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Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint - TriathlonSprint


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Galveston, Texas
United States
EndorFUN SPORTS
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 18m 35s
Overall Rank = 107/722
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 8/51
Pre-race routine:

i had my shit together this time despite being so nerved up that i had trouble falling asleep. went to bed at about 10:45 and the last time i looked at the clock it was 12:30. fortunaately i guess i finally drifted off because next thing i knew it was 4:45 and the alarm was buzzing.
got up and showered, got dressed and packed up the truck. i took a page out of Aarons book for breakfast, i had bread and peanut butter. stopped at Valero for some milk and then i had my sandwich sitting on the tailgate of my truck while i watched other racers go through their routines. i was very relaxed at this point, i had plenty of time, and i just quietly enjoyed myself.
i tried something new this time, usually i get so nervous that my stomach gets going nuts. i took a prilosec before bed and then another one this morning. maybe it helped, maybe it was a placebo but i didn't have the gastric upset i usually do except for some unpeasant feeling i had that i blamed on the milk. ran into LisaJ1 right outside transition and we chatted a bit and then i saw Coutney. she and i sat on the ground for a while talking until she went off and got busy doing her thing. a friend came down from houston and she was super surprised that she found me with all the activity and hundreds of people. that settled me right down and we hung out until i had to go to the swim start.
Event warmup:

i don't do no stinkin' warmup!
Swim
  • 13m 32s
  • 528 yards
  • 02m 34s / 100 yards
Comments:

many people were saying this was a long swim. my untrained eye says it looked longer than 500M but who am i. i chatted with DereckL on the beach before we got going, he was a few waves in front of me. once he was gone i saw this kid who was 1000% obviously a swimmer. so we talked alot. told me he swam 100 in 46.9. i was way impressed. he is planning to go to college swimming and told me he practices twice a day and does about 14000 yards. A DAY! to me that is pure insane but 46.9 is very good. there was some mixup at the start. there were some similar swim caps and all of a sudden there was a guy coming back to the beach from the starting bouys. he made it back suffering some cheers and good natured ribbing from the huge crowd, what sucked worse was that another guy realized from the beach that he was missing his wave. tried all he could to get there, ran, swam......the horn went off when he was about halfway there. i felt sick for him. he made it to the bouys and was breaststroking within 20 yards. then he turned over on his back and started backstroking. i couldn't watch anymore.

then it was our turn. i realized i didn't know how to fasten my wetsuit. i had spent a lot of time getting it up really far into my crotch so i knew it was ready but when i pulled on the string it didn't zip well. i quickly asked another guy to fix me up and two fellows got me straightened out. we were meandering on out and the starter announced "90 seconds" so we hustled on out. when he announced 30 it took me about 25 seconds before i got scared and then the horn went off. the water was murky green and of course i was looking for the stripe on the bottom. of course it wasn't there. i fell into a nice smooth easy stroke. there were lots of people in my wave and i had made a bunch of space so there was very little bumping.

i immediately went off course. i probably took 20 strokes before i sighted and found i was to the right of the pack by about 10-12 yards. i corrected and swam about 8 strokes and was still way right. this frustated me so i paused, re-oriented and went at it again. this repaeated multiple times. at one point i was out by a lifeguard on a surfboard and she tells me "you need to go that way" and pointed. i knew what way i needed to go but i just couldn't get there. i never would have imagined that i pull so hard to the right. is must be because i breathe on that side. i found a good landmark and headed towards it. knew i would waste time trying to get back to the pack and dreaded swimming with them anyway so i followed my line and finally got back in when 75% of the swim was done. i was happy because i wasn't tired and swimming by myself i could hear the water accelerating past me everytime i took a stroke. i started getting a little fatigued so i went slower and i could still hear the water so that was super encouraging. that and i could see i was making progress. best of all, i was passing people in blue caps so i knew i had caught the stragglers from the wave in front of mine. thats a first. in the past i would site and the landmarks would never seem to get any closer. this time that damned paddleboat was bigger everytime i looked up. got to the bouy and turned around it and fell into stroke right behind this guy. i hit his toes several times and i knew i was drafting. it got easier and i was catching him everytime i stroked. i didn't want to follow that close so i paused and i could still feel myself getting pulled a bit. i appreciated the free ride but i could see the exit now so i passed him and got out.

didn't see anyone resembling a wetsuit stripper at the exit. there was a guy trying to get his suit unzipped so i did it for him. he felt me and stopped then took off. i was like "dude, do me" and he unzipped me. i came out of that thing so fast and then i heard people calling my name from two different places on the run out. they had laid a long carpet of green astroturf for a path and it had to be 70-80 yards. i have never ran so fast after a swim. thank you for the cheers because if you can yell for me, i can perform for you! i was all smiles when i made it to transition and got ready for the bike. a sudden downpour started but it only lasted about 5 seconds....a warning for what was to come.


