Lake Geneva Triathlon - Sprint Distance - TriathlonSprint


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Fontana, Wisconsin
United States
Lake Geneva Triathlon Series
65F / 18C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 40m 38s
Overall Rank = 272/565
Age Group = 24-29
Age Group Rank = 38/57
Pre-race routine:

Beat the alarm clock which was set at 4 o'clock. I grabed a cliff bar and a liter of water while getting dressed. We stayed at The Abbey, so hooked up with my neighbor about 4:45 and we rode down to the transition area and got marked. It was pitch black outside so next year I'll bring a head lamp or a flashlight.
Event warmup:

After I kind of winged it setting up my transition area I jogged back to The Abbey to "purge" and grab a redbull and power gel.
Swim
  • 09m 20s
  • 530 meters
  • 01m 46s / 100 meters
Comments:

The entire swim portion of this triatlon is a complete abortion! There is very little clear explanation of the correct course. You can't build a swim course that keeps bouys on the left for the first straight then have the first turn be a right turn..there is no marker to go around.
What would you do differently?:

In terms of my specific swim, I just need to be stronger in the water. I was very pleased with my swim as my start was good and I was able to draft on a guy for the first 200M. After that I petered out and my HR skyrocketed causing me to breast stroke and flounder for the remaining 250M.
Transition 1
  • 01m 39s
Comments:

My T1 was smokin fast! I was faster out of T1 than the overall winner. I felt so fast coming out of T1 that I checked everything twice while on the bike because I thought I forgot something. I didn't it was awesome. If I had any advice I would say get a spot near the bike entrance. This was near the swim exit also and I thought it helped.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 54m 43s
  • 17 miles
  • 18.64 mile/hr
Comments:

This is a course that is just challenging enough. There are a lot of false flats that will trip you up if you aren't in the right gear. Also, there are some course management issues in terms of hard 90 deg. turns that go straight into a steep hill. Its important to always be looking ahead and adjust your gearing accordingly. This is a really fun bike course for the last 3-4 miles. Lots of rollers to take advantage of and really hall a$$. Keep a watch out at the end of the bike course though because the chute is at the bottom of the hill if you're not careful you'll be into the back of someone really quick. I recommend getting out of your pedals during the last straightway before the last hill. This way you can dismount a bit easier.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing...When I dismounted I did a flying dismount and got some oohs and ahhs. It was possibly the highlight of my race. This bike course is fun.
Transition 2
  • 01m 15s
Comments:

I had a really good T2 for the most part. As I stated above, its important to drive or walk the last 2 or 3 K of the bike course so you know when to get out of your shoes. The chute is narrow coming in and you'll likely come up really quickly on someone that is fumbling to get off the bike.
What would you do differently?:

I forgot to take the freshwave packs out of my shoes before I put them on. I probably should have been sub 1 min in T2 but I'll take it. I felt great coming off the bike.
Run
  • 33m 42s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 10m 52s  min/mile
Comments:

This run course is what keeps people coming back. It should be called Franks Killer Hill(s). Being from the great flat state of IN, we don't have hills like this and I'm a less than stellar runner anyway. This hill whooped my arse!! I have to admit I walked for probably 50 meters of the last incline. Coming down though was good... I read on BT a couple of weeks ago that to master coming down Franks Killer Hill, you have to create a controlled fall situation and just keep your legs moving while keeping your body perpendicular to the hill. It sounds easier than it is but it worked. I was faster than I normally am running.
What would you do differently?:

Run more this year
Post race
Warm down:

Chugged a bottle of water and walked back to the transition area. Then we went back to the Abbey and got the breakfast buffet..mmmmmm bacon

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I would have liked to have added a half or mile an hour on the bike but I got a little complacent on the back side of the course and started to day dream.

Event comments:

I have to say that this was my best race ever (I've done 5 tri's in 3 years.) This race course has to be one of the best in the midwest for sure. However, the race staff is generally rude and there was so little description about the sprint swim that I've never heard so many conversations start with "I think we're supposed to...."They can do better with the swim but overall, I have to say, I'll do it again.

If you do this race, I would recommend staying at The Abbey and making a weekend out of it. Also make sure you get to the transition area early (5am) its first come first serve so you'll end up with your bike on the grass or perched up against a trashcan if you're late.




Last updated: 2008-09-03 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:09:20 | 530 meters | 01m 46s / 100meters
Age Group: 0/57
Overall: 0/565
Performance: Average
Suit: 2XU T:O
Course: Confusing as hell!!! There was very little organization with the sprint swim. They guy kept yelling "go to the last white bouy!" the problem was that there were 8 white bouys in the area we were swimming. It was supposed to be a rectangular swim where going north you were to keep 4 small ball type bouys to your left, make the turn at the last ball bouy east, then continue to a large orange bouy, and make the turn south to another orange bouy then swim west to shore. It sounds straight forward until you look in the water and see 8 white bouy's and two organge bouys. The only solution we could come up with is to have a kayak positioned where the swimmers are supposed to swim east and yell "swim around the kayak" This obviously made too much sense and several people decided to cut a major corner and head north east at the start effectivley shaving 50-75 meters off the real course. In addition, the half IM, and olympic swimmers exited the water at 90deg to the travel of the sprint swimmers causing a very bad situation near the end of the swim for several swimmers.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 70F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:39
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:54:43 | 17 miles | 18.64 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/57
Overall: 0/565
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Moderately hilly. Its a fast course but the roads are open so you need to be very careful and look out for the railroad tracks, I saw lots of water bottles on the road right after the first set of tracks.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:15
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:33:42 | 03.1 miles | 10m 52s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/57
Overall: 0/565
Performance: Average
Course: 3 Words....Franks Killer Hill!!!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? No
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? No
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 3