General Discussion Race Reports! » Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Benton Harbor, Michigan
United States
CAPRI Events
Precipitation
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = 1497/1661
Age Group = M25-29
Age Group Rank = 141/145
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 4:30, took the dog out, had a bagel, coffee, a few honey nut cheerios, had the wife drive me to the shuttle.
Event warmup:

Other than setting up transition, walking the mile to the swim out, and a few warmup laps at the shore of the lake... nothing.
Swim
  • 35m 54s
  • 2310 yards
  • 01m 33s / 100 yards
Comments:

I was in the last wave so I got to enjoy watching and cheering everyone out and then getting to experience the silence of nobody being around to cheer you out. More on being the last wave later but the swim was beautiful. The water was still with minimal waves, pretty strong current moving you up the course, long enough to get spread out.
What would you do differently?:

Be faster, overall the swim was a great experience.
Transition 1
  • 04m 46s
Comments:

T1 was nice except for the insane chute to get to it. I was happy with my rack spot until I saw that you have to snake through a serpentine maze to get to the transition and that added a bit of time. I was walking until I saw this, then I started jogging.
What would you do differently?:

Run a little faster if I knew I wasn't going to be entering right near my bike.
Bike
  • 3h 29m 44s
  • 56 miles
  • 16.02 mile/hr
Comments:

I was having the bike of my life up until the 19 mile to go turn on to the Blue Star expressway. That's when the wind started pummeling myself and everyone in my vicinity. It went from constantly checking my garmin at 20+mph down to seeing it at 10mph. I started ignoring the speed and just watched the distance so I knew when it would be over with.

I started singing to get my mind off the pain... sorry folks at the aid station if you couldn't understand... It was "Bad Moon Rising".
What would you do differently?:

Get much stronger on the bike. I was passed by a lot of people on the flats but made up a lot of distance on hills. I was not passing many people but the few that I did made me pretty happy.
Transition 2
  • 04m 13s
Comments:

Very fluid T2, didn't put any GU's in my jersey as I expected to take nutrition from the aid stations. It worked out but it was a gutsy gamble.
What would you do differently?:

Remember to stick with my nutrition plan.
Run
  • 2h 48m 43s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 12m 53s  min/mile
Comments:

The rain started during my first loop. It was a blessing really, I didn't overheat at all during the run and the rain made for a nice wash down, eliminating the need for sponges. I had big time GI issues and kept telling myself "I'll use the porta potty at the next station" but I never actually did. My legs never really recovered from the abuse on the windy bike course so my run pace suffered.
What would you do differently?:

Train harder to get to a 10 min/mile pace. 12 is too slow.
Post race
Warm down:

Pizza and Burgers!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Mother Nature. In ideal conditions I would have done better but you have to take what you're dealt and work around it. I did it and still finished. So I was still victorious in my eyes.

Event comments:

Didn't get to enjoy any post race activities. Words of advice - DONT bring a dog that's not good with big public events to a triathlon. She was like having a fussy newborn with us. We just had to get her home and calm and safe.

Although my wife and I celebrated with beers that night.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2009-01-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:35:54 | 2310 yards | 01m 33s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/145
Overall: 0/1661
Performance: Good
Suit: 2XU SC:2
Course: Course was C shaped, enter at tiscornia park and swim parallel with the short to your right up a mile and then take a right turn to Jean Klock Park.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Good Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:46
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
03:29:44 | 56 miles | 16.02 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/145
Overall: 0/1661
Performance: Average
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: A lollipop shape with an out and back with a loop on the end.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 04:13
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:48:43 | 13.1 miles | 12m 53s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/145
Overall: 0/1661
Performance: Average
Course: Like the bike course, an out and back with 2 loops on the end.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %2
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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] 5

{postbutton}
2009-08-02 1:27 PM

User image

Veteran
298
100100252525
Des Moines, IA
Subject: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon


2009-08-02 4:04 PM
in reply to: #2322352

User image

Expert
1183
1000100252525
Fort Wayne, IN
Subject: RE: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon
Nice job finishing.  It looks like you're with me with the swim your best event.  Too bad it's the shortest part of the race!
2009-08-03 2:56 PM
in reply to: #2322352

User image

Champion
7542
5000200050025
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon

Good race!  Hope to meet you again next year when I can race it too. 

2009-08-03 3:02 PM
in reply to: #2322352

User image

Master
1702
1000500100100
Southern Ontario
Subject: RE: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon
Congrats!! Nice work!
2009-08-03 5:52 PM
in reply to: #2324833

User image

Master
1795
1000500100100252525
Boynton Beach, FL
Subject: RE: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon
I just got to know what that tatoo is? Looks like Bender from Futurama. Curiousity asside, nice race!
2009-08-04 2:58 AM
in reply to: #2322352

User image

Veteran
298
100100252525
Des Moines, IA
Subject: RE: Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon
thanks for the kind words everyone!

Yeah swimming was always my strong suit.  I really wasn't sure at all how I was going to react to the race conditions of the 1.2mi swim but now that I know what it takes I believe my I can easily take 4-5min off my next HIM swim time.

The tattoo is a great little cartoon mashup of robots, vaudeville, and cycling.  My long term plan is to probably do some sort of team of robots around my shin, the next will be a robot with a headband and a cape jogging.

I'm noticing as the pain is wearing off from the race that i'm more and more interested in doing another one.


General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon Rss Feed