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Cologne 226 Half 2011 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Cologne, NRW
Germany
15C / 59F
Sunny
Total Time = 6h 25m 48s
Overall Rank = 136/151
Age Group = F35-39
Age Group Rank = 27/29
Swim
  • 36m 22s
  • 1900 meters
  • 01m 55s / 100 meters
Comments:

I was not really looking forward to this swim at all as my shoulder was still not back to normal and I have not swum much in the last few weeks. I also haven't done this distance in a long time so I wasn't sure how it would go. The plan was to find someone and draft and try to swim with as little effort as possible.

Gun went off and 500 people started. I was pretty much right in the middle and for the first 250m it was a constant battle to find some space to swim. I was really careful that nobody kicked my shoulder which was something I was most afraid of. Found someone to draft and then increased the pace a bit from time to time and found another person to draft. Swam pretty much by myself from about 600-800m and then everyone started to come together to swim around the buoys. Somehow I really like the turnaround points and swimming within all the people even though its crowded. We never really get to do that in our pool swims in Iceland!

The way back felt like a bit faster maybe because it was tailwind. I still think it was endless somehow and I had no idea what pace I was swimming. was alone again for quite a while but then did some sighting to find someone to draft again.

Getting out of the lake is over some stairs and there were about 20 people getting to the stairs at the same time so it was a bit of a wait to actually get out. The timing mat was on top of the stairs and that was probably about 10 seconds of the swim time.
Transition 1
  • 04m 30s
Comments:

This was a really slow T1 but the total distance is also 300m and part of it is uphill. After initially running the first 100m I actually walked once we got on the asphalt where the bikes were to not make my foot any worse. Walked to my bike and did not stress about it. Actual transition was really good and when I had my shoes on I started running again with the bike.
Bike
  • 2h 52m 41s
  • 90 kms
  • 31.24 km/hr
Comments:

I was really looking forward to the bike as it was so much fun last year! Well this year it wasn't actually as much fun mostly due to the fact that I never really got comfortable on the saddle. Not sure why as it has been so good all summer. I kept changing my position constantly and probably lost a lot of speed due to that. And once again it was quite windy! This is getting so annoying as we have so much wind here in Iceland all the time and somehow I was looking forward to bike without much wind for once. But that didn't happen. It was nice in the tailwind but you had to really work for it in the headwind.

After 15km I was in the city and had to get onto and over the bridge which meant going through a long tunnel followed by a turn and then another tunnel with turn until you were on it. Getting onto the bridge really slowed me down and then after the downhill the turnaround point was close and it was nice to see so many people there cheering! After the turnaround the long loop started which is the same look as the Iron distance competitors do. I was constantly looking out for some of my friends but only met the the two girls that were competing. The boys were done already!

The big loop takes you out of the city and into the countryside. I knew the route well as I have been biking there a lot this summer. I overtook quite some people on the one long straight which gave me an extra boost.

Km 50-60 were the hardest somehow and I was really struggeling. At that point I already started to think about the run and I had no idea how I would ever manage to run 21km with the way my legs already felt! I saw many relay bikers and wished that my part would be over after the bike, I don't think I ever had those thought in a TRI and I got really scared by wondering what would happen if I might not be able to finish.

At km 70 I found the reason for my struggles. I suddenly got really hungry!! Not a feeling you want to have when you are competing in a Half-Ironman. My husband always says that once you get hungry it is too late! Damage has been done... I ate something and kept drinking and started to feel a little better and was able to push again on the last 75km!

It started raining a bit towards the end but luckily it was just a short shower!

All in all this was an OK bike. Looking back I think I went a bit too fast for conditions as I tried to get close to my time from last year (2:43). But last year it was a slightly different route that did not include going over the bridge three times and it was way less wind than this year ....
Transition 2
  • 06m 14s
Comments:

This was an endless T2 and included 440m distance on wet grass and a porta potty stop! After putting my bike on the rack I had to run to get my T2 bag and then ran with the T2 bag to the changing tent where a volunteer waited for me. I thought that was really cool as I never had a volunteer help me with things. I just emptied the entire bag on the grass, put on my socks and my running shoes on, grabbed my visor and off I was. Saw the row of porta potties and decided that it was probably best to pee right away before I would get in trouble and not find one on the way.
Run
  • 2h 46m 3s
  • 21.1 kms
  • 07m 54s  min/km
Comments:

The run started actually really good and I felt a lot better than expected. Saw some people from our group who cheered me on and that really lifted my spirits. Ran to the first drinking station which was only about 500m away and walked that while I was eating a power bar and drank some water. After this everything somehow went downhill. Still feeling OK for the next 2km after that but then I got slower and slower and just did not have any desire to run. I tried to figure out how long it would take me to walk the rest and that thought was somehow unbearable so I kept running....

I ran to the turnaround point and walked all the aid stations. My right hip started to hurt after about 5km but nothing too bad. After about 8km I changed from my plan of running around 9min and walking 1min to running 4,5min and walking 30 seconds and I tried hard to only concentrate on only the next 4,5min ahead of me and nothing more. Finally I made it to the stairs (4 flight of a round stair) and I walked those up and my thighs were burning when I finally got up on the bridge. Whoever came up with that was very cruel but I kept thinking about my friends who did the Iron distance and who had to get up there 3 times (instead of only 2 times for me) and the last time for them would be on km 41! After the stairs I kept walking for a bit but then started running again as there was a group of cheerleaders who were very motivating and the thought of almost being half way gave me an extra kick. One of the toughest moments was right by the finish line when I had to pass by the huge error showing the way to the finish line and kept going straight onto the second lap. That was mentally really tough I couldn't get around that though that I had to take that long lap once again! At that moment I also knew that a PB was not possible today but somehow I knew that already beforehand so it didn't hit me too hard.

After that I walked more and more. Often I just walked and had no idea why. Nothing really hurted and my legs were OK but I had some trouble keeping my breathing under control. I somehow felt out of breath a lot and it did not fit with my low effort and low HR.

The right foot started hurting a bit after 12km but somehow that went away again towards the end. The further I made it the more often I walked. At some point I went to a 2min run, 30 sec walk strategy but somehow not even that really worked and I still did not really know why I was walking so much....

I finally made it to the stairs a second time and went up with it together with a man who I had in my sight for the last 5km and who was always about 50m ahead of me. I caught up with him right before the stairs and we walked up together and talked. He said he almost cried the first time he went up the stairs as it was so tough on him. We started running together after the stairs and it was only 1km to the goal but after 300m I let him go and started walking again (WTH??). Had to master all my willpower to run the last 500m to the goal and I was so glad when I was done.

This was definitely my worst Half-Marathon ever and I am not sure I want to do it again any time soon.

I thought about quitting this race a million times during second half but quitting was not an option for me so I kept going and even though this was not a day of records or personal best it was surely a test of determination and willpower and I won that!!
Post race



Last updated: 2011-08-28 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:22 | 1900 meters | 01m 55s / 100meters
Age Group: 16/29
Overall: 0/151
Performance: Average
Suit: Yes
Course: Out around a buoy and back course in a lake
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 18C / 64F Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 04:30
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
02:52:41 | 90 kms | 31.24 km/hr
Age Group: 17/29
Overall: 0/151
Performance: Good
Wind:
Course: One way into the city, then one big loop out and back followed by a small loop out and back.
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 06:14
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
02:46:03 | 21.1 kms | 07m 54s  min/km
Age Group: 0/29
Overall: 0/151
Performance: Below average
Course: Two 10.55km laps
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
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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2012-06-02 1:19 PM

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Subject: Cologne 226 Half 2011
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