rank = 146/370
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 19/70
Pre-race routine:

***ALL TIMES AND RANKS SHOWN DO NOT INCLUDE THE 7 MINS IT TOOK TO FIX THE FLAT TIRE***

5:45 up, breakfast bar, coffee, water
6:15 dress for race
6:20 mix cytomax, put on bike, check tire pressure
6:25 leave for transition
6:40 packet pick up, set up transition, put on numbers, chip, body marking
6:45 back to hotel
Event warmup:

6:55 ride trainer 15 mins
7:15 back to transition with bike, say hello to a few friends
7:30 run warm up, stretch (did a thorough, top to bottom stretch)
7:40 back to transition, grab cap, goggles, head for water
7:45 swim warm up

(Was happy to see alot of familiar faces, some from the LATri Redondo swim, some from the LATri PCH 101 ride, Gailg, Sealiongirl, Konrad, Ian...)
Swim
  • 11m 41s
  • 500 yards
  • 02m 20s / 100 yards
Comments:

I had been scared that the water would be too cold without my wetsuit, which I recently abandoned. Swimming in soCal, the water is so warm, I've been doing without, so bought a racing tri suit. (Was a little shy about not being built like a hardcore triathlete, but I just gave myself a little attitude adjustment and wore it proudly. I actually felt kinda studly in it!) Anyway, was scared that the water in Santa Barbara would be too chilly sans wetsuit.

Checked the water Saturday evening, and it wasn't too cold, so I was not concerned. Plus, GailG gave me comfort and reassurance saying it'd be fine. So, cool: one less thing to stress over. Now, going forward, I know I can handle prob down to 62 degrees without wetsuit.

Water was flat and glossy, no swells, no waves.

Run in: I was in the second row, and wish I were in front, cuz the lady in front of me was kinda slow running out and I was boxed in. But as soon as I was knee deep in, I just dove in between two girls and made my way as everyone else continued running. I figured running was a losing battle and I got moving quick. People quickly came up around me and it was tight, but I just made myself narrow and snaked my way thru, holding my line...which I held VERY straight, right to the buoy, which I nearly swam directly under! (I looked up and saw the damned thing over my head!)

After the buoy, I was able to get into a rhythm. I stayed within myself and thought, longgggg, gliding, strokes...head down, no resistence, just go, go, go. Gained on a few peeps, then turned the last buoy and drafted someone the whole way in. Nice! I never did that before, but since logging races here on BT and having to answer the question, "drafting?" I realized this was a strategy I should employ, so did so here.

I did not kill myself on this swim, but didn't take it easy. Was a decent effort.
Transition 1
  • 02m 42s
Comments:

Loved not having to contend with the damned wetsuit. Was able to actually run up the whole entire beach (ok, except for the last 10 feet), and just ran in, rinsed feet, socks on shoes on, helmet/glasses on, bike down, sucked a shot of Gu and was outta there. I was hoping for a 2 min transition, but my bike was waaaaayyyyy down the other end of the transition area and it took forever to get there!

For some reason, my bike got held up on the bar and I could NOT shake it down. Irritated me, but it finally came down. Was prob only a few seconds, but when it didn't fall right when I initially pulled it, I started to panic a little...but pulled it together and got outta there.
Bike
  • 22m 33s
  • 6 miles
  • 15.96 mile/hr
Comments:

I was psyched for this ride cuz the hills weren't awful, and the downhills, while short, were pretty speedy.

1/2 mile in, I flatted. Great. For a moment, I had the fleeting thought that it wouldn't be worth it to get off and fix a flat for a 6 mile race, that the time cost over that distance would just kill my overall time. But no sooner did I think that, then I thought, "just do it, you gotta learn to do it sometime...imagine someday you are actually competitive and don't have the experience of knowing how to handle a flat in a race."

So I stopped my watch (cuz I wanted to have my ACTUAL ride time, not the recorded race time which would include the time taken to fix flat), and hopped off to tend to the flat. I recalled Ian Murray's 2 minute tire change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeeOhkug0yg), and thought I'll give it my best shot.

I have no idea how long it took me, as time kinda stood still in my mind. I guess I'll find out how long it took once I get the actual race time and subtract out my numbers from the race clock numbers.

Anyway, while I was fixing the tire, everyone going by was so nice, calling out "poor you" and "good job" and "keep it up girl", etc.

