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Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course - TriathlonOlympic


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Duluth, Minnesota
United States
68F / 20C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 03m 59s
Overall Rank = 58/209
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 8/21
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 5:30, time for breakfast (2 nasty instant oatmeal packets, 2 pieces of peanut butter and honey toast, and coffee) then loaded up the car to go to Duluth.

Set up my transition area, waited in line for a long time to go to the bathroom, and walked around nervously until the pre-race meeting. Watched the first two waves start before my warm-up
Event warmup:

I should have done more of a warm-up. At this time the transition area was closed, so I couldn't get to my running shoes or bike, so jogged for a couple minutes in my sandals and stretched. It wasn't enough.
Swim
  • 26m 27s
  • 1408 yards
  • 01m 53s / 100 yards
Comments:

This was my longest swim without having anything solid to touch the whole time. During the start I stayed towards the back so I could watch and stay out of the way of the people in front of me. Actually getting into the water and starting swimming wasn't bad, but I'm sure it wasn't the most efficient. I also wasn't warmed up, and so I wasn't ready to start swimming. The water felt cool initially, but it wasn't long before the temperature felt about perfect.

I don't think the swim went very well, and I really didn't like how I felt swimming for probably the first third of the way. Maybe it was my lack of experience in open water that made me so uncomfortable. On top of that, I felt very tired, so I couldn't get into a good rhythm. I would freestyle a bit, then side stroke or dog paddle to catch my breath before continuing freestyle. As tired and uncomfortable as I felt, I was never able to settle into the breathing pattern I have in the pool. About 2/3 the way through, I noticed that my neck was getting tight from only breathing on my left side.

After about a third of the swim was over, even though I wasn't swimming well, I did finally fall into something of a rhythm and even passed some people. Slowly, the beach got closer, but I was unsettled as I saw beds of lake weeds below me. Yuck. I've never liked that. Soon I could see sand and probably stood up too soon, but I was tired and didn't care. The swim was over.
What would you do differently?:

Oh man, where to start. I need to practice swimming in open water much much more. I should have also swam a bit to warm up as well.
Transition 1
  • 01m 22s
Comments:

My my my, what a difference practice makes. My transition wasn't as fast as the top people in the race, but it was definitely better than average. Putting on socks slowed me down a bit and I wonder if I could have gone without socks, but I figured I'd have to put on socks either at T1 or T2, so it might as well be T1.

I had shoes clipped in and rubber banded, so things went very well. I am very happy with my transitions.
What would you do differently?:

Not much different. It went pretty well.
Bike
  • 57m 41s
  • 20.6 miles
  • 21.43 mile/hr
Comments:

Aside from transitions, the bike leg was my strongest part of the race. I felt good, I felt relatively fast. My computer said I averaged 22 mph, though the results say 21.4. Whatever. I was happy with my speed. Though I wasn't super-efficient getting into and out of my shoes while on the bike, that went relatively well. Into the second lap I started to feel my hams getting tight. I coasted and stretched by pushing my heels down a couple times. Yeah, it was a good ride, though I was hoping to pass a few more people than people who passed me. Oh well.
What would you do differently?:

Practice getting into and out of my shoes a little more, but not much otherwise.
Transition 2
  • 01m 56s
Comments:

As soon as I hopped off my bike, I knew my legs weren't happy. I jogged with my bike, but it was clear that I wouldn't be running fast for quite a while. The transition went pretty well nonetheless. The biggest problem I had was getting my shoes on and tight enough.

I liked that everyone, after they had stashed their bike, had to run down around a far cone to equalize transition distance, but I was running slowly and was in pain. Those legs didn't want to move
What would you do differently?:

I want a different shoe lacing system. What I have I don't like.
Run
  • 36m 35s
  • 5 miles
  • 07m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

It took me about two miles before I felt like I was running instead of hobbling. My goal was to run the whole way and to finish faster than I started, which I did. The only person I passed I think had previously passed me, so I was pretty slow. Though my hams were very tight and I was slow, I actually felt relatively good during the run. I felt the best from about mile 2.5 to a little past mile 4. With about 1.5 miles to go, I decided that I needed to pass someone, and was able to pick up my pace a little bit more and caught the person in front of me. Then I decided that I couldn't let him pass me again since I heard him behind me. I surprised myself by having something of a kick the last quarter mile or so and I was very excited to see the finis in front of me. The guys with cow bells cheered me up, and I think I had a pretty big grin as I crossed the finish line.

