T-Gator Series Duathlon - Duathlon


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Lake Charles, Louisiana
United States
Lake Charles Triathletes
32F / 0C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 15m 53s
Overall Rank = 82/102
Age Group = 47
Age Group Rank = 7/7
Pre-race routine:

I get up a 4am, have my standard pre-race meal of PB Sandwich and Diet Pepsi. Put everything in the truck and head off. It’s 38 degrees outside and I am glad I didn’t pack the truck last night. It’s a 2 hour plus drive and borrow my wife’s auto GPS (which I love, I want one!). A couple of miles before I arrive there is a bank sign showing the temp as 32 degrees, ouch! Great for a run, not so great (to me) for the bike ride. I get there around 6:46am and check in. Due to the cold and wind, body marking is optional (thank goodness!). I rack my bike and wander around checking out all the wonderful bikes, my poor mountain bike (Rusty, okay I name it, so what? ;>) looks sorely out of place but a few more mountain bikes get parked and I feel a little better. Sorry Scotty, there were lots of great legs there but they were covered and my guy mind was on the cool bikes, boys and their toys! There are 6 bikes on my rack and we are all doing our first Duathlon. Music that was playing suddenly cuts out and shortly there is a request for anyone with a MP3 player (and family friendly music) to loan it. I grab mine and get to listen to my tunes the rest of the wait!


Run
  • 16m 24s
  • 2 miles
  • 08m 12s  min/mile
Comments:

Pre-race meeting, prayer and than we are off! I hung out in the back to keep me from starting off too fast but this is a fast crowd and I am quickly running 8mm. The official time for my first 2 miles is a 8:12 pace. I read that 3 times but will revise if the official time posted on the website is different. But the run starts flat then up a hill, down the backside, turn around and back up the hill and then down to the Transition area
Transition 1
  • 00m
Bike
  • 41m 38s
  • 10 miles
  • 14.41 mile/hr
Comments:

Get to T1, grab quick drink, put on helmet and head out. Get past the cones and jump on. First mile goes well; I hit a downhill, shift to a high gear, and pass a couple of people. Come around a corner and wham! Wind coming in at a 45 degree from the front. The next 4 miles are slow and painful and I average around 13.5 mph. I pass a couple of people but get passed by several. At mile 3.5 I see the lead rider coming back and he is hauling tail! I hit the turn around and it is wonderful. Wind to my back and I fly back averaging about 16.9 MPH. Last ¾ of a mile I am behind a lady and wonder if I should try to pass her, just about that time she sprints and I chase her. I paced her all the way, man that was fun!!!!! Hit the transition area, park the bike (someone had put their bike almost on my spot but my bike still fit)
What would you do differently?:

Ride a road bike instead of a $60 wal-mart mountain bike
Transition 2
  • 00m
Run
  • 17m 50s
  • 2 miles
  • 08m 55s  min/mile
Comments:

get about 15 feet out when I realize I still have my helmet on but decide to just run with it. About 50 feet down someone who as finished offers to take my helmet back for me. Very nice! The first ¼ mile out my calfs are cramping but just go slow until they clear up. Then it is off. The time posted for me on the return was a pace of 8:55mm.

What would you do differently?:

More riding time and more bricks
Post race
Warm down:

After finishing I had a little trouble catching my breath and felt my asthma kicking in. Grabbed my inhaler and a couple of puffs and 10 minutes I am fine. Down some Gatorade and a couple of sandwiches. Talked with a couple of racers, picked up my helmet and MP3 player and headed home.



What limited your ability to perform faster:

Mainly the bike

Event comments:

Very nice race!




Last updated: 2008-12-13 12:00 AM
Running
00:16:24 | 02 miles | 08m 12s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/7
Overall: 78/102
Performance: Good
Course: One big hill you go up and down the backside, turn around and repeat
Keeping cool Drinking
T1
Time: 00:00
Overall:
Run with bike?
Jump on bike?
Getting up to speed and into shoes:
Biking
00:41:38 | 10 miles | 14.41 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/7
Overall: 85/102
Performance: Below average
Wind: Strong with gusts
Course: some hills
Road: Smooth  Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Hard Drinks:
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:17:50 | 02 miles | 08m 55s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/7
Overall: 0/102
Performance: Average
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
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