Patriot International Distance - Triathlon


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Williamsburg, Virginia
United States
www.setupevents.com
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = 37/89
Age Group = F 25-29
Age Group Rank = 13/19
Pre-race routine:

I wasn't quite sure how the day was going to work, so I made it up as I went along. Got up early, ate my usual bagel for breakfast and drank milk. It was 530 in the morning and my race didn't start until 9, so I figured the milk would be okay. I drove to the race site to pick up my packet and set things up. I watched the Sprint start and ate a cheese sandwich I had packed. I was already getting hungry and I hadn't even started yet. Probably the right thing to do. Was there early enough to drink and pee, drink and pee, drink and pee... and pee (seriously went 4 times before I started).
Event warmup:

I took the bike out for about 1.5 miles, just to make sure everything was in working order. Gorgeous day for a bike ride. I ran around transition, pausing to talk to the RD, a friend of mine, about how the weekend turned out. Mostly I just stood around, stretched, watched the Sprint racers, and talked to people.
Swim
  • 00m
  • 1640 yards
  • / 100 yards
Comments:

Time: 18:12. I wasn't sure how to run this portion. I wanted to go fast, because it was only 2.2 miles, but I had to save somethiing for the bike and real run. So it was a battle with myself to hold back a little. On the last lap, I think I finally settled into a good pace. And maybe that was when I finally quit asking myself what the heck I was doing in the race.
What would you do differently?:

Find my pace sooner! The first two laps felt like a struggle because I was fighting myself. I should know by now that when I fight myself, I lose.
Transition 1
  • 01m 4s
Comments:

I was 1st for women overall!! Into T1, found my bike very easily (I was at the end of the rack and someone had spray painted VT in the grass... so it was quick and easy to get in and out). Took off my baseball hat, put on my helmet, fixed a sock, and took off running out of T1. Got a little tangled up behind people right after crossing the mat. Narrow, bumpy road filled with people coming and going on their bikes. Eeek!
What would you do differently?:

Not a darn thing!
Bike
  • 1h 19m 5s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 18.85 mile/hr
Comments:

I rocked on the few hills out there. On the few on the way out before the turnaround, I passed three people going up and one going down. Rock on! My right knee hurt for a bit, and then my right foot went numb, but this passed. Went up the middle of the bridge going out, on a narrow concrete strip, as there were no cars around or other people really close to me. Passed some people, got passed by others. Rocked on the uphills at the turnaround, too. Passed more people than I could count. Flew by a few on the way down and coming back in. There were a few miles where I was flying... and loving it! Rode on the grating coming back because of oncoming traffic. I was ready to be done biking by the time I got in, but still enjoyed the bike, even with my lady parts on fire. Took two gels while out on the bike and drank all of my water. Spaced it out perfectly.
What would you do differently?:

Umm... bike faster? I dunno. For me, that was about as perfect as I can get on the bike.
Transition 2
  • 01m 7s
Comments:

I had a smooth, quick, dismount, and headed into T2. It wass easy to find my rack, thanks to VT and my pink towel, and I didn't have much to do. I put the bike up, took off my helmet, took off my shirt, put on my baseball hat, grabbed a gel, and headed out. It felt good to run!
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. Again, very smooth transition for me, aided by the fact that being attached to my bike terrifies me, so I bike in my running shoes.
Run
  • 1h 01m 54s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 09m 58s  min/mile
Comments:

I was amazed at the lack of cramps in my legs when I started running. After that long on the bike, my legs seem to thank me for running. Well, they cooperated, at least. I started out with a very good pace, strong and steady, right where I wanted to be. Walked at all water stops, since I'm not graceful enough to drink and run. I felt fantastic for the first two miles and thought to myself, "It's a a shame this isn't a sprint. If it were, this might be the first time ever that I haven't walked any during the race, save for water stops." Alas, it wasn't a sprint. Just after the water stop at the 3-mile mark, my chest cramped up like it did at 3 Sports. I massaged the area while I walked quickly and drank my bottle of water. If I were approaching the finish line with that cramp, I would have gone on. With three miles to go? A minute or two of walking wasn't going to kill me. Massaged and drank until the pain went away, then I started running again, though probably a little slower. Somewhere either in that mile or the next, I had to walk out a side stitch, but other than that... the run was mostly pain-free. The bottoms of my feet began to hurt from running on the surface of the Parkway (not smooth), and I could feel potential blisters forming, but it didn't bother me enough to stop. Took a gel at mile 5, drank some water, and dug in for the last bit. My legs were tired because I hadn't trained for running 8+ miles, but I knew I was going to do it, and do it well. I sprinted at the end, passing a handful of people (all guys, so certainly not in my AG). Best run in a race all season, and comparatively speaking, I did less walking than I normally do. Just goes to show you that the 10k is the perfect distance for me.
What would you do differently?:

Umm... not cramp up? Seriously, I am proud of that run, given the struggles I have had with my runs all season. Running rehab has paid off! Wish I could have gone faster the last three miles, but I feared cramping in the chest again, and that really hurts. Maybe I should try running in my new sports bra. Perhaps the old one is wearing out.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around, drank water, talked to people. Eventually sat on my towel in transition to change out of my running shoes and back into flip-flops. Oh, I put my shirt back on, too. Biking shorts = very unflattering. Called my mom, my SO, my friend who was supposed to come but didn't, texted my friend who was supposed to race but didn't, called my grandmother. Basically, sitting down felt good. Eventually got up to find shade while I was on the phone.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Maybe the heat. And having an unexpected run instead of a swim. I use my legs less in a swim than a run. And swimming is low impact.

Event comments:

Wish I had the swim with this race. I don't blame the RD for the decision, but I missed the swim. Still had a blast, the race was still good, and I am very glad I did it. Given the change of plans, I think Set-Up did a good job.




Last updated: 2008-08-06 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:00:00 | 1640 yards | / 100yards
Age Group: 12/19
Overall: 29/89
Performance:
Suit:
Course: Not sure how to make a triathlon a duathlon here, when it was scheduled to be a tri. Because of Tropical Storm Hanna, we had no swim but had an additional 2.2 mile run instead, something few of us had trained for. So other than that minor issue, it was nearly a perfect race for me, certainly one of my best all season. Still started in our waves. We ran three 0.6 mile loops on a road through a grassy field before heading through the grass up a hill, around transition, and in for T1.
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 01:04
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:19:05 | 24.85 miles | 18.85 mile/hr
Age Group: 12/19
Overall: 43/89
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: This was an out and back course from Williamsburg into Charles City County via a draw bridge with a metal grate. Turn around was on a side road with a few hills. Mostly flat course, lots of shade.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:07
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:01:54 | 06.21 miles | 09m 58s  min/mile
Age Group: 12/19
Overall: 42/89
Performance: Good
Course: A mostly flat and very sunny run down the Colonial Parkway. There were a few bridges over feeder creeks to the river, and judging by the smell, I was glad we didn't swim. Ugh!
Keeping cool Average 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:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4