What would you do differently?:

sight alot more. a lot
Transition 1
  • 02m 9s
Comments:

after the run out of the water i sat on the ground and kinda took my time getting my wetsuit off. it wasn't bad. i think i started thinking about how bad i got killed on the bike in my last race and i was kinda not wanting to start. i was walking my bike out and then the volunteers inside T1 started cheering and i took off.
What would you do differently?:

i think as i get more conditioned i will be able to go faster. as it is though i am happy with this. only 5 guys in my age group had faster transitions and four of them had better overall times so i think 6th out of 51 aint so damn bad.
Bike
  • 36m 4s
  • 12.5 miles
  • 20.79 mile/hr
Comments:

this bike ride was fun. a guy with a fancy intimidating bike caught me at the turn onto the seawall but i had already passed 20 people on the road out. i passed him back with in 100 yards and never saw him again.

this ride was fun. the wind was blowing but it was kindof a cross wind that didn't affect me that much. i could feel it but i just stayed aero and started crushing the field. i was passing people like they were stopped. to add insult to injury i would speed up more as i passed them just for the satisfaction. its cool how people don't look at you as you go by, they look at what you are riding. one not-so-satisfying thing about the Zipp clincher disc is that it doesn't make that demoralizing whoop whoop whoop sound so people can't hear you coming.

i must have passed 100 people on the bike. i started looking for the turnaround so i must have been getting tired because i wanted to be done. i kept seeing this mirage of the turnaround but suddenly i really could see it. there was a group of about 6 people all heading for the curve, i passed them all and took off towards home.

now the ride back was a little different. the wind, which was coming from the side, must have been hitting me from a slightly different angle because now i was affected by it. i was happy that i hadn't come up out of aero except for turns but i sat up for a second to see what it was like and yep, it was blowing. it knocked me over a couple feet a bunch of times but it was controllable and i just had fun with it. the people i was passing now looked like they were working hard and that made it more fun to pass them. now i have been talking all this shit about how good i was riding. suddenly i heard something behind me and it wasn't a car. as the bike went by i saw it was a girl. all i could do was shout "awsome" and watch her pull away. incidently, she came in 11th place overall and beat the next girl finisher by 8 minutes. i don't feel bad that the one person that caught me was her. anyway, her name was printed across the back of her suit. poetic, they let you know who they are as they whip your ass. as she pulled away i noticed that the view was magnificent so i found some power and enjoyed it for about 45 seconds before i let up. the turn to head back in was coming up in about three-quarters of a mile so i let her go because now i had to start thinking about the run.

after the turn, i couldn't help but get back in it because there were so many bikes to pick off. i wanted to get a few more because i knew they were gonna come back and get me on the run. i liked this course alot because it was very clear the end was near, i didn't have to worry about getting surprised by the dismount line. i started taking my shoes off and finished the last half mile on top of them. down the stretch there were tons of spectators who were cheering. couldn't let them down! sniped a few more people10 yards away from the line, jumped off running and almost couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
What would you do differently?:

nothing
Transition 2
  • 01m 53s
Comments:

over thirty people in my age group had faster T2's than me. thats sad. i was not feeling the run though and was dreading getting started
What would you do differently?:

get faster.
Run
  • 24m 56s
  • 3 miles
  • 08m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

i was a punk on this run. my legs were bitching and i was having a hard time telling them to shut up. everything in me was screaming stop. i felt like i was moving slow as molasses. of course, my same friends had changed position and were screaming for me so i had to keep it up. about 600 yards in the run course turned into this avenue with high walls, protected from curious eyes and i gave in. i started wallking. as soon as i did though i regretted it and resumed. i probably walked 8-10 steps. people were not passing me as fast as i thought they would so i figured that it lonly felt super-slow, that i must be making some time. i wasn't really catching many people either though. a few guys here and there would get me. if i had to guess i would say 12 to 15 guys came and got me.

after mile one my legs started to loosen up and i was able to run comfortably and faster. i was happy now, re-passing some of the ones (2) who had gotten me and not getting passed anymore. never saw a marker for mile two so i consulted my stopwatch that i had turned on in T2 as i sat on the ground and tied my shoes. it said 20:00 so i knew i had about 5 more minutes to go at my now usual off the bike pace. i had looked up the run course and knew the finish line was near a certain building that i could see. i just didn't know exactly how far i would have to curve around before i could see it and i was deathly afraid of kicking it in too soon. i saw my coach Bonnie and she told me i was almost there and to go go go! i waited about 10 seconds and then i could hear the announcer so i took off. i took the final hundred at full throttle. i love spectators, i could hear them yelling and it made me go. i finished strong, almost an embarrasment to myself because i had too much left and should have left more out there on the course. i was extremely pleased that i was done.
What would you do differently?:

suck it up and run, BUTTERCUP!
Post race
Warm down:

none, i sat down and waited for Sara and Bonnie who were all smiles.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

lack of run base

Event comments:

this was my best performance ever and the best run race i have ever seen. i will definately do this race again.




