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Great Clermont Tri - Sprint Distance - TriathlonSprint


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Clermont, Florida
United States
Sommer Sports
70F / 21C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 49m 23s
Overall Rank = 91/104
Age Group = 50 - 54
Age Group Rank = 3/3
Pre-race routine:

First Triathlon! OK, a sprint triathlon and a very slow one at that but I did finish and didn't finish last. Actually I placed 3rd in my age group (OK there were only 3 of us). This was a sprint which included a .75km swim, 20km bike and 5km run. It was held in Clermont Florida which is the hilliest place in the state. We don’t train on hills because we don’t have any, unless it is a highway overpass.

I arrived early so I could get a good place to park. Besides, I wasn't sleeping much anyway. Parked within 50 ft of the transition area - sweet! Set up in transition, pretty easy based on all I read and just scouting around. They did have assigned spots and I was at the end of a row - the outside end but it did make it easier for me. And face it, time was not an issue for this race.Very organized and good security.
Event warmup:

Went into the water to try to get used to it. Water was 67 degrees which is way too cold for me. I should have actually swam.
Swim
  • 24m 4s
  • 820 yards
  • 02m 56s / 100 yards
Comments:

The swim which set the tone for the rest of the day. I borrowed a sleeveless wetsuit because the water was 67 degrees. I don’t go into water less than 80 on a normal basis. It was brutally cold to say the least. Started off from shore and had to swim out, across, and then back to the beach. Up to now my only real swimming experience was in a pool. Open water swimming is a little (a lot) different. Not sure if it was because it was so cold, the water was dark, the waves were a little rough, or I was just excited/panicked, but I just couldn't swim. I can easily cover the distance in a pool without any problems. I just couldn’t get my head down to swim. I'd get water in my mouth, and cough. It was terrible. The realization that I had to go all that way with a side stroke was daunting.

When I got to the first buoy to turn I was dead. I was still only 1/3 of the way but I would have stopped if I could have. I actually grabbed the large buoy but it didn't hold me up so I continued on. I wasn't alone. In my wave I was actually 18 from the back. Shows how many newbies there were. Anyway, I did calm down enough to swim a good part of the last 3rd.

As I was running up someone yelled to me - it was the wetsuit strippers! Yea! Just lay down and they take care of the rest. I didn't’t think a race this size would have them but it was cool. It was quite a ways to the transition and I did kind of take my time. Did I say I was beat? I took a few extra seconds to wipe my feet and to actually change my jersey as it was a bit chilly and I thought having a dry one on would help.

What would you do differently?:

Swim - seriously. When I swam most of the last one third I realized it wasn't that bad.
Transition 1
  • 04m 44s
Comments:

Other than the long distance to the Transition, this was fine. I was in no hurry as it was my first race and based on the swim I didn't need to worry about time.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe hurry a bit more just for the practice.
Bike
  • 53m 13s
  • 12.42 miles
  • 14.00 mile/hr
Comments:

Off on the bike to an immediate steep uphill. Not long but 30ft after that was another short straight up hill. Nice way to get acclimated! It was a very nice course mainly around the lake. There were a couple of really tough uphill sections that killed me. Did I say I was tired? I even lost my water bottle and turned around to get it. I had just bought it the day before, I was not going to lose it! Overall a fun course although I did spend a considerable amount of time up out of the saddle in first or second gear. That was new to me.
What would you do differently?:

Ride a little harder. I think I could have ridden a bit harder and still had enough left for the run. But that swim wore me out!
Transition 2
  • 03m 10s
Comments:

Took my time - need to use my Yankz or similar tying system. I took them out right before my last marathon. Also stopped for a few pictures. what the heck another 10 - 20 seconds wasn't going to make a difference at this point.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Run
  • 27m 13s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 08m 45s  min/mile
Comments:

Next transition was of course quicker. Put on some shoes and my number belt an off we go. It was a 5k out and back. The Olympic distance people had to do it twice. I had practiced a bit getting off the bike and running some short bricks and it seemed to have paid off because I could run from the start. I didn't have the yucky feeling in my legs. I ended up with negative splits in the run so that is good.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe get out of transition a little quicker.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around a bit and talked to some of the team. Cheered the Olympic folks on.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

First race, didn't know what to expect, how to pace, etc. The swim killed everything as it made me so tired. I used up a lot of leg energy during the swim portion.

I just started swimming and biking. Actually only been on about 3 bike rides up till now. I've been swimming, about a month or so. I have a long ways to go but I'll get there.

Event comments:

One of the nice things about this was that the Olympic distance folks started before us but they had a longer bike ride. Did the same course as us but had an extra road or 2 they had to go down. This mixed it up a bit. There was always someone on the road with you. I'd be grinding it out going up a hill and here comes a $7k bike with disk wheels flying by. Let's me know how fast you can go on a bike :). But even the run, since they started earlier than the Sprint group, most of us ended up running at the same time so you didn't feel alone at the back.

My only real disappointment was in the swim. I don’t care that I am slow it was that I couldn’t swim. Never expected that. It just threw me so far off that it took most of the swim course to recover. Then of course I used up my legs doing the side stroke. But my first one is done. Already have another in June, I am sure more on the way. After another sprint or 2 I will do an Olympic or 2 then looking for half Ironman next year. Then, who knows. I'd love to do a full, but will wait until after the half is in the book :) Heck I could even swim .75k. Did I mention that I was tired?




Last updated: 2010-03-30 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:24:04 | 820 yards | 02m 56s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/3
Overall: 86/104
Performance: Bad
Suit: farmer style sleeveless suit - borrowed
Course: Triangle. Out, across then back to the beach. Not a bad course, just a terrible swim.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 57F / 14C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Bad Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Bad Drafting: Bad
Waves: Bad Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:44
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:53:13 | 12.42 miles | 14.00 mile/hr
Age Group: 3/3
Overall: 0/104
Performance: Below average
Wind: Some
Course: VERY Hilly. A lot of very steep short hills and a few longer hills. Was not expecting this. A few very steep downhills that ended in sharp turns. Couldn't use the downhills to make up for my dismal performance going up.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills: Below average
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 03:10
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:27:13 | 03.11 miles | 08m 45s  min/mile
Age Group: 3/3
Overall: 0/104
Performance: Good
Course: Out and back on a paved trail. Not bad but nothing really impressive. It was nice because there were a lot of people on the course though.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 1
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
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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2010-03-30 12:32 PM

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Expert
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Subject: Great Clermont Tri - Sprint Distance


2010-03-30 8:16 PM
in reply to: #2758083

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Master
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St. Louis
Subject: RE: Great Clermont Tri - Sprint Distance
Congrats on completing your first tri!  I haven't done my first one yet but I've been told you will never forget the feeling of finishing your first tri.
2010-04-02 8:32 PM
in reply to: #2758083

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Elite
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Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Subject: RE: Great Clermont Tri - Sprint Distance
Congrats on finishing your first tri. Now time to get faster. Open water swimming is completely different then swimming in a pool. And swimming in a lake is a ton different then swimming in the ocean. That bike course was not what I'm use too, but kinda expected it knowing what Clermont is like. At least the run course was flat. Again, congrats.
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