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Great Lakes Escape Triathalon - TriathlonOlympic


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Marblehead, Ohio
United States
fatrabbitracing.com
80F / 27C
Sunny
Total Time = 4h 00m
Overall Rank = 193/196
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 6/6
Pre-race routine:

OK, I was so nervous about this race that I made myself sick. I didn't register until the week before because I knew I hadn't adequately trained. but like my very first tri, I knew I could finish it one way or another. The night before I decided to camp, but forgot my camping gear & had to make an emergency trip to Wal-Mart. I ate a random dinner of bananas, mozerella cheese, nut bread and fig bars, lost my car keys in the dark and fell asleep with my neighbors watching the Ohio State game on their battery powered TVs. Awoke about 3:30, couldn't get back to sleep. Laid in tent having to pee. Finally got up at 5:00 AM. Tried to eat some, banana, nut bread, half a cliff bar on the way to the ferry.
Event warmup:

About 5 trips to the porta-potty while waiting for the ferry. Felt sick to my stomach, nauseated, couldn't eat, forced some food down. Ferry boat ride was nerve wracking, shuttled by school busses to the start. Other competitors were doing IMs & HIMs over the summer, so this raxe was no big deal for them!
Swim
  • 39m 18s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 24s / 100 yards
Comments:

I was really anxious about this part of the race before it started. My last race was in frigid water...50-55 degrees F, and I broke out in hives all over. This caused a lot of stress for me as we jumped into lake Erie off of a Ferry Boat. Once we got into view of the shore on the Ferry, I started to get really excited. I high fived other women who were also getting excited. The water was great, like bath water. Calm with small swells, no chop, no wind, sun at my back. Did good on sighting as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this swim.
What would you do differently?:

Not get so worked up before hand, and relax about the start.
Transition 1
  • 07m 3s
Comments:

My stomach cramps finally settled on the swim, but when I got to T1, I knew I should try to use the restroom. This was just the first episode of diarrhea of about 4 or 5 portapotty stops on this race. But I felt OK, so I hopped on the bike and continued riding.
What would you do differently?:

Not having to use the portapotty would take several minutes off this time!
Bike
  • 1h 45m 31s
  • 24.9 miles
  • 14.16 mile/hr
Comments:

Before the race started, I was most looking forward to the bike portion. I was ready to just relax and spin for awhile. But my stomach was so stirred up that this was just a miserable ride. As soon as I would start to spin up and pick up my speed, my stomach would start to act up, I would get hot flashes and feel like I was about to pass out. I stopped twice to use porta potties that were mercifully located along the route (at public beaches). I thought I was going to die. I was certain that I would be unable to finish the tri, assuming I made it back on the bike. Man this was awful.
What would you do differently?:

Again, if my stomach was not such an issue, I think I would have seen sme of the benefits I'd reaped from biking in CO all summer.
Transition 2
  • 05m 48s
Comments:

T2 was better than T1. At this point I was resigned to being dead last in the tri. I took my time here, used the port a potty again, got a gel and started to jog.
What would you do differently?:

Nada
Run
  • 1h 26m
  • 6.2 miles
  • 13m 52s  min/mile
Comments:

I thought the run would be my worst leg, but I was so impressed at how (relatively) well I did, at least for the first few miles. In my last tri, it was a struggle to run 5 minutes, walk 1. I felt dead when I finished. This time, I ran 10 minutes, walked 1, and felt pretty good up to miles 3-4. I was shocked at how good I felt. My energy began to waiver, though, after mile 4, I felt my legs and hips get tired, and walked most of the last 2 miles. Overall I'm proud to have finished, seeing that 1 year ago, I was running only 30 seconds at a time.
What would you do differently?:

Train more for long distance, be able to run the entire 6 miles, or at least keep up the patter of 10 minutes run/1 minute walk for the duration.
Post race
Warm down:

Drink the few glasses of water left at the finish line by the time I finished. Half a bagle. Sit in the shade, do some minor stretching while waiting for the awards ceremony.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Training and being sick to my stomach during the race, having to make portapotty stops!

Event comments:

In retrospect, I really enjoyed this race, even though it was awful during the competition. I finished close to dead last, but hey, that leaves lots of room for improvement. Training for the run will take a lot of time off, and not being ill for the bike will help as well (so will a new bike!)

But by far, the best part of this race was getting a slot for the 2006 Escape from Alcatraz Race!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2005-09-21 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:39:18 | 1640 yards | 02m 24s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/6
Overall: 141/196
Performance: Good
Suit: tri top/tri bottoms under wetsuit
Course: 1 mile straight to shore from Ferry drop off in Lake Erie. Awesome!
Start type: Dive Plus: Shot
Water temp: 69F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Average Navigation: Good
Rounding:
T1
Time: 07:03
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
01:45:31 | 24.9 miles | 14.16 mile/hr
Age Group: 193/6
Overall: 0/196
Performance: Below average
Wind: Some
Course: All flat, pretty, especially along the shoreline.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 90s
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 05:48
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike Bad
Running with bike Bad
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
01:26:00 | 06.2 miles | 13m 52s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/6
Overall: 194/196
Performance: Average
Course: Sandy beach, both wet & dry, gravel, piers, grassland, woods. This was a really mean course! Miles 5-6 were in SOFT sand that I walked most of.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2005-09-21 11:56 PM

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Coach
9167
5000200020001002525
Stairway to Seven
Subject: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon


2005-09-22 6:35 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Elite
4344
2000200010010010025
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon

Good race.  Congratulations.

Did you eat anything during the race?

TW

2005-09-22 8:41 AM
in reply to: #251618

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Veteran
123
100
Curacao Nederlandse Antillen
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Great job
2005-09-22 9:18 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Pro
3705
20001000500100100
Vestavia Hills
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Great perserverance! Sometimes victory is not defined by time but what you had to overcome to finish ...

2005-09-22 9:23 AM
in reply to: #251708

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Philadelphia, south of New York and north of DC
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Congrats!  Way to push through.
2005-09-22 10:41 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Elite
2863
20005001001001002525
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon

Way to hang in there!  Congratulations on finishing.

-Michael



2005-09-22 11:33 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Master
1249
100010010025
Lexington, Kentucky
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Way to perservere!
2005-09-22 11:33 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Master
1249
100010010025
Lexington, Kentucky
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Way to perservere!
2005-09-22 11:58 AM
in reply to: #251587

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Coach
9167
5000200020001002525
Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Michael- what is that in your avatar???

I had gels the whole way through, 1 at the end of the swim, 2 while biking, 1 at T2, and one after mile 3. I was pretty happy with total calorie intake and fluid intake. I think I planned that part well.

"Nothing new on race day", so I didn't eat teh hammer gel that was passed out. I had it after the race and I'm glad I didn't try it on race day...much ickier than GU!

Thanks for the support!
2005-09-23 5:41 PM
in reply to: #251587

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Extreme Veteran
499
100100100100252525
Racine WI
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
AdventureBear,
Congratulations on pushing through all the adversity and finishing. The was awesome considering the lack of cooperation from your stomach. That was one heck of a pre-race routine, but there are portions I think I'd skip next time Great job on the race and RR.
2005-09-23 6:42 PM
in reply to: #251587

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Master
1210
1000100100
Saskatchewan
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Good work! That is one hard course anyway!


2005-09-26 3:08 PM
in reply to: #251587

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Pro
3883
20001000500100100100252525
Woodstock,GA
Subject: RE: Great Lakes Escape Triathalon
Way to keep plugging on what was a hard day for you. I liked your comment at the end about lots of room for improvement, that is the mindset to have! Congrats on your slot for Alcatraz!
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