General Discussion Race Reports! » Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park - DuathlonOther


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
United States
Philadelphia Triathlon, LLC
80F / 27C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 36m 55s
Overall Rank = 475/1346
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 93/200
Pre-race routine:

Arrived at the parking area around 5:30, got my gear together and made my way down Black Road to the transition area around 6:00. I heard that wet suits would no be allowed when I arrived. I was setting up in the transition area when they announced that the swim was cancelled and that there would be more details at 6:30.
The Swim was cancelled for safety reasons. It was determined it was too hazardous because of debris (tree branches and junk) washed into the river by all of the rain from the previous couple of days.
The swim was replaced by a 5k run, which made the race a 5k/40k/10k.
Run
  • 25m 16s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 08m 09s  min/mile
Comments:

I ran a fairly easy 5k, about 2:00 slower than my normal 5k time, thinking I should save my legs for the bike and second run (10k). I haven't done any run/bike bricks in years, so I thought I'd take it easy. It was already very humid, but not too hot yet.
What would you do differently?:

I should have run the first 5k hard while I still had good legs. I don't think it would have had much of an effect on my bike and 10k times. My 10k time this year was about the same as last year with the swim first.
Transition 1
  • 02m 1s
Comments:

Found my rack okay. Had to avoid a cyclist on the ground with his bike heading out of the shoot for the second year in a row.
Bike
  • 1h 13m 51s
  • 24.85 miles
  • 20.19 mile/hr
Comments:

I didn't seem to have much top end speed on the flats. I kept getting passed by the same two racers on the flats, but then I'd pass them on the hills, then they would catch me again on the flats. This went on for the entire bike leg. It doesn't make sense to me - I'd have bet it would have been the other way around. I think it's because I just haven't spent any time biking at race pace this year. Also felt like my calves were cramping up a little on both loops near Sweet Briar Rd and had to ease up a bit.
Transition 2
  • 01m 58s
Comments:

The transition area was pretty big this year. Some one had a balloon clipped to our rack. That made it easier to run faster through the transition area, not having to look at the numbers on the racks.
Run
  • 53m 51s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 08m 40s  min/mile
Comments:

Pretty slow 10k, but about the same as last year. It took a couple miles to get my legs back, and they didn't feel good until about mile 4. I need to do more bike/run bricks to prepare for Oly Tris, and I need to do them at race pace.
Post race
What limited your ability to perform faster:

Sustained top end speed on the bike and a good run off the bike.

Event comments:

I was very disappointed that the swim was cancelled. Overall I still beat my time from last year by over 2:00, but I'm sure I could have taken at least 5:00 off with a swim instead of the 5k. I've been swimming stronger than I have in years, and I'm sure I could have done the swim in 20 to 21 minutes. I did it last year in 24 with very little swim prep, which was still faster then my 5k split this year.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2006-06-16 12:00 AM
Running
00:25:16 | 03.1 miles | 08m 09s  min/mile
Age Group: 147/200
Overall: 803/1346
Performance: Average
Course: Mostly flat out and back along West River Drive towards the city.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
T1
Time: 02:01
Overall: Good
Run with bike? Good
Jump on bike? Good
Getting up to speed and into shoes: Good
Biking
01:13:51 | 24.85 miles | 20.19 mile/hr
Age Group: 74/200
Overall: 366/1346
Performance: Average
Wind: None
Course: 2 loops around West River & Kelly drives - 4 climbs per loop. Nice bike course. I heard a lot of people cursing the hills, but they are short and not very steep. I liked having a chance to get out of the saddle after the flat sections on the drives.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:58
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:53:51 | 06.21 miles | 08m 40s  min/mile
Age Group: 107/200
Overall: 569/1346
Performance: Average
Course: Same as last year - started opposite direction of the 5k on West River towards Falls Bridge for over a mile then back towards the city and behind the transition area on the grass for about 0.4 miles, then back onto West River Drive for another out & back over the 5k route. The turn around was a little further than the 5k's I think.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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] 4

{postbutton}
2006-06-26 1:23 PM

User image

Regular
85
252525
Stowe, PA
Subject: Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park


2006-06-26 2:19 PM
in reply to: #466106

User image

Not a Coach
11473
5000500010001001001001002525
Media, PA
Subject: RE: Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park

Nice race! 

It was definately a bummer about the swim, though it may have saved me a cpouple minutes (longer in the water & longer in T1).  Pacing a 5k before a 40k/10k bike/run is not the same as swimming 1500m.  FWIW, I think your strategy wasn't too bad.  Mybe you could have gone a bit harder but this format really beats up your legs as you go.

And that was nice of someone to put a baloon on your rack--wish someone had done it for mine too!  I ran about about 4 or 5 too far the first time before I realized it.

2006-06-28 7:09 AM
in reply to: #466199

User image

Philadelphia, south of New York and north of DC
Subject: RE: Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park

Well done!

It was tough finding the right pace for the first run. 

2006-06-28 9:31 AM
in reply to: #466106

User image

Elite
2863
20005001001001002525
Subject: RE: Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park

Way to roll with the changes.

Congrats on a job well done!

 

2006-06-29 11:38 AM
in reply to: #466106

User image

Veteran
118
100
Roseville, California
Subject: RE: Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park
Great overall race. I know what you mean by wanting to run faster off the bike. Anyway, congrats!
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Philadelphia Triathlon in Fairmount Park Rss Feed