Last updated: 2006-12-12 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:32 | 528 yards | 02m 34s / 100yards
Age Group: 20/51
Overall: 243/722
Performance: Good
Suit: Zoot Z1
Course: the course walked you out about 70 yards to a pair of bouys, then it was a very long straight line with one right hand curve to steer you to the finish.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 74F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Bad
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 02:09
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:36:04 | 12.5 miles | 20.79 mile/hr
Age Group: 5/51
Overall: 47/722
Performance: Good
Wind: Strong
Course: the course led you out of Moody Gardens up to the seawall and then became an out and back.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks:
T2
Time: 01:53
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:24:56 | 03 miles | 08m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 16/51
Overall: 250/722
Performance: Average
Course: winding through Moody Gardens. lots of ups and downs and sharp curves with spectators and volunteers so i couldn't find a place to safely walk.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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] 5

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2007-03-31 3:26 PM

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Houston, TX
Subject: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint


2007-03-31 8:37 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Expert
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Longview, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Oh man!  You make me want to race so bad.  I want to be in your position and hightail it on the road passing people left and right.  That's so awesome!  Saturday can't come soon enough!

What a performance on the whole course!  I've read, and struggled with, that breathing to both sides will help you keep a line.  You might try it out, if you haven't before.  But a solid performance in the swim.

I don't know if I can say anything more about the bike!  I am really motivated to achieve the 20+ average like you are consistently doing now.  Great bike.

 Good job fighting off the dead legs on the run.  That seems to be the most difficult thing to accomplish during the triathlon.  Solid pace.  Your run base will improve with more solid training.

107/722.  You're a force to be reckoned with.

2007-03-31 9:47 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Champion
5522
5000500
Frisco, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great Job, nice bike split. Keep up the good work...
2007-03-31 10:44 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Expert
902
500100100100100
Wylie, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
That was an entertaining race report. Congrats on a strong race.
2007-04-01 9:11 AM
in reply to: #744013

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Veteran
183
100252525
Manor, Texas
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
I loved reading this from you. You make me wish I was there. Congrats on the race. I'm happy for you.

I'm doing my 2nd tri next month and very excited and training hard to improve my first tri times.
Reading your thought made me realize that I'm not the only one that drifts off on the swim.

Again, good job. Keep kicking a@@!!
2007-04-01 9:38 AM
in reply to: #744013

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Expert
936
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Springfield, MO
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Good Job!

Thanks for the RR



2007-04-01 5:14 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Master
1790
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Tyler, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great race, especially the dance!  Impressive! 
2007-04-01 5:27 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Pro
4292
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Evanston,
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Great job Robert! Really, you were just tuff-tuff-tuff through this race.

I think it's cool, and fitting, that Bonnie is your coach.



Edited by CitySky 2007-04-01 5:28 PM
2007-04-01 5:54 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Member
41
25
Oakville, ON
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great race - I like the tenacity of pasing people that you show.

Very good report and I def am picking up tips from you.....I think if I focus on catching people and enjoy passing them instead of thinking "am I pushing too hard?", I could squeeze out a little more energy.

Congrats on a great race and time!

PS~ I think I was the other person out there when the life guard said, "You need to go that way!"

Edited by jkvandy 2007-04-01 5:56 PM
2007-04-01 6:58 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Veteran
243
10010025
Katy, TX (West of Houston)
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Congrats on an awesome race Robert!    All of your training has paid off!
2007-04-01 7:04 PM
in reply to: #744693

Champion
6539
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South Jersey
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

GREAT JOB, Rob!!!

I am so excited for you. You swam, biked, and skipped an awesome race. Way to push through and make the best of things and finish with a great shop, despite getting a little off course (yeah, and totally nice of you to unzip that guy's wetsuit in T1); awesome job passing everyone on the dance; and way to push through the skip when it was tough. Sometimes in races, you do feel like molasses on the skip and it's tough to tell how fast (or slow) you're moving just by feel.

