Wildflower
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Wildflower - TriathlonOlympic
View Member's Race Log
Swim
Comments: When you look at the numbers, it doesn't look all that good, BUT this is the best swim that I've ever had. It was also the most brutal--kicked and pummeled more than usual, probably because I didn't try to hang out at the back or to the side this time. Felt (for me) very aggressive and strong. Was very pleased with the swim, and felt great coming out of the swim to the transition. The first 200 were difficult, had a hard time catching my rhythm and breath, both because of nerves and pummeling. Also had it in my mind that this one bouy was the turn around. Sadly I was wrong, and was more than a little confused when I was sighting and saw that everyone was still going! Damn!! Did my best to run up the kinda steep run to the transition area, but had not yet discarded my sea legs, so subpar at best. What would you do differently?: It's clear that my swim stroke is not fully balanced, would love to work on that. I can feel that I won't really get any faster until my efficiency is dealt with. Transition 1
Comments: Unfortunately, I'm one of those women 'blessed' with the need for a second jogbra. Always hard to get on wet. I should just swim with them both, but... I don't know. I just haven't. Do you have any idea, how hard it is to get it on wet??? Perhaps it's no worse then putting on a wetsuit... I wouldn't know. But it rolls and bunches in places that I certainly can't reach!! Also had a hard time getting on shoes and socks. Felt particularly clumsy. What would you do differently?: Get over self-consciousness of wearing the two jogbras in the swim. It looks super dorky. Hydrate more. Bike
Comments: Painful, painful, painful. I was muddled in my thinking and couldn't figure out how long it had taken me on the bike. Definitely didn't have a negative split!! Actually thought I was taking close to three hours!! So did better than I thought... I was amazed that I survived frankly! What would you do differently?: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!! did i mention hydrate. Also I will never sit out in the sun for 8 hours in the high 80s before a race!! Stupid, stupid, stupid!! Transition 2
Comments: This transition is normally very speedy for me. Less than a minute and a half, as I don't change shoes (no clipless), but I just sat and drank half a bottle of gatorade as fast as I could. And contemplated the next 6.2 miles. Then I got up again. What would you do differently?: Nothing. The best thing I did was get up off my ass and keep going. Way to go Dana. Run
Comments: I was on a dead heat with a DNF. I was pretty sure that I was going to need medical attention. My goal at that point was to finish without needing a medical IV. High aspirations!! (o: I had to sit on the course with my head between my knees several times. I basically walked the whole thing, but that felt like a major accomplishment. Truly torturous. The most astounding thing was that I finished. I did it. I took me nearly an hour longer than last year. But I did it. I kept my feet moving despite distress. Truly, if I had to rate my performance, I gave it the best I ever gave anything. Notes of interest: this is a well volunteered race. I think every campus group (including the greek system) comes out to volunteer from CalPoly San Luis Obispo. They party hard and volunteer hard too. The second to last aid station on the run is pretty remote and it's called the Naked Aid Station, as it is populated by topless women and men in g-strings. Of course the g-strings are made from balloon animals, so not that concealing. For some this can be a serious modivator!! (o: What would you do differently?: Other than what I mentioned with my bike comments, nothing else. Indeed I think that I did all that I could. I had not run a continuous 6 miles for awhile--but I was quite comfortable with my run w/walk breaks routine. It would have been better if I had trained in high heat and had more time to cement my run base, but hey! What can you do?? Post race
Warm down: Really not much. I needed shade and fluids more than I needed to stretch. Besides, at the Wildflower, every participant has to get their bike back up Lynch Grade and to their campsite, so it eases the soreness to have that bit of exertion later on. What limited your ability to perform faster: Lack of training in simulated conditions. Poor hydration. I believe that I easily would have met my time from last year (4:10) and possibly improved upon it, if I had been able to maintain proper nutrition/hydration. Event comments: Great race. Really!! It's a very hard course, but I love the challenge--love the hills. I love the aspect that everyone camps together--their is such camaraderie amongst the athletes!! Also you get to see the pros do their thing--and they run clinics for their sponsors (Peter Reid did a swim clinic, Chris Lieto did a bike clinic, etc.) Pro men's winner: Chris McCormick (sp?) Pro women's winner: Natasha Badmann I'd recommend for anyone to go--the only caveat is... it's tough, very tough. And you have to sign up within hours of win they open registration as it fills up within 12 hours--and that would be approx. 7000 participants!! Last updated: 2004-05-03 12:00 AM
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2004-05-03 2:36 PM |
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2004-05-03 4:45 PM in reply to: #22620 |
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2004-05-04 11:37 AM in reply to: #22620 |
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2004-05-04 1:46 PM in reply to: #22794 |
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2004-05-04 8:32 PM in reply to: #22620 |
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2004-05-07 9:39 AM in reply to: #22620 |
2004-12-29 9:42 PM in reply to: #22620 |
2005-01-03 9:21 AM in reply to: #22620 |
General Discussion-> Race Reports! |
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United States
Tri-California
100F / 38C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 2399/2621
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 0/
Hmm. Not good. Day before my race, I was out watching the pros (and two friends) do the long course. Was approxiamently 8 hours out in the HOT sun. So sapped, I could barely move. No shade to speak of, so I just got wiped out!! Worked hard to remain hydrated, but... only minimal success. Camping as well, so sleep was subpar at best.
Woke up, ready to go and excited at 6am. Headed down to the transition area, set up, and went to a lakeside morning church service which was great, refreshing and probably saved my bacon!! Unfortunately, the race is humongous and does not start until 9am. Their are about 26 waves, 5 minutes apart--so it takes over 2 hours to get everyone out on the course. My wave began at 10:30 and the temperature had already risen dangerously. They had anticipated that it would be high 80s, but it was already 86 before I went into the water.
Did a short swim. Normally I do nothing. I felt very bold in that I was doing a little swim warm-up. Normally, I'm afraid to exert any energy at all! Felt very seasoned!! (o: