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Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Columbia, Maryland
United States
The Columbia Triathlon Association Inc.
Total Time = 2h 26m 57s
Overall Rank = 933/1629
Age Group = Athena 40+
Age Group Rank = 8/14
Pre-race routine:

Did a couple of things differently than usual - one, no caffeine. Usually have coffee in the morning, and then my favorite gu or chomps with caffeine, but at last race during the run i felt that my legs could've run more, but the issue was that i couldn't catch my breath. so, thought maybe no caffeine might help.....? (HA!) 2nd thing I did differently was to preemptively take 2 immodium. THAT was a wonderful decision - a little bit of bloat was well worth not having .... you know.
Event warmup:

Waiting out the t-storms that hit as I was leaving transition. Luckily I had enough time to go BACK to transition and cover my bike & run shoes (that i'd just filled with baby powder bc opted to go sockless), and to trade out my dark lenses in my Tifosi sunglasses for the orange lenses (though when I get my new prescription photochromatic rudy project glasses, that'll be a moot issue!). Then, just waited through the rain delays.... we were 3rd to the last wave.
Swim
  • 22m 18s
  • 1094 yards
  • 02m 02s / 100 yards
Comments:

I was really disappointed with my swim - my goal was to beat my time from Celebration sprint last June (same course) and to come in at under 20 minutes, but that just didn't happen. and I ended up 12 seconds slower than in June to boot. Funniest part is that my place in my division was higher in both the run & the bike than in the swim, which NEVER happens with me!

They grouped Athenas with the 20-24's, and it had to be THE most physical swim start I've ever been in. I went out hard, on the left (course has left turns), and I was fighting for a while. Took me a while to get my rhythm, and just didn't feel as strong as I wish I could've. Yeah, I had not-so-secret podium hopes that I knew were a stretch, but my real (and I thought realistic goal) was to kick it on the swim. SIGH. There's always next year....
What would you do differently?:

Not sure. Debated about starting in such an aggressive position, but honestly think it helped my sighting, so not sure I would've done it differently.
Transition 1
  • 05m 38s
Comments:

WTF? I thought I'd booked...sort of :-) OK, I walked to my rack - just out of breath from pushing hard at end of swim, and couldn't run (so she says). Once I got to the rack, really hustled. Had it all set up nicely. slipped on shoes, belt, glasses, helmet quickly, and didn't bother with socks. Didn't pee, either, so figured those 2 things alone would've saved more time. Opted to put on the gloves since the roads were wet. Still, really surprised I was a minute & a half slower than June.
What would you do differently?:

run to the rack! I did have the BEST rack spot - half way up, right on the aisle, facing bike out...
Bike
  • 1h 12m 19s
  • 17.5 miles
  • 14.52 mile/hr
Comments:

also slower than in June by 2 minutes - major bummer. guess my absence of good, hard (CONSISTENT!) riding, along with less strength training, is having an impact. (DUH)
What would you do differently?:

train.
Transition 2
  • 04m 13s
Comments:

again, WTF? it's like 3 minutes slower than in June, but not altogether that different from everyone else's, so wonder what was up with that. I actually brought the bike in pretty quickly (i thought!), changed shoes fast, and was gone. whatever!
Run
  • 42m 31s
  • 3.4 miles
  • 12m 30s  min/mile
Comments:

weird that the race results calculated my pace at 12:31, and the garmin had it even slower. very, very weird. whatever it was, i think it totally sucked. my legs were cooked from the beginning. oddly, wasn't really out of breath so much as my legs were just tired & achy & crampy all over - even my ankles, like they were in the oly race last may....my mileage is up considerably compared to last year, but my speed is down, and my overall strength/conditioning are down while my weight's up about 20 pounds. not a good combo, and it really showed. and i have an oly race on the same course, more/less in about 6 weeks!!!
Post race
Warm down:

got my 1st post-race massage, and it was AMAZING! no soreness

What limited your ability to perform faster:

lack of training & deterioration in overall conditioning, along with the fact that i maybe slept 3-4 hours? just couldn't fall asleep the night before, and didn't get the greatest rest the night before that, either. really didn't feel warm/fuzzy about how i did, which is a shame bc i finished, DAMMIT :) , but really did get what i put into the preparation - was a bummer that my finish time was, overall, slower than the previous race this year and even last year's IG time... which means I have some work to do in a concerted, systematic way to do it better next year .....

Event comments:

Race in Columbia's Centennial Park is always a treat - wonder why I subject myself to the hills when it's clearly not my strong suit, but it's the "home" park, with the local club there..., and that's a great vibe to race for. at the end of the day, i need to remain focused on the cause that i race for, and the fact that finishing is a win, period, for both myself & UCF, and feel good about that. most of the time, i even believe it!
:)




Last updated: 2010-11-02 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:22:18 | 1094 yards | 02m 02s / 100yards
Age Group: 9/14
Overall: 345/1629
Performance: Below average
Suit:
Course: rectangle
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 85F / 29C Current:
200M Perf. Bad Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 05:38
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:12:19 | 17.5 miles | 14.52 mile/hr
Age Group: 7/14
Overall: 783/1629
Performance:
Wind:
Course:
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 04:13
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:42:31 | 03.4 miles | 12m 30s  min/mile
Age Group: 7/14
Overall: 1151/1629
Performance:
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2011-08-22 9:28 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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Subject: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon


2011-08-23 8:58 AM
in reply to: #3654679

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Expert
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Illinois
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Great race report, Marla! You seem to be beating yourself up but it looks like you had a solid race. There are so many reasons why times are different from one year to another, that's what makes this sport so interesting IMHO.

That swim start sounds kind of frightening, being grouped in with the youngsters would intimidate the h*ll out of a lot of people. Great job, you will rock your upcoming Oly.

2011-08-23 9:30 AM
in reply to: #3654679

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Expert
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Sorry the race didn't quite go as planned.  Sounds like you have a chance to redeem yourself in 6 weeks.  Get in what you can and build on Sunday's race.  BTW - didn't know you were doing IG.  We should have tried to meet up.  Maybe next year!

2011-08-23 9:54 PM
in reply to: #3654679

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Master
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St. Louis
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Hey, nice job on the race!  I'm impressed you started in the front in the swim and slogged it out and while slower for you, I'd love that swim time (and the confidence you have swimming). 

I agree with you, finishing is a win.  A big win.  

2011-08-24 9:02 AM
in reply to: #3654679

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Champion
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Bronze member
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon
Sorry you are beating yourself up so! You had a solid race, Lady! Good for you for going in hard with the swim.
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