Whirlpool Steelhead Triathlon 2006

Forums

Forum guidelines BT super discount

Updated posts

My threads
No new posts

My favorite threads

General Discussion

Race Reports! » Whirlpool Steelhead Triathlon 2006

Rss Feed

Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller

Whirlpool Steelhead Triathlon 2006 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

View Member's Race Log View other race reports

Benton Harbor, Michigan
United States
Capri Events
85F / 29C
Sunny

Total Time = 6h 17m 45s
Overall Rank = 1059/1423
Age Group = M40-44
Age Group Rank = 126/161

Pre-race routine:

Got into town early afternoon. Stopped by the expo for a while, then drove the bike course. Nothing really "flat" but not as bad as others had thought. Checked in the bike and headed back to the hotel. Got some dinner and hooked up with (RKreuser, Renneck, Lisazapato, and Trixie).

Laid in bed thinking about the upcoming events, remembered I hadn't put my swim cap in my race bag, so I got up rather than wait until morning and found my timing chip in the swag bag along with the cap (whew!)

Up a little before 5, had a breakfast bar, bagel, and coffee. Got to the site about 5:50. Since Beth (BAMBAM66) was volunteering, we were able to park next to transition (but also meant we couldn't get the car out until the race was done).

Event warmup:

Another bathroom stop, pumped up the tires, sorted out food for the bike, and we walked down the beach to the start. (Took about 20 minutes to walk, would have been longer to take the shuttle.)

Walked out to get wet, put on my wetsuit, and watched the first 5 waves start.

Swim

38m 10s
2112 yards
01m 49s / 100 yards

Comments:

Waited 20 seconds for the wave to clear, then started at the back/right (I didn't want anyone jumping on me either.) Very quickly got into a decent rhythm. Tried to keep someone on either side of me. Never really paid much attention to whether I was passing people from other waves (I saw a few different colored caps). About half-way, I felt like my shoulders were starting to fatigue, but nothing significant. All of a sudden, we got to the orange (last) bouy and it was time to head in!

What would you do differently?:

I'm still not much for drafting and I was anywhere between 10 and 75 feet away from the bouys during the swim.

All in all, this was a great swim. (Time aided by some current.)

Transition 1

06m 6s

Comments:

T1 included about 600 yards running up the beach and into the transition area. Took a little time to wipe the sand off my feet. Shoes on, pulled my jersey on (before the helmet this time), and snapped my helmet. Picked up my packed of nutrition that fell out of my jersey pocket. Put on my sunglasses while walking out of transition (lots of traffic, so I didn't run).

What would you do differently?:

Probably should have hit the porta john.

Bike

2h 45m 3s
56 miles
20.36 mile/hr

Comments:

Given the forecast, my plan was to hammer the bike as long as possible, 'cause I knew I'd fade on the run. Spent the first 10 miles jockeying with 3-4 other riders, passing them up hills, then getting passed a minute later. Somewhere around 10 miles, they didn't pass me again. Did the same with another 2-3 riders pretty much each 10 miles. Most of the people who passed me for good, just blasted past me like I was standing still. About mile 45, I started seeing spare tubes laying all over the course.

Nutrition: Ate an energy bar about 30 minutes into the ride, drank a bottle of gatorade by the second aid station (about 22 miles). Picked up another gatorade. Ate a luna bar about 90 minutes into the ride. Drank the second gatorade over the last half.

I noticed sweat dripping at about 40 miles (10 AM), so most of the ride was very comfortable.

Debated the entire ride whether to stop along the side of the road (didn't).

What would you do differently?:

Really pleased with the ride. Took advantage of the weather to leave myself as much time as possible for the run.

Transition 2

04m 8s

Comments:

Pretty heavy traffic, so I unclipped and stopped at the dismount line. (Didn't want to run across the hot asphalt barefooted.)

Racked the bike, doffed the helmet, wiped the rest of the sand off my feet and put on my socks and running shoes. Grabbed my race belt and hat and headed over to the porta john. (Definitely worth the extra seconds)

What would you do differently?:

Nothing much. Transition area had to hold 1800 bikes, so it wasn't going to be super fast.

Run

2h 44m 19s
13.1 miles
12m 32s min/mile

Comments:

This was the ugly (not unexpected, even if I didn't hammer so hard on the bike). Realistically, I was figuring on 2:25 based on my pace on recent long runs.

