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CB&I Tri The Woodlands - TriathlonSprint


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The Woodllands, TX
United States
USAT
75F / 24C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 23m 31s
Overall Rank = 105/395
Age Group = Clydesdale
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Ate a bowl of cereal at oh-four hundred, then got my gear together and hopped in the car for the 1-hour drive. Got there a little early, so I drove most of the bike route while eating a Clif bar. Turns out there was a pretty long walk from the parking lot to the Transition area.
Event warmup:

Only had time for about a 1/2 mile run to get my legs moving. Gotta start getting there a little earlier to account for congestion at the entry to the race. Before my swim wave started, I tried to do a few strokes to get accustomed to the cold (~74F) water... More on that later.
Swim
  • 13m 34s
  • 500 meters
  • 02m 43s / 100 meters
Comments:

Holy Open Water Nightmare! It was everything bad that I have heard or could have imagined for myself. First, I get in the water before my wave starts, and the water is very cold. I try to swim a little, and when I put my face in the water, the air just will not come out of my nose! Then, when I turn to breathe, all I can manage is a desperate gasp. OK, now I am beginning to get uneasy, because this is my first open water swim, and I am wondering if I'll be able to breathe. Did I mention that the water was quite murky? I was lucky to be able to see my elbow in the water. So now my wave starts, and of course there are people crawling all over each other, so that just kills my "technique". I find some room, and try to start swimming easy, but I just can't do it. A grand total of twice during the swim I took more than about 10 strokes without sighting. Both times, I found myself WAY off course to the right! (Remember, it's a counter-clockwise loop). Crap. So I resorted to an awful lot of breaststroke, but with my head above the water at all times, and a lot of sweet spot back-kicking. The latter was more to calm my nerves than to catch my breath.

Bottom line is that I never felt comfortable in the swim. The murky water, the proximity of the other swimmers, not knowing which direction I was heading and not knowing how far I had swum or had to go all got to me way too much. It still frustrates my two days later! I had swum 500M in the pool in 9:50, and in the race it took me 13:34. No good at all.
What would you do differently?:

I have another race in two weeks, so that will be a chance to redeem myself a little. First, I will be prepared for the sights (or lack thereof) and sounds and feels of the open water swim. That alone should help. Second, I am going to add about 10 minutes of blind swimming to each of my swim workouts - that is, I close my eyes and try to make it down the lane without hitting the ropes. The will hopefully help me learn what straight feels like.
Transition 1
  • 02m 28s
Comments:

Long run from the swim finish to my bike. Spent a little too much time getting my shirt on over my wet body. Also, my sunglasses, which I left on my helmet, were fogged over, so I wiped them on my towel - probably unecessary.
What would you do differently?:

Considering for Sprint races not donning the shirt at T1. This is the second time that it got stuck, so I am going to see if I can practice with it (in the shower, I guess) and make a decision.
Bike
  • 42m 2s
  • 15.6 miles
  • 22.27 mile/hr
Comments:

Race pace was hard, but it felt ok. I was hoping to average 20 mph, and I wound up with 22, so that helped me gain the time back that I lost in the water. From about mile 6 on, me and a kid were keeping pace with each other, while another couple of riders would pass us, or be passed by us. Very few people came from behind and passed me and stayed in front of me, but there were a couple who did.

I spent virtually the entire race in the aero position. Only on the turns did I come out, and it was comfortable the entire time. I never had to come out of the saddle for relief, either.

The bad news is that I was assessed a 1 minute penalty for drafting. I am not sure why I was singled out, but I need to pay more attention to my position relative to the other riders. I may have broken the specifics of the rules, but I am certain that I never received any benefit from drafting.
What would you do differently?:

Watch my position relative to other riders to guard against drafting. I bet they got me for getting passed, then not falling out of the drafting zone for long enough before attempting to re-pass.
Transition 2
  • 01m 3s
Comments:

T2 cam very quickly. The race literature that I had read listed the bike leg at 15.6 miles, but I had only 15.3 on my computer when we came to the end. I had big plans to come out of my shoes while still on the bike, but was unable to do so because I wasn't ready for the end. I mean, there were screeching tires there because no one was ready for it! I had practiced coming out of my shoes prior at the end of my rides at home, and felt ok doing it, so I was disappointed that I was unable to do it in the race.

Thereafter, I did ok in tearing my helment and bike shoes off, then slipping my socks, shoes and visor on for the run and away we go! Took a couple drinks of water, and my mouth was much better on this run than Athens.
What would you do differently?:

Be better prepared for the end of the bike.
Run
  • 23m 27s
  • 3.2 miles
  • 07m 20s  min/mile
Comments:

This run was a little harder than I expected. Average pace of 7:20 was a little slow - I was hoping to average less than 7 minutes. Funny thing is that the mile splits were screwy. First mile was 6:37. Second mile, which did not feel appreciably slower, was 8:18. Third mile was 6:10 (again, didn't feel a whole lot faster than mile 2). Last 2/10ths were in 2:20. I suppose that their markers were a little off.

