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Loveland Lake to Lake - TriathlonOlympic


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Loveland, Colorado
United States
USA Triathlon
75F / 24C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 48m 5s
Overall Rank = 148/541
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 32/63
Pre-race routine:

Pack up everything the night before. Woke up before 3:00 grabbed a shower, made a smoothie and headed up to the Park n Ride. Met up with Greyhound and headed up to Loveland. Got there a bit after 5:00 checked in and set up transition.
Event warmup:

Short run down to the swim start - buoys weren't set yet, and then looped around to the run "start". couple of pickups. Took the bike out and ran through the gears, did about 5 minutes. Everything was working at that point. Hit the head multiple times (everything just did not want to come out). Grabbed the wetsuit and headed to the swim start. One more bathroom stop (this time the facilities were open) and down to the Lake. Struggled into the wetsuit although it seemed to go better than Pelican Fest. Got into the water just before my wave. Did a few strokes out and back.
Swim
  • 32m 13s
  • 1640 yards
  • 01m 58s / 100 yards
Comments:

Apprehensive but semi confident. I ended up lining up way left (along the buoy line) and just a bit back. Felt like I was swimming lazy but doing alright, unintentionally worked myself into the pack as I was trying to avoid going left of the buoys. This was probably the most congested swim I have taken part in - struggling to imagine what FL will be like or what the 5430 sprint was like. I ended up behind a guy doing breast stroke so I moved off of him and almost into someone else. Then somehow I drift way right, made a correction and turned on the buoy. I felt really choppy with my stroke on the next leg but at the next buoy I think I picked up some folks from the next wave, or maybe it was the previous, I don't know I couldn't remember the color of cap assignments for anything but the first wave and my wave. Anyway I followed these feet all the way to the last turn and manage to lose them shortly thereafter. This leg was a long straight (or at least it was supposed to be) stretch back to the exit. I went from being in a pack to having no body around me but still swimming straight for the finish with a pack up front and like a V shape envelope of nobody around me. Next thing I know, there is still nobody around me but I am way to the right. I struggled with this frustration of swimming a massive "C" or "bow" shaped leg for the last Finally got back to the course right at the finish. I admit I considered trying to swim straight instead of correcting my course and just run back west.
What would you do differently?:

Swim a little bit the week before the race? Have more confidence in the stroke. Antifog the goggles.
Transition 1
  • 02m 3s
Comments:

After the journey to T1 from the lake, got to my spot and struggled with the wet suit. Took about 3 attempts to get it off my left foot. Slowly put on the socks and shoes. Grabbed the headsweats, helmet, glasses and just kept feeling like I was forgetting something.
What would you do differently?:

Be smoother with the wet suit, and confident in what I am doing.
Bike
  • 1h 24m 6s
  • 30 miles
  • 21.40 mile/hr
Comments:

