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Iowa Games Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Ogden, Iowa
United States
Iowa Games
70F / 21C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 03m 8s
Overall Rank = 17/369
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 3/25
Pre-race routine:

I woke up tired. I ran a 10k with my younger sister the night before and had some issues getting to sleep. It probably didn't help that I was watching the end of stage 8 of the TdF. It's a good thing lack of sleep usually isn't an issue on race day.

A little music on the drive to Ogden perked me right up though. Did the packet pickup thingy and found out they were doing an elite wave. I contemplated briefly entering it as the "elites" were still eligible for AG awards, but got to start in the first wave. The thought of going out elite and getting lapped on the swim by the next wave (starting 2 minutes later) prevented me from doing so. In hindsight I probably should have considering where I finished and how many elites I caught on the course. It probably would have helped the swim time.

I got to transition plenty early because I knew that it was laid out poorly and the middle racks had a huge advantage. Snagged a great spot, set up shop, and wondered what to do with the extra 1.5 hours I had. I eventually found some friends from my tri group to pass the time talking to
Event warmup:

I got into the water and swam a few hundred yards before the swim start. It felt a little colder than 79F.
Swim
  • 07m 17s
  • 440 yards
  • 01m 40s / 100 yards
Comments:

Chalk up another violent swim start. Pretty much a mass of flailing limbs until just before the turnaround point. After that I got into a good rhthym and booked it (relatively speaking) back to shore.
What would you do differently?:

If I get a chance to start elite and still be eligible for AG awards I'm going to take it. There was only about 30 in that wave and I could have hung out in back and maybe drafted a little and had a pretty uneventful swim.
Transition 1
  • 00m 30s
Comments:

Not sure I could have been much quicker unless I start with shoes clipped in, which I'm not gonna do.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 34m 6s
  • 13 miles
  • 22.87 mile/hr
Comments:

So I've had a goal all year of putting up a 23 mph bike split. This was my last sprint race of the year so I figured this would be the best opportunity to do so. The course was a nice out and back with no monstrous hills (except the one at the start) so I pretty much just wanted to push as hard as I could and worry about the consequences later. Seems like a good strategy, no?

I cursed the hill coming out of transition. What a pointless spot for a hill. You can't use the downhill coming back because you have to slow down for the dismount line. Reached the top, said screw you hill, and started cranking away.

Passed people pretty much the whole ride. There may have been a headwind on the way out and tailwind on the way back but I'm not sure. Hammered the whole way, getting out of the saddle for a few hills. The whole time I kept saying, "23, baby, 23" to myself. It didn't quite do the trick but it was darn close.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. I pushed hard and ended up with my fastest bike split ever.
Transition 2
  • 00m 25s
Comments:

Knocked a shoe off again during the flying dismount. Had to back track a few feet for it. Had a bike racked in my spot so I had to squeeze mine in there. Other than that speedy
What would you do differently?:

Not lose a shoe. I practice it after every ride and hardly ever mess it up then. Adrenaline perhaps?
Run
  • 20m 53s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 06m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

Legs felt good to start, but I was seriously out of breath. I really wanted to push the pace harder, but it took about half the course to get that under control. The first mile marker was way off. Either that or I ran a 5 minute mile. Ha ha, I think not. Just cruised the last half of the course. Passed a few people and powered up that evil hill. Even had enough left in the tank for a good hard sprint the last hundred yards or so.
What would you do differently?:

I dunno. This was a good run. My fastest 5k in a sprint so far.
Post race
Warm down:

Walking, drinking, eating. It started raining too so that helped.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

45 miler and 10k the day before? Tapering is overrated ;)

Event comments:

Alright, more AG hardware. This ended up being a pretty good race for me. Solid splits all around and one of my better finishes. I took over 5 minutes off my time from last year (2nd ever tri) so that's another bonus.




Last updated: 2009-02-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:07:17 | 440 yards | 01m 40s / 100yards
Age Group: 11/25
Overall: 113/369
Performance: Average
Suit: None
Course: Out and back
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 79F / 26C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 00:30
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:34:06 | 13 miles | 22.87 mile/hr
Age Group: 3/25
Overall: 16/369
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Out and back, with a small smattering of hills.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:25
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:20:53 | 03.1 miles | 06m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/25
Overall: 28/369
Performance: Good
Course: Out and back with a little side loop.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
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? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2009-07-12 10:04 PM

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Champion
10742
5000500050010010025
Ames, IA
Subject: Iowa Games Triathlon


2009-07-13 7:27 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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Royal(PITA)
14270
50005000200020001001002525
West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon

Awesome race!  Yes, you have what it takes to start in the elite wave!

2009-07-13 7:31 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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Expert
1007
1000
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Yee Haw! 3rd in your AG! That's awsome!!! Great race and race report.
2009-07-13 8:46 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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Expert
687
500100252525
Cambridge, MA
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Excellent race!  3rd in AG, and PB on running and biking legs?  AWESOME!!   Maybe taper IS overrated for sprints and that 10k "warm up" was just what you needed. Laughing

2009-07-13 8:49 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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Science Nerd
28760
50005000500050005000200010005001001002525
Redwood City, California
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Congratulations on the PR and the hardware!!  Nice job!  Next year, start with the elites. 
2009-07-13 9:02 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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MotoQueen
13195
5000500020001000100252525
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Great job on the race.  We all know you should be in the elite group, so do so next time.   
And almost at 23 on the bike.  There is your goal for next time.  Awesome race.


2009-07-13 10:46 AM
in reply to: #2280043

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Expert
717
500100100
Washington Court House, Ohio
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon

Good job Neal.  Very nice final run.

2009-07-13 7:52 PM
in reply to: #2280993

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Elite
3595
20001000500252525
Quebec, Canada
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Good job Neal

Almost 23 Next time you'll get it!
2009-07-13 9:42 PM
in reply to: #2280043

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Veteran
168
1002525
New Brunswick, Canada
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Way to go Neal, that was a fast sprint....
2009-07-14 1:21 AM
in reply to: #2280043


25
25
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
Neal,

Awesome race and awesome race report.  That was a very violent swim wave, I agree.
I knew you'd light em up too, and third place is fantastic--there were some real hardcore racers in that AG, and I doubt any of them raced a 10k less than 12 hours before.

keep us posted on Big Creek. I had to choose between that and Hickory Grove, and HG won out.

(I mean what I say about Kona!!!)

JB
2009-07-14 3:11 PM
in reply to: #2280043

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Champion
14677
5000500020002000500100252525
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Iowa Games Triathlon
YEA NEAL! 3/25 is GRRREat.


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