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Meelup Classic Triathlon
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Meelup Classic Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic
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 Swim
Comments: I was very nervous about the swim when I was on the beach, the conditions were the worst I've ever seen in a race before, great big rolling waves and chop. However once I was in the water I just felt at comfortable. it was definitely tough but my surf lifesaving skills all just came back. it was really tough to navigate as you just couldn't see hte buoys for the waves. had a bit of a battle to find some space with the girls around me at the start but settled down once I rounded the first buoy. it was a very hard swim. but I loved it! Rounding the second buoy on the way back to the shore I realised that the waves were surfable. so was checking on my breath stroke where the waves were, and threw in a few big kicks and surfed waves back in. I passed alot of people. I think that definitely helped my swim time too. on the second lap back in I did the same and did not see a guy directly in front of me, because of the waves, I did a big kick to catch the wave and I actually swam right over the top of this poor guy. Opps sorry! What would you do differently?: I need new goggles these fogged up so it made a difficult swim even more difficult. I think i should have pushed the swim even harder then I did. but very happy with a 14min 1k' I have a feeling the swim might have been short.  Transition 1
Comments: I focused on this transition, and had a quick transition for me. nothing went wrong it all went smoothly What would you do differently?: Nothing (oh I will some day learn to put my shoes on on the bike though  Bike
Comments: Jumped on the bike out of transition and tried to settle down and get the cadence up to over 90, It took a few k's to feel comfy on the bike. I thought I was doing ok, had a few sips out of the water bottle. god hot gatorade wasn't good. (I will regret thinking that!) at least I got rid of the salt water taste. at around about the 4 or 5k mark, I hit a fairly big set of bumps, my bottle jumped straight out of the holder under my bike. I did a bit of a bunny hop to avoid hitting it and goign over the handle bars. but I looked at the bottle rolling off the side of the road down the cliff and probably into the ocean. This is where the race went downhill! So I had a fairly big stress about doing 30k ride with no drinks on a very hot day. which also meant no gel's either as I had nothing ot wash them down with. turned the corner while still stressing only to see the big hill on the course. it really was a tough course. 3 times up a very long hill was really hard work. I really couldn't do the over 90cadence thing so I stuck to between 80 and 90 for the most part. obviuosly on the hill it was a bit different. coming down the hill i was a bit cautious, I normally fly down the hill but my top speed was 59k's it was a very bendy hill and a bit tricky, I felt comfy at that speed so stuck at it for the second 2 laps as well. people were flying by but I didn't like the look of the bush and ocean on the other side of the road, didn't want to visit them flying off my bike. I got through the ride ok without water but I knew I was in trouble, it was very hot and I was very very thirsty What would you do differently?: I'll be at the bike shop this weekend replacing my bottle cages. the side cages obviously don't work. I think the new strategy will be replace the front side cage with a proper cage, and just use half bottles as my frame is too small for big ones. take of the other cage and buy a behind the seat thingo. so I wouldn't ever have to be without drinks in a very hot hilly ride again. Transition 2
Comments: had a good transition, again I was pretty focused and did it all too plan, What would you do differently?: take my shoes off on the bike  Run
Comments: Ok I was in trouble from the word go on this run. it was very hot, I was dehydrated (looking back on it) my foot was numb from the bike I think, I gradually got feeling back in my foot and my toe was hurting quite badly. but I kept going. I stopped at every drink station and had water I tried really hard to drink alot of it but didn't want to drink too much to get a stitch. I started feeling hot and cold and a little bit dizzy, my toe was hurting and the hills just were hard work, managed the first lap and seriously considered pulling out. started the second lap and was a long way out when I really did want ot pull out. I'm embarassed to say I actually cried while I was running. I then had a bit of a suck it up buttercup, and a dry your eyes princess moment. I just wanted to get back to the finish line so realised that if I wanted to get ther eI would have to run. if I pulled out I still would have had to walk back anyway. so sucked it up and ran(well if you can call it running to the finish line) What would you do differently?: drink on the bike, way way more running training, probably not run on a toe that probably shouldn't have been run on Post race
