HITS Triathlon Series: Ocala - Half Iron Course

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HITS Triathlon Series: Ocala - Half Iron Course - Triathlon


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Ocklawaha, Florida
United States
HITS Triathlon Series
80F / 27C
 		Total Time = 5h 40m
Overall Rank = /400
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Stayed at Hilton Ocala, about a 30 minute drive to the race site. Mixed up a smoothie at 0515 and stopped at McDonald's for some oatmeal on the way. Dropped my bike off the night before so just had to set up the all my transition stuff. Made it to the transition area my wife was able to drop me off right next to it. Set all my stuff up got ready to change into my wetsuit and it started pouring.
Event warmup:

Stayed under an awning with a ton of other people waiting for the rain to stop. Luckily a nice guy zipped up my wetsuit for me or I would of been SOL. After the rain stopped pre-race meeting was down at the beach by the swim start. Learned bike/run course had changed, no big deal they were clearly marked. The person explaining that didn't have a microphone/bullhorn so he was very hard to hear.
Swim
  • 34h 00m
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 37s / 100 yards
Comments:

Lots of people swimming. The water level in the lake was very low so the water was barely waist high for about a quarter of the course. The swim was crowded for the entire loop. Got rained on for a good portion of the swim. The water was cold but after I started swimming I didn't notice.
What would you do differently?:

Gotten to the front before the swim started.
Transition 1
  • 05m
Comments:

Sat on the stool and took off my wetsuit myself. Grabbed a powerbar and jumped on the bike.
What would you do differently?:

Moved quicker!
Bike
  • 2h 51m
  • 56 miles
  • 19.65 mile/hr
Comments:

Ate four gu's, one power bar, and one bag of chomps on the bike. Two full bottles of water, one full bottle of gatoraid consumed, two salt pills taken. Good aid stations with actual water bottles that fit in the bike slots.
Transition 2
  • 04m
Run
  • 2h 00m
  • 13.1 miles
  • 06m 33s  min/mile
Comments:

I didn't drink enough on the run and cramped up. Ran the whole thing, but after starting off at an eight minute mile pace I had to slow down to a ten minute mile pace for the last five miles. Not sure what happened, the sun came out of the run and sunburned me and warmed me up pretty bad. At three gus and drank water on the run.
What would you do differently?:

Drank more water, more salt tablets.
Post race
Warm down:

Laid on the ground for a while then ate some food.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Cramped up on the run, I was afraid to ride faster on the bike while it was raining due to the traffic and wet road. Only my second race of this distance so I'm still working out the kinks, although this race was 30 minutes slower than my performance at the 2012 Ironman Augusta 70.3

Event comments:

I did the Olympic distance race here last year and HITS has the best/nicest transition area of any triathlon I've ever done. Personal stools and individual slots for each bike are a big upgrade over one bar and no assigned space to lay out your stuff. Good job by the people putting on this race and very well priced. Some people complained about the T-shirt/Medal quality but I don't know where else you'll get a half-ironman for $75. I'd be happy with no T-shirt or Medal for that price.




Last updated: 2013-01-26 12:00 AM
Swimming
34:00:00 | 2112 yards | 01m 37s / 100yards
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/400
Performance: Below average
Suit: Yes
Course: One loop around two bouys. I wasn't up at the front when the race started, shot went off when I was still wading toward the front. It was still so dark when the race started that I couldn't see the first bouy we were swimming to.
Start type: Wade Plus: Shot
Water temp: 65F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 05:00
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off: 		No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
02:51:00 | 56 miles | 19.65 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/400
Performance: Below average
Wind: Little
Course: Great course, the first third of the course I road very slow because the road was wet and there was alot of other traffic, both bike and vehicle. After it quit raining and things dried out I speeded up.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence: 80
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 04:00
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
02:00:00 | 13.1 miles | 06m 33s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/400
Performance:
Course: Two loops through the woods then on the road.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2013-03-24 11:08 AM

New user
3

Safety Harbor FL
Subject: HITS Triathlon Series: Ocala - Half Iron Course

2013-03-24 1:55 PM
in reply to: #4672162

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Regular
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Subject: RE: HITS Triathlon Series: Ocala - Half Iron Course
Nice job. I read about the "nice guy" who helped zip up your wetsuit in your report. Not sure if that was me or not. I helped out some guy (you?) . You are tall and you're wetsuit zipped from the top to the bottom. Near the overhang of the bathroom area. Not sure if that was me or not, but if so glad to help and glad you're race went well.

Tom
2013-03-24 2:56 PM
in reply to: #4672294

New user
3

Safety Harbor FL
Subject: RE: HITS Triathlon Series: Ocala - Half Iron Course

Tom:

Yeah that was me. Thanks again! Hope you had a good race too!

 

Dave

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