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Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Columbia, Maryland
United States
The Columbia Triathlon Association Inc.
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 47m 34s
Overall Rank = 1537/1702
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 151/166
Pre-race routine:

Here's my disclaimer - the kids shared their strep germs with me and I really wasn't feeling 100% for this race. Although I admit I was feeling much better on race day and I did the 3 or 4 days before. Also I was really stupid and let "stuff" keep me from getting to bed at a reasonable hour the night before the race - I crawled into bed about 11p.m.

I knew from doing the practice on 8/3 that the traffic was going to be bad getting into the race so I wanted to get an early start. I got up 3:00 had a banana and a PB&J. Made a cup of coffee and was out the door by 4:00. Got to the park a little after 5 and the traffic wasn't too bad. Got body marked, then into TA to set my stuff up.
Event warmup:

I had plenty of time to set up and chat with Susan and KLynne. Met up with Laurie and Nicole and then ended up bumping into Nathalie. I have to admit that I enjoyed this down time and a chance to just chat with people. I was doing really good in the pre-race jitters department until I was in the bathroom before I headed down to the lake. Then I was pretty sure I was going to puke and wondering why on earth I had thought signing up for this race was such a good idea (Susan , it's probably a good thing you didn't happen to be in line w/ me at that moment:)
Swim
  • 30m 24s
  • 1094 yards
  • 02m 47s / 100 yards
Comments:

I had such high hopes for this swim, I had a really good swim in the practice earlier in the month. I was in the 2nd wave and we bobbed around for about 5 mins before we started. Several people kept getting ahead of the start bouy so they were constantly making us back up. The result was that everyone was really packed together when we started. Lucky me, I just happened to end up in the middle of a pack of breast strokers - I don't know how many times I got kicked in the ribs before I managed to get ahead of all but one of them. I ended up bumping into one of the breast stroke crew on and off for the entire rest of the swim. I was pretty close to the last bouy before I felt like I had enough clear water to put my head down and really swim. Toward the end I passed someone from the 1st wave - hats off to you, it is a true Iron Girl that will hang tough and get to the end even though the going isn't easy!!!!
What would you do differently?:

I guess I just need to swim faster so I can get to some clear water sooner.
Transition 1
  • 06m 7s
Comments:

OK - this took me long enough that I could have stopped by the Starbucks tent for a latta, but I swear I didn't. Since I'm terrible at drinking on the bike on a flat course and knew it would be even worse on the hilly course, I had decided to take my gels in the TA, which added some time. I didn't think I spent much time getting the grass off my feet, but there was a lot of it - everywhere. Also there was a women that was racked next to me that had a million question. She was waiting around for her sister who was in a later swim wave. I didn't feel like I spent much time talking w/ her either. Then of course - there's getting up the hill out of T1 in the goofy bike shoes - that could be a sport all on it's own. Guess all the little things just added up to a very long T1 time.
What would you do differently?:

Gotta do this faster, it would be such a easy way to improve my time!!
Bike
  • 1h 17m 53s
  • 18.64 miles
  • 14.36 mile/hr
Comments:

My plan was to take the start of the bike fairly easy. I did that, perhaps a little to well, because at one point I realized I was actually enjoying the ride - which meant I was doing it all wrong!!!! There are a couple of hills on the course that are just mean. On those I had to accept the fact that if I was going to make it up them it was going to be in the granny gear. At the top of the 2nd big hill (Fat Albert) the woman in front of me missed getting her bottle back in the holder and droped it. It was rolling toward me and there wasn't anything I could do but run over it - thank goodness it didn't cause me to crash. I stopped to make sure she was fine and the bottle was still usable (it was), although I don't know what I would have done for her if I'd flattened it. On one of the next corners a girl from the Hammer Gel Team that passed me on the way out of T1 had wiped out big time. There was a policmen with her and an ambulance was on the way. She was sitting up so I'm guessing she'll be fine but it's not the way you want the race to go for anyone!!! To the turn around, I was being passed - a lot!!! On a flat course I get to pass more people than pass me - I like it that way better. On the way back I decided I had to cut down on the number of people getting ahead of me. I did pretty good - although I was still passed some on the up hills. When I got a chance to look at my bike computer my max speed was 32.5 - woohooo!!!!. This girl from the flat Eastern Shore has come a long way from the first time I rode the course and I was cranking so hard on the brakes on the down hills!!!! The section on 108 from Homewood back to the park is pretty fun - it's rolling hills, none of them being to painfull to get up. No body passed me there!!!! When I got to the dismount area I rubber noodles for legs - I had a pretty hard time getting off my bike.
What would you do differently?:

More training. Also I need to work on leaving the shoes on the bike. Getting up and down the hills of the TA was just ridiculous in bike shoes.
Transition 2
  • 03m 5s
Comments:

Too long. Guess the rubber noodle legs didn't help. I should have taken the gel on the run course.
What would you do differently?:

Do it faster!!!!
Run
  • 50m 8s
  • 3.3 miles
  • 15m 11s  min/mile
Comments:

I'm am not a runner, and I am fine with that. I knew there was no way I was running up the hills on this course. I walked up and ran down - it worked out pretty well. One thing for sure is that the volunteers on the course were very supportive. But it was very weird having every one know my name since it was printed on my race number. At one of the steeper hills a volunteer says to me "Brenda you are looking good, looking strong" considering I'm walking I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to say "liar, liar, pants on fire!!!" That got a laugh out of him. After slugging it out on this course it was so cool to come into the finish line with ALL these people cheering for you. All the kids had there hands out for high fives - one of them being Buck, which didn't really register until I was already past him.
What would you do differently?:

I'll just keep plugging away at the running and hopefully my pace will eventually improve!!!
Post race
Warm down:

Almost immediately after I crossed the finish line I bumped into Allison. She had been swimming at Chespeake College. When I first met her in March she told me she had just started swimming and until just a few weeks before hadn't been able to put her face in the water. Here she was standing at the finish of her first tri and she'd had a great race!!! Glenn and the kids caught up with me. Then we ran into Susan (sk2a2005) and KLynne, who had both had great races. One of the things that make this sport so fun is the wonderful supportive people that are involved in it!!! After chatting we headed up to the food tent. Which I was actually glad was uphill - walking around made the legs feel pretty good.
After packing up I changed and headed out w/ Glenn and the kids for lunch and Cold Stone ice cream!!!!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Too many germs shared by the lovely children. A lack of sleep thanks to my own stupidity. Plus there are only so many hours in a day.

Event comments:

I am impressed with how well organized this race was. It was a huge number of people to get through the course. I had read that 60% of the participants were first timers - I think it is very cool that this event could motivate so many to get out and put in the time and effort to make it across the finish line.




Last updated: 2007-02-03 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:30:24 | 1094 yards | 02m 47s / 100yards
Age Group: 137/166
Overall: 0/1702
Performance:
Suit:
Course:
Start type: Deep Water Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 06:07
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:17:53 | 18.64 miles | 14.36 mile/hr
Age Group: 139/166
Overall: 0/1702
Performance:
Wind:
Course:
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 03:05
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:50:08 | 03.3 miles | 15m 11s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/166
Overall: 0/1702
Performance:
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2007-08-22 12:01 PM

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Subject: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon


2007-08-22 2:16 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Master
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Clifton, NJ
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon
wow. an amazing race in spite of the germs the kids had and shared and lack of sleep leading up to race day... you did great on a challenging course! see you at Danskin!
2007-08-22 2:50 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Brenda, you are amazing!  To have done this race after 4 days of strep and so little sleep is awesome!  You did a great job  It was great to hang out with you.  Thanks for doing this race, you really kept me going there in the end whenI was so worried about this race.

2007-08-22 3:55 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Expert
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Williamsburg, VA
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon
Congrats IRON GIRL!! So glad that I wasn't in line at the portta potties with you, but enjoyed hearing all the gagging while I was in there. Then to find out it was Klynn. So glad that you were feeling better by race time.  You did a fantastic job.  Thanks for letting me talk you into this!! Next year we all will do MUCH better!!! 
2007-08-22 8:13 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

you are my hero!  and i promise if i am elected triathlon president i will have people who breast stroke in their own rib crushing wave (ha ha!)

 

you did so great! 

2007-08-23 7:42 AM
in reply to: #936002

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Elite
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Reston VA
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Congrats on an excellent race! You overcame quite a bit of adversity since the first time you tried out that course.... You showed that course that yes you can ride hills!!

It looks like the Z5 training is working!! I am expecting a big PR at Osprey this year for you!



2007-08-23 10:47 AM
in reply to: #936002

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Owings, MD
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Great RR, Brenda!  I was really surprised at how long they held your wave in the water before letting you go.  By the time my wave came around, I think they realized it was too long to make us tread water.  We were only held for about 2 mins. 

My daughter got a picture of me all by myself away from the crowd during the swim - that's the only way I can do it without panic setting in.  I swim longer, but it's a small price to pay for me keeping my head.

Have a great race at Danskin and Osprey!  I'm not sure if I'll see you the rest of the season, but we'll still have to keep in touch. 

2007-08-23 5:33 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Master
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Virginia Beach, VA
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon
Great race! Congrats on beating the germs, your nerves and a hilly course; well done.
2007-08-24 7:01 AM
in reply to: #936002

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Master
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SMIBville
Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon
congrats on a great race.  way to overcome all that adversity. 
2007-08-27 7:42 PM
in reply to: #936002

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Subject: RE: Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon

Great race and way to stick it out up those hills!  I don't know if I would have been able to keeping going up Fat Albert if I ran over a water bottle.....good job!

It was nice to see you before hand....are you up for doing this race next year?

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