I took off my chip and then collapsed on the grass. Uff-da!
What would you do differently?:

Don't neglect running while training! Do more bricks!
Post race
Warm down:

Lay immobile on the grass. Eat and drink a little. Hobble around trying not to fall down due to the pain in my hams. Choke back a few tears from being proud of myself for finishing my first Oly. Give my wife a sweaty armpit hug. Eventually stretch. Collapse more.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

My training this summer sucked. Plain and simple, it sucked. After Chain of Lakes I didn't have a set plan. In June I worked on a research paper constantly, so I didn't work out much at all. In early July, I went canoing and after that it was pretty hot so I really didn't train well at all. I totally neglected running and didn't do much swimming at all. Not good.

Event comments:

That was a big race. Wow. It seemed very well organized and there were lots of volunteers. The roads that the bike leg is on suck though. I don't know that I will be doing this race again simply based on that. Yuck. Overall though, it was a good race and I was happy to have done it.




Last updated: 2007-08-06 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:26:27 | 1408 yards | 01m 53s / 100yards
Age Group: 9/21
Overall: 80/209
Performance: Below average
Suit: tri race top and shorts
Course: It was a beach start where the water stayed shallow for around 50 yards. Then it was straight out into the middle of the lake and almost straight back to shore.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 72F / 22C Current: Low
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Below average Drafting: Bad
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 01:22
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:57:41 | 20.6 miles | 21.43 mile/hr
Age Group: 7/21
Overall: 49/209
Performance: Good
Wind: None
Course: Two laps around the lake, with rollers but no big hills. Crappy road conditions for the most part.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Average Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:56
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:36:35 | 05 miles | 07m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 11/21
Overall: 82/209
Performance: Below average
Course: Out and back, with the last half mile before the turn-around being downhill and then obviously running back up. Relatively flat otherwise.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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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2007-08-06 11:09 AM

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Expert
1277
1000100100252525
St. Paul, MN
Subject: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course


2007-08-06 12:07 PM
in reply to: #914768

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Extreme Veteran
832
50010010010025
Podunk County, MN
Subject: RE: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course
Congrats on your first Oly! Way to go. I hope to do at least one of those next year, so it's good to see somebody make the leap and survive to tell the tale!

That was a smokin' fast bike, there - nice job. And if that's your slow run/swim... well, I'm pretty impressed.

Those guys with the cowbells were the best! They totally cheered me into catching the girl in front of me - it was like riding a wave of encouragement all the way to the end. I thanked them for it later.
2007-08-06 12:13 PM
in reply to: #914768

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Expert
1277
1000100100252525
St. Paul, MN
Subject: RE: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course
Yeah, all the people cheering at the end was a big morale boost. Without the people I don't think I could have kept up my pace. For the long course too, the turn around was on a small road down by the lake with cabins on either side and there were a fair amount of people standing at the end of their driveways cheering too. At one cabin was a group of at least a dozen people who clapped, and cheered really loudly for everyone. That was great.
2007-08-06 2:45 PM
in reply to: #914768

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Extreme Veteran
506
500
Twin Cities, MN
Subject: RE: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course
Nice job! If you could do this without a lot of training...Wow! I did the long course last year and those people down at the cabins near the turn around were the only thing that kept me going. The support for this race is pretty great! Good to see you -  hope you're not too sore today!
2007-08-06 3:27 PM
in reply to: #915238

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Expert
1277
1000100100252525
St. Paul, MN
Subject: RE: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course
trigirlkris - 2007-08-06 2:45 PM
Nice job! If you could do this without a lot of training...Wow!

I am plotting and scheming for races next year. After seeing what I did in two races this year with spotty training, I want to see what I can really do now.

trigirlkris - 2007-08-06 2:45 PM
hope you're not too sore today!

Oh. I am sore... sore and waiting for a promised massage tonight. Ibuprofen and a good stretch after a walk this evening are the order of the day. There's a bike club ride that I thought about doing this morning, but I dismissed the idea almost as soon as the idea came to me.
2007-08-14 12:02 AM
in reply to: #914768

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Extreme Veteran
607
500100
Rochester, MN
Subject: RE: Brewhouse Triathlon - Long Course

I'll echo the comments that you had a nice race with very decent splits for your amount of training.  I also agree the bike course was nice, it was the condition of the roads that was BAD.  Bumpy as hell! 

I just got my race report finished as we headed over to Ely and then into the BWCA at Lake One as I mentioned onthe Minnesota Forum.  We had a great BWCA trip.  Went all the way into Insula on Monday and stayed there till Friday and then returned to Lake Three for Friday night and out on Sat.  Stayed with our son's apartment on Sat and wnr sea kayaking in the Duluth Harbor and Lake Superior before heading home to Rochester on Sun afternoon. 

Congrats on a good race.  

 

 



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