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Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil - TriathlonSprint


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Sugar Land, Texas
United States
Out Loud Production
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 15m 44s
Overall Rank = 129/623
Age Group = Clydesdale
Age Group Rank = 3/53
Pre-race routine:

This race is so close to my house that I did not have time to finish my coffee on the way over. That's great. This is also the first time that I have done a race for the second time, so it was good to measure myself against last year.

I also got to meet a few of the other BTers, so that was nice to put faces to (screen) names.
Event warmup:

Well, the parking area for the race is about a half-mile from the transition area, so does the easy ride on the way over count? Other than that, I ran about a half mile or so, and got in the water to swim a few strokes before the race.
Swim
  • 14m 35s
  • 880 yards
  • 01m 40s / 100 yards
Comments:

This was the first swim that I put myself in the middle of the fray. I intentionally went for the shore, where all the crowd was, and it wasn't that bad. Of course, my last swim start featured a wave of 1830 swimmers, so anything seems tame by comparison. A few of the racers were saying that the swim start was rough. Ha.

So after surviving the first corner, I stayed to the right for maybe a little bit too long. I noticed that there weren't a lot of swimmers around me, so I switched sides and breathed left and made my way back. Before you knew it, we were at the turnaround buoy - that was fast - and on our way back.

I stayed to the right again, away from the buoys, but I was sighting every 10-15 strokes, and the turn buoy was always right in line, so I figured I was swimming a direct route. At the final turn, a 90-degree left back to the shore, I saw one purple cap (from the wave behind me) and tried to keep up with her.

I was hoping for a swim time in the 15's so I was a little puzzled when I looked up and saw 17's on the clock. We were in the second wave, and were 4 minutes behind, so that meant my swim was going to be in the 14's! Woo-hoo!

Ok, so after sur
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. The swim weant great. About the only thing I can think of would be to go just little bit harder, but then again, what's the use?
Transition 1
  • 01m 40s
Comments:

The Clydesdale rack was all the way on the far side of the transition area this year, whereas last year it was right next to the swim exit. That meant that I had to run the entire length of the transition area, then halfway back with my bike. Stinks, but at least all the clydes had the same trot.
What would you do differently?:

I should note that my transition times last year were up to a minute slower than the rest of the clydes, and this year the difference was only about 20 seconds, so I made up some time there, even though the absolute time improvement was actually slower.

Do differently? I'd have to say run faster or not fumble with my helmet.
Bike
  • 36m 57s
  • 13 miles
  • 21.11 mile/hr
Comments:

My pacing strategy for this race was to go as hard as I could for as long as I could. Turns out, that strategy lasted about 3/4 of the way through the bike! I passed a bunch of people on the way out on the bike, and I don't recall anyone passing me. I was trucking along at 23 - 24 MPH, and felt good about myself. On the way back, two clydesdales (I thought) passed me one after the other. Crap. Double Crap. I kept the second one in sight for most of the rest of the bike, even passing him back once, but lost him at the end.
What would you do differently?:

Train more. Since April, I had ridden my bike maybe ten times, and that is just not enough to build fitness. However, I needed the break after the hard-core training for six months for IMAZ. I have one Olympic race coming up on 3-Jul, and hopefully, I will get some good rides in between now and then, but who knows?
Transition 2
  • 01m
Comments:

Took a little too much time to get my shoes off my feet. I'm out of practice at that, I beleive. Then, I always take a few seconds extra in T2 because I always run with socks.
What would you do differently?:

Need practice stripping my shoes off, that's all.
Run
  • 21m 25s
  • 3 miles
  • 07m 08s  min/mile
Comments:

Coming into T2, I spotted three bikes on the rack, so I assumed that I was in fourth place. It was my hope to run those guys down, but I did not see anyone at all for the first mile that might have been a clydesdale. I passed a few folks - teenagers and women, mostly, and got passed by a couple of fast people as well. The first mile was about 7:30, and that was dissappointing because I wanted to run better than 21:00. I tried to pick it up for the second mile, and did 7:18, but still no sight of any big boys. A guy in a yellow Timex visor kept pulling up beside me, but I was determined not to let him pass me. So I would step it up and try to breathe deeper when he approached. He never got past me. Small victories.

Finally, with about a half mile to go, I spotted the last clyde to pass me on the bike. I told myself to catch him, and I started reeling him in. I passed him with about 100 yards to go to the finish line, then continued a blistering sprint to the banner, and wound up beating him by 10 seconds on my way to a third-place clyde finish.
What would you do differently?:

Train more. See above.

In all, I must say that I was disspointed in my run. I was actually slower on the run this year compared to last. I had the fastest clydesdale run split, but I really wanted to be under 7-minute pace, and I could not muster that. Back to the, uh, training board.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around, chatted with friends, ate some bananas, fig newtowns, cookies, drank a few gatorades and got a free massage.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Minimal training for the past two months. But again, I deserved and needed some time away, as did my sweet wife.

Event comments:

Biggest complaint on this race is that they do a ton of "door prizes" and wait forever to start giving them away, so then the awards take forever.

It was fun to talk to Chris, Bill, Brandt, et al after the race. Can't wait for the next one!




Last updated: 2005-06-13 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:14:35 | 880 yards | 01m 40s / 100yards
Age Group: 9/53
Overall: 187/623
Performance: Good
Suit: Tri-shorts and singlet
Course: Out and back through the local neighborhood pond, with a hard left turn at the end. The buoys kinda snake around, so the most direct route is not necessarily to follow the buoy line. For instance, I started out going to the right (buoys on the left) toward the concrete retaining wall, careful not to run into it.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 80F / 27C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:40
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:36:57 | 13 miles | 21.11 mile/hr
Age Group: 6/53
Overall: 162/623
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Out and back on a major four lane road. There is one railroad underpass and two road overpasses that you do twice each.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 95
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:00
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:21:25 | 03 miles | 07m 08s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/53
Overall: 120/623
Performance: Below average
Course: Run on the sidewalks through the neighborhood. About half are nice, wide sidewalks, around the lake or the creek (good), and the other half are through people's front yards (bad). The finish takes you over a wooden bridge and through a grove of pecan trees, which is nice.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Too easy
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2005-06-13 9:47 AM

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Expert
751
5001001002525
Texarkana, TX
Subject: Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil


2005-06-13 11:57 AM
in reply to: #173758

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Master
2005
2000
South Florida
Subject: RE: Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil
Great race report...not to mention your times...Just think how much better it will go when you put in some more saddle time..Plus, you got some hardware, right?  Good luck on your upcoming races.
2005-06-13 12:37 PM
in reply to: #173758

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Expert
615
500100
Littleton, CO
Subject: RE: Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil
Good job!  I love reading about chasing down other racers!  makes my pulse go up at my desk LOL   Hard to feel sorry for you when you run 7s, but hey, it's always good to know where to focus your training   Excellent race!
2005-06-13 5:43 PM
in reply to: #173758

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Elite
2706
2000500100100
Hurst, Texas
Subject: RE: Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil
Great job, Phil.  Enjoyed meeting you and chatting.  Keep up the good work, and thanks for the IM encouragement!
2005-06-13 9:24 PM
in reply to: #174192

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Elite
2796
2000500100100252525
Texas
Subject: RE: Tejas Triathlon - Tiger Phil
Phil congrats on a great race. Thanks again for fielding all of the questions! I wish you all the best with your upcoming races!
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