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Noosa Tri - TriathlonOlympic


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Noosa, Queensland
Australia
USM
30C / 86F
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 40m 15s
Overall Rank = 1393/3671
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 205/423
Pre-race routine:

Flew up to Noosa on Thursday to acclimatise to the warm humid weather.... except it was a bit overcast. Still humid though. Explored Noosa Thursday, had a dip in the hotel pool but bascially relaxed and took it easy. No running as I didn't want to irritate the achilles. That was going to be the unknown on race day, not having run for a week, and not run anything over 30 minutes for a month! Still, I kept telling myself it didn't matter, and this was a nice training trip......
Rode half the bike course on Friday, to check out the hill - both the climb and descent. Coming back down the steep side was a little scary as it was wet, windy, humid, and I was on my nice new bike that I didn't want to crash on. Plus the wife would have been angry if I'd crashed and spoilt the holiday..... Even on the brakes, still hit 65 k/hr !
Checked everything in the day before, all the good bike racks were taken so I went right down to the other end, to where you come in from the swim, and got a rack with hardly any bikes around. Even scored a free Specialized t-shirt that they were handing out to all owners of Specialized bikes... result :)
Water temp was then announced as 24.1 so no wetsuit........ didn't bother me, as this should in theory be my best leg.
Woke up early, bit of brekkie, walked the 100m from the hotel to transition, found that I had 1 bike next to me, and nobody else close by. Best decision all week to rack down there, so quiet!
Porta-pottie visit or 3, then time to head to the start.
Event warmup:

Had a great start time, first age group off, after the pro's, opens, clydesdales and premium mates. Saw the pro's set off then watched a wave or two then jumped in for a quick warmup. Water was lovely, perfect temp!
Swim
  • 27m 11s
  • 1500 meters
  • 01m 49s / 100 meters
Comments:

This was the best swim ever!!
Was in the last wave of my age group (4 groups). Lined up in the 2nd row right in the middle. Gun went, off I went. Being a deep water start there was no chance of me getting left behind as I normally do with a beach start! Remembered my water-polo days and starting in deep water was good.
Got to the first buoy easy enough, then found some feet for a while. For some reason I felt really strong at this point. I knew I was swimming better, and faster than I had in any of my races before, not sure why but I tried to tell myself to push in the swim more this time. The talking to myself seemed to work! After the big turn around I couldn't find any feet to follow, and I think (think!) I was the lead swimmer in a small pack. Kept running across a few slower swimmers from the waves in front but avoided them, just.
Was thinking, with it being a no wetsuit swom, sub 30 would be a good time so when I got out of the water and saw 27:11 I was over the moon!!!

What would you do differently?:

Nothing. Well, maybe push a bit more.....?
Transition 1
  • 02m 17s
Comments:

Official results have T1 and T2 in the bike leg, so I'll use the Garmin times here.
Then reality hit, and I had to start running..... Achilles ached, which wasn't such good news. Oh well, I had a bike to ride before I worried about that. First time with the shoes on the pedals (yup, I finally got tri-shoes!!!) so didn't have to worry about putting them on in T1.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 1h 13m 1s
  • 40 kms
  • 32.87 km/hr
Comments:

First time in a race jumping on the bike and getting feet into the shoes. Got my feet into the shoes OK, I think, but more practice would be good so I can do it all quicker and smoother. Used the same type of elastic band to tie the shoe to the bike as I had practiced with, except this one wouldn't break!!!!! Faffed about with that before it finally snapped and I was off and running.
It was warming up already, and quite humid, so really pleased I had an early start. First part of the course is through town and very technical with lots of turns and roundabouts. Also with having an early start, the course wasn't too busy and only saw one drafter all ride! Got my HR down, had a gel, and rode out towards the hill, passing quite a few people from earlier starts, but not being passed much which felt nice. The new bike was going great...... :)
The hill was good - passed a few, got passed by a few less. Nearly came a cropper when I was looking down at gearing and almost rode off the road into the bush! Not good! Got over the top, then carried on out to the turnaround, nothing major there, saw the pro's on their return at some point. Turned round, headed back to town, all just a pleasant ride, was loving every minute of it......
Got to the top of the big scary hill and decided to just go for it... nobody else was round me so I basically flew down the hill on my own at 75k/hr+. Had to have a little scream and yell half way down like yo do on a roller-coaster :)
Rest of the ride back to town was fairly uneventful, but I did start to get passed by a few more people as the quicker guys from the waves behind started to catch me.
Hit town, saw my wife just before I started to take my feet out of my shoes.
Dismount went well, if a little slowly then it was all over.
What would you do differently?:

Push more, felt I could have gone harder, I think.
Transition 2
  • 02m 21s
Comments:

Was wondering whether to run sockless or not, and had left socks in T2 just in case. With my achilles being sore coming out of the water, I thought there was no point risking blisters as I knew the run wasn't going to be quick, so put socks on, and set off.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe risk sockless, but only with healthy achilles.
Run
  • 55m 25s
  • 10 kms
  • 05m 32s  min/km
Comments:

