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Columbia Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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Columbia, MD
United States
72F / 22C
Sunny
Total Time = 00m
Overall Rank = 820/1249
Age Group = M35-39
Age Group Rank = 139/169
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 4:30 after not sleeping much. Had a bagel and 8oz. coffee. Was at the transition area at 5:15 and went through bodymarking. Had a power bar and a banana in the transition area. Set up my gear and then waited for our 7:15 start time. Had a HammerGel and water before heading over to the water.
Event warmup:

None to speak of other than mental excercies. Put on my wetsuit and made my way to the swim start area. Tried to stay calm.
Swim
  • 29m 25s
  • 1500 meters
  • 01m 58s / 100 meters
Comments:

Got into the swim start area and tried to relax and tread my way to the back of the pack. This was my first Triathlon and just my second time in my wetsuit, so I didn't know what to expect. The horn went off and it was chaos! Luckily I am very comfortable in the water, so the thrashing, shoving and forearms to the head didn't phase me much. I got frustrated though because I kept swimming into people and having to stop. Once the pack thinned out, I was able to get some clean water and actually start swimming. I was comfortable with the open water and I think I could have gone faster. At Philadelphia, I might get a little braver and make my way to the middle or front area of the start. Surpringly, this was my strongest and most enjoyable leg.
What would you do differently?:

Start closer to the front and race out to get some clear water and THEN settle into a groove.
Transition 1
  • 04m 49s
Comments:

Had a little trouble getting out the wetsuit, but I guess that will come with practice. Should have run a little more to the transition area. I didn't think I did too bad, but my T1 rank of 132/169 tells me I need to work on this.
What would you do differently?:

Run to bike area and strip wetsuit faster.
Bike
  • 1h 27m 40s
  • 41 kms
  • 28.06 km/hr
Comments:

This is where my race started to turn to shit. For some reason, I started developing a nagging stomach cramp that never let me get comfortable on the bike. Also, because of this I didn't drink nearly enough of my gatorade of which I normally finish 28oz in 1-1/2 hours. I'm not sure if I gulped too much lake water or if that last HammerGel did me in. Maybe I ingested too many carbs before I started? This hadn't happened before. Anyway, I thought I was going to be prepared for the bike as the roads I trained on are quite hilly. I was very suprised how fast most of the guys were hammering on the straights and moderately hilly sections. I couldn't keep up. To top off, my damn front derailluer decided to go out of adjustment and developed an irritating rub. However, I did well on the steep hills as I routinely passed 6-8 people each time. Age group rank- 131/169.
What would you do differently?:

Train more and get faster on flat sections. Get a better derailluer.
Transition 2
  • 02m 4s
Comments:

Ended the bike by dismounting and leaving my shoes on. I then thought better of this because of the grassy hill and relatively long walk/run to the rack. So I wasted time in T2 taking off my shoes after I was off the bike. I of course then had to struggle with carrying the damn shoes and walking bike. Almost lost bike once. Not pretty.
What would you do differently?:

As I said above, I need to leave shoes on the bike and run barefooted to rack. Once I racked the bike, no problems. Probably lost a a few seconds without speed laces, but I didn't want try something new a week before the race. rank 79/169.
Run
  • 1h 01m 21s
  • 10 kms
  • 06m 08s  min/km
Comments:

Although I really thought I would do well on this leg as I have run for a long time and routinely train on hills. My typical 10k brick time is about 50 mins, so you can see by my 1:01:21 time how well this went. That nagging stomach cramp decided to develop into a full blown gut buster. I was slogging through the trail section because I couldn't breath properly. By the time I hit the neighborhood section, it hurt so bad I had to walk. After COMPLETELY STOPPING and doing several bends at the waist it subsided enough for me to continue my death march. I was really disappointed now, because I knew I wasn't performing like I knew I could in the leg I'm most familiar with. Damn! At least I got it together enought to run through to the finish line.
What would you do differently?:

Figure out what gave me stomach cramps and never do it again! I have my suspicions it was the Gel which was compounded with lack of water/sports drink later in the race.
Post race
Warm down:

Milled about the finishers reveling in their accomplishment. Ate and drank.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

abdominal muscle cramps

Event comments:

Despite my lackluster bike and hideous run, I'm TRYING to not be too hard on myself since this was my first ever Triathlon. I learned a lot of valuable lessons I'm going to take to Philadelphia and future races. I really enjoyed the excitement and atmosphere of the event and love watching people push themselves beyond what they thought was possible. During my run, I traded positions with a gentleman who was nearly twice my age. Truly inspring.




Last updated: 2005-01-02 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:29:25 | 1500 meters | 01m 58s / 100meters
Age Group: 91/169
Overall: 0/1249
Performance: Good
Suit:
Course:
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 68F / 20C Current: Low
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 04:49
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:27:40 | 41 kms | 28.06 km/hr
Age Group: 131/169
Overall: 0/1249
Performance: Average
Wind:
Course: Moderately hilly out, loop and back.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 02:04
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:01:21 | 10 kms | 06m 08s  min/km
Age Group: 151/169
Overall: 0/1249
Performance: Bad
Course: Hilly!
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
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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2005-05-23 11:39 AM

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Subject: Columbia Triathlon


2005-05-23 1:20 PM
in reply to: #161792

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Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon

Hey, congratulatons triathlete!

That was a tough course for a first timer.  You dealt with the unexpected issues--part of triathlon--and finished.  Sounds like you learned a lot too and should be even better prepared in Philly--see you there!

P.S.  Have you used gels in training before?  If so, have you used that pre-race meal before?  Either one of those (or the combination?) could possibly have caused your problem.

2005-05-23 1:33 PM
in reply to: #161872

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Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
Hi Johnny- Thank you. I've only used gels when running marathons before, not in training for them, or at all when training for this. I usually have a strong stomach so I didn't think anything of it. Pre race meal of power bar and banana is standard, so I should have stuck with that. See you at Philly !
2005-05-23 2:36 PM
in reply to: #161888

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Veteran
540
50025
Philadelphia, PA
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
Nice race Troy and congrats on completing your 1st tri ...i'll be in philly too so hopefully i will get to meet you and the others on BT who are also racing
2005-05-23 2:56 PM
in reply to: #161792

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Expert
743
50010010025
Olney, MD
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
If we were smart, we would have organized something. I think if a woman had from BT had raced, it would have been organized
2005-05-23 2:59 PM
in reply to: #161960

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Veteran
540
50025
Philadelphia, PA
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
yeah, i thought the same thing the day after the NJ devilman ....shows how far ahead us men think


2005-05-23 3:55 PM
in reply to: #161792

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Master
1668
10005001002525
Cinnaminson, NJ
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
Good race... that is a tough first timers race. Now you can really drill Philly... good luck
2005-05-23 5:03 PM
in reply to: #161792

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Extreme Veteran
439
10010010010025
Germantown, MD
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
Great job for a first time race. Don't be hard on yourself at all. My first tri was crazy (5 foot ocean swells made the "swim" more of a doggy paddle for survival) yet I've kept coming back. After swimming in that lake yesterday, I'm wondering if those cramps of yours was some form of e-coli
2005-05-23 5:06 PM
in reply to: #161792

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Buttercup
14334
500050002000200010010010025
Subject: RE: Columbia Triathlon
Congratulations on your first tri and very good times!
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