Gulf Coast Triathlon : Official Thread

I'm not racing but I've done GCT(Sufferfest) 6 times and there were some things I always hoped for at race start:

1. A little cloud cover which would make getting through the loop in St Andrews St Park something less than a jog through Hades

and

2. Something less than 15-20knot winds at the start. If the wind is blowing at the start, the swim is going to be through swells/chop, and it will mean some part of the bike is an upwind slog. No big deal, but a couple of times there was very little wind on race day and it made for a faster day.

A couple of things I can recommend about racing GCT - Firstly, taking in some salt can be as important as getting in calories. I've seen people doubled over with cramps by the score in/after St Andrews Park. Second, after you round the last buoy for the last leg of swim, take a moment and get a fix on one of the buildings on shore - a moment's pause to fix on a sighting point can keep you from getting pushed too far to the right.

My first time at GCT was my second ever race and I did not know what I was doing. I got to the expo and there were all these really fit people and in my newbie mind, I felt like I was crashing a party. Like, 'what am I doing here?'. LOL - it all kind of works out. Good luck to all racing!

21 days to go!

I'll be in sandestin Thursday Friday and Saturday of this week. Anyone know a good place to find some rides?

And the taper begins!  I am already about to come out of my skin.  It's my first HIM, and I alternate from feeling like I did a good job training, and total panic.  But I can't wait!

Race morning. Good coffee, calm seas, and light wind here in PCB. Hope everyone has a great day!

Calm seas. Ha. Who said that?

How were conditions today? Was it a Sufferfest trifecta: big swells/windy bike/melt-the-soles hot in St Andrews? Forecast was actually looking pretty good and I wished I was racing, too...

The swim was tough. Reportedly 4' swells. My swim time was 5' slower than last year yet 10% better relative to the field. The bike was fine except the last 6 miles. Crazy head wind with brutal crosswind gusts. Lots of folks showed up at the finish with hamburger hanging off them. The run was windy from one direction and completely dead from the other. I actually preferred the headwind as the tailwind made it too hot. When I got to e race at 5am, I was already 75F. No clue how it ended up. Overall I think it was a great day. I moved from 29th out of the water to 5th M30-34 and I thought my race was a disaster.

Race report

5th M30-34, 22nd OA

lots of pictures!

http://twobordens.blogspot.com/2012/05/2012-gulf-coast-tri-panama-city-beach.html

 

Edited by Borden 2012-05-22 2:50 PM