Nautica Malibu Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Malibu, California
United States
Michael Epstein Sports Productions (MESP)
63F / 17C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 06m 27s
Overall Rank = 832/1416
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 29/77
Pre-race routine:

Up at 3:00 AM -- stupid o'clock to you and me. Drank a Propel, ate a Clif bar, a yogurt and a Herbalife protein bar. Had a cup of coffee at home and one on the way to the beach. Did my back stretches at home while munching and watching the news. Note: love the new flavor of Clif bar -- Maple Nut. Don't know if it's out in stores -- got mine at the Disney Tri Team Dinner/Pep Rally on Friday night. Yummy!)
Event warmup:

Set up in my row right when we got there so I wouldn't forget anything, but still forgot to put my bike computer on my bike. Brought two large Propels to sip on before the race, so sipped on one. Did my arm and standing stretches after that and then tried to calm myself by grabbing my camera and running around and taking pics of my teammates. (I am on the Disney Tri Team and we always show up to this race with over 300 team members, so it's really fun... I only had 350 people in my whole high school, so this is like the whole school showing up for the big game... WE DOMINATE, WE RULE!!! -- and we always win the fund raising challenge, which is wicked cool. This year -- $240,000!) Got my wet suit on around 6:25 -- with no drama this time! My husband has witnessed many a meltdown watching me try to get the damn wet suit over my (relatively for my size) large hips, thighs and butt -- French Canadian peasant stock, doncha know, built with my weight close to the ground so we can pick potatoes fast. Grabbed my Propel and we headed over to the main stage around 6:50... avoided the paparazzi swarm around Matt and Jen... and then headed for the swim start.
Swim
  • 17m 22s
  • 880 yards
  • 01m 58s / 100 yards
Comments:

I am ECSTATIC with this time, because I didn't train the swim this year at all -- I went to the pool all of three times since the end of June. The most important thing about this swim is that it was the most comfortable I've felt in a triathlon swim leg since I started doing this last year. Last year my time was 17:45 and that's when I was swimming 1:45 to 1:50 100's in practice. This year, since I didn't train much, in the few swims I did do, my 100 times were down to around 2:00... so I think I owe beating last year's time specifically to being much more comfortable in the open water, more comfortable getting in the water and through the breaks at the start, and better equipment. Last year I used a surfing wet suit. The tri suit made a huge difference in comfort, flexibility and buoyancy. Overall, very happy with the swim, but thinking with more training, and possibly some technique improvement, I can do better. Still this swim was very much a victory for me personally.
What would you do differently?:

Train more... improve my swimming technique
Transition 1
  • 06m 50s
Comments:

OK -- so here's where forgetting to put my bike computer on my bike pre-race hurt me. I was doing great on this transition (of course improving on last year's 8:19 or so T1 was going to be easy, right?) Well, I was almost done and ready to head out when I looked at my handlebars -- no computer. And at that moment, couldn't actually remember where I put my bike computer (it was in my saddle bag with my tire repair kit, but that was not coming back to me in the moment.) So I think I spent at least 1:30 maybe 2:00 looking for it, then I said "Awww, screw it..." and headed out without it...
What would you do differently?:

Well, obviously, put the bike 'puter on before the race... duh... or in case I forget it again, just go, don't bother looking for it...
Bike
  • 1h 01m 37s
  • 18 miles
  • 17.53 mile/hr
Comments:

Without my bike computer, I just concentrated on form and trying to remember to drink enough and take some gels at the turnaround. I also entertained myself by passing and being passed by three women from Warner Brothers. I would pass them on the uphill and they would pass me on the downhill... it was kind of fun. Anyway, last year's time was 1:09:15. So I shaved 7.5 minutes off... pretty cool. Last year I rode a hybrid and this year a road bike. I attribute most of the improvement to equipment.
What would you do differently?:

Remember bike computer. Train hills more.
Transition 2
  • 03m 11s
Comments:

Last year's t-2 was 4:52, so this was another significant improvement for me. I attribute much of the improvement to better pre-race set up, experience, comfort level with transitions in general, comfort with my equipment -- so I'm happy with this.
What would you do differently?:

Yanks -- will elaborate in the run comments section.
Run
  • 37m 26s
  • 4 miles
  • 09m 22s  min/mile
Comments:

I felt great about the run overall. Only thing is, I tied my running shoes too tight in the transition and by the time I got to the 3/4 mile point my feet had fallen asleep. So I stopped for maybe 1:00 to 1:30 to try and adjust, with no success. My feet were still asleep at the 1 mile water station. Since I didn't want to stop and readjust, I just told myself that I wouldn't be able to feel the blisters if I got any, so it was a good thing that my feet were numb. Seemed to work. Even with the stop, I beat last year's run time by 2:22. I spent the rest of the run concentrating on my form, getting my knees up as high as I could, relaxing my neck and back and checking the Garmin to make sure I wasn't going too fast so I didn't totally die before the end of the run... those techniques seemed to serve me well because I had no side stitches, no cramps, and had a kick left at the end. The run course is also where you see the size and scope and impact of the Disney presence at Malibu. For the first 3 miles of the run, I was seeing a Disney jersey every three or four people. By the last mile, it was down to every 7 to 10, but they were still there. I tried my best to say "Go Team Disney" at every team member I saw. It was great! Cheering for others kept my motivation and energy up and was just really fun! Also, wearing a Disney jersey always gets you lots of "Go Disney" cheers from the spectators. Makes a difference... it really does.
What would you do differently?:

Yanks -- I'm so particular about my lacing on my running shoes. I am going to get some Yanks tomorrow and start using them, perfecting the adjustment now. It's a little scary running with feet that you can't feel. Freaky...
Post race
Warm down:

As I left the chute, Jennifer Lopez was on the stage presenting her check -- over $150,000 I think -- pretty impressive. Got some fruit and waited for Todd. He went to get his wristband for the brunch, we took the team picture and went to get something to eat.

I had a great day. Overall, it was the most comfortable I've felt at any race of any kind since I started this whole athletics thing... I've never been an athlete. I was a cheerleader, and not an athletic cheerleader either -- except in college, I did stunts and some tumbling then, but mostly dancing, etc., so I'm new to all this. But this race, I started feeling like... an athlete. A triathlete, that is!!!

Event comments:

In my opinion, the Nautica Malibu Triathlon is a great race for any level of participant. They have ample volunteer staffing, great pre-race, during-race and post-race support, and it's really a fun event. I would recommend it to anyone from beginner to elite. What's not to love about getting to tell people that you did the same triathlon course as Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez? And I BEAT J-Lo! by 16 minutes!!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-03-01 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:17:22 | 880 yards | 01m 58s / 100yards
Age Group: 24/77
Overall: 584/1416
Performance: Good
Suit: X-Terra Vortex
Course: Point to point -- beach to buoy to buoy to beach...
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 64F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Average Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 06:50
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:01:37 | 18 miles | 17.53 mile/hr
Age Group: 26/77
Overall: 765/1416
Performance: Average
Wind: Some
Course: Hills -- 9 miles out on PCH, then turn around in campground beach parking lot, then 9 miles back.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Below average Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:11
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:37:26 | 04 miles | 09m 22s  min/mile
Age Group: 29/77
Overall: 864/1416
Performance: Good
Course: Flat on the strand at Zuma beach
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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