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 Swim
Comments: This is the part of the race i was most nervous about. Haven't done any OWS in a long time and never in a race all clumped together. I started out at the back of the pack to make sure i wasn't going to get run over constantly. My swimming was actually not bad. It was impossible to get by anyone tho, so i kind of just tried to take it easy and hang back. A couple of times i tried to get into a good rhythm, but i would soon hit somebodys feet, except for once on the last leg of the race. when i finally looked up i was about 30 yards to the right of everyone and toward the shore. I had to swim through about 50 yards of lilly pads to get back on track and round the last bouy to get out. What would you do differently?: I need to practice navigating i guess. i really don't know what to do about all the bodies in the way. I think the best solution would be to get really fast and start in front and pull away from everyone else :) but since that's probably not possible, at least not in the near future, i guess i would try to find a spot more torward the outside next time where there is some room. Tho, i have to say, there wasn't a very wide area to swim in. Maybe if i surveyed it better before the race i could find a better spot.  Transition 1
Comments: This was a pitiful transition. I have to say this was definitely not my primary focus. I wanted to make sure i got my helmet on and buckled so that i would not DQ. I also had not pinned my runner number on my shirt (i planned to but forgot) or put my helmet number on (i had no idea i had to do this). Luckily some one next to me had safety pins, because i had none. Also, i swam with no shirt and put a skin tight body armor shirt on after, then a tee-shirt. the BA shirt was a bit of trouble, but not too bad. I did have some problems getting my socks on as well. What would you do differently?: pre-pin the running number on my shirt. Pre-stick the number on my helmet. Consider not wearing socks for the bike (i have no problem with this, i just figured i would need them for the run anyway). Maybe it would have been easier to get the socks on for the run than after the swim. Also, i'd look into some quick-lace type things. My cycling shoes have laces. I had too many other things to think about before the race, i figured i deal with the races.  Bike
Comments: Would have liked to have pushed a little harder in the portion. i was making sure i didn't overdo it and not have enough legs left for the run. Had a couple of bikers that just didn't want me ahead of them, every time i passed they would have to come right back and pass me. It was really annoying. The only reason i was passing was because they were holding me up. then they would come right back, pass me, and slow down again. There was a portion of the race that was really windy and it was hard to pass, especially knowing that there were cars potentially on the road. Finally these two people ended up in a pack of about 6 bikers and i decided i would just go by all of them, which i did. i was able to get away from most of them. then Finally on the hill, the women that kept passing me earlier went right by me. You go lady, her age on her calf said 55. What would you do differently?: I would definitely push a lot harder on the flat rolling hill parts. I think i did for the second part of the race, but not for the first part. I was probably too concerned with paying attention to the 3 bike length and 15 second passing rule. Not that i shouldn't have been, but i think i should have just passed more people and pulled away. It was taking a lot of energy to pass, only to have people back in front of me slowing me down. Needed to pass and GO. Transition 2
Comments: The actually ranked the transition, i have a lot of room for improvement here (253 in T1, 244 in T2) My ranking in the racing parts is 154,160,156. So the transition killed my overall ranking by about 20 places. I'm not sure why this was so slow. I think i may have grabbe something to drink and a couple of shot blocks. Again, had lace shoes. Obviously something to work on. Like i said, T-time was not a big concern for me going into the race, mostly because i really didn't know what to expect or how fast i should be. I'd say i was extremely leisurely in the T area :) What would you do differently?: A lot of things. Need to practice this stuff before the next race.  Run
Comments: A lot of people complained about the run throu the fields and woods. I wasn't crazy about it, but i didn't bother me too much. There were a couple of sections, particulary a downhill on the grass that was a bit slippery, made me nervous about slipping and pulling a hamstring or something. What would you do differently?: Not sure, i wanted to make sure i was going to be able to finish and i really didn't want to walk at all (which i didn't) so i took it pretty easy, which turned out to be a good thing for my quad. Post race
Warm down: Just did some stretching while watching the rest of the racers finish. One of the voluteers asked me to direct runners while he went to get a beer (he didn't come back after 10 minutes and i was starting to get cold so i handed the job off to some other spectators). What limited your ability to perform faster: Transitions for sure. especially things that i could have done before the race started (ie bib & helmet sticker). Other than that, need to work on navigation in the swim, probably could push harder on the bike, especially in the flats, i don't know that i could have gone that much harder in the run, maybe a little. Event comments: Since this was my first race, i don't really have anything to judge it against. I will say the race organizer was very enthusiastic and the race was pretty well organized. The swim course was fine, i would have liked a little more space, but i'm not sure that had anything to do with the course. Not crazy about the downhill start/uphill finish on the bike, the rest of the course was pretty good tho, especially the 2nd half of the flats thru the camp ground. The run, i was ok with the grass and trails except a couple of steep drops. The out and back (down hill/uphill) not my favorite either. Tho there was a long enough stretch of flat back toward the end. Last updated: 2008-05-28 12:00 AM
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United States
Mandy Braverman
76F / 24C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 180/234
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 27/28
Went thru various checklists i've gotten off the web. Layed everything out, went over transitioin layout. Packed extra shot blocks, bars, fruit, contact solution, contact lenses, glasses, towels, clothes (for after).
I arrived pretty early, so i was able to get my bike at an end spot in the transition. I just put my stuff down and went ot check in, get my packet, number drawn and chip. Then i went and layed out my shoes, sockes, gloves, etc in the transition area per the article i read. I noticed a lot of people had little basins to rinse there feet in, i think i would do that next time instead of just bringing a bottle to rinse. Other than that i was probably a little overprepared with food, drinks, extra clothes.
took a short run to get warmed up, stretched a little. Went back to the transistion area. I did quite a bit of walking between the transistion area and the car (probably 4 trips) to get more stuff (more than i needed). Good thing i had so much time. Then i took a swim to get a feel for the water, which was a nice temp, not too cold not to warm. Listened to the race intro. Went down to the water to get ready. Luckily in discussing the swim route someone pointed out that i was wrong about what counter-clockwise meant. Which was a good thing, i would have been really confused if everyone started swimming in the other direction ? I think "counter" registered to me as, the opposite way i would have liked the swim to go. So, i'm glad i was wrong :)