Lake Norman YMCA Triathlon (Saturday) - TriathlonSprint


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Cornelius, North Carolina
United States
Set-up, Inc
82F / 28C
Total Time = 1h 24m 50s
Overall Rank = 169/365
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 39/72
Pre-race routine:

Ate pasta for lunch the day before, sandwich for dinner. Woke up at 5am and ate cereal. Thought about eating a bagel also since I had a fuel issue last race but ended up not since this race was so much shorter. Left for the race site at about 5:30.
Event warmup:

Arrived, got my packet, chip, and marked. Found my spot and got my things set up. MUCH better spot than I've had the last several races. Nice open area and not "down an aisle" like I have been shoved into usually. Taped a gel pack on my bike. Used the bathroom and stretched for about 10 minutes while me and the girlfriend chatted with a guy talking up the Disney World Marathon and telling me of his experience of running the Marine Corps Marathon I am attempting in December. About 15 minutes prior to the race start I went on a short jog/run out on the race course down to Washam Dr. Stretched the hamstrings a bit more at Washam and ran back. Took a gel 5 minutes prior to race time.
Swim
  • 17m 33s
  • 820 yards
  • 02m 08s / 100 yards
Comments:

Can't be for sure but I swear it was a bit longer between waves than last year. Seemed like I was wading forever before the race started. This was easily the biggest wave I have ever been in to date. Everyone was kicking each other and moving around trying to find race prior to start. Once the horn sounded and we were off I was feeling better than usual as far as breathing. Usually I am gasping a bit but didn't have that feeling this time around at the start. I was a bit more satisfied this race that I was drafting more and sighting less. Still couldn't find anyone to consistently stay with to draft. But was finding different victims throughout the whole race until the last turn.
At the first turn I took what I thought was a 90 degree turn to the next bouy but was definitely off course. I took more of a 110 degree turn and was right of the other swimmers. Easily got back on course but I'm sure it cost me some seconds. Strangely enough I did the same thing in practice a few weeks before on this same course.
Rounded the second bouy and my shoulders started burning a bit. Unlike last race I know my arm turnover was a little faster as I felt like I was racing more than just a steady pace. I still don't feel any glide in my stroke though as I fight with the water way more than I glide through it.
About halfway through the backstretch after the second turn I might have drifted a bit torwards shore away from the bouys as a lot of swimmers, which now included the thrid wave overtaking me, were to my far right. Sighting dictated the same and I tried to compenstate a bit back to the right and back on course. Don't think I was too far off course, it might have just been perception. Need some of those eye in the sky helicopter shots to be sure, lol.
Coming up on the last turn bouy I was fighting to keep form as my arms were really getting tired. I had found another swimmer about my speed but I think I may have just slowed myself a bit trying to draft him as he was just a tad slower than me at times, ie I was hitting his feet.
Last turn I plowed it out, again I was probably fighting against the water more so than gliding through it but I felt strong coming up on shore.
What would you do differently?:

Technique training, arm strength. Probably my best swim to date but just need to train more in order to get my swim rank on par with my overall time.
Transition 1
  • 01m 55s
Comments:

A lot of this T1 time for the participants is the 200 yard run from the beach to transition. I felt the best I ever have coming out of the water so my pace was faster running to the transition area. Had a bit of trouble getting into my shoes (see bike comments) but it didn't affect my speed to much. Couldn't ask for too much more this time around.
What would you do differently?:

Hmmmm, not sure this time.
Bike
  • 40m 2s
  • 13.3 miles
  • 19.93 mile/hr
Comments:

Been pretty happy with the bike all year but this race didn't have anything too special. Oh one BIG gripe. NEVER again will I have bike shoes that strap to the inside! This is my last year with these. Just like last race they would come loose as the straps would rub just enough against the chain or bike crank and come loose. Tack on a few seconds here and there througout the course of me fiddling with my shoe straps trying to keep them from coming all the way loose and affect my pedaling.
As far as the course got a lot of the usual for this year. People about my speed were passing me on downhills. I would pass them on uphills. Overtook a lot of people during the course with the only ones overtaking me at a huge rate were the ones with souped up bikes and tires. In accordance with the posted times, it looks like the shorter course lopped off about 9-10 minutes with the shorter course this year. If that estimation is correct. I was about 6 minutes faster than last year when I didn't train that much, and about a minute or so faster than two years ago when I was training a bit.
Took a gel right after the left turn on to 115 after the Midway Lake hill. Right where I wanted to, glad I didn't lose it this time around.
Also with about 2-3 miles to go at 115 and Beaty a downpour hit. This would also be my first race, albeit a small part, in the rain. Cornering in the rain makes me paranoid so I know I was a bit slower when the rain hit, especially in the corners.
What would you do differently?:

New bike shoes, definitely! New bike? Hmmmm, maybe. I am starting to get more and more bike envy every year.
Need a bit more training with the high cadence leg power/speed. Something to not keep losing time on the downhill flats.
Transition 2
  • 00m 56s
Comments:

Best transition to date mostly because I felt pretty strong coming off the bike. Shoes were a bit harder to get into as the downpour a few minutes earlier had soaked them. Had a slight cramp in my upper quad as I bent over to get a shoe on as my legs were transitioning, only lasted a second though. Running out of transition is uphill. And plowed through it to get it out of the way and moving.
What would you do differently?:

Not much, was very happy with it. If my transition is ever worse it's because I had a great bike.
Run
  • 24m 26s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 07m 52s  min/mile
Comments:

With the way this run felt, I was kind of suprised my run time was only 20 seconds faster than last year. This was the first time for the Lake Norman Tri I didn't have to come to a stop because of hamstring cramping. As a matter of fact they gave me zero trouble the whole race. My calves were cramping up just a slight bit coming out of T2 but was never an issue where I was feeling less than tempo. Also felt pretty strong the middle third of the course which is usually where I feel the weakest (steady incline up Victoria Bay Dr).

What would you do differently?:

A little of everything training wise. Was hoping to be around the 23:00-23:30 range. At least I got a goal for next time. But this was a good step in the right direction as I felt stronger this run than I have ever on this course.
Post race
Warm down:

Collapsed for a bit. When Mark came in we talked a bit about the race before Steph tended to his bleeding ankle from his new shoes. I ate about half of a half of a pbj sandwich they were giving out before packing up the gear and headed out.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Swim-speed, bike-speed, run-speed. Endurance and power I feel pretty good, it's all about speed.

Event comments:

One gripe for setupevents I thought of. Grabbed a water running on the run course just to get my mouth saturated and the water was lukewarm/hot! Too much to ask for iced down coolers of water on the course? Minor gripe, everything else was great.




Last updated: 2009-08-24 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:17:33 | 820 yards | 02m 08s / 100yards
Age Group: 61/72
Overall: 281/365
Performance: Average
Suit: Zoot swim/tri suit
Course: Rectangle course. Although I swear not 90 degree turns at the outer bouys. (see comments)
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 86F / 30C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Below average
T1
Time: 01:55
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:40:02 | 13.3 miles | 19.93 mile/hr
Age Group: 34/72
Overall: 157/365
Performance: Average
Wind: None
Course: Rolling with approximately 3 decent climbs.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 00:56
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:24:26 | 03.11 miles | 07m 52s  min/mile
Age Group: 39/72
Overall: 158/365
Performance: Good
Course: Mostly flat, slight inclines and declines but only really one spot that can be considered a hill.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 4