Stopped in the chute coming out of T2 to give my sweetie a kiss (she really deserved it!)

Ran most of the first 5 miles, walking through the aid stations (every mile). After mile 5, I made a deal to run to the turnaround, then promptly welshed on it. Switched to a run 5/walk 1 which got me to mile 9, at which point I couldn't motivate myself to start that next 5 minute run. Crossed mile 10 at 5:30 and thought I could do a 30 minute 5K and still finish in 6 hours, but couldn't find the motivation to start running again. Walked until mile 12.6 and ran the last half mile.

Still happy to come across the finish line.

Probably had a water at 6 stations, gatorade at another 4-5. Grabbed a few grapes at one, and a cup of ice at another. Usually doused myself with some water and or ice.

What would you do differently?:

Mentally, I just couldn't convince myself to run. Probably need to do more long runs (had some 9-12 mile runs) and definitely some long bricks.

Wanted to call it "BAD" but 12 1/2 minute miles probably aren't that much slower than my anticipated 11-11 1/2 minute pace.

I can rejoice that I'm healthy enough to compete in something like this.

Post race

Warm down:

Drank a water and an apple juice and a gatorade. Walked out into the now-cold water. Sat on the beach for 15 minutes watching my sons play in the water. Got some food, and headed up to cheer on the later finishers.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swim? Nothing!
Bike? Nothing! (Well, maybe having a modern era tri-bike with fancy aero wheels, like some that I passed on the ride...)
Run? Mental preparation. A lot more physical preparation wouldn't hurt either.

Event comments:

Left "organized" blank since the race grew from 700 to 1800. Shuttles from athlete parking to transition didn't run after the race!

I'll try to upload some pictures later this week.

Last updated: 2006-01-31 12:00 AM

Swimming
00:38:10 \| 2112 yards \| 01m 49s / 100yards
Age Group:	0/161
Overall:	0/1423
Performance:	Good
No real HR data for individual segments.
Suit:	Aquathon full
Course:	Jump off a pier, then swim along the beach 1.2 miles, wade out of the water. The start is decided at the last minute so we are swimming with the current rather than against it.
Start type:	Dive	Plus:	Waves
Water temp:	75F / 24C	Current:	Low
200M Perf.	Good	Remainder:	Good
Breathing:	Good	Drafting:	Average
Waves:	Average	Navigation:	Average
Rounding:	Good

T1
Time:	06:06
Performance:	Good
Cap removal:	Good	Helmet on/ Suit off:	No
Wetsuit stuck?	Yes	Run with bike:	No
Jump on bike:	No
Getting up to speed:

Biking
02:45:03 \| 56 miles \| 20.36 mile/hr
Age Group:	0/161
Overall:	0/1423
Performance:	Good
Probably 170-180 going up most of the hills, 155-170 coming down them. Nothing costant.
Wind:	Little
Course:	Single loop, up a hill (coming over the dune off the lake) then North of town. At about 10 miles, we head east on a county road for 8 miles, then north again. Turned back west, then a little more North before turning West at about mile 30 for the ride "home". Lots of small hills, and a number of turns, but all in all, the roads were pretty good. Most of the hills were small enough to carry plenty of momentum to the top. Only one or two stretches where the pavement wasn't real smooth.
Road:	Smooth Dry	Cadence:	88
Turns:	Good	Cornering:	Good
Gear changes:	Good	Hills:	Good
Race pace:	Too hard	Drinks:	Just right

T2
Time:	04:08
Overall:	Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike		Good
Shoe and helmet removal		Good

Running
02:44:19 \| 13.1 miles \| 12m 32s min/mile
Age Group:	0/161
Overall:	0/1423
Performance:	Below average
High (175-180) any time I ran.
Course:	"Out and back" with a couple of little turnarounds at the start. Out of the park, under the highway, then up and down a couple of bridges. Final climb to the turnaround (mile 7). Mile 5.5-8.5 were pretty shady, but otherwise out in the sun.
Keeping cool	Below average	Drinking	Just right

Post race
Weight change:	%
Overall:	Average
Mental exertion [1-5]	2
Physical exertion [1-5]	3
Good race?	Yes

Evaluation
Course challenge	Just right
Organized?
Events on-time?	Yes
Lots of volunteers?	Yes
Plenty of drinks?	Yes
Post race activities:	Average
Race evaluation [1-5]	4