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"Got Energy?" La Crosse Area YMCA Touchtone Energy Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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West Salem, Wisconsin
United States
La Crosse Area YMCA
72F / 22C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 08m 24s
Overall Rank = /255
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 13/13
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4 am. Just woke up like a bolt out of bed and it was exactly 4 minutes to 4! Never did use an alarm clock as it makes my adrenals go nuts with the noise. But I can program myself to wake up whenever I want (as long as I truly want to wake up!). Finished packing the kids's stuff up to go visit grandma for a week, loaded my stuff and the bike. Ate strawberry and cream cheese toaster strudels and drank a mocha frappuccino. Took a monster crap (thank God!). Kids were supremely cooperative this morning and so anxious to go with grandma that they refused to pee! (more details than you all wanted, I know)....got to West Salem without a hitch, but realized that I didn't remember my cell phone, so if I had car trouble, I would have been up a crick.....passed a patrol car on the way and DIDN'T get a speeding ticket--Whew!!
Event warmup:

We had to park in the high school parking lot and ride our bikes to the park. There was supposed to be a shuttle bus there to take our bags--yeah, right. Everyone was just slinging duffels onto back or balancing them on their laps and biking that way. Never tried that before. Was a little miffed, and sort of afraid, but got her done! It was only a mile, but in the future, I need to downsize that bag or get a backpack! When I got there, I set up, said hi to all the LaCrosse folks I knew (and they were looking at me funny cuz I wasn't wearing the tri club colors, but I'm NOT a lemming!)and peed. Hoped I didn't have to during the race, as my tri suit is a one-piece and hard to get on and off. Went to the beach area and plopped down next to a nice looking yellow cap, like myself. She's nice, a local, has kids my age, and made me promise to call her to train together! I laughed a whole bunch with her and that made my nerves go completely away. Well, almost completely. Did the swim warm up--water feels GREAT!! Fun to watch all the Intermediate distance Gods and Goddesses go first--man that looks like a long distance compared to mine!!!
Swim
  • 13m 54s
  • 440 yards
  • 03m 10s / 100 yards
Comments:

Almost missed the first buoy but saved the day. Got so involved with the crawl that I didn't look up enough. I sure did after that! Lots of bodies all over and several women seeming to struggle more than me. I wasn't very aggressive with finding my spot or defending it or whatever. But I didn't swim with others during the practices much. No asthma attacks or panic attacks so I'm happy with it.
What would you do differently?:

Be more aggressive with finding my own space. Practice more with others before hand. Get a rhythm going with maybe 5 crawl strokes and a heads up to sight and get back to the crawl. Do less side stroke. Do more swim practice overall to get faster. Period.
Transition 1
  • 04m 7s
Comments:

I was thirsty, so I hydrated well here, ate 2 bites of banana. Forgot to put on my biking gloves (to protect my palms as I work with my hands all day and didn't want to stress those already stressed carpal tendons). Forgot to spray sunscreen on my shoulders. Found my land feet, composed myself and had to follow an ambulance slowly out of the park--not a good way to start. I think someone had a heart attack, or at least that's what I overheard afterwards.
What would you do differently?:

Swallow a Gu, wear my biking gloves, spray a bit of sunscreen on my shoulders.
Bike
  • 1h 11m
  • 17 miles
  • 14.37 mile/hr
Comments:

I had plenty of space for most of the course and not very many passed me, or if they did on the downhill, I repassed them on the uphill. I'm still not good at drinking or eating on the bike. Didn't eat at all. Pulled over twice to drink (no one saw me--whew!) The traffic was nicely controlled and that made me relax immensely! I think traffic is the number one worry I have on the bike and downhills are the second. I didn't use the aero bars, as I hadn't practiced that much. The bike shop didn't get in the aero water bottle they promised to order for me. If I have that, I think I'll use the aero position more, as I'm reward driven! There were women having more difficulty handling their bikes and doing hills than me, so maybe there's a bit of hope for me on the bike yet! But hey, I used my clipless shoes successfully and didn't crash!!
What would you do differently?:

Practice, practice, practice. Get some more hours under my belt outdoors doing downhills so I quit being such a weenie! I lose a lot of time using my brakes on those downhills!
Transition 2
  • 01m 44s
Comments:

Hydrated here. Wobbly, wobbly legs! Holy crap! Ate a GU.
What would you do differently?:

Eat and drink on the bike. Practice more bricks.
Run
  • 36m 38s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 11m 47s  min/mile
Comments:

I had fun. I sang a bit at one point: "follow the yellow brick road" in honor of the yellow arrows painted on the road. And I found a lady to run with the last mile or so and we joked and ran through the finish line together!
What would you do differently?:

Use more sponges. Practice running on gravel more. Just plain run more in practice cuz I'm slow! But really, it wasn't a bad time for me. Even though I walked a lot, or it seemed so.
Post race
Warm down:

Hydrated a bunch. Used sponges. Packed up my bag, walked around a bit. Ate the sloppy joe and chips and talked to some folks. Looked at the posted times, which I didn't understand until later (they go with the time from the beginning of the first swim wave, not from MY swim wave, so that was confusing.) At first I thought, "Wow, didn't think the bike was THAT slow, but if they say so....". Later I realized what they were doing. But I still don't have any official times, so these are my very very best guesses.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Lack of practice. Period.




Last updated: 2007-06-09 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:54 | 440 yards | 03m 10s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/13
Overall: 0/255
Performance: Average
Suit: Zoot Full that feels great on!
Course: Clockwise around big yellow buoys to the boat landing and up a little hill to the bike transition. They put out nice pads for us to run on in our bare feet--how thoughtful!!!
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 72F / 22C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Good Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 04:07
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
01:11:00 | 17 miles | 14.37 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/13
Overall: 0/255
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Glad I practiced it. It's not a bad course, but you really feel every rough spot and bump.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:44
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:36:38 | 03.11 miles | 11m 47s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/13
Overall: 0/255
Performance: Average
Course: Nice pavement, gravel road, some shady areas, beautiful view. Narrow path--they really could give us a bit more room. Three aid stations--thank God! With gatorade, water and cool sponges. Should have used them more to keep cool.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-06-11 7:48 AM

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Expert
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Subject: "Got Energy?" La Crosse Area YMCA Touchtone Energy Triathlon


2007-06-11 9:38 AM
in reply to: #838453

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Expert
739
50010010025
Flower Mound, TX
Subject: RE: "Got Energy?" La Crosse Area YMCA Touchtone Energy Triathlon

Excellent job Pene.  You did great job of overcoming a few problems in your first open water race swim, and also of handling the bike in race conditions.   I'm glad you didn't have any asthma attacks. 

Congratulations.  You should be very proud.

David  

 

2007-06-11 9:48 AM
in reply to: #838453

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Elite
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In The Peleton
Subject: RE: "Got Energy?" La Crosse Area YMCA Touchtone Energy Triathlon
Nice job!  I'm guessing this was in Lake Neshonic?  I grew up in LaCrosse.
2007-06-11 12:48 PM
in reply to: #838453

Veteran
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Subject: RE: "Got Energy?" La Crosse Area YMCA Touchtone Energy Triathlon
Great Race!!!
You can really go uphills quickly? You will have to let me know your technique?
Good job on controlling the speed downhills.
How can you talk and run at the same time? I am lucky to get a "Hi" out loud enough.
Good job!!!
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