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Chateau Elan Duathlon - DuathlonStandard


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Braselton, Georgia
United States
51F / 11C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 15m 51s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Ate with the drunks at Waffle House (they were going to bed, I was just getting up) and got to the race site a little early ... knew that it was a free-for-all transition area and wanted to sure to 'stake some space' before 10 people tried to rack on same rack.

While it was dark (and cold out) the gas powered elevated lights normally used at construction sites were BLAZING. Pulled into what was truly ROCK STAR parking - right next to transition area.

Walked up to registration to get my packet. They told me that registration opens at 6:15 am ... as it was something like 10 after, thought it odd that they didn't just pull the packet. She must have seen my puzzlement as she said "... and that is still not for over an hour." (She kindly left the "dumb ass" part off of her sentence.)

I forgot it was daylights savings time. (DUH!)

So the rest of the pre-race routine was to go to the Chatuea Elan hotel lobby and drink coffee + read the newspaper.

I did, however, get a great rack position :)
Event warmup:

Ran for 1/4-1/2 mile with an uber-runner friend from TNT (consistent sub-6:00/mi 10ks) and shivered. (My shivering HR is 82bpm)
Run
  • 18m 28s
  • 2.4 miles
  • 07m 41s  min/mile
Comments:

Ran next to Scott Rigsby for bit while discussing his new carbon fiber legs (see: http://www.scottrigsby.com/... he is a super, super awesome nice guy - every time I see him race, I get inspired) and generally tried to keep the first half of the run under my LT.
What would you do differently?:

I started way back in the line while talking to a friend who just got back from Kona ... before I knew it, it was time to go - and had to pick my way through the traffic jam of runners.
Transition 1
  • 00m 23s
Comments:

This is according to the Garmin, but WOW ... I NEVER have fast transition times. Guess it has something to do with not really needing to do much other than switch shoes + strap on your helmet before running to the mount line. Could also be that the bike entrance/exit was right there thanks to my arrival time ;)
What would you do differently?:

Nothing as to T1 (I am going to try to do this again!) but am still having problems clipping into my Speedplay Zero's ... no matter how I adjust them, I just cannot get a simple 'click in' without some consternation + gnashing of teeth.

I bought new cleats (b/c the Speedplay cleats wear out quickly) and, more recently, a new pair of tri shoes (to replace the road shoes I am wearing) so hopefully between the two (Forte tri shoes seem to be stiffer than my Pearl's), I can get them adjusted correctly.


Bike
  • 38m 35s
  • 13 miles
  • 20.22 mile/hr
Comments:

The bike course itself was a lot hillier than I thought - to wit: max speed was 43 mph on one downhill ... and what goes down, must come up.

Played leapfrog with a couple guys on road bikes. I suspect that their cassettes were a little better suited for the terrain (I have what I think to be an 11x23), they would pass me as we got to the crest of a hill and I would fly by them on the downhill. Finally dropped them on the flats ... but felt it the whole way in my legs.

Lots of carbon wheels out there - looked like a Zipp commerical. (Yes, I have wheel envy.)
What would you do differently?:

Not sure ... guess I could have brought my road bike, but then no aerobars for the flats (plus, last I heard Coeur d'Alene has a couple hills ;))

I was not paying attention at one point and heard the puttering of a motorcyle behind me ... then started to wonder whether I was passing people within the 15 second rule. (Turns out I did as no penalty was assesed)
Transition 2
  • 00m 23s
Comments:

Still cannot get the whole ride-on-top-of-shoes thing done - but I have road shoes with a buckle, so the PIA factor is more than the benefit gained.

Transition was easy as pie.
What would you do differently?:

Pretty smooth all around. Couldn't take off my arm warmers b/c my wristtop computer - aka Garmin 301 - is too big to allow it to slide over. Didn't want to waste the time, so I kep them on.
Run
  • 17m 48s
  • 2.4 miles
  • 07m 25s  min/mile
Comments:

Negative split the first run - same course but in reverse. In theory this shouldn't matter as we begin and end at the same place each time.

