Fleet Feet Aquathon #4 - Aquathlon


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Madison, Wisconsin
United States
70F / 21C
Overcast
Total Time = 34m 40s
Overall Rank = 15/101
Age Group = M20-29
Age Group Rank = 9/23
Pre-race routine:

Decided not to swim for 3 weeks. Did some maintenance running though. Felt lightheaded at work a few hours before the race, so I tried to eat some things. I had a yogurt and a banana about 2 hours before the race. Turned out to be a very bad idea because they were still in my stomach at race time. I wasn't hydrated at all either.
Event warmup:

Ran almost 2 miles. Felt good with no aches and pains. Stretched everything out and then swam for about 5 minutes. My form felt off and my neck flexibility was not what it used to be. I figured I would have a crappy swim and a pretty good run. Predictions: swim between 14:00 and 15:00 and run between 19:00 and 20:00.
Run
  • 00m
  • 0 miles
  •  min/mile
Transition 1
  • 00m
Swim
  • 13m 20s
  • 1094 yards
  • 01m 13s / 100 yards
Comments:

At the gun I jumped out in front and dolphin dived for about 50 yards. I wanted to do that for as long as possible because I didn't have confidence in my swimming ability today. Some dude was swimming next to me as I dived and he kept up, and I was a little offended by that, actually. Once I started swimming he was gone. So was everyone else. I was very wide to the right with no one to draft off of. I tried to veer left, but every time I did someone who wanted to go off course ran into me. Slacked off a bit for the first 1/3 of the race, just trying to find some rhythm. In the second 1/3, I thought I found a good draft, but he/she got away from me after about 10 seconds. I think if I felt good today I could have stayed with him/her/it. I wound up pulling a lot of people through this section with no one right in front of me. Still didn't feel strong. In the final 1/3, my heart was finally working. Once again I tried to get a draft and failed. Finally decided to cruise in on my own, feeling lightweight sick to my stomach because I was actually pushing for this part.

I saw the clock when I was coming out of the water and said no effin' way! Out of 3 aquathons, this was my fastest swim split. And I didn't feel like I was swimming well at all. All those people passing me must have made a giant current or something.
Transition 2
  • 00m 38s
Comments:

Reasonably good T1. I would expect low 30's, but this is fine. I finally racked in the most ideal spot, just next to the run exit. This gave me time to strip while running in.
Run
  • 20m 43s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 06m 40s  min/mile
Comments:

Not super happy with this run. I could tell my body had lost familiarity with running after a swim, because my legs felt like noodles the entire time. I also was breathing very heavily for the first mile, so I had to work harder than usual.

As is my way, I had a good first mile where I passed a bunch of people, then a second-mile slump, and then I willed myself to a good third mile. In this case the second-mile slump was due to cramping in my stomach. The food I had eaten was punishing me. At about mile 1.25 or so I stopped and did some of that bend-over-and-punch-your-stomach business to get rid of the cramp, because it had become unbearable. I lost two places there, which I would later make up.

Before the race I had planned to go for broke about 3/4 of a mile from the finish, because there was a hill that I thought I could use to my advantage. I learned before that kicking on the final 300-m straightaway is a bad strategy because everyone is going fast there and it's hard to actually pass. Earlier surges have a better chance of success. So, anyway, once I made my move I got the two places back which I had lost and there were two more guys within reach. On the final straightaway I was still really gaining on them, and then just before the 3 mile mark I felt myself getting ready to hurl. It was quite a strong urge, but I resisted and actually spoke out loud to further persuade myself to stay in control. The two guys were like 30 feet ahead of me and I could have outsprinted them, but I gave up the hunt because if I barfed I would not only lose those guys, but the guy behind me would probably beat me too.

Mile 1: 6:16, not too bad.
Mile 2: 7:40, I think I just get lazy here because the mental effort of the first mile is too much.
Mile 3 + 0.1: 6:47, back on track!
What would you do differently?:

Not eat before the race!

THEN, push through the whole thing, noodly legs be damned!
Post race
Warm down:

Nothing really. I stepped in the lake but it wasn't too cold.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Racing with food in my stomach and no fluid in my blood vessels. I was spittin' dust during the run! The race was the reverse of my predictions, which doesn't make sense, but maybe I cashed in too much during the swim and then that made my run suffer.

Hey at least I'm consistent within my age group. 9th in the swim, 9th in the run, 9th at the finish.


Event comments:

Good race. As the summer progresses, the races in this series keep getting faster and more competitive.




Last updated: 2009-08-06 12:00 AM
Running
00:00:00 | 00 miles |  min/mile
Age Group: 0/23
Overall: 0/101
Performance:
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
T1
Time:  00:00
Overall:
Putting on cap, goggles and wetsuit:
Getting out of shoes:
Swimming
00:13:20 | 1094 yards | 01m 13s / 100yards
Age Group: 9/23
Overall: 25/101
Performance: Average
Suit:
Course:
Start type: Run Plus: Shot
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Bad
Waves: Good Navigation: Good
Rounding: Average
T1
Time:  00:38
Overall: Good
Removing cap, goggles and wetsuit: Good
Getting into shoes: Good
Running
00:20:43 | 03.11 miles | 06m 40s  min/mile
Age Group: 9/23
Overall: 0/101
Performance: Average
Course:
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
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