But the point is that I still need to get a little faster on the run. I am sure that I can go a little faster in Texarkana.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. Maybe try to maintain my pace through the second mile a little better.
Post race
Warm down:

Nothing. Drank some Powerade and visited with Danielle and the girls. Waited for Chris to come across the line!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swim problems.

Event comments:

Look, my goal for the race was to finish in less than 1:25, and I finished in 1:22:31. I bested my goal, so I am pleased with that. However, I am frustrated by my performance in the swim, and the only thing to do there is to get more used to it, right? I be better prepared next time, and I will surely do better.

Overall finish was 105 out of 395
Age Group (30-34) was 12 out of 52
Clydesdale was 5 out of 31.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2004-05-10 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:34 | 500 meters | 02m 43s / 100meters
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/395
Performance: Bad
Suit: Tri-shorts
Course: Open Water counter-clockwise triangle in Lake Woodlands
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Bad Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Bad Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 02:28
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:42:02 | 15.6 miles | 22.27 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 79/395
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: Big loop on major road in The Woodlands
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:03
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Bad
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:23:27 | 03.2 miles | 07m 20s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 76/395
Performance: Average
Course: Streets and paved paths around The Woodlands Waterway.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
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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2004-05-10 11:53 AM

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Expert
751
5001001002525
Texarkana, TX
Subject: CB&I Tri The Woodlands


2004-05-10 12:04 PM
in reply to: #23941

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Champion
13323
5000500020001000100100100
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands

your swim sounded like my first tri...EXACTLY THE SAME!

I did not practice the openwater swim, I did hang back till everyone got in on race day.  But, i think that in both of our cases, the 'cold' water initially takes our breath away...which makes us gasp.  it took me about 10minutes of breaststroke to calm my breathing down, then after that i did a very shabby rendition of freestyle. 

i bet if the water was bath water, it would ahve been totally diff.  perhaps we shall wear wetsuits! 

good race regardless, u lived and learned.

2004-05-10 12:19 PM
in reply to: #23941

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Master
1902
1000500100100100100
Berkeley, CA
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Wow!--Your ride and run were awesome!! (Actually compared to my floundering swim style, so was your swim... but since it clearly didn't live up to your expectations, I won't comment (o: !!!!)

But really, great effort!

Those open water swims are insane, though (I've never had a pool swim, so I HAD to get used to them). And we pay money for it??? (o:

Dana
2004-05-10 12:39 PM
in reply to: #23941

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Master
1927
100050010010010010025
Chicago
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Tiger,Your swim was to be understood if you haven't swam in open water before! It is quite different than swimming in a pool. My advice is that instead of just swimming 10-minutes blind in the pool do some open water swimming if you can! Borrow or rent a wet suit and get used to doing it. That's really the only way to get comfortable.Otherwise your bike and run were awesome. I can't believe how much time you gained on the bike. My first tri is about the same distance as yours and your times make me scared! You were awesome. And the run - averaging about 7 min miles. Woo Hoo. Man you rock!I'm so proud of you. Way to go!Ovetta.
2004-05-10 2:22 PM
in reply to: #23941

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Expert
1164
10001002525
New Port Richey
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Awesome Job Tiger.
2004-05-10 7:39 PM
in reply to: #23941

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.


2004-05-10 8:26 PM
in reply to: #23941

Master
1494
1000100100100100252525
Kingston Ontario
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands

Great work!  Your bike and run times are super.  I'll bet your next swim in two weeks will be entirely different

Jen

2004-05-10 11:29 PM
in reply to: #23941

Central Louisiana
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Great Race Report! Congrats on a good Race!
2004-05-11 1:22 PM
in reply to: #23941

Extreme Veteran
465
1001001001002525
Epworth. Iowa
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Great report - thanks for your swim report - it will help lots of people including me - I'm doing some open water, but you are right... teh cold water, gasping for air - I wondered if I could maybe just "float" the whole 547 yeards!
2004-05-13 9:39 AM
in reply to: #23941

Expert
751
5001001002525
Texarkana, TX
Subject: RE: CB&I Tri The Woodlands
Thanks for the notes and encouragements. I think my swim will be better next week, mostly because I will know better what to expect. But it is still frustrating to look back on it.

Look, part of my problem is that I have some goals that are probably beyond my reckoning this year. I want to complete a half-ironman and moreover compete well in it. Like many of us, I have taken to this ridiculous sport, and I want to be one of the best at each race that I enter. But that's just my hyper-competitiveness coming out.

Lara, I am quite sure that my spouse thinks I am off my rocker. Seeing me try to put a shirt on after the shower is just another brick in the wall.
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