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Louisiana Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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New Roads, Louisiana
United States
80F / 27C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 55m 41s
Overall Rank = 218/306
Age Group = 35-40
Age Group Rank = 33/48
Pre-race routine:

Woke up a little earlier than I needed to in order to take care of a few things that I didn't last night. I stayed up a tad later and drank a few to many beers and didn't get everything done.

My stomach was a tad upset this morning so all I wanted was half a cliff bar. For a Sprint that should really be close to enough.

Prepped bike and lamented about the water temp.
Event warmup:

No warm up except to get into the water and take a few strokes.
Swim
  • 22m 14s
  • 1000 meters
  • 02m 13s / 100 meters
Comments:

The water was 82 degrees. This meant that I could wear my wet suit but not be eligible for prize/awards (which was of no consequence to me) AND start in the last wave....OR I could go without the wetsuit and start in the first wave with the other 200 people.

Peer pressure caused me to go without the wetsuit.

I treaded water and waited for 30 seconds to let the people clear out before I started. The only problem was I quickly caught up to them and was bumped and jostled anyway. Even with that being the case, it was pretty tame for such a big start.

The bouy's were very small and hard to see. I finally just sighted off the kyakers and followed the crowd.

The swim was long at about 1000 meters. I spoke to the swim course organizer and he said it was long and gave me what he thought it was based on the times of the leaders. I personally think it was because the bouy's were in a circular pattern and not a triangle.
What would you do differently?:

I would definately wear the wet suit. Not only would it have made the swim easier, I would have had the valuable practice in transition. But most of all I would have started in a wave less that a fourth the size.

If I had to change anything that would be it.
Transition 1
  • 01m 43s
Comments:

I am glad we had timing chips for this race. I like to have the transitions separated from the bike.

I felt pretty good coming out of the water but glanced at the time clock and saw I was off pace. At this point I didn't know the course was actually longer than the 800 so it briefly bummed me out.
Bike
  • 1h 01m 28s
  • 18.64 miles
  • 18.20 mile/hr
Comments:

The bike is definately now my weakest link. My hips and butt got tired fast. There were no hills on the course. My cardio wasn't there for the bike. Compared to last year I am much better. But even when I was going 19 or 20 people were still flying by me.
What would you do differently?:

I need to learn to drink water while riding. Currently I just drink in transitions.
Transition 2
  • 01m 21s
Comments:

Cramped transition was better this time because for some reason I managed to get back to the rack before half the people on my row.
What would you do differently?:

I need to figure out why my feet go numb on the bike. Makes for a very strange and challenging T2.
Run
  • 28m 56s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 09m 20s  min/mile
Comments:

Okay, I need to do more bricks. My hips and glutes were already wore out from the bike... this was the most uncomfortable run I have had in a long long time. Several times I considered walking.

I deem this run course evil. There is a lot of deception involved. After trudging to the first turn I could see the end of the race about a half mile away...tents, I could hear the annoucers, people were cooling down with slow jogs.... I figured I could make it all the way without walking even if it hurt a little bit.

Well as it turns out you have to run right past all that and finish up another mile. That mile was the hottest and most unconfortable mile I have had in the last 6 months. I'm not sure if it was lucky or unlucky but having spectators lining the area I wouldn't allow myself to walk.

I did make it the whole way.
What would you do differently?:

Drink more.
Post race
Warm down:

Drank water!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I think that the lack of bricks and my over all weakness on the bike is becoming a problem. Maybe the heat is catching up with me also.

Event comments:

This was a big race. It was the biggest turn out ever for this venue. I don't think I could have ran 10k today. MiM is going to provide plenty of challenge. I'm glad I didn't attempt anything longer yet.

I was relying on that wet suit today a little to much. Not having it sucked. I need to get my ass back into the pool and start swimming my ass off.

Despite weak performance in all events I don't consider this race a failure. I never stopped and kept a *decent* pace. I would have liked to make a stronger showing though.

I am beginning to see a trend with myself though. I am not a "race-day" person. I do better in training and usually perform worse at races. Why? I haven't figured it out yet.




Last updated: 2005-12-27 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:22:14 | 1000 meters | 02m 13s / 100meters
Age Group: 33/48
Overall: 0/306
Performance: Below average
Suit: NONE
Course: This was a counter clockwise course that looked circular to me but was reported to be a triangle. The bouy's were small and hard to see. The boat ramp was slippery.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 82F / 28C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 01:43
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
01:01:28 | 18.64 miles | 18.20 mile/hr
Age Group: 35/48
Overall: 0/306
Performance:
Wind: Little
Course: Flat. Out and back.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 85
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:21
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:28:56 | 03.1 miles | 09m 20s  min/mile
Age Group: 31/48
Overall: 0/306
Performance: Below average
Course: Point to point. This was my first time to not have an out and back run. I think I like out and back better. Overall it was flat and had some early shade for about half a mile.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2006-04-22 10:13 PM

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Extreme Veteran
476
100100100100252525
Denham Springs
Subject: Louisiana Triathlon


2006-04-23 8:58 AM
in reply to: #403897

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Expert
950
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McKinney, TX
Subject: RE: Louisiana Triathlon
Great job, Matt!  Don't be so hard on yourself.  We can always use races as a learning epxerience for the next time.  You gutted it out and ran the whole 5k.  I'd have been pissed as hell about passing by the finish too!   Wish I could've been there!
2006-04-23 8:40 PM
in reply to: #403897

New user
37
25
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Subject: RE: Louisiana Triathlon
Great Job. You must have been just in front of me. I too hated getting to the finish line area to realize I still had a mile to go.
2006-04-24 7:10 AM
in reply to: #403897

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Master
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2000100100100
Gulf Shores, AL
Subject: RE: Louisiana Triathlon
Matt,

Your being way to hard on yourself. You race in a really tough age group and it looks like the turnout of competition was extra strong. All the speedsters who have not raced much since Katrina showed up there. You had good times in all three sports and you are really consistent through all events (not a one trick pony like me). Keep up the training and you will be more then ready for Memphis in May.

I think you made the right call on the wetsuit. I know we race ourselves but I thnk comparing how you did against others in the race is a big part of judging improvement. Plus, the # of times you get to wear a wetsuit in our part of the world is minimal and the water temps on the Gulf Coast are 5 degrees warmer than the last 3 years this time of year.
2006-04-24 7:09 PM
in reply to: #403897

Expert
1085
1000252525
New Orleans, LA
Subject: RE: Louisiana Triathlon

Man, reading your race report is like reading my mind. My foot goes numb too, if you figure out why, let me know. And I 100% feel you about the evil trick run course! I saw all those tents and I got so excited that I picked up my pace. That last mile was seriously hard.

 You did great though, and seeing you on the bike pushed me a little harder.

Great job out there.

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