You did awesome! The rest of your season is goign to be just great. Nice RR too!



2007-04-01 7:11 PM
in reply to: #744013

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Extreme Veteran
378
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Dallas, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Great race!!!  Your race report makes me chuckle since I know exactly where you're coming from  

I'm so sorry you didn't get to take advantage of the wetsuit strippers.  I think your wave was ahead of mine, so maybe they hadn't fully assembled or something?  They yelled directly at people coming out of the water with me who had wetsuits, and pointed the way for the strippers - so I'm thinking there must have been quite a mixup in the first waves that would warrant some enthusiastic direction.

Congrats on the outstanding race!

 

2007-04-01 7:49 PM
in reply to: #744013

Subject: ...
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2007-04-01 8:56 PM
in reply to: #744013

Master
1790
1000500100100252525
Tyler, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Hey Tag, check out the online race results again.  The original shop distance has been updated from 480M to 550M, so your time per 100 is actually a lot faster than you posted on this report!
2007-04-01 10:02 PM
in reply to: #744693

Houston, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
jkvandy - 2007-04-01 5:54 PMGreat race - I like the tenacity of pasing people that you show.Very good report and I def am picking up tips from you.....I think if I focus on catching people and enjoy passing them instead of thinking "am I pushing too hard?", I could squeeze out a little more energy.Congrats on a great race and time!PS~ I think I was the other person out there when the life guard said, "You need to go that way!"
2007-04-01 10:02 PM
in reply to: #744693

Houston, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
jkvandy - 2007-04-01 5:54 PMGreat race - I like the tenacity of pasing people that you show.Very good report and I def am picking up tips from you.....I think if I focus on catching people and enjoy passing them instead of thinking "am I pushing too hard?", I could squeeze out a little more energy.Congrats on a great race and time!PS~ I think I was the other person out there when the life guard said, "You need to go that way!"


2007-04-01 10:07 PM
in reply to: #744882

Houston, TX
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

famelec - 2007-04-01 8:56 PM Hey Tag, check out the online race results again.  The original shop distance has been updated from 480M to 550M, so your time per 100 is actually a lot faster than you posted on this report!

 i'll be sure to change that to 601.48 yards in my logs.  wish i could change the RR but seems like i read that they are permanent once you make 'em public.  thanks so much everyone for the great comments.  this has been a fantastic weekend for me, what with meeting so many people from the site, hanging out, and racing my best ever its been a blast. 

wow...how in the world did i manage to get three posts when i was trying for one, what a numbskull.....



Edited by tag 2007-04-01 10:09 PM
2007-04-02 8:11 AM
in reply to: #744013

New user
42
25
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great job! That was too funny about that girl..I would have done the same thing. Have a great week.
2007-04-02 8:20 AM
in reply to: #744013

Master
1292
1000100100252525
Houston
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great job, Robert.  It was great to see you, briefly!! 
2007-04-02 8:47 AM
in reply to: #744013

Mountain View, CA
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Awesome race! Talk about tearing up the bike course. Don't worry too much about the sighting and going off course, these things improve with practice. And way to suck it up on the run! Great job!!
2007-04-02 8:52 AM
in reply to: #744013

Elite
2796
2000500100100252525
Texas
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Good job keeing your head together when you were having trouble with the swim.  I had a very similar experience at a sprint a year ago.... 500 meters can be a very long way to go when you get off course or have any problems. Although it is kind of fun passing so many people on the bike... Great race, and good meeting you!



2007-04-03 8:51 AM
in reply to: #744013

Resident Curmudgeon
25290
50005000500050005000100100252525
The Road Back
Gold member
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Great job, Robert, it's a pleasure watching you race because you always have a huge smile and look like you're having more fun than anyone!

2007-04-03 9:02 AM
in reply to: #744013

Master
1831
100050010010010025
Keller Tx
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Awesome race report.  I can't wait till I can be demoralizing on the bike as you describe it!

Great job!  and really nice to meet you too!

2007-04-03 2:08 PM
in reply to: #744013

Champion
11641
50005000100050010025
Fairport, NY
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint

Great job! Keeping it together mentally when things aren't going the way you hoped is one of the most important race day skills you can have.

One of my favorite memories from the weekend is coming into T2 and seeing/hearing you cheering me on. You gave me a HUGE boost right when I needed it. Thanks! 

2007-04-04 10:01 PM
in reply to: #744013

Regular
75
252525
Katy, TX (west of Houston)
Subject: RE: Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint
Great job on your race Robert!  The bike especially.  I guess your could say it's definitely your for-duh-te, hee hee
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