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Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Denver, Colorado
United States
RacingUnderground
60sF / 0C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 17m 39s
Overall Rank = 73/477
Age Group = 50-54
Age Group Rank = 4/23
Pre-race routine:

This was my first (and only) triathlon this year. I really have not raced much at all this year. A half mary in March and then Pikes Peak in August. But I have been doing a fair amount of swim and biking so signed up for this triathlon last week just to see where my fitness is.

woke up at 5. coffee, bagel with PB and honey. CC Rez is just about a 10-15 minute drive from my house so I left my house around 615 and arrived at 630. I was really surprised how many people were already there. Parking was outside of the reservoir...maybe 3/4 mile from the transition.

I arrived to the transition before 7am but again was really surprised at how many people had shown up already. Found an okay spot for my bike and racked it and proceeded to get my race packet. At that point the sun was coming up and I realized that I did not have my sun glasses. Checked my backpack and they were not there...hopefully I left them in the car. Walked back to the car which was actually a good way to keep warm as it was probably in the low 50s at this point. Fortunately, the sun glasses were in my car.

My dad was coming out to watch the race and said he would be arriving around 700-730. So while I was at the parking lot I looked to see if I could find him. I would have called him but I left my cell in my backpack (which is at transition). Anyway, I didn't find him and walked back down to the race site.


Event warmup:

Walking to/from the car.

I had not been in open water all year so I jumped i the water and swam maybe 100-meters.



Swim
  • 15m 30s
  • 750 meters
  • 02m 04s / 100 meters
Comments:

I started in the 3rd wave, after the pros and the 1st mens wave. I didn't realize until the 1st wave started that this would be a run from the beach start. when I got lined up there were alot of guys in front of me. The first 100-meters were kind of crazy with bumping and trying to get in a rythum. I prefer to not draft and stay away from the other swimmers...even if I am swimming a few extra meters in the process. Early in the swim I got tangled up with some other guy. I was trying to swim towards the outside (away from everyone) and he was trying to swim towards the inside. Anyway, we both stopped for a second...I gave a quick headnod and was on my way. From that point I pretty much swam on my own and felt really good. Staying to the outside of the other swimmers and keeping it a comfortable pace. The swim went by very fast. Time on my watch was actually 2-minutes faster than the official time due to an uphill run of maybe 200 yeards from the swim beach to the transition.
What would you do differently?:

I should have postioned my self better to avoid the chaos of the start. My wave had M 45 - 60, plus the clydes. I think I was about the 20th out of the water of this group. But I started behind the majority of them. Overall though, I am pleased with my swim.
Transition 1
  • 01m 30s
Comments:

well by my watch this was 330 but that's because I timed from the end of the swim which included the run up to transition. I stopped and had the wetsuit stripper remove my wetsuit. That was awesome! My transition time was slower than the 3-guys in my AG that finished in front of me...but really, this was one of my better T1 transitions.
What would you do differently?:

I would have run faster from the swim beach to transition. pick a spot closer to the bike exit.
Bike
  • 36m 38s
  • 12.84 miles
  • 21.04 mile/hr
Comments:

I have been on this couse many times. last triathlon I did here I averaged over 23mph on basically the same course. my cyclometer read 13-miles vs the 11.5 miles that the RD had indicated. Well, we all did the same course so it really didn't matter. I prefer a longer bike anyway.

Felt really good the entire ride was only passed once and I passed more riders than I can remember. Actually, I was kind of glad when I did get passed by the one guy as it helped me pick it up a bit outside of my comfort zone. I couldn't pass him back though. I was somewhat surprised as usually when passing people in a tri you can feel them challeging you a bit...resulting in a somewhat harder effort. seemed everyone I passed just dropped back. Nobody repassed me.
What would you do differently?:

My avg HR was 139 for the bike portion. That is barely Z4. For a sprint I know I am capable of upper Z4, lower Z5. I wasn't paying attention to this while I was riding but I should have pushed it a little harder.
Transition 2
  • 00m 56s
Comments:

still slowest of all the AG guys that finished in front of me. But under a minute I think is one of my fastest transitions ever! Also, I think usually I get to the 2nd transition and I am so cooked from the bike that I will sit down and change my shoes. Not that my legs felt fresh, they were tired. But I never sat down and the shoe exchange went rather well.
What would you do differently?:

I took time to dink water while in transition. then as soon as I exited for the run they had water. I should have skipped the water in transition.
Run
  • 23m 8s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 07m 26s  min/mile
Comments:

