Sportspectrum River Cities Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Benton, Louisiana
United States
Sportspectrum
hotF / 0C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 47m 53s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 16/55
Pre-race routine:

Gary and I left Longview right around 4:15am...the plan was to leave at 4, but of course I was running late. At packet pick up the day the before we heard the many stories about the terrible line into the park, and we wanted to avoid that. We got to the park around 5:30ish....not sure...but I counted and we were the sixth car in line. Nice. When we got in, it was a short walk to the transition. I put on my helmet and rode out there to get a good rack spot - I took my bookbag and one other bag...got a great end spot, literally took EVERYTHING out of my bag and spread it everywhere...then saw they opened body marking, so I walked off and went and got my body marked. I was the 2nd person to get marked...I figured we did not get to the park that early for me to wait in any lines. I went back to transition and a volunteer was there - she was very nice..."Ma'am, you can't take up that much room"....I started laughing. Like I said, I emptied my bag and walked off...my stuff was literally spread out in enough area for three people. I told her I hadn't sorted it yet - she left. On the car ride, I ate half a bagel with peanut butter. Okay. It was now 6:20ish...and there were over 2 hours before my wave start....
Event warmup:

I walked around. Gary tried to give me a pep talk on the swim...start in the back and over to the left...then he took some of my stuff back to the car, and I found my best friend PJ...other friends from the ET Triathletes...other BTers....looked at how I would come in and out of transition....at about 7:45 ate 1/2 a granola bar, and drank some Diet Coke....closer to 8am I also went and did a warm up swim, about 200 yards. The water was warm, and just a little bit of wind, but mostly pretty calm.
Swim
  • 20m 45s
  • 880 yards
  • 02m 22s / 100 yards
Comments:

When it was time for my wave to line up, I started in the back to the left. Heard other groups of women talking about staying together...doing freestyle to the buoy...breastroke 1/2 to the 2nd...and I decided I didn't want to be near the synchronized swimming group so I moved toward the right. A nervous girl was there saying she was going to attempt to do the first part backstroke...um...moved again. I found myself close the front, on the far right. Well, I was staying there. I didn't turn around, because there wasn't time to explain to Gary why I was totally going against his advice, and I didn't want to him see where I was.
What would you do differently?:

I swam free the whole time...I got kicked, punched, the side of my trisuit pulled at least five times....but my HR stayed normal, I was calm...and when I hit the shore, I knew I could have done that swim a little harder...and I knew I could have gone farther. Do I dare say I am no longer punked by the swim...and now I can not worry about the nervousness like I used to, and work on getting better and faster???

SWIM - 27/55 AG - Yes - I was in the top 50% of the swim. Woohoo.
Transition 1
  • 01m 38s
Comments:

This transition included a run from the beach to the bike racks....
What would you do differently?:

T1 - 8/55
Bike
  • 55m 2s
  • 18.2 miles
  • 19.84 mile/hr
Comments:

My bike goal for a sprint event is to break 20mph. I really wanted to hit that today, but alas...it did not happen. The course was fun...lots of rolling hills!!!
What would you do differently?:

Of course, train better and smarter...but I did the best job I possibly could on this bike course...

BIKE - 11/55
Transition 2
  • 01m 41s
Comments:

The day before, I told Gary I was going to try a dismount of unclipping and swinging my leg around, and continue running in...a somewhat flying dismount. For some reason, this was funny to him.... He asked me if I had ever done one. I told him no. I did try one once a few months ago, but I almost fell down in the driveway, and still had to stop...but I was willing to try it here. I told him if I gave him the thumbs up coming in that I was doing it. Well.....coming into T2 there was a woman that wrecked right in front of the dismount line. She was literally laying there...bike sprawled. So no dismount this time.


I wondered running into transition if I had pushed too hard on the bike and would pay on the run...since my legs felt a tad heavier than normal in a triathlon in T2.
What would you do differently?:

Probably nothing?

T2 - 10/55
Run
  • 28m 49s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 09m 16s  min/mile
Comments:

I knew when the run started this would be hard for me. Perhaps I went a harder on the bike than I should have, trying to break 20mph..and I was having way too much fun on the bike trying to go fast...that maybe this affected my run. Also, to date this is the longest swim and then bike I have done in a race, before a run. I'm just trying to put together the reasons of WHY my run sucks. Third race, and third time I can't go under a nine minute mile. Come on Bonny...in February I did a half marathon with a 8:32 pace, and broke my running 5K PR in March with a 7:34 pace....so to run a tri 5K with a 9:16 pace???? That is just terribly. Just in April I did a sprint tri where I paced under an 8 minute mile (yes, it was 7:59, but that is still under 8!) I am probably training HARDER but not SMARTER, and that is my fault. I struggled through the run...William saw me at the beginning, and for a few seconds ran through the woods kinda next to me talking and encouraging...then looped around...telling me to "go get it" which was sweet. On the course, I saw Clifford, and we ran together, and talked a little. He then told me to "go on". I tried to go faster at the end, but I just didn't have it in me. I did the run as well as I could...at the end I had a LOT of trouble running in the sand...I couldn't get my footing, and that really slowed me down, but the sand portion was short. Sooo...I am NOT happy with this run.
What would you do differently?:

I need to do some speedwork. Here is the issue. I am smack dab in the middle of training for my HIM. So....can I do both? Can I concentrate on getting back to being faster at these shorter runs on a sprint, and do my training runs for my HIM? We will see...my training time is limited, and I only can do what I need to do. The key will be to train SMARTER.

RUN - 24/55
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around...talked...got water...by this time it was probably 100 degrees out there, but I wanted to find a few people to make sure they finished okay.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I said it all already.

Event comments:

This was a fun race. My first race in three races where I was not sick or hurt!!! I LOVED the bike course, and I realized this am that I set a new PR for fastest bike split for me in a sprint! Although I am very disappointed in my run, I did beat my OA goal time.

Goal: 1:52:50
Time: 1:47:53






Last updated: 2008-06-01 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:20:45 | 880 yards | 02m 22s / 100yards
Age Group: 27/55
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Suit: ZOOT one piece trisuit
Course: I guess you call it a triangle. Looked more like a warped box.
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 90F / 32C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Average Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:38
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:55:02 | 18.2 miles | 19.84 mile/hr
Age Group: 11/55
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Wind:
Course: I really liked this course! Rolling hills! I had heard about the rolling hills, and although I really didn't think I would break my 20mph goals for sprints, I did my best to go under one hour.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:41
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:28:49 | 03.11 miles | 09m 16s  min/mile
Age Group: 24/55
Overall: 0/
Performance: Bad
Course: Asphalt trails...through the woods...and SAND at the end.
Keeping cool Below 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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3