Mount the bike and get rolling and it doesn't appear that anything is registering on my bike computer. I am playing around and realize the cadence sesor slipped. Mileage is regestering but it seemed slow. After about a tenth or two I figured just switch to MPH and go with whatever it has and just ride. Took a little bit getting into the rythm of the ride and let some people go by me. Ended up leapfrogging with a guy racked right by me for the first couple of miles. Flat and downhill he came by and I went back by on the uphills. Went by him on 22nd (about 3 miles) and never saw him again. Approaching a corner I went by another person who had passed me, but I didn't feel I could safely get by the next guy (not knowing how he was going to take the corner) so I backed off and the other guy came ripping between us. To make sure the one guy had room I tried to snap the corner a little shaper, and bounced my pedal exiting - little scary moment and just a grating sound to the ears. Took in a "pre-planned" gel at this point and after that I started feeling good and just going. There were so many people out ahead of me (I guess 321 in the swim would do that) that I seldom had an open area to just ride. I was feeling good and HR was mid 160's. The I came up on this kind, entrepreneurial soul who had "volunteered" to be the rabbit for the low cost of one dollar for everyone who passed her. Found out later that was Colomingle. I guess I still owe her ;) For the way things felt, the end of glade road came up rather quick. I was ascending better than I have in the previous times I had ridden it. It didn't seem like as much work. Turned onto hwy 38 and got ready for the "climbs" to come. These surprisingly went well, although a number of people passed me here. One nice thing about this year is that I was not looking for "One more gear" to drop down to climb. I felt good. Then on the descents I started to push a little and then just thought pick it up and let gravity do its work. - Pet Peave Moment: When you are going downhill and you are not passing anyone and there is a gap to the next person MOVE RIGHT!!! You are not going to hear "On you left" when you have the wind blowing in your ear at 38+mph - I was coasting and gaining on these folks and one guy kept drifting left - I had about 2-3 feet between him and the yellow line. I shoot that gap about 45 and keep on going. He catches me on the uphill and then on the next downhill, same thing. I played leapfrog with several on this stretch going up they go by and going down I fly through. On the last downhill out of horsetooth, I come up on a bunch and don't feel I can safely get through so I am sitting up and hitting the brakes -yuck). Come out of the corner and I just take off towards Taft. Approaching that turn I am thinking there are 30 miles of road and I hit a traffic jam at this point. I figure I might as well take in a gel at this point on the flat section before the rollers and with the "traffic" ahead of me. Going downhill, I pick it up and go by a number of the people, including on lady who I had been leapfrogging on the ups and downs for 10 miles already. We continued doing this for the next 8 miles. She flew on the flats and the uphills. We must have passed each other a dozen times. I got through the rollers and was crusing comfortably at 23/24 and my HR was coming down. I realized "she" was pulling away and thought, I could pick it up a gear or so and still not be working the way this section felt so I did and cruised back into town at 27/28 and feeling good except for this bloating/pain on the right side that wrapped from front to back. Weird feeling it in the back. So with a mile left, I back off and try and stretch a little, had a couple of people go by me there. I had a burp that I (at the risk of sounding gross) couldn't match to anything I ate then realized it was like the lake water mixed with stuff. Yuck!!! Got off the bike and felt like I was moving in slow motion to transition because of it.
What would you do differently?:

Ensure Cadence sensor set properly.
Transition 2
  • 01m 8s
Comments:

This transition felt longer than this. I was surprised to see the resulting time.
What would you do differently?:

Have tums for the ride.
Run
  • 48m 32s
  • 6.21 miles
  • 07m 49s  min/mile
Comments:

Got started on the run and debated hitting the head, but I didn't know if it would help. Kept turning the feet over unsure how I was moving, skipped the first aid station because of how my side felt. I prayed for deliverance from this ailment and then it started to "pass" (sorry to anyone that was behind me, I tried to make sure it was clear, but it made me feel immensely better). Speaking of passing, scores of people were passing me on the early stages of this run. Got to aid station #2 and took some water to drink and dump on the head - walked while I drank. Still feeling awkward on the run but kept going. Saw Greyhound coming the other way at this point - I was closer to him than I anticipated - and was slightly encouraged by that. Next aid station was short of mile 3. Took water for me and my head and walked this station too. I hit mile 3 and then I started feeling good. Had a swallow of water and dump on the head at aid #4 as I kept in motion. Went by a guy who recognized me from the Fed Cup - how I have no clue but that was kind of fun. Aid #5 had no cups left but I ran through the hose - felt good. I tried to pick up the tempo a bit here or at least increase the RPE to a level I believed I could sustain to the finish. Was picking out people ahead of me to try and catch and it worked for me. I come around and they added the loop around the goose pond back in and that was slightly tough mentally to deal with but kept on going. I saw a guy in my age group up ahead, I tried to pick it up more to catch him but I couldn't raise my pace and I didn't know if I had enough distance left at the paces we were going. There seemed to be two timing mats, one in front of the TNT tent (with a sign that said 100 yds to go) and then the finish line. Well I catch and pass that guy inbetween those mats but looking at the results, it is as if it locked our positions in at the first one. when you factor in the differences we had the exact same run. In my report, I am taking credit for what I know is right, but I am not going to follow up anywhere else, in the grand scheme of things 32 or 33 in age group 148 or 149 over all is not worth it. But here in my own race report, I will take ownership of it. When it was all said and done, this was a 10k PR for me by nearly 4 minutes.
What would you do differently?:

Catch the guy ahead of me earlier so there would be no confusion. See above Tums comment. Build a larger base
Post race
Warm down:

Drank gatorade endurance, and water. Some mild stretching.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Extreme taper instead of normal recovery week (or maybe that was a good thing). Pulling a muscle in my low back a week before the race. (Thank God that He healed it and it presented no issues during the race.) Maybe drinking too much lake water on the swim.

