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Pigman Triathlon - Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Palo, Iowa
United States
Midwest Multisport
70F / 21C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 15m 9s
Overall Rank = 58/666
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 5/43
Pre-race routine:

The alarm went off at 3:15. Man, that's early. Anyone want to guess what I had for breakfast? Yup, that's right, peanut butter and bananas on toast. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It was a long 2 hour drive to the race site. All the while I was watching the lightning to the east (where I was heading) and south and mentally willing it to stop so we could race today. Fortunately it stopped raining at 5:00 at the race site and despite leaving behind some wet roads it cleared off quite nicely.

I got my transition set up and chatted with a few others who had made their way from Ames and also my cousin's husband, who was doing his 2nd tri.
Event warmup:

Swam a bit in the water and then got out to watch the elites swim. After that, I swam a little more since I was in wave 8 of 10. Not only was I in the 8th wave, but their time trial start was taking forever. Despite them getting the first wave started on time, my wave started 20 minutes late, that's how long the time trial start was taking.
Swim
  • 09m 14s
  • 547 yards
  • 01m 41s / 100 yards
Comments:

As slow as the time trial start was, that's the only bad thing I have to say about it. It really spread the swimmer's out and the start was not as chaotic. Here we go! Every time I go running into the water I always feel like letting out a war cry, but restrain myself, thinking I'll need the breath. Hit the water and was immediately into a comfortable stroke. Before long, I'm passing people. What? Okay, this is new. I'm not going to argue though. I round the buoy still feeling good. Shortly after that I feel someone going by on the left. Quick, grab those feet! I got a good 30-45 seconds of drafting out of him. Thanks buddy! Aside from almost running over a few girls backstroking from a previous wave, I finished the swim feeling pretty good.
What would you do differently?:

I'm not sure. I cut 1:30 off my time from last week, and this had a comparable long run to transition like last week. I was more than pleased with this.
Transition 1
  • 02m 9s
Comments:

Transition area was long. I was hoping to be under 2 minutes, but I felt like I moved through it as quickly as I could so that's about all I can ask for.
Bike
  • 41m 46s
  • 15.53 miles
  • 22.31 mile/hr
Comments:

This is where things got interesting. Starting in the 8th wave, there was a lot of people ahead of me. I reasoned that I would probably be passing at least half of the field before I reached the finish line. Passing people is fun only for a little while. Then it gets tedious and annoying, especially when your shouts of "on your left" bounce off deaf ears. I would give a good warning shout as I was approaching and if they wouldn't move I would give a much sterner bark as I rode up their a$$. I pretty much rode on the yellow line the entire time.

So I haul out of the park, careful on the wet corners, flying by people. It doesn't take long heading south before I'm stuck behind the first car on the road. Yes, 700 racers, open to traffic, yeah that's a good idea. Thankfully that delay is brief. I cruise down, do the loop through Palo and head back north. A few miles later I get stuck behind car #2. Seriously??!! I wave at him and thankfully he pulls onto the shoulder after passing a couple of women. His window is open so I yell a thank you at him as I blaze past.

Shortly after that I encountered the only real climb of the day. Ticked at the delays, I get out of the saddle and hammer up. Still had plenty to hammer the downhill too. A few miles later was a 180 degree turn and there I got passed for the only time on the bike.

Okay, just a few quick miles to go and I'll be running soon. And that's when I come up behind one of those big honking dodge trucks with the double wheels in the back that take up an entire lane of traffic. He was passing bikers so his left wheels were kissing the yellow line. There were bikers on the right so I was stuck. I frantically waved at him. Nothing. I debated crossing the yellow, but there was far too much oncoming bike traffic to risk it. So I did the only thing I could and that was hang on his bumper and wait for an opening on the right, all the while letting loose on him with my best sailor's mouth. After what seemed like an eternity (but I'm betting was at least 2-3 minutes) I see an opening and pound past him on the right, just inches away from the truck. I resisted the urge to show him he was number one. He looked like a little old man and was probably on his way to church or something and didn't realize he had stumbled into the middle of a triathlon. I timed it about as good as I could, my rear wheel couldn't have cleared his front bumper by much as I passed the next biker. Dangerous, yes, but I couldn't have hung back there any longer and expected to stay competitive.

I made it back into the park and found complete chaos. Runners were heading both out and back on the left and right sides of the road and anywhere in between. Oh, that and cars trying to get out of the park at the same time. Can you say giant clustrf@%$??? I weaved my way back to transition, happy to get to the run.


