Timberman - Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Gilford, New Hampshire
United States
Endorfun
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = 294/1000
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 28/67
Swim
  • 09m 55s
  • 600 yards
  • 09s / 100 yards
Comments:

Very happy with swim. Sighting was excellent, breathing wa good but should have been better.
What would you do differently?:

Start faster with more confidence.
Transition 1
  • 03m 9s
Comments:

Terrible transition ass I took too long to catch breath. MUST work on that.
What would you do differently?:

MOVE FASTER!
Bike
  • 47m 1s
  • 15 miles
  • 19.14 mile/hr
Comments:

Bike as I expected. In hindight I may have been able to push a bit harder but not much.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Transition 2
  • 02m 40s
Comments:

Again my Transitions just stink. Have to work on that.
What would you do differently?:

heh...
Run
  • 25m 50s
  • 3 miles
  • 08m 37s  min/mile
Comments:

Felt desperate first half mile then settled in and found my rythm. Good run.
What would you do differently?:

Not sure yet.
Post race
Warm down:

Cheering on my buddies and the other athletes.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Time....

Event comments:

The Race:
I'll give the report of the race itself from my own perspective and let the others tell of their impressions. I was impressed by the sheer volume of everything, Westpoint and Hudson Valley are much smaller venues. This was BIG. There were about a thousand racers for the SPrint course. The set up with vendors sponsors, the Transition area et al was sprawling, boisterous and filled with sound and color and an uplifting energy that has to be experienced to understand.

When Frank and I went back on Sunday to cheer on Bruce, Frank P and Jeanette in the Half I made Frank stop with me for a minute and just look out over the transition area when it was devoid of people. Take a moment and try to picture in your mind 3000 bikes. THREE THOUSAND BIKES lined up in formation. Forget it, you can't. It was staggering...

After setting up my gear in the transition area I had time to talk with other athletes, one of my favorite bonuses gained from racing. You meet people from all over with amazing stories to tell. Guy to my left hadn't done a Tri in years and was now back to do Timberman with his wife who was in the First Timers Wave and to my right an Ironman from England here on business. Great stuff.

The pre-race talk went off, then the anthems and finally the walk/swim over to the start. Another favorite of mine. Sheryl, Frank, scott and I swam most of the way to the start to warm up and again kept meeting up and talking with others about racing and Tri and what its done for some of us...

First wave went off, these were the younguns. The fast and the furious and they tore through that course is stupidly fast time. Frank and Scott went off in the next wave and we watched Frank make the first turn marker in his usual smooth style. One more wave and then my turn. Sheryl was last...

Through the chute, into the water and the game face went on. This was my third Tri and I was banking on my great swim at the Hudson Valley Tri not beaing a fluke. I just kept saying to myself, "Forget the distance, marker to marker. That's all, just marker to marker."

The horn went off and instantly the water was roiling with the energy of 120 swimmers. I set to it and started to work into a rythm. I started wide in order to angle in close to the first turn marker without getting caught in the congestion from the inside swimmers looking for an advantage. I was breathing too short and concentrated on adjusting. 1...2...3...4...breathe, 1...2...3...4...sight so on and so on...

I felt good. Three times I need to adjust my direction, not because I went off course but becouse of others veering off in the wrong direction blocking or bumping me. I was able to also draft for a bit off of two others which was a blast! Suddenly to my astonishment, I was upon the final marker. The turn for shore. I was in disbelief and energized. I sprinted to shore passing several others making land and the run to T1. Swim split- 9m55s SMOKIN' for me!

Utilized the wetsuit strippers who pulled my suit off in about 3 seconds and ran to my spot.

Now being a writer I am proud of my prolific use of words and phrases but the only word I can use to adequately describe my transition times is "suck". My transition times suck and I need to work on that in a big way.

Finally out of the chute and on the bike. I always get that predatory feel moving from the water to the bike. Its my strongpoint by far, though swimming is coming in nicely now and I know I can move on the bike. The first climb out of the park was a bit rough as I tried to shake the dead out of my legs but when I hit the flat that was all she wrote.

I powered down the next roller at 30mph and crested the other side at 25. The WHOOSH WHOOSH sound from my disk making people turn their heads as I passed. Making the first turn I realized I was still breathing way too hard and worked to level out and calm down. Ten forced long deep breaths through the nose and I was much better. Still I was passing scores of riders while at the same time a few passed me. I started playing leap frog with two of them. Back and forth and back and forth. One was in my age group and I was hell bent on not letting him get away...

We hit the climb Frank and I rode the day before and I was satisfied the rest was cake.