Event comments:

Well run in a good location. comfortable post race setting with the amphitheater etc.




Last updated: 2007-03-10 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:32:13 | 1640 yards | 01m 58s / 100yards
Age Group: 44/63
Overall: 321/541
Performance: Below average
Time includes the 1/4 mile jaunt up to the transition area. Avg HR 147
Suit: Full
Course: Counter clockwise loop with a long "straightaway" back to the beach.
Start type: Wade Plus:
Water temp: 75F / 24C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:03
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:24:06 | 30 miles | 21.40 mile/hr
Age Group: 23/63
Overall: 98/541
Performance: Good
Avg HR for the bike - 160. Most of the first have was mid 160's and the second half was mid 150's
Wind: None
Course: Loop course on city streets, state highways, and county highways. About 1400 ft of ascent/descent. A gradual climb, a couple of "good" climbs, and then some rollers and a gradual descent back to the finish.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: ???
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:08
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:48:32 | 06.21 miles | 07m 49s  min/mile
Age Group: 32/63
Overall: 161/541
Performance: Good
Based on the mile markers (and the HR at the mile marker) 7:58 (153) 8:15 (157) 8:40 (159) 7:39 (165) 8:10 (170) 7:50 (185)
Course: flat out and back with a finishing loop to get to the mileage.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
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] 4

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2007-07-02 10:25 AM

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Elite
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Lakewood, CO
Subject: Loveland Lake to Lake


2007-07-02 11:28 AM
in reply to: #868709

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Extreme Veteran
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500
Twin Cities, MN
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Nice race! Sounds like it was not only a demanding race, but technically demanding, too, with all the leapfrogging bikes!  Nice job on the run, especially coming off the bike not feeling so great.  I dream about running a 10k that fast!
2007-07-02 11:58 AM
in reply to: #868709

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Expert
1092
1000252525
Earth
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake

Scott,
Good job on the Tri.  I can imagine it is pretty frustrating to not be able to open up downhill because someone is drifting left.  And you can just about bet that if you go right they will call you on it, even though it should be a blocking penalty on them.

That is a LONG bike for an Oly, 30 miles.... wow.  Pretty respectable swim time.

Way to go!

2007-07-02 12:06 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Pro
4507
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Simpsonville, SC
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Good race! Way to go on the 10K PR. 4 minutes off your time?! You're my hero!!!

Pam
2007-07-02 12:48 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Pro
4541
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A farming town in MN
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Scott, you smoked this race.  I'm hoping to keep your paces on a sprint distance.  Can't imagine maintaining for an Oly distance event.  Good job...
2007-07-02 1:31 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Expert
960
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Highlands Ranch, CO
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Awesome race and great job on the run PR.


2007-07-02 2:03 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Westminster, CO
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake

awesome race!!  very solid bike & run!  I'm glad you got all your burping ailments over with before the ride home......

 oh - and glad my running demise can be an inspiration to you.  ....anything to help.......

2007-07-02 3:47 PM
in reply to: #869205

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Elite
3488
20001000100100100100252525
Lakewood, CO
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
greyhound - 2007-07-02 1:03 PM

awesome race!! very solid bike & run! I'm glad you got all your burping ailments over with before the ride home......

oh - and glad my running demise can be an inspiration to you. ....anything to help.......

Yeah, at the time, I was hoping that it was because I was running faster than I expected and not that you were having issues!

2007-07-02 3:51 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Veteran
244
10010025
Ida, Michigan
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Sounds like a pretty hard bike course and you were flying.  Congratulations on a  great race and the 10k PR.
2007-07-02 5:48 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Expert
929
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Hawaii
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Nice race.  Congrats on the run PR!
2007-07-07 8:17 PM
in reply to: #868709

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Regular
60
2525
Subject: RE: Loveland Lake to Lake
Great race! good job you kicked some butt.


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