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Ironman Calgary 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
Total Time = 5h 48m 56s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Went for a run early on Saturday morning, got in a few minutes of intense intervals and then came home and started eating. I tried a 24hr carbo load that Chris Carmicheal refers to in his book food for fitness. It required making carbs 90% of my intake for the day and needing 850g of carbs. Holy fulness... I ate and ate and ate.

Went to bed early for me (10pm). Slept ok and then got up 0300 so that I'd have time to eat a good breakfast before the race. Ate a super delicious peanut butter, honey, and banana wrap. Also had only one cup of coffee(as apposed to my usual 1 or more pots). I then hung out for a bit, showered and was out the door by about 0350.

At the race sire I loaded up my bike and filled my tires. Three bottles of powerade and four packs of Clif Shot Bloks.
Event warmup:

Started moving around and stretching about 45 minutes before my start. Didn't want to cramp up again so I tried to get some decent stretching in and keep warm. Got my wetsuit on at about 0555 and dropped of my transition bags.
Swim
  • 36m 38s
  • 2078 yards
  • 01m 46s / 100 yards
Comments:

Great swim. At first I wasn't sure if I had seeded myself very well,but there were just so many people that I don't think it really mattered too much. Only had contact with others a few times. One or two guys grabbed my feet and I swam right overtop of a couple of guys. Felt bad, but they stopped right in front of me in the middle of the crowd.
What would you do differently?:

I just need to keep practicing the open water swimming. I feel like I am doing pretty well though considering how much swimming I have done this year and how much better I am swimming than last year.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

Transition at this race is really messed up. Have to come out of the water, take your suit off, run to a bag that has your bike gear in it, get your bike gear on and stuff your suit in the bag, then run to your bike,and then out of transition... not sure if there is a fast way to do this.

Despite the way transition works, things went pretty well. I did have to sit on the ground to get my bike shoes on... too dizzy standing up.
Bike
  • 3h 06m 4s
  • 94 kms
  • 30.31 km/hr
Comments:

This ride was truly an adventure. I was passed, chicked, had mechanical issues, flatted, and slipped a chain... all while riding in the rain.

I came out of transition feeling really well. I started of pretty quick and was passing a few people. We all seemed to be at about the same level though as there was a lot of back and forth passing. I heard the sound of a disk coming up behind me for the fist time though. It was the first time I have ever been passed in a race (not necessarily because I am super fast, but because I usually come out of the water BOP and have to fight back to MOP or FOP)and couldn't believe how fast these guys came up on me and passed.

At about 10km my bike started making noises. It sounded like a chicken coup. All the rain was making gravel get stuck between my wheel cut out and tire. Pulled over once and knocked it loose and rode for a while. At 26km I had to pull over again and move my tire back about half a centimeter to give it enough space. This gave all of the people I had passed and the leaders from the next wave to start catching up to me.

I fought really hard to get back to where I had been and was pretty much caught up by about 35km. Unfortunately after all that work I blew my front tire and had to spend the next few minutes (didn't take a splt, but assuming about 10minutes)in the cold rain changing my tire. Not easy when you can't feel your fingers.

After that I got back into things and just rode at a comfortable pace for the rest of the ride. Caught a couple of people that I had really gotten out ahead of on the swim and pretty much just rode the rest of the way.

I did manage to slip a chain at about 4km left so I obviously had to pull over again and fix it.

In all I think I lost about 20 minutes on the bike due to flat and mechanical... annoying, but I guess that is all part if triathlon.
What would you do differently?:

I need to practice changing flat more. This was the third, or maybe even fourth in the last three weeks. I am getting pretty good at it though I guess.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

Another different transition. Have to rack your bike, then a volunteer helps you get you bike stuff back in the transition bag while you are getting your running stuff on. I didn't really have any issues.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing really.
Run
  • 1h 59m 19s
  • 21.1 kms
  • 05m 39s  min/km
Comments:

I cam out of transition quite comfortable. At about 700 meters though, I felt my medialis begin to tighten and cramp up. Stopped for a couple of minutes to massage it and get it to relax. Started to walk and then run again and the same thing happened again. Massages a bit more and went on... It started to happen again and I though my race might be over, but I just kept running and it finally relaxed.

I ran the whole first 10k at my regular run speed 5.25 m/km. Could have gone faster, but I really didn't want to antagonize my leg. The run back though I stepped it up and kept a 5m/km pace the whole way. Really wish I would have done that the whole way, but I still kept it sub 2hrs. I really wanted a 1:45, but was planning on being accepting of anything sub 2.

Never felt the least bit uncomfortable on the run (except when I pushed the last 5km, but it was a healthy feeling pace... tiring, not going to cause any injury)
What would you do differently?:

Figure out what is making me cramp.
Post race
What limited your ability to perform faster:

Mechanical issues and cramping.

Event comments:

performance wise I think I raced exactly how I had planned to. In retrospect I could have gone harder on the bike and a lot harder on the run. Finished not feeling tired or sore (which is great, but not following a race) so I could definitely have given more. Still managed to beat last years time by 20 minutes.



This is a very well run NO FRILLS race. The course and volunteers are excellent. The organization of the race is excellent.

There is absolutely no effort put in to anything other than the race itself. No pre or post race meals. No entertainment. Nothing for spectators, family, or kids to do at any of the sites. No retail(except race merchandise). NOTHING in the registration bags.




Last updated: 2009-09-25 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:38 | 2078 yards | 01m 46s / 100yards
Age Group: 36/
Overall: 249/
Performance: Good
Suit: nineteen pipeline
Course: 2000 meter big rectangle going out to the left under the high way and then three right hand turns and back out.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 17C / 63F Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 00:00
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:
Biking
03:06:04 | 94 kms | 30.31 km/hr
Age Group: 52/
Overall: 389/
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: 94km of wet rolling course. Lots of fun.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:59:19 | 21.1 kms | 05m 39s  min/km
Age Group: 44/
Overall: 328/
Performance: Average
Course: 21.1km out and back on a slightly rolling course. Beautiful scenery.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
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: Bad
Race evaluation [1-5] 2

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2010-08-02 9:16 AM

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Subject: Ironman Calgary 70.3
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