What would you do differently?:

Uh, don't get stuck in traffic. I just realized that my description of the ride seemed really negative. It wasn't all that bad. I felt strong and the course was fairly flat and there was hardly any wind. I still love, love, love biking the most. And I love to go fast and when I can't do that I get a little perturbed. But, as with most things I'm pretty sure that everyone had to deal with these race obstacles so it is what it is.
Transition 2
  • 01m 1s
Comments:

I accidentally knocked my shoe off during the dismount so I had to backtrack and pick it up. Racked the bike, put on shoes, grabbed the belt and visor, and was off.
What would you do differently?:

Was hoping to be under a minute, but oh well.
Run
  • 21m
  • 3.11 miles
  • 06m 45s  min/mile
Comments:

After the bike frustrations it was good to be running. I felt a little sluggish and first but managed to get over that within the first mile. I avoided the water station because I had a little stitch in my side. Not much to report here. I passed a ton more people and only got passed twice. One was by a chick who was just cruising. I was impressed. I kept an eye out for those 25-29 calves and passed a few. One of those was pretty close to the end so we had a good, nice all out sprint to the finish. I think he may have nicked me at the line, but it turns out he started ahead of me in the wave so I beat him timewise.
What would you do differently?:

Run harder the first mile or 2. Still alot in the tank. I think I'm capable of a sub-20 split if I really push myself.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked, ate, chatted with parents, aunt and uncle, cousins, and friends.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

bike obstacles

Event comments:

This was my first time doing the Piggy sprint and it was a pretty decent race. They could really stand to try and get the road closed though. Other than that food was great, volunteers were great, and I came home with a little piggy hardware. Another good tuneup race before the half next weekend


Profile Album


Last updated: 2009-02-09 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:09:14 | 547 yards | 01m 41s / 100yards
Age Group: 10/43
Overall: 156/666
Performance: Good
Suit: Neosport ultrajohn
Course: Out and Back
Start type: Run Plus: Shot
Water temp: 68F / 20C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:09
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:41:46 | 15.53 miles | 22.31 mile/hr
Age Group: 3/43
Overall: 52/666
Performance: Average
Wind: Some
Course: Wound through park, south to Palo and did a loop, back North and did a 180 and then back into the park
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:01
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Bad
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:21:00 | 03.11 miles | 06m 45s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/43
Overall: 64/666
Performance: Good
Course: Out and back through the park. Shared the course with bikers most of the way.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2009-06-07 9:45 PM

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Champion
10742
5000500050010010025
Ames, IA
Subject: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint


2009-06-08 7:02 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Elite
4372
200020001001001002525
Connecticut
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Great race Neal!  More hardware is awesome.  I love that pig!
2009-06-08 7:05 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Elite
3595
20001000500252525
Quebec, Canada
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Awesome job Neal! 

Damn you are fast, those are some impressive splits man. And I love your little piggy  
2009-06-08 8:03 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Expert
919
500100100100100
Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Great job and congrats on the piggy hardware!!
2009-06-08 8:24 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Davenport, IA
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Nice race!  I'm surprised with as large as that race is that they don't have it closed to traffic.  I hope they do for the Long Course race.  Having to battle traffic as well as distance sucks.
2009-06-08 9:25 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Champion
5522
5000500
Frisco, TX
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint

Great job and nice race report!



2009-06-08 10:35 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Master
1734
100050010010025
On a lake in the Adirondacks in NY
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Another awesome race, Neal!  Love that piggy!
2009-06-08 11:11 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Royal(PITA)
14270
50005000200020001001002525
West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint

Awesome job! You are BRAVE to maneuver around that truck!

Congrats on the piggy trophy

2009-06-08 3:55 PM
in reply to: #2201296

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Champion
23360
5000500050005000200010001001001002525
Taser-World
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Wow! Congratulations on your AG "hardware" and your overall finish! Fantastic job!

The traffic on the road sounds scary. Hopefully, they'll change the course next year, or be able to close the roads down.

And yes, 3:15 AM is way early!!!!

Congratuations! Great job!

2009-06-08 6:42 PM
in reply to: #2200991

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Expert
2189
2000100252525
Dodge County, MN (out in the corn)
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Nice job!  I agree that the two-way traffic plus vehicles was a little scary.  While I was running, I got pushed off the road by a camper. 
2009-06-08 9:11 PM
in reply to: #2200991

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TinkerBeth
23096
500050005000500020001000252525
Liverpool, New York
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
Awesome race Neal!

the ride sounds like it was a bit dicey!




2009-06-09 11:18 AM
in reply to: #2200991

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Champion
14677
5000500020002000500100252525
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Pigman Triathlon - Sprint
LOVE the hardware. I can't believe they didn't close the road!
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