Revolution3 Half Ironman Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Knoxville, Tennessee
United States
Revolution3 Triathlon Series
71F / 22C
Overcast
Total Time = 6h 06m 13s
Overall Rank = 177/367
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 36/51
Pre-race routine:

I had been having a great off season until my left heal revolted about two months ago and I had a nasty case of PF. That set my running back to almost nothing and work and life made cycling more difficult. I spent alot of time trying to figure out if I wanted to still do the Half, and after finally learning how to at least manage my PF I decided to go for the Half. My original goal was to try and qualify for US Half-Max, but after a few week of illusions of grander, I finally accepted that this would not be PR race. Once I accepted that fact i was OK. I got to drive from Philly to Chattenooga, TN for training (for work) the week before the race. It was record hot (96-97 F) and humid which made it rough especially coming from 70 degrees in Philly and 50 in Vertmont. Drove up to Knoxville on Friday and arrived in a monster T-Storm but the temp dropped significantly. Went for a run and got caught out in the rain, checkin in at the race and hotel. Next day I rode my bike, got a tune up, then check my bike in transitionand ran back. Listened to the pro's Q&A and got to ask a question about racing in the rain. Got to sleep early and got up at 5:15. Filled my bottles, pulled on my uniform and wetsuit and treked down to tranistion. Had chomps, UltraGen with Prerace for breakfast. Got to transition and was set up by 6;15 then noticed my weitsuit was on backwards.
Event warmup:

Walked down to the swim start about a half mile. Even though we were in the first wave after the pros they wouldn't let us down to the water even though there was 27 minutes after the woman's pro wave and ours. Also managed to tear my wetsuit in the leg pulling it up. Doop! When they let us down the steps to the water I was the third person in the water and got a bit of a swim in. Cold water.
Swim
  • 43m 18s
  • 2112 yards
  • 02m 03s / 100 yards
Comments:

Started middle and far right, moved back right before the start which was a good move. Still got pumppled for the first 250 yards or so as each way i when i had somonee swimming over me. Never really got a good feel for the water and we seemed to be swimming forever on the way out. (It was agaisnt the current). Navigation was too spot on as I had to duck under the first couple buoys. Finally made the turn and caught some semblance of a rhythm. Drift a bit far inside and saw a herd of oncoming blue caps so I correcte and swam away from the on coming Olympic wave. Just didn't get into a race groove but as I said I wasn't racing today. Worked my way back down river, hit another bouys, diving under it again, and then was surprised to hear the people on the dock. Flopped myself up on the dock and hit my watch so I had several lap times for the swim.
What would you do differently?:

Get revved up and find open water and a rhythm much sooner. Swam about where I was practicing this winter.
Transition 1
  • 03m 55s
Comments:

Long run up the dock, out the boathouse, across the road to the front of transition and around the pro transition and accross to my bike. Surprised myself by getting out of the wetsuit easily with an assist to Tri-Slide. Nice methodical transition. Kepp the jog slow since my heel didn't like being pounded barefoot on the pavement. Got my bike, nutrion, and pump and away I went.
What would you do differently?:

Could have run faster. Good transition.
Bike
  • 3h 06m 24s
  • 56 miles
  • 18.03 mile/hr
Comments:

Started out slowly and got whipped by the short steep highway onramp which I wasn't expecting since it wasn't on the course last year. After the jount on the highway we hit the road out of town and then started the big hills. I rode the hill great after the first one down shift and gliding up the hills as people around my tried to mash it. Very entertaining an scenic ride with some technical downhills. Took the down =hills very conservatively. Had one section where auto traffic stacked up on the course and a few AH kept swerving into the margin to keep cyclists from passing. I backed way off and had a flashback or two from last year, but after a few miles we turned left and the cars went straight. The road close to the city we pretty rough and there was one 4 way intersection and a light without traffic control, but for the most part it was a good ride. Drank every 15-20 min (EFS grape) and had a hit of liquid shot every 30-40 min (3 hit per flask is what I'm finding.) Had a good time and enjoyed passing folks in my granny gear spinning up the hills. Almost lost my pump but someone kindly let me know so i saved it hanging 95% of the way out.
What would you do differently?:

More training. Good ride but when you start thinking wow this ride is about 20 miles longer than my long ride for the years and it is full of hills, isn't the best mental picture to have.
Transition 2
  • 03m 34s
Comments:

Got to the mount line and the act of getting off my bike shot a quick cramp into my hammies. Slow walk to the rack and then found someone had their friggin wetsuit over my slot and the bike next to me was leaning into my spot. Had to run around both side of the rack and mess with that BS to get my bike into its spot. But after than it was very smooth and methodical. Had to remember to spray on some sunscreen and took my time doing so and grabbed another swig of EFS off the bike and headed out.
What would you do differently?:

Other than some inconsiderate neighbors transition went well
Run
  • 2h 09m 1s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 51s  min/mile
Comments:

Knowning this was the leg which was going to be tough I tried to take it easy and Ironman pace at best. My legs felt rough at first and that cramp lingers abit. Then I nearly did a fceplant on the stairs. After surviving that I got going and found a nice easy pace. My legs came to me and I got a great cheer from Sharpie at the aid station in the park. The hill after mile 4 was pretty mean long steep and rough with potholes. Crossed over into the neighborhood. That was a rough strech with a bunch of long rolling hills and turning around and doing it again. Melannie cruised past me and said I looked great. Didn't feel bad but just kept trucking along. My foot did start to throb a bit over the last 5k but I got thru it and made it to the end. Not alot of zipp in my legs.
What would you do differently?:

Not have PF and be ready for a great run. Again wasn't the best mind set as let the oh wow this is my longest run of the year by about 3 miles too.
Post race
Warm down:

Got my medal and space blanket and finisher's shirt. Had some muscle milk and water. The wind picked up and it was a lossing battle with the space blanket got a bag of food and waddled down to transition. Packed up my stuff and walked my bike back to the hotel. Steched out my PF and then got a shower in. Then head to the restaunt and got a Pulled pork sandwich and a Sam Adams and watched OKC city vs Memphis and NASCAR at Dover. Then went and played poker finishing 11th.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The injury and resulting lack of training. Think I made the right call to make it a catered training day. But I'd like to get another crack at it.

Event comments:

Again this was a great event. Cool expo, meet and greets with the pro and Q&A. Great bike mechanical support (got a tune up day before the race), Kids adventure race, great Pro race (Olympic) with Matty Reed running down Cam Dye and passing him right at the end. My teammated Brian Fleishman and Richie Cunningham finaished 4th and 6th. Good race and the weather held on too. Hot as heck all week, then heavy rain Friday and Saturday, but it was cool and overcast on Sunday and the rain held off until Sunday night somehow. Highly reccommend this race!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2011-05-17 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:43:18 | 2112 yards | 02m 03s / 100yards
Age Group: 23/51
Overall: 112/367
Performance: Below average
Suit: TYR Hurricane Cat 5 Full
Course: Started off swimming up river past the first set of red bouys for the Olympic and down to the second set and then back to the start, under two more bridges and down to the Tennesse lady Vols Rowing dock. Then flop up on the dock and done.
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 64F / 18C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 03:55
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
03:06:24 | 56 miles | 18.03 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/51
Overall: 0/367
Performance: Average
First 9.5 miles 32:22 (17.61 mph) Second 36 miles 1:56:35 (18.53 mph) Last 10.5 miles 37:26 (16.83 mph)
Wind: Some
Course: Knoxville is at about 1000 above sea level and has alot of rolling hills. Started out with a ride out on the highway including a very steep on ramp very early on, then out to the country road. Lots of rollling hills and four catagorized climbs of greater than a mile each and a total of over 1600 feet of climbs.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:34
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Bad
Racking bike Bad
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
02:09:01 | 13.1 miles | 09m 51s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/51
Overall: 0/367
Performance: Below average
First 2.8 miles 25:58 (9:17) Next 3.5 miles 32:40 (9:20) Next 3.2 miles 34:12 (10:41) FInal 3.6 miles 36:10 (10:03)
Course: Out of transition up some stairs, around transition down the main road to the greenway. Up the greenway to a park, then across the street and back on the upper section of the green way and the hills started to show up. A bill hill up and out of the grrenway (new section of the course) around 4 miles. Then up and out to a neighborhood across a highly backed up road. The neighborhood section had a bunch of rolling hills a few pretty long going up on the way out. Turnaround and back to transition and then up the hill around transition down the stairs then uphill to World's Fair park accross the track up arund the pavilion and across to the park and finsih line.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
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