Set off, and felt no pain, not even an ache. That felt good, but I knew with a sever lack of running over the previous month, I had to take it easy or I was going to really suffer later on. Pace was all over the place, but I was more concerned with trying to keep cool, and having a really good time, high-fiving all the kids that were on the course. It felt, at the start, that the whole town was out watching, the atmosphere was awesome! I had a blast!
Once I realised that my ankle wasn't going to hurt, but that I wasn't going to run anywhere near a PB, I made sure just to enjoy myself, which I did. The crowds thinned out a bit towards the turn, but soon picked up again on the way back, and the last 2km was just the best feeling as though I was in a real race...! Thought at one point I could go under 2:40, so tried to pick it up. Saw my wife with 500m to go, then realised that the finish line was a little too far to hit 2:40. Oh well, sprint finish anyway, got to look good!
I knew I'd gone as hard as I could when just past the finish line, my left quad started to cramp!
What would you do differently?:

Not get injured 6 weeks before the race with a stupid achilles tendonosis!
Post race
Warm down:

Stood under the lovely cold showers just past the finish line, had plenty of fruit, water and endura to rehydrate.
Got my bag, found my bike and headed back to the hotel for a shower and rest.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

That achilles.

Event comments:

The volunteers, locals and all the spectators made this a wonderful event & race! Loved every minute of it, even though I knew I wouldn't be performing at my best. Given what I know, and where my training is, I'd love to come back and go for 2:30, but I think this is a race that is a do-once tick off the bucket-list.
Spent another week on the glorious Sunshine Coast though, including the the spectacular glasshouse mountains.
Also hit Australia Zoo which was everything I'd imagined it to be. Loved it. Crikey!!!!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2010-11-16 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:27:11 | 1500 meters | 01m 49s / 100meters
Age Group: 144/423
Overall: 975/3671
Performance: Good
Garmin had me going at 158 k/hr at the start... Gee, I can swim!
Suit: None
Course: Funny little loop round Noosa canals!
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 24C / 75F Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding:
T1
Time: 02:17
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
01:13:01 | 40 kms | 32.87 km/hr
Age Group: 206/423
Overall: 1423/3671
Performance: Good
Avg HR 164 Max HR 182 (at the start)
Wind: Little
Course: Out and back course, with a deviation up a 4-5% 3km climb, but back down the big, steep hill!
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:21
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:55:25 | 10 kms | 05m 32s  min/km
Age Group: 240/423
Overall: 1694/3671
Performance: Below average
Garmin measured this as 10.15 giving an avg pace of 5:27. Avg HR 176 Max HR 192 (sprint finish!)
Course: Out and back round the streets of Noosa.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2011-11-06 6:44 PM

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Veteran
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Melbourne
Subject: Noosa Tri


2011-11-07 11:55 PM
in reply to: #3835966

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Expert
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Perth, Australia
Subject: RE: Noosa Tri
Nigel, what a brilliant race report, I loved reading it and the fact that you were enjoying yourself so very much really shone through.  I'm so glad the ankle was okay and that you had such a brilliant race.  The thought of you screaming down that hill brings a big smile to my face.  Nice one, mate
2011-11-08 12:05 AM
in reply to: #3835966

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Member
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Adelaide
Subject: RE: Noosa Tri

Great report Nigel!

I was in Noosa the week before this event and watched it get set up each day.  I attended

Nick Croft's ironman training camp - we started most days out of the Lion's park, rode that hill (reps no less)

and a fair bit of the course so it was easy to imagine your race.  I sure was envious of some of the

others on the camp who were staying on to do the race.  I came to really love Noosa - just a fun

yet relaxing place.  And how nice is that beach !! (we actually did a 3.5k open water swim off there

over to another beach on the other side of the head - talk about sea sick)

 

You had a great race! What a shame about the achilles - I understand that is a bastard of an injury and

needs plenty of rest.  Good luck with it.

Thanks for posting this report Cool

2011-11-08 7:53 AM
in reply to: #3835966

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Veteran
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Perth
Subject: RE: Noosa Tri

Mate, look at you! You look like a real triathlete in those pics. Awesome race report as usual. You had a great time which was enjoyable to read. Love the downhill shouting!! Awesome stuff. Brilliant swim - I could do with whatever your doing in the water

Get plenty of rest on that injury and start your IM training healthy. 

Awesome post!! 

2011-11-08 6:41 PM
in reply to: #3835966

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Manly
Subject: RE: Noosa Tri

I did Noosa too. 10mins slower than last year due to a whole heap of things, being in UK for two weeks, other personal stuff also. Pleased i finished but 2.44 from a 2.33 was pretty disappointing. I found it hot and starting cramping immediately off the bike.... 

 

anyway goal next year is sub 2.30 bring it on

2011-11-09 1:11 AM
in reply to: #3835966

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Extreme Veteran
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Melbourne
Subject: RE: Noosa Tri
The enthusiasm shines through this report. Makes me want to race Noosa and i hate Olympic distance!!Super fast Nigel, can't wait to see you race fit with a fully healed Achilles.


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