Tri-it-High - TriathlonSprint


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Leadville, Colorado
United States
Underground Racing
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 04m 34s
Overall Rank = 5/190
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 1/20
Pre-race routine:

Up early, drove to Leadville, CO @ 10,200 feet above sea level. Consumed my usual pre-race meal of a Cinnamon and Brown sugar Pop Tart, some 7-11 coffee and Red Bull. Enjoyed the drive and reminisced about all of the cool things that I have done in the Colorado Rockies over the years: The races, the 14ers summited, etc... sort of drove into Leadville a bit melancholy because racing alone is not something I'm all that used to, but I'm getting there.
Event warmup:

Met a cool guy in Transition... He is an excellent triathlete and knows a lot of the same BT people that I know so we chit-chatted and then went to a coffee shop and hung out. Our wave's didn't start until after 11, so we had a long time to chill.
Swim
  • 10m 5s
  • 500 meters
  • 02m 01s / 100 meters
Comments:

My time includes about a 40 second run to the timing mat at transition.

No one swam slower than me in the top 15 places. Most of the top 10 finishers finished 2 to 3 minutes faster than me. :(

I could feel my breathing being taxed at this elevation.

Once I learn to swim faster I will probably be too old to run and bike faster. So it goes.
What would you do differently?:

The usual, learn to swim.
Transition 1
  • 00m 33s
Comments:

Fastest transition of the top 5 finishers, one guy was a second faster than me overall.
What would you do differently?:

Nada. This was a good one for me!
Bike
  • 32m 4s
  • 12.6 miles
  • 23.58 mile/hr
Comments:

Tough ride for a sprint course. The corners were dangerous especially during the crazy fast first 3 miles which were mostly downhill. I nearly bit it because as I approached a right hand turn at 30 plus miles per hour, a car came out (the volunteer didn't see me coming) and I had to swerve to avoid him and my bike hopped and skidded and I nearly crashed into the gravel and rocks on the side of the road!

Found a groove and as I approached the first hill, some dude was on my wheel and attempted to pass me. I was surprised that I was caught from behind on the mostly downhill opening miles cuz I thought that I was hauling! I mashed up the first hill and the guy dropped back just a bit leading me to believe that I could drop him once we turned back into the headwinds and then the uphill finish. Shortly after, I saw some dude sprawled out on the road with the ambulance and fire trucks there. I slowed down a bit and then prepared for the turn back. The guy that was challenging me was not letting up. Into the headwinds he was right there and he was doing his best not to draft off me. I dropped a gear, put my head down and just started pounding! When I looked back he was a good 50 meters back and I knew that there was no way that he could get me on the uphill. I was pleased but might have backed off just a bit too much cuz I finished 3rd on the bike, 1 minute off the first place guy and about 35 seconds off the second place guy.
What would you do differently?:

Stay focused throughout the ride. A sprint is too short to rest.
Transition 2
  • 00m 43s
Comments:

2nd fastest transition of the top 5 and 3rd fastest overall. However, I ran out of transition with my helmet on... dropped my Garmin (I wanted it for the run) and was sort of lost in space on this one. I ended up tossing my helmet in the grass and someone found my Garmin and returned it to me after the race.
What would you do differently?:

Take my helmet off before leaving T2
Run
  • 21m 34s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 06m 56s  min/mile
Comments:

In a word: humbling

I had visions of going under 20 minutes, but the last 1.5 miles were uphill and I just didn't have it. Also, this was a trail run. Easily the hardest 5K that I have run in a tri or stand-alone.

I feel like I should of could of run better.
What would you do differently?:

I don't kow
Post race
Warm down:

Hung out in the sun with Ramone and waited for awards.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

ALTITUDE!

Event comments:

I will do this again! I hope that next year it is USAT sanctioned, but this is a great race in a beautiful setting. Great post race food and one of my favorite courses yet!




Last updated: 2008-07-08 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:10:05 | 500 meters | 02m 01s / 100meters
Age Group: 0/20
Overall: 62/190
Performance: Average
Suit:
Course: Pool swim.
Start type: Inside Pool Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:33
Performance:
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:32:04 | 12.6 miles | 23.58 mile/hr
Age Group: 1/20
Overall: 3/190
Performance: Good
Wind: Headwind
Course: This was an awesome, although difficult and a bit technical road course. Downhill start with some sharp and dangerous turns at speed. Returns with a long and sustained uphill.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 88
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:43
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Bad
Running
00:21:34 | 03.11 miles | 06m 56s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/20
Overall: 4/190
Performance: Average
In a word: humbling I had visions of going under 20 minutes, but the last 1.5 miles were uphill and I just didn't have it. Also, this was a trail run. Easily the hardest 5K that I have run in a tri or stand-alone.
Course: Dirt trails, hills, single track
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4