Race Disappointment!

How long was the race?  Sprint, Oly, HIM?  What were your splits?

It could be that you don't have the right fitness level for the swim.  It's hard to say because I don't see any swim workouts in your logs.  You may just have over-exerted yourself for the swim portion and had nothing left after the bike for the run.  I wouldn't worry too much about the swim to the bike brick, it's more just getting used to running up to transition after you get out of the water with wobbly legs.

I personally wouldn't be disappointed, you finished didn't you?  I know a lot of people would be VERY happy with an 8:50 mile.

I think it was during the Laura Bennett interview on MOJO that she talked about the winner would be who ever was able to bring their 'A' game to THAT day and she was there to have fun - win or lose.

So many things can affect race day - I hear you -  I cramped on the run my last race (likely from biking too hard but hard for me not to hammer) and I have been running REALLY slowly my last 3 races - my first one was MUCH faster.

In the end, why are you doing this?  Likely none of us will be pros -  I know I won't be - I do it because it is fun, gets me/keeps me in shape, and I will never get bored!

You finished the race - pat yourself on the back - and yeah, sign up for more races instead of counting on one race to make or break your season. 

you say the race was different then training?  Start looking at what was different between the two.

Temperature? Humidity? Nutrition (type and amount)? Fluids (type and amount)? Course (flat, hills)? Prerace (nutrition, rest, warmup)?

Swimming can play a big role in the run, as it really stresses your core.  Weaken your core and it starts messing up form on the bike and run.  If your form is off on the bike it can start messing with other muscles before you even hit the run.  Very easy for it to cascade and make the run hell.

and yes I've felt like quitting after a race.  This spring I was on target for a 90min Half Marry.  Through a combination of circumstances (some my fault some out of my control), I blew  up 1 mile in and ran the slowest, most painfull HM in my life.  I'd love to say I turned around a week later and shattered that time, but to be honest I haven't run more then 4 miles at a time since.  However I have refound my love for swimming and plan on making a comeback this fall.

Not necessarily - this blog is worth a read.

For the OP - more than likely it is as a result of going too hard for your current fitness level.  If you logged your training and provided race results it might be easier to tell but I would guess that you swam and/or biked too hard leaving you to struggle on the run.

If you can post some training data (training hours per week, distances per week, typical speeds in workouts) and race data it may be easier to provide you with some guidance in this area.

Shane

Unfortunately, it's the first part, and if you're thinking it's unimportant and not spending a good bit of time working on it, you're going to have issues. 

Something is almost always going to go wrong in a race.  Take some time to figure out what happened and use that as a focal point for your improvement in upcoming races.  

These 3 stand out to me.  3 weeks of swimming (I'm assuming ever) and you pull 1:30's per 100?  That's quick for a new swimmer, unless you are some swimming savant.  I'm guessing you went to hard (probably with a powerful kick).

How long have you been riding?  22.5 mph is also fairly quick...

Why are you useing all of that for a sprint distance race?  Glycogen reserves drop out around 90 minutes.  If you are racing under an hour you really don't need any nutrition on course.   Do you usually take all of that stuff when you just go out and train for an hour?

Honestly I think you just need to train and race more until you get it dialied in.  Training will only bring you so far...you have to race to get good at it and figure out your pacing.

First, I will point again to a post on the Science of Sports page - this one on supplements.  You seem to be using lots of products but I would suggest that you need few if any of them, especially for a sprint race if you are finishing under 1:30.

Based on what you've said, you probably went too hard on the swim and/or bike and this caught up to you on the run.

As for your 52 week plan, make sure you take an off-season somewhere; keep working out but no real schedule for a while.

Good luck,

Shane

usually cramps can be related to lack of fitness and poor pacing, IOW you raced at a higher intensity of what your current fitness level can support and/or you did a poor job pacing. FWIW *I* wouldn't place much faith on what supplement companies claim about their products; for next race I would make sure to train more and race at the right instensity given my fitness level.

good luck!

IMHO, you may have been mis-lead about tapering for a sprint.  You don't want to take the week off completely because you'll start losing your fitness level and you'll end up coming out flat at your race.

Personally for the week before a sprint I'll cut my distance down of my normal workouts by about 25-40% but keep the intensity up.  Two days before the event I take completely off, and the day before I do some really short but highly intense intervals to keep the body rearing to go.  As for nutrition, I might add a little bit more sodium into my diet the few days before and make sure that I'm hydrating properly.  I don't bother with carbo-loading, I think it's a stupid idea, just keep eating what has been working for you.   Also, I wouldn't bother with so many supplements for a sprint distance.  As others have said, maybe a sports drink on the bike should be plenty sufficent to get you through a sprint.