Warm down: crossed the finish line. there was an official there saying slow down slow down the surface is slippery. I looked at him and laughed and said mate its not possible to run any slower then I'm running. I crossed the finish line and it all goes a bit blurry from here on. one of the officials grabbed me and helped me sit down. I was very dizzy and felt like vomiting, she got gatorade and water and I don't relaly remember much of that bit. found out later that I had sunstroke, I was very very dehydrated had a fair few vomits and dizzy spells and hot cold spells. it was a crap day. But I finished albeit very slowly. What limited your ability to perform faster: What did I learn from this race, sort out the drinks situation on my bike. And most importantly if you have an injury pull out if it isn't right and if you are not feeling well also pull out. Event comments: I like Trievents races they are very well organised and fun. pity about the weather conditions for the swim Meelup is generally such a beautiful flat beach. even though I really struggled to do this race I still enjoyed it. its a very tough course but also very beautiful! Last updated: 2007-02-05 12:00 AM
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 2007-02-25 8:31 PM |
Veteran  1108   Perth, Oz |  Subject: Meelup Classic Triathlon |
| 2007-02-25 8:50 PM in reply to: #702710 |
| Perth | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon wow...a 14min swim...just awsome...well done. No drink on the bike!!!! that sucks...don't know what I would have done if that was me?...I have a frame and a rear holder, and normally have a 1/2 size gatorade on the frame and a BIG water on the back...seems to work ok. If you put the run in perspective, that was a good effort just to finnish, with the pain in your toe and the lack of running training you did well...add the no drinking to that and i'm surprised you didn't end up in more strife. Speeking to some friends after this race (that finnished top and second in their age groups) they said this was the hardest race they have done for a long time...so you are not alone. Good race all things considered. |
| 2007-02-25 9:30 PM in reply to: #702710 |
Expert 1205 Herndon VA | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Hey Mel, Way to finish! I know that must have been hard with the sore toe and no hydration. It takes a tough Aussie chick to finish in those conditions. I'm totally jealous over that swim time especially with the rough surf. You're definitely a swim goddess. Congratulations, "Princess" Ernie PS. Did you do any socializing in the transitions? |
| 2007-02-25 9:55 PM in reply to: #702710 |
Veteran 1108 Perth, Oz | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Yeah I agree with your friends, it really was a very tough day. I don't think I'd do it again without water. And no Ernie, I was smart in this race, I did my socialising in transition before the race started! I met all the boys around my bike! and I am proud to say when I got out of the swim their bikes were all still there so didn't have anyone to chat to! however when I got back from the bike their bikes were already all racked! hehe so probably not through me being more focused more the lack of people to socialise with! and I htink if you had seen me on the finish line there would be no tough aussie chick princess thing, It would have been a pathetic sight! gotta work on the toughening up stuff! |
| 2007-02-25 11:40 PM in reply to: #702710 |
Extreme Veteran 600 Melbourne | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Oh Mel, with that dehydration and sunstroke, you deserve to have a bit of princess about you! Hope you're feeling ok today. Massive effort in the swim and great that you kept at it in what reads like very tough conditions. |
| 2007-02-26 4:53 PM in reply to: #702710 |
Champion 26509 Sydney | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Wow Mel - you are amazing for just getting through it with dehydration and sun stroke! AWESOME!! Take care - rest up and recover |
| 2007-02-26 9:37 PM in reply to: #702710 |
Expert 738 Alabama | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Mel, wow, that is one tough race, at least you learnt your lesson and you know how not to let that happen again. I had sunstroke once and it is NOT fun, I pity you and hope you are feeling better. Lots of ice drinks! Your swim was smokin` babe! 14min 1000m open water....holly cats! |
 2007-02-27 4:50 AM in reply to: #702710 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2007-02-27 4:42 PM in reply to: #702710 |
| Veteran 158 Brisbane | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Mel, what a shocker!!! After all the pain and emotion you went through to finish, you said you still enjoyed it???? They obviously build 'em tough in WA. I hope your taking it easy this week and are recovering well. |
| 2007-03-01 1:37 AM in reply to: #702710 |
| Master 1548 Perth, Australia | Subject: RE: Meelup Classic Triathlon Well done for finishing a really tough race in really tough conditions!!! "Suck it up buttercup" is probably the best advice I've ever heard, will tell myself that next time I'm having a hard time  |
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Australia
Trievents WA
33C / 91F
Sunny
Overall Rank = 219/239
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 10/13
I'm not really sure I like afternoon races, I think when you have to get up at the crack of dawn you don't really think much about the race. when you have the day to think about it, I tend ot overthink things.
anyway we had driven down the night before long drive but had a great pasta dinner when we got there. glad I organised that.
we got to the registration right on opening time and i'm glad we did as it was busy already. wandered around and chatted with everyone getting more and more nervous looking at the awful water conditions!
I knew it was going to be hot so I had the genius idea of taking a cooler bag with all our bottles in it and we whacked them on the bikes just before starting time so it kept the drinks a little cooler. not enough really.