Now, remember when I said we didn't quite ride the entire course? Uhmmm, yeah. A sloping right and there it was. Again, nothing like we haven't all ridden hundreds of times here in Rockland but it was long and sudden. The sun was out and it the stew was upon us but still I was hammering through. A couple road bikes passed me having an easier time of it than me on my super cool shiny silver bad a$$ GURU Tri bike but once over the hill and through the turn around (where I got yelled at to slow down) I was a shark in with the seals. I took that down hill at 45 rocketing past these guys while in full aero leaving a mess of metal in my sonic stream...

On the way back those same two pass me again... Now I was on a mission. As I passed one of them I said, "How many times do I have to pass you?!" He laughed but the answer was just this one last time as he couldn't keep up this time. The other guy, the one in my age group was fast and getting faster. In fact I lost him , for a bit.

As I approached the NO PASSING ZONE at the aprk entrance I saw my rabbit. But just ahead of me was a Sunday stroller in this for something other than me. I knew I had to get into the no pass zone before him or I could kiss my jack rabbit goodbye. Quick shift down 2, stand up and hammer that rig like John Henry with a steam engine on his tail. I whipped by this guy so fast he went faster by the pull of my vortex! BAM! I was right behind the bunny!

DAMN I LOVE THIS SPORT!

DISMOUNT! Into T2 and the change into running shoes and hat. Again, a sucky abysmal transition. Bike time 47 minutes for an over 19mph avg.

The first half mile of the run was a mental and physical battle. The transition just left me feeling dead on the run and its the run that is my nemesis, especially since the crash months before. I've been training hard at it but still...

Finally though I settled in and started pacing. I felt pretty good but was frustrated when getting passed by people I dusted on the bike. Finally the turn-a-round came and I was elated to know I was finally on the way home on the final leg. Most of the run back was a slight downgrade, ahhhh bliss.

Then at the turn into the final run to the finish, all on grass two AG'ers from my group pass me. Nothing motivates me more than that! I threw in whatever I had left which was admittedly not much and beat down the first guy and had the second one squarely in my sights. I passed Jeanette, Bruce and Frank P cheering me on from the sidelines which really helped to fuel me.

I was getting closer to my guy but the line was close. Cowbells were clanging and spectators were screaming and shouting and cheering as the announcer belted out over the speakers that there was a Sprint finish battle between two Age Groupers. I tried to pop it up a notch and started to when my guy up it as well and man did he take off Prefontaine style crossing the line just ahead of me...

I could not have been happier to be bested at the line as we both put it out there and this day he was the better man. While getting water bottles in the cool down area we joked a bit and thanked each other for the push to the end. I LOVE THIS SPORT! Run time 25m55s YEAH BOYYYYYYYY!

Okay, funny story #2.
I meet up with Frank after we finish. We have a bit of time to wait for Sheryl's finish as she was last wave out and I decide to hit the Port-a-potty for an ahem... sit down visit? I take care of business and as I get up I hear CLUNK/KERSPLASH! I turn to see that I dropped my Timberman waterbottle that had been in my jersey pocket into the well.... I really didn't want it back. All I could think of was what the guy who vaccuums thes out will think when he hears this missile fly through the pipe with a bang!

Impressions/thoughts and flotsam...
I had the opportunity at this weekend event to enjoy the perspective from both sides;Racer and spectator. I want to tell you all not to minimize our roles as cheerleaders on the sidelines. We really do apreciate the noise and encouragement. Whenever I see familiar faces out there cheering me on I gain a little bit of motivation to step it up. The collective positive energy created by the thousands of spectators translates into energy we use on the course.

As a spectator I gain a sense of community, empowerment and satisfaction from this same energy. Sunday while watching the race with my friends/training partners and team mates I met others with friends and loved ones in the race. We talked, swapped stories and cheered for each others friends and loved ones. Everyone has a story to tell and they reafirm so many of the good things about life and attaining goals and living a life rather than surviving it, 'cause as we all know that's a race we all lose eventully.

Finally, being there with so many others all wearing the same kit gave us a connection that I at least felt throughout the race and fact the entire weekend. The chants of TOGA TOGA TOGA were everywhere and I met several people who knew of the shops. Imagine having twenty of us at the same venue sporting TOGA MULTI SPORT kit. With our small contingent at Timberman we made a nice splash. Its time to kick down the dam and start the Tsunami...





Last updated: 2008-06-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:09:55 | 600 yards | 09s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/67
Overall: 0/1000
Performance: Good
Suit: 2XU full
Course: Lake Winipasawkie, New Hampshire
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Good
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:09
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
00:47:01 | 15 miles | 19.14 mile/hr
Age Group: 4549/67
Overall: 0/1000
Performance:
Wind: Some
Course: Rolling with lots of gradual upgrades amd one long gradual climb.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:40
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:25:50 | 03 miles | 08m 37s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/67
Overall: 0/1000
Performance: Good
Course: Slight upgrade out/slight downgrade back.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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] 5