General Discussion Race Reports! » Tri For Fun Series - Race #1 Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Tri For Fun Series - Race #1 - TriathlonSprint


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Pleasanton, California
United States
On Your Mark
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 25m 24s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = 35 and Over
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Up at 4:45. Ate a banana and a half of PBJ. Drank 16oz of water and headed to the event.

Set up Transition Area at the end of a rack so I could have a bit more room. Also managed to find a spot near the bike entrance/exit. I guess it helps to get to the race at 5:30 on the dot!
Event warmup:

Stretched. Listened to the Ipod. Drank water. Took pictures and marveled at the fact that 1,000 people and I have one thing in common this morning: triathlons!
Swim
  • 08m 45s
  • 400 yards
  • 11s / 100 yards
Comments:

I started on the outside-right of the pack like I was supposed to and was amazed at how many people that do not swim well haven't learned this piece of advice (they need to log on to BT I guess!). I found myself angling towards the first buoy and literally having to push people out of the way. No one even came close to riding my back the entire way and I came out of the water (according to GF) Top 15 in my wave.

I did learn one thing from the lady giving the pre-race pep talk to first timers: Swim until you can't swim any more. Walking out of chest high water saps more energy than literally swimming until your hand hits the bottom -- I did this and saw MANY people wading through chest high water!
What would you do differently?:

Swim faster. I came out of the water feeling great. Heart rate was great. Breathing was normal.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

Walked out of the water and into T1. I took my time, found my rack, and followed my T1 routine! Thanks again BT!!! Everything I learned from here helped me make this a seamless transition.

I had a small ice chest that I sat on and that really helped me to focus on what I had to do: drink water, eat a bit of banana, get the shirt/helmet on right, etc.


What would you do differently?:

I don't know. For my first time, I am pretty pleased with how T1 went. I guess I can get faster, but that can wait til A races.
Bike
  • 34m 12s
  • 11 miles
  • 19.30 mile/hr
Comments:

Great ride. Fast course. Reminded myself to drink the bottle of water I had.

One small hill just out of T1 -- then nothing but flat, open road. There WAS one little hill about mile 7, but then downhill allowed for some real flying so I consider that a wash.

I passed as many as passed me, although it was funny: I got smoked by 3 women wearing Tri-Valley Tri Club suits and absolutely flying in aero. I considered trying to catch them, for about 2 seconds...

My Cateye wasn't working and I didn't know exactly how fast I was going, but by comparing heart rate, breathing, etc. to that of training rides, I figured I was doing pretty good. I had planned on 16mph til the turnaround, then evaluate my fitness for a big finish. I just pushed the whole way and never really got out of breath or too sweaty.

One bad thing: My bike kept popping out of gear. Up, down, up, down, down the whole way and I was having nightmares of the chain popping off or something. That didn't happen, but I couldn't maintain a constant cadence due to this. Time to take the bike in for a check-up.
Transition 2
  • 00m
Comments:

Fast, I guess. Racked the bike. Ate a fig newton while walking to run start and washed it down with a cup of water.
Run
  • 41m
  • 3.1 miles
  • 13m 13s  min/mile
Comments:

Well, here is where the beast must be confronted. Can you do this? What the 'F' am I doing here? Are you insane?

ITBS has slowed my run training for the past 5 weeks and it showed. My calves tightened up in the first 500 yards and the ITB flared up again about mile 2. I walked the last mile but ran the last 1/4-mile and down the chute!

I took Eric Harr's advice and made myself '1 minute' promises: run to the next hill and walk up it, run to the next shade, run for 1 minute, etc. and that seemed to do pretty well.

The run course WAS hilly though and I'm sure it hammered many newbies (as it did me). Train more hills -- Oh and more bike/run bricks to see if the calf tightness is due to the bike or something else and how long it takes to go away.

Coming down the chute with 100's of people cheering us on was the singular most satisfying feeling I have ever had.
What would you do differently?:

Considering my injury status, there isn't much I could change. The calves tightening up might have to be addressed with better stretching (all the time) but that is more of a general 'to do' thing.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked. Drank water. Ate melon and oranges. Walked back to my rack and grabbed my ice chest and cracked an ice cold Stella Artois. Never, in my 37 years on this planet, has anything ever, ever tasted so good.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

ITBS

Event comments:

Great race. The swim is in a warm lake, the bike is nice and flat, but the run is a challenge (for beginners). I may train more hills, when I can run again, and see about kicking the runs butt instead of the other way around.

I did it! I am a triathlete. I went to a BBQ Sunday, and all of my friends were shocked that I had done this. I told them all about the race through mouths full of burger, potato salad and beer and loved every satisfying moment!

Thanks BT for everything you have taught me and all of the help. I will pass on the knowledge and inspire others as you all have inspired me!!!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2006-05-24 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:08:45 | 400 yards | 11s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
Suit: Tri Shorts
Course: 100m out to 1st buoy, turn left and 200mto next buoy, turn left and 100m to beach. Nice, warm, shallow-ish lake. No wind. The sun was in your eyes for the first 100m and I was glad I brought the shaded goggles too!
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:34:12 | 11 miles | 19.30 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Wind: None
Course: All in all? Great ride on a flat, fast course.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:00
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:41:00 | 03.1 miles | 13m 13s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Below average
Course: Hilly. Hot. 'nuff said.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
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:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

{postbutton}
2006-06-19 11:31 AM

User image

Master
2060
20002525
Northern California
Subject: Tri For Fun Series - Race #1


2006-06-19 4:34 PM
in reply to: #458816

Sydney Australia
Subject:
2006-06-19 4:49 PM
in reply to: #459402

User image

Crystal Lake, IL
Subject: RE: Tri For Fun Series - Race #1

Great job!  And I can personally confirm that yes, the calves  tightening is due to the b/r transition and will be helped mucho with bricks.  I've been doing a lot lately and its amazing how much better it feels now.  I don't know if my first mile or so of the run is any faster, but it is a lot less painful and more like running as opposed to tap dancing.

 

2006-06-19 4:59 PM
in reply to: #458816

User image

Member
47
25
Napa
Subject: RE: Tri For Fun Series - Race #1
What a great race report! Sounds like you were prepared and enjoyed yourself. Congratulations.

I was there Saturday and you described the course pretty well. I did OK on the hills during the run, but was deflated by the sun. I realized that I have only been running in the shade or at night and the sun wiped me out.

This was my first tri without a wetsuit, which was extremely enjoyable.

Am going to do tri for fun #2 next month as well to help train for Oly in Sept.
2006-07-05 4:43 AM
in reply to: #458816

User image

Veteran
149
10025
Laurens County, SC
Subject: RE: Tri For Fun Series - Race #1
Great jon Coachese...I was reading your posts on John Stone fitness,,,it seems we are in the same boat kinda. I did my first tri last aug, and have done 3 more since, will do the same one again this august, hope for soem improvement. Your posts helped motivate me. I am heading to the gym to lift and swim...later
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Tri For Fun Series - Race #1 Rss Feed