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Nations Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic


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Washington, District of Columbia
United States
DC Events
65F / 18C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 55m 39s
Overall Rank = 586/1504
Age Group = M 45-49
Age Group Rank = 58/116
Pre-race routine:

We traveled to Baltimore on Thursday and stayed there for two nights before going to Washington for the race. Saturday was rainy, and getting to and from the expo and transition for mandatory bike racking was messy and a little stressful (riding through rain on busy, unfamiliar streets). We spent the evening in DC and had dinner with Sherry, one of Jenna’s friends from college. Due to the weather, I was a little concerned that the course would be modified or even partially cancelled, but I accepted that if that were to happen, I would just race whatever course the organizers put together on event day. I was there to take in the sights and hopefully, perform adequately in the lead up to next month’s Beach to Battleship event.
Event warmup:

As I walked to transition from the hotel, the rain started again. At this point, I was getting very concerned that I would be racing on wet roads – something with which I have very little experience. I hoped that the rain would stop and the roads would dry before the ride began. I took my time walking through the rain, taking in the WWII and Martin Luther King Memorials on the way. The rain and darkness and solitude made for a good opportunity for quiet reflection on the walk. It is rare to be in these places and have them to appreciate by yourself. When I got to transition and set up, I noticed that the back wheel of my bike had begun to rub. Unfortunately, every time I ship the bike to an event, something invariably doesn’t re-assemble exactly right. Thankfully, I noticed it while I still had 30 minutes left before transition closed. While I waited in line for the mechanic, I tried re-seating the wheel a few times. Finally, it locked in where there was no rub. I put it back on the rack and grabbed my wetsuit. The rain had stopped and it was nearly time to begin.
Swim
  • 39m 40s
  • 1500 meters
  • 02m 38s / 100 meters
Comments:

The water was very warm (77 degrees), almost to the point of not being wetsuit legal. I have a strong preference for warm water. I also like river swims, due to the ability to see the shoreline while turning to breathe. This combination of factors made for an ideal swim for me. I felt comfortable from the start and made steady progress past the distance markers. There wasn’t much contact with other swimmers, partially due to them starting us five at a time (time trial start) and I didn’t need to stop to catch my breath. I wondered how much swimming against the current on the first half would affect my time, but it was seeming fairly easy so far.

I turned around knowing that the current would be assisting me the rest of the way. Strangely, progress seemed a little slower, but part of that was likely just being ready for the swim to be over. I exited the water after what felt like a great swim, and was a little disappointed that it had taken me a few minutes longer than I would have expected. Regardless, the day was off to a decent start and I was ready to get on the bike.

Transition 1
  • 04m 32s
Comments:

Due to this being a large event, there was a lot of ground to cover getting into and out of transition. I don’t feel that any time was wasted, though.
Bike
  • 1h 08m 37s
  • 40 kms
  • 34.98 km/hr
Comments:

As I started out onto the course, I noticed immediately that the roads were dry, which was a huge relief. I would be able to go at my pace (at least as much as a crowded course would allow) and not have to worry about traction. I felt pretty strong from the outset and started to settle into a comfortably quick pace. About five miles in, I saw Jenna at the spot on the bike course that was close to the hotel. Since there were a lot of faster swimmers and multiple waves ahead of me, there were a lot of riders that I needed to pass. Despite a crowded course, I only had a few close calls – a couple were with riders veering into my path as I was passing and another was with a pothole I didn’t see until it was too late. I was hoping that things would thin out after getting through the looped portion of the course at roughly mile 18.

After passing transition, the crowds thinned out a little as expected. The course also changed from being fairly wooded to being more urban. This is the part of the course that passed by the monuments. I tried to take in the sights a little as I went, since racing in that environment was a unique and likely once in a lifetime experience. I made the final out and back by the Pentagon, and was nearly done with the ride. I knew I had ridden pretty well, but I was a little surprised that I had averaged about 21.5 miles per hour, especially considering the number of turns, crowds, and no passing zones on the course. I was happy to find out later that my bike time was 114th out of a field of 1500.

Transition 2
  • 02m 48s
Run
  • 1h 00m 5s
  • 10 kms
  • 06m 01s  min/km
Comments:

Having had a decent swim and bike, if I could hold things together for a six mile run, I would come away from the event feeling pretty good about the day. The sun was now out and the heat and humidity were picking up, but I felt good about my chances for finishing the run in under an hour and the event in less than three. I started at a comfortable pace and decided I would check in at each mile to see how it was holding up. After the first mile, I saw that I was at around a 9:50 – a little slower than the goal pace, but decent. The pace held together for miles two and three. Breaking an hour would be a stretch, but the three hour total was well within reach.

While maintaining a good rhythm, I enjoyed the scenery as I ran past the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial. I was fascinated by DC when I was younger, and it was a great experience to see the city in such a different way.

After passing mile 5, I assessed my time. I saw that both of my time goals were still within reach. I finally made the final turnaround and headed for the finish. I crossed the line at just over an hour, but was still satisfied with the race.

Post race
Warm down:

I quickly ate a sandwich and had some water. We were on a tight schedule for the afternoon. I needed to get to the hotel, break down and pack my bike, and get cleaned up before we needed to check out of the hotel at 1:00. Like everything else seemed to on this trip, it worked out just fine and we were on the road back to Baltimore at 12:45.

Event comments:

The event was well organized. It is a unique course and a great bucket list type of event. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.




Last updated: 2015-09-19 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:39:40 | 1500 meters | 02m 38s / 100meters
Age Group: 949/116
Overall: 71/1504
Performance:
Suit:
Course: ‘Washington Monument’ shaped course in the Potomac. Against current out and with current back
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 77F / 25C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 04:32
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:08:37 | 40 kms | 34.98 km/hr
Age Group: 14/116
Overall: 113/1504
Performance:
Wind:
Course: Multiple and partial loops through downtown DC
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 02:48
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
01:00:05 | 10 kms | 06m 01s  min/km
Age Group: 91/116
Overall: 1049/1504
Performance:
Course: Past Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson memorials and around island back to finish
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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