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Journey for Sight - TriathlonSprint


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Chicopee, MA
FIRM
65F / 18C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 09m 13s
Overall Rank = 174/196
Age Group = Athena
Age Group Rank = 5/7
Pre-race routine:

Note: this draft is up before I've got standings or official times. These times come from my own Polar S120 watch. Right now I'd estimate I came in around the 85-90 percentile, i.e, 10% were more brave about the possibility of DFL than I was!

Follow-up note: I came in at the 89% percentile overall, but I'm curious about why only 196 people showed up in the results when 233 were marked. I guess there were teams and some DNF in there. Still, I'm only comparing myself to the 196 that showed up in the results. I would have been 9/11 if I'd done age group instead of Athena.

Went to bed at 11. Why so late? I was online reading people's race reports. I was really scared about this race, maybe even more so than Danskin. It's longer with a more elite crowd. What's not to fear?

Woke once at 2 but happily went back to sleep, got up at 5. Slept pretty well. This time my husband was going with me. Luckily, he's a cheerful morning sort. He got that job for both of us. I was mostly muttering about what a stupid idea this was. But followed the plan, which was to present myself in front of a body of water by 8 am.

Ate bagel, cream cheese & salmon in the car at 5:40. Arrived at race at 6:25. By 7 I had my TA all set up (did a better job this time).
Event warmup:

Jogging around trying out ins and outs. This time I made sure to identify run finish. (At Danskin I didn't know where it was and desperately wanted to know!) At 7:40 I went out for a few stokes, maybe 50 yards, got my wetsuit filled. There was some debate about whether a wetsuit was worth it, we figured any time I saved would be lost in transition. Probably, but I'm here to tell you that it saved my legs and helped me feel safe so I'm glad I went with it.
Swim
  • 17m 59s
  • 880 yards
  • 02m 02s / 100 yards
Comments:

175/196=89th percentile

I started towards the inside about three rows in. I got open water nearly immediately and rarely got bunched up. There was a logjam around the buoys though. I did feel a bit panicky when some weeds slapped me, but I closed my eyes and did an affirmation about "communing with nature." This course seemed a lot longer than Danskin and I remember thinking, "keep swimming, keep swimming." I did a half-decent job of catching someone's bubble stream and staying in it without overtaking her. I was trying to use my back muscles and really pull while saving my legs. I passed a couple of older guys from the previous wave.
What would you do differently?:

I started a bit too fast and got my heart rate spiked a bit, but nothing awful. I just need to work on getting a faster arm turnover and better draw, i.e., learn to be a faster swimmer. My stamina was fine.
Transition 1
  • 03m 41s
Comments:

I sat on a milk crate to pull off my wetsuit and was glad of the chance to catch my breath. The TA is up a solid hill from the reservoir. I did okay running with the bike, but a lousy job of clipping in and zooming off: I just couldn't get clipped in fast. Probably only seconds at stake, but it defined me as a newbie. This T1 was average for me, bad for anyone else.
What would you do differently?:

Someday I'd like to be able to leap onto a moving bike. :-)
Bike
  • 1h 01m 10s
  • 17.25 miles
  • 16.92 mile/hr
Comments:

Funny story: as I'm entering the first loop I get passed by a peloton of yellow-shirted cyclists and I think, "jeez, these guys must have been really slow coming out of the water!" It takes me another mile to realized I've been lapped! (And four more hours to feel grumpy about pelotons in a non-drafting race.)

A rain shower came through about 6:15 and the roads were damp with some puddles. It remained overcast with an occasional light sprinkle. I was a bit more cautious on curves because of wet pavement.

I was also cautious because I had left it all on the bike at Danskin. I was more aware that I couldn't just churn up the miles with no regard to saving my legs for the next stage. I didn't feel as predatory on this ride.

At Danskin I managed to pull in a 17 mph average despite the massive hill. When I saw my time and realized I'd only managed to pull in 17 mph without any massive hills I was a bit disappointed, but then I realized two things: I also didn't have any massive downhills and this race was FIVE MILES longer than Danskin and I kept the same pace. Not so bad after all.
What would you do differently?:

Be more aggressive, maybe?
Transition 2
  • 02m 33s
Comments:

FIRM doesn't do T1 and T2 times. I gathered this data from my Polar S120.
Run
  • 43m 49s
  • 3.5 miles
  • 12m 31s  min/mile
Comments:

It didn't suck as bad as I feared it would. My hip was there but not in open rebellion. (Sort of like the best I can hope for from my teenagers.) There were some long hills on this course and I realized with sorrow and dread that I was going to have to walk them. I at least RACE-WALKED them (which, no doubt, would have beat my jog time) and managed to pass a few people on the first hill.

Note: exactly 5 people finished worse than I did on the run. Presumably the DNF did worse, too.

I got off-trail onto the gravel or sand or pine-needle strata whenever there was a "shoulder" for me to run on and mostly avoided the pavement when running. I got to encourage a few people as I passed them - how weird is that, I passed people on the run. Okay, hardly anyone, but still it was better than coming in last after all the food is gone and everyone is packed up.

I was working on getting my turnover to go faster and increase my heart rate, but I just couldn't get it to budge much past 173. At 175 I wanted to walk. Well, at least I got it out of my LSD zone (which tops out around 168.) I wonder if I've lowered my max heart rate? I haven't measured it in a long time. It used to be around 200 and I'd do 5Ks in the 175-185 range.