This run hurt. In some ways sprints are more difficult than longer distances in that you red-line the entire way. There is no pacing, there is only "Go".
What would you do differently?:

Train more ... this is where a solid base would have borne fruit as Run 2 is all about glycogen stores to stave off the inevitable visit to "The Pain Place" (aka prolonged time at or near Max HR).

This would have helped stave off a runner I had previously passed from sprinting by me within 100 yds of the chute.

I wasn't mad, he deserved to pass me as he had something in the tank to muster it. I? I had nothing ... I thought about matching him, willed my legs to do it - and my legs came back to me and said "Are you kidding? You're lucky to have the pace you've got!"
Post race
Warm down:

Sat down at the finish line with a friend from the relay (he did the bike portion) and watched our friends finish.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Going to have to put the trainer to work in the off season as I was stronger going into the GC H-IM in May than going into this sprint du in November.

Also, doing the 3 hour >Z2 training ride in Cartersville the day before prolly didn't help ;)

Event comments:

Another well organized and well supported race. Only gripe is the lack of timing chips ... all times above are Garmin time.




Last updated: 2006-10-29 12:00 AM
Running
00:18:28 | 02.4 miles | 07m 41s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Course: Starts from the conference center and then around the vineyards before being routed to the cart path along the golf course. A couple steep hills to contend with along the beautiful course ... kind of cool to run through the actual vineyards itself.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
T1
Time: 00:23
Overall: Good
Run with bike? Good
Jump on bike? Below average
Getting up to speed and into shoes: Bad
Biking
00:38:35 | 13 miles | 20.22 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Average
Wind: Headwind with gusts
Course: Rolling hills with some flats insterspersed among some nice climbs/descents.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 85
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Too hard Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 00:23
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:17:48 | 02.4 miles | 07m 25s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Good
I was would have needed a plane ticket to get even close to Zone 2 as I ran the entire 2.4 within 10 beats of my max HR. I hit and held my max HR for the monster @$#%^ hill just before the mile 2 mark ... damn Garmin was buzzing, beeping and making all kinds of racket. (I could hear in my head "Danger, Will Robinson, Danger ...)
Course: Same as Run 1 but in reverse.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2006-10-30 12:21 PM

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Pro
3705
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Vestavia Hills
Subject: Chateau Elan Duathlon


2006-10-30 12:29 PM
in reply to: #583031

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Master
2485
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Atlanta, Georgia
Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon
Negative run splits!! That's awesome - Must be kind of the Holy Grail of Duathlon. .Seriously strong bike split, too.
Nice day. .

c
2006-10-30 1:08 PM
in reply to: #583031

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Giver
18427
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Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon
Yeah...neg spliting a du is almost unheard of. Maybe next time go out faster?

Edited by run4yrlif 2006-10-30 1:08 PM
2006-10-30 2:05 PM
in reply to: #583031

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Veteran
168
1002525
Acworth, Georgia
Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon

Good race, Brian.

2006-10-30 8:59 PM
in reply to: #583031

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Veteran
129
10025
Norcross, GA
Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon

You did great, Brian!  But gotta say, you cracked me up showing up an hour early.  I only did it b/c I had an extra hour of sleep!  It was a bit of a challenging race for me this year but all in all, I had fun.  It was a lot warmer than last year, at least.

Oh, I was running near Scott Rigsby for a while (ahead of him) and I could hear his prosthetics slowly but surely catching up behind me and sure enough, he ran past me!  Reading about his story is so inspiring.  How awesome.

2006-10-31 8:25 AM
in reply to: #583031

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Resident Curmudgeon
25290
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The Road Back
Gold member
Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon

Nicely done, smokin' transitions, speedy bike and enough left to blow out on the second run. Great job!

Might want to work on that "time awareness" thing. If this was a spring race, you would have missed it!



Edited by the bear 2006-10-31 8:26 AM


2006-10-31 11:12 AM
in reply to: #583031

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Pro
6582
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Melbourne FL
Gold member
Subject: RE: Chateau Elan Duathlon
Nice race Brian.  At least you were wide awake for it
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