All other tris and running events at CC Rez I have done have been on courses that parallel the reservoir. Flat and fast! I was surprised when I looked at the map that this run course had an uphill start. Not that I was upset with it though...actually, it was somewhat of a relief as my knees give be some grief when I start flat or downhill. I was actually happy to see an uphill start. Right away on the run I started passing people...a couple guys were actually walking. I was feeling pretty decent as I approached the top of the hill when I could hear footsteps behind me. I didn't look back but from the sounds of his stride I thought it was one of the clydedales about to pass me. Turned out it was a little guy...but man was his heavy on his feet! Anyway, he pulled away from me on the hill but I was keeping pace with him when the course flattened out. The course soon turned to dirt trail when I heard someone behind me...I knew it was a girl before I ever saw her. She was moving and I knew she was on fire because the female AG started 10-minutes after mine. I didn't even try to stay with her. about a minute later I was passed by another girl. I wish I could have picked it up for some pace booty but it just wan't going to happen. Around this time I started drifting into WTF happened on the bike? I knew I was passing people and was not getting passed but I had expected to finish the bike in 30-minutes. I was looking at my watch and trying to calculate splits and figured I was well over 30-minutes. Anyway, I sort of lost focus for a while until at about mile 2 I was about to get passed again. I picked it up but I couldn't hold him off. He passed me and I thought he might be in my AG but he didn't have his age on his calf. I stayed on his heels and must have passed a dozen guys that last mile. I wasn't able to catch him but turned out he wasn't in my AG anyway.
What would you do differently?:

Overall I am pretty happy with the run. I felt good, never needed to take water, passed a lot of runner's and was only passed 4-times. I drifted off there for a while between miles 1 and 2. I should have kept my focus. Also, as with the bike my effort was under threshold. I know I am capable of doing a sprint at threshold pace.
Post race
Warm down:

Not much. Stopped to pee. grabbed a water and found my dad. We hung out for a while and enjoyed to post race food. Stayed for the awards and prize give away. I didn't win anything.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I can't believe how fast this race went by! Seems almost like a blur. I definately had the endurance for this event but really was not prepared for a sprint. the 2 events I have done this year have been longer type events. I think had I run a 5K or 10K, some consistant tempo runs, or TTs, or another sprint my fast twitch muscles may have been better prepared for the short distance.

Event comments:

What an awesome day for the event! Clear skies and temps in the 50s to start and warmed well into the 70s or 80s. I like supporting Racing Underground. I have never been disppointed with any of the events they have managed and they usually have good post race activities, including prize drawings. This year they gave a way a set of Zipp wheels! I would definiately do this event again but I would have a couple suggestions:
1. make sure the bike course (or any couse) is what you say it is. it's one thing to be off by maybe a half mile. but I estimate that the bike portion was 1 1/2 mile long!
2. Get a beer sponsor!
I'm willing forego # 1 for #2. :)




Last updated: 2010-09-08 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:15:30 | 750 meters | 02m 04s / 100meters
Age Group: 7/23
Overall: 128/477
Performance: Good
HR 127
Suit: sleeveless
Course: counter clockwise triangle
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:30
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:36:38 | 12.84 miles | 21.04 mile/hr
Age Group: 4/23
Overall: 71/477
Performance: Below average
HR 139
Wind: Little
Course: the bike started out the first 100 yards on a concrete bike path then merged onto a paved road. Mostly flat but the road has been in need of repairs for years. This is a state park and the road is for recreational use only and I am sure repaving is not a priority for the state. The last 100-200 yards were also on concrete bike path. wish they would have kept the entire course on the road...not sure what the reason was to have the bike path portion. The course was LONG! Acual distance was closer to 13 miles (Edited to reflect revised official distance)
Road: Potholes Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:56
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:23:08 | 03.11 miles | 07m 26s  min/mile
Age Group: 2/23
Overall: 80/477
Performance: Good
HR 147
Course: counter clockwise loop inside Cherry Creek Park. Uphill start on concrete bike path for about a mile. 2nd mile on well maintained dirt trail. Final mile on side of asphalt road and concrete bike path.
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too easy
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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2010-09-20 11:04 AM

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Pro
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Parker, CO
Subject: Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon


2010-09-20 2:43 PM
in reply to: #3107875

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Veteran
165
1002525
Parker, CO
Subject: RE: Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon
Great race Ray.  I agree that some shorter course events (5k etc..) would be a huge benefit for this distance.  I always have a tougher time racing at threshold when all I've been training for are long events.
2010-09-20 7:16 PM
in reply to: #3107875

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon
Sounds awesome Ray...very special to have the pops there to see it all.  Congrats!
2010-09-20 9:02 PM
in reply to: #3107875

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Master
1402
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Highlands Ranch
Subject: RE: Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon
Great race, Ray!  But I promise I didn't ease up getting passed on the bike  

2010-09-20 10:28 PM
in reply to: #3107875

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Veteran
165
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Parker, CO
Subject: RE: Crescent Moon Sprint Triathlon
Nice work Ray!  What's next?
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