I felt like I made more of an effort to speed it up when I wasn't walking on the hills. Still, I notice that I get slower in every single race I run. I'm shaking my head in awe and wonder at my horrible running abilities. I started OUT as a 10 minute mile runner in 5Ks and now I'm lucky to pull off 12 minute miles. I'd give myself the excuse of just having swam half a mile and cycled 17 miles, but so did everyone ELSE there today.
What would you do differently?:

Go long stretches without being injured. Be younger. Learn to race-walk.
Post race
Warm down:

Kissed and hugged my husband, who was pleasantly surprised at how competitive I was. (I really lowered the bar on that one for him.)

Met up with two women I know (who were changed and looking fed and rested) and then welcomed in two more women I knew (looking red-faced, sweaty and thirsty.)

Stretched. Stretched some more. Listened to awards since I was athena in a small race and maybe, well, okay I was hoping I'd podium. No such luck. The athenas there were strapping college girls. Ringers, I say.

I was glad my husband was there to drive me home. After standing around at the awards ceremony and then changing into dry clothes I quite suddenly got drowsy in the car.

Drank a recovery drink in the car, then ate a quick lunch when I got home, took a soaking bath in epsom salts and then took an 1.5 hour nap.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Decrepit old age setting in.

I suspect "faster" isn't going to be my goal. "Still able to swim/bike/run all on the same morning" is going to be my goal.

Event comments:

I like Bill Fiske's races. This was a fun time. I like that all the little kids go with Grandpa in the motor home to put on races each Sunday. What a nice way to make a living!




Last updated: 2005-05-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:17:59 | 880 yards | 02m 02s / 100yards
Age Group: 6/7
Overall: 170/196
Performance:
Suit: Sleeveless Pro Motion
Course: Counter-clockwise triangle in smooth lake along wooded shore.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 03:41
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
01:01:10 | 17.25 miles | 16.92 mile/hr
Age Group: 5/7
Overall: 147/196
Performance: Average
Wind: Headwind
Course: Lollipop with 2 loops in gentle rolling hills. Return into uphill headwind. Yuck.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence: 80
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Below average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 02:33
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:43:49 | 03.5 miles | 12m 31s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/7
Overall: 183/196
Performance: Below average
No mile marks, but halfway got 21:29 & 22:20, Avg HR 173
Course: Wooded paved trail around reservoir. All uphill!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
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? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2005-08-28 4:29 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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Western Massachusetts
Subject: Journey for Sight


2005-08-28 5:08 PM
in reply to: #235840

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Elite
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Bay Area, CA
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight

Sounds like a great race and you finished strong.

Good job!

2005-08-28 6:18 PM
in reply to: #235840

Member
15

Western Mass
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
I thought about you many times today....and very often I felt bad that I didn't make it to your race. You sound like you did OK. I think we are what we are...turning the clocks back. I'm just coming off a vacation and did a bit of training. A "bit" is a few more than none. I'm still lazy and still drinking beer (making me more lazy). The one bright note is that I'm still clean of cigarettes.

Hope to see soon.
2005-08-28 6:30 PM
in reply to: #235840

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Veteran
280
100100252525
Salem, MA
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
I like your advice to self  -- "Be younger." Hey, if you figure out how, make sure you post here and let us all know.

Great race and great report. I'm psyched that you were able to get out there and finish proud, even with an injury that we all know was really challenging. Remember Carolyn's shirt: DFL is better than DNF is better than DNS. The pride is in the doing.

So have you thought about arranging your race schedule next year in such a way as to allow more recovery...say 6 weeks between races instead of 4, if possible? After all, it seems like you are managing recovery beautifully and could just do with a bit more time. Anyway -- nicely done!
2005-08-28 8:52 PM
in reply to: #235840

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Expert
725
50010010025
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
Good job on your race. With your hip injury, you finished the race. And kept it smart and didn't make your hip worse. You'll heal in the off season and do even better next year!
2005-08-29 9:47 AM
in reply to: #235840

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Pro
4612
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MA
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
You'll always be young as heart, no matter how many years have passed.  You did a great race!


2005-08-29 11:07 AM
in reply to: #235840

Champion
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Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
Great race and fun report too! Keep on doing it just for the fun. I finally figured out it's not about the race times, it's all about the fun!!!

2005-08-29 7:19 PM
in reply to: #235840

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Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight

Great second Tri...you did it and had fun!!

What a fun race report....I feel like I was there....you did great on the swim and bike ( you would have beaten me but I"m in the bottom 10%) and your running you need to be kind to yourself. You are coming off an injury and you need to be careful..you want to be doing Tris for a long time.

Hey I'd like to be younger too!!

Those college age Athenas..those are the ones who won Cranberry yesterday....look like 15% BF just tall women. Some races do Athenas over and under 40...I'd like that.

We will meet up at one of these races one day. How about coming to Try the Tri in Bristol RI on 9/17. I know it is far but it is a small race...I place almost 50% on the bike including men..so competition isn't fierce.

2005-09-01 6:34 AM
in reply to: #235840

Veteran
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LasVegas
Subject: RE: Journey for Sight
Nice race
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