I wanna guess it took me 8 mins or so to change it. Maybe less, but again, time just stood still and I have no idea what was happening. I just kept picturing Ian keeping his cool and going thru the steps, so that's what I did. I shoved the tube in my back pocket, then stuffed all my tools back in my saddle bag, and jumped back on.

I cranked it up fast and rode as hard as I could, and before too long, I started passing people who had passed me while I was on the side of the road, and they were calling out, "way to make up time!"

I have to say I felt really proud of myself, regardless of what my time might be; and I was happy to be passing people from the wave in front of me--you have no idea what a boost that was, to make me continue to race. I was thinking I'd just phone it in, but then, no, I changed my mind and decided to race.

I sounded like a friggin asthmatic going up the one longerish of the hills, the only time I took it out of the big chain ring, but then once up, man, I am a natural downhiller, and I was cranking down and then around the corner to the home stretch.

Big thanks to Joceylyn (sealiongirl) who cheered me along during my "trial"!!!

All in all, not bad!
What would you do differently?:

Not FLAT! Regardless of what my time says "officially", I hung a good average for a rolling course. Quite pleased with this.
Transition 2
  • 02m 46s
Comments:

Longggg run down the chute to my transition area, and in the cycling shoes, uh, not so easy. (I've gotta invest in some tri-cycling shoes, so I can get em off early and run in on bare feet.)

Since I had set up my T area and then taken my bike out to ride my trainer before the race, the girl who set up next to me, obviously AFTER I had departed with my bike, actually set up directly behind where my bike was to hang. I felt bad, but at T2, I didn't have time to sort out placing my bike delicately around her stuff, and I just threw it up there and I think it was on top of her bag. Oops. Oh well.

Off with the bike shoes, on with the running shoes, grabbed my number/belt and visor, and I was outta there.

Halfway out of transition, I realized I still had my tube in my back pocket, so pulled it out and tossed it.
Run
  • 21m 50s
  • 2 miles
  • 10m 55s  min/mile
Comments:

I have no idea what my run time was--will have to wait for the splits to find out. BUT I know when I left T2, my watch said 39 mins, and I hit mile 1 at 50; and the second mile I KNOW I ran faster than the first, so I'm HOPING I hit or beat my goal of 11 mins per mile...we shall see. (I forgot to stop my watch when I crossed the finish line, didn't realize it til after I had stopped to get the chip removed, after I meandered thru a thick crowd to the food stand, stood on line, got my food, meandered to the water stand, got my water, meandered to a bench, sat down, ate half an orange, and THEN realized my watch was still going. And it said 1:06 when I stopped it. So I'm pretty confident that I finished roughly around my 59 min goal.)

Non-monumental run. I just hate running so much, I just endure it. Kinda trotted out, and then reminded myself it was only 2 miles and to just pick it up because the suffering would be short-lived. Again, at mile 1, I think I was at 11 mins, so, being happy with that, and being half way home, I tried to pick it up further for the home stretch. Saw a lot of LA Tri folks, plus Joceylyn, on my way back, and that gave me some pep to go even harder.

Then, as I got within eyeshot of the chute, maybe 400 yds or so, I sprinted.

Felt great, was really pleased with myself for finishing after having flatted on the bike leg.
Post race
Warm down:

Food, water, walk back to hotel, 40 mins hot tub / pool combo...lovely!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

You know...

Event comments:

Why does doing something this hard make me feel so good? Really pleased with this, and have alot of hope for the future, near or far!




Last updated: 2008-03-10 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:11:41 | 500 yards | 02m 20s / 100yards
Age Group: 21/70
Overall: 99/370
Performance: Good
Suit: Nope!
Course: Out 100, right turn, swim 300, right turn, in 100.
Start type: Run Plus:
Water temp: 64F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:42
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:22:33 | 06 miles | 15.96 mile/hr
Age Group: 18/70
Overall: 103/370
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Pretty flat, 2 small, short "ups" on the way out, and 1 bigger hill on the way back, but it wasn't too bad, again, short. A couple of nice down hills.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:46
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:21:50 | 02 miles | 10m 55s  min/mile
Age Group: 40/70
Overall: 232/370
Performance: Good
Course: Flat, mile out and mile back on cement.
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 5