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DQ Triathlon at Kings Grant - TriathlonSprint


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Marlton, New Jersey
United States
70F / 21C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 23m 49s
Overall Rank = 183/222
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 12/16
Pre-race routine:

Ate a Clif bar and had some Gatorade. Listened to my psyche-up mix in the car on the way, freaking Jeff out with my energy level at 5:30 am . . .
Event warmup:

I actually warmed up (a bit). I biked a few doughnuts around the parking lot before we left, mostly to check out my bike (since I haven't actually used it in months now). After I set up my transition area, I ran a very short bit, then I went into the lake and swam maybe 100 meters. I was really glad I did that because I haven't swam in so long - it felt good and that reassured me. I also stretched, although probably not as much as I should have.
Swim
  • 07m 1s
  • 401 meters
  • 01m 45s / 100 meters
Comments:

Not bad considering I haven't swam for literally two months. I went into this completely cold. My body was thrilled to be back in water, though - even nasty brackish water. I was too close to the buoy at the turnaround and my legs got a little tangled in the rope, but it didn't slow me down too much. I went out pretty quick - I wanted to get ahead of that thrashing pack - and on the way back I really felt the out-of-shapeness. But it wasn't anything I couldn't work through - my shoulders were just unused to the effort. I swam into shore until my hand touched bottom, then got up and trotted dizzily to the transition area.
What would you do differently?:

Train! Other than that, I feel it was excellent. I just need to find a pool around here . . . and I don't want to pay for it :P
Transition 1
  • 02m 55s
Comments:

I wanted to take this fast, but I really wasn't up for it. I was a bit dizzy after the swim, so I had to slow it down a bit so I wouldn't forget anything. I threw some sport beans in my mouth as I left, and that was a good move, because I think that energy helped me on the bike.
What would you do differently?:

I'd arrange my transition area better. I decided I wanted some Gatorade, which I'd thrown inside my bag, so I had to spend a little time searching for that. It should have been out. Also, there was no rhyme or reason to how I put everything else on. I think that some of it I could have done while running with my bike. But this was my first ever real, serious T1 (barring a tropical storm and a du, which is certainly not the same). Since I didn't really spend any time planning it out, I suppose it went pretty well.
Bike
  • 44m 31s
  • 10 miles
  • 13.48 mile/hr
Comments:

Well, I was definitely better prepared for this than I'd been for my last race. But my psyche is still so fragile on the bike. My swim is so much better than my bike that I spend most of the course getting passed by people, and I really let it get me down (especially when those people are on cruddy bikes like mine). I get frustrated and depressed and it impacts my performance. I noticed this most clearly toward the end of the last loop, when a group of women passed me who I felt I could keep up with. The last one was passing me very slowly and I decided that enough was enough, so I kicked it up a gear and pulled away from her. It was the first time I've ever done that - usually people just zip on by me. My mental attitude changed instantly and I started gunning for the next girl, who I passed as well. The bike is so mental for me. And, in that race situation, I can't seem to reason myself out of it. This must be worked on, because it definitely drags me down.
What would you do differently?:

Work on that mental attitude and stop being such a head-case. TRAIN the bike heavily in the off-season. And buy a real road bike so I have a better chance of keeping up. Perhaps the second two are more likely to be fixed than the first . . .
Transition 2
  • 01m 13s
Comments:

Pretty good. I once again didn't bother racking the bike - I just used the kickstand. I found myself wanting things I hadn't put out again, which needs to be remedied. But I think I got out of it pretty well.
What would you do differently?:

Keep everything I need out in the open! I once again found myself fumbling through my bag for Gatorade (why had I put it back in there?!?!). Also, I tossed the rest of the sport beans in my mouth as I started running, and nearly choked on them. While it was a good pick-me-up, I should remember to not take so many at once. It's hard to breathe heavily and chew at the same time.
Run
  • 28m 12s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 09m 04s  min/mile
Comments:

My legs felt really terrible for the first half. I have not done a brick in ages, so I'm not used to that. It really took a while to get them back under me. And even then I felt like the run was pretty weak. There was a couple ahead of me that I was trying to pass for most of the first half, and I just couldn't gain much on them. Finally, at the midpoint, they stopped for water and began walking, so I blew past them and never saw them again. Again with my fragile psyche . . . once I passed them, I felt better, my gait improved and I really had a nice run on the way back. Once we got back on the roads, I kicked it up a bit, and managed to sprint much of the last 1/8 of a mile to the end, passing a few people. I felt it was a really strong finish, given how much training I've been doing (not much).
What would you do differently?:

On the course, I think it went pretty well. I just need to train more bricks to prepare my legs for that feeling, because that was holding me back for the first portion of the run. I probably should have been a bit more aggressive sooner, too.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around with Jeff, ate some pretzels and cookies (not as much as usual . . . I felt too queasy to eat much, especially right away). Watched the awards and talked to a surprising number of Georgetown alums (note to self: always wear Gtown shirts to races).

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The fact that I've been training for a week and a half, after a five week hiatus. But most of that couldn't be helped - you only get married once, after all :)

Event comments:

I was very happy with this race. I felt it was well thought out, there seemed to be plenty of volunteers, and everything ran smoothly. I will definitely do it again.




Last updated: 2007-06-05 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:07:01 | 401 meters | 01m 45s / 100meters
Age Group: 4/16
Overall: 23/222
Performance: Good
Suit: old blue speedo
Course: Out and back in maybe waist-deep, ugly brown water.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:55
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:44:31 | 10 miles | 13.48 mile/hr
Age Group: 15/16
Overall: 196/222
Performance: Good
Wind: None
Course: Three loops around local roads, circling the lake. It was a nice course, mostly flat, although there was a slight upgrade for the first third of the loop or so, and then a slight downgrade later on. Despite my lack of comfort on the bike, I enjoyed the course.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:13
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:28:12 | 03.11 miles | 09m 04s  min/mile
Age Group: 11/16
Overall: 166/222
Performance: Average
Course: Out down some residential streets, then turned into the woods for an out-and-back course. Nice and shady for much of the way, which was good. Since it was a trail, it was fairly uneven in spots, with rocks and roots to avoid, which can be difficult when you're that tired. The water station was set up as you entered the woods. You hit it three times - at the 1/2 mile mark, 1 1/2 mile mark, and at the 2 1/2 mile mark. That was weird for me. I will always stop for water, but I didn't need it that soon or that often. I understand, though, that this made sense with their course configuration.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Too much
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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2007-08-13 7:48 AM

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Lawrence Township,
Subject: DQ Triathlon at Kings Grant
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