Soma Half Iron Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Tempe, Arizona
United States
The Red Rock Company
93F / 34C
Sunny
Total Time = 5h 01m 33s
Overall Rank = 88/767
Age Group = M 35-39
Age Group Rank = 23/115
Pre-race routine:

4AM wake-up. Breakfast and head to transition
Event warmup:

A few strides & some jogging
Swim
  • 34m 19s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 37s / 100 yards
Comments:

This was a good swim for me. Usually my weakest event I take it easy to make sure I don't panic or blow up. Not too congested and barely any contact!!! Got in a grove and tried to swim as straight as I can. The interesting thing here is that the timing mat is at the entrance of transition (Am I wrong?) so your time includes the climb out of the water, having your wetsuit stripped and then jogging to transition....I know I'm splitting hairs but it could add up to 60-90 seconds, the difference between a good swim and an average one.
What would you do differently?:

Could have pushed a bit harder I guess.
Transition 1
  • 02m 1s
Comments:

As good as I can expect
Bike
  • 2h 31m 38s
  • 56 miles
  • 22.16 mile/hr
Comments:

This is where the race started to unravel for me. Apparently I dropped one of my three gels(they are 400 calories each) as well as all my salt tabs early - not sure where. I tried to drink a lot b/c it was sooo DRY, but just could not overcome the nutrition deficit without all my supplies. This is a 3 loop course and the progression was a harbinger of things to come:
1st loop 46 min
2nd loop 48 min - here is where I started to feel the effects of the lack of calories/salt with minor cramps starting to announce themselves.
3rd loop 57 min - OUCH!!!!
Coming into transition I stood up to stretch my back & calves as well as shake the quads loose a bit and both of my quads just cramped tight, so much so I was worried I was not going to be able to dismount.
What would you do differently?:

Make a better nutrition plan, bring extras, find a better storage than my back pocket and execute better!!!!
Transition 2
  • 01m 32s
Comments:

This was just an exercise in confusion. I never had cramps before and did not quite realize what was happening, all I knew was that I was not moving right.
Run
  • 1h 52m 3s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 33s  min/mile
Comments:

Oh well...what can be said except for this was not the 7 min/mile pace run I had planned. Took off and felt great, sub 7min pace and low heart rate, for 500 yards. Then both quads cramped shut again and I held on to a tree not to fall over. As I tried to stretch the quads the hamstrings cramped tight....and here we go! The rest of the run was more of the same. When I could run I felt good. HR was 5-10 bpm lower than normal for race pace and I was keeping 7:15-7:30 pace, which I was not too disappointed with given the circumstances. The problem was that I could go no more the 3/4 mile to 2 miles before I had to stop due to cramps. At mile 8 I felt a strange feeling in my calves and my mile 9 they had joined the party cramping every mile or so. The last 4 were the most painful miles I have ever run...I'm pretty sure!!!
What would you do differently?:

I would create a better nutrition plan starting on the bike.
Post race
Warm down:

Medical and massage tents.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

My very poor nutrition strategy and lack of accounting for hot weather, showed me what my limits are and exposed all my weaknesses!!!

Event comments:

I can say I had a humbling lesson taught to me in SOMA, one I am not soon going to forget. I just hope I can learn and grow from this and not make the same mistakes again!!
Great race, great venue. Looking forward to coming back (without imploding!!)




Last updated: 2011-04-03 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:34:19 | 2112 yards | 01m 37s / 100yards
Age Group: 21/115
Overall: 85/767
Performance:
Suit: Blueseventy Helix
Course:
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 73F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:01
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
02:31:38 | 56 miles | 22.16 mile/hr
Age Group: 13/115
Overall: 65/767
Performance: Below average
Wind: None
Course:
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 98
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Average Hills:
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:32
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Bad
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
01:52:03 | 13.1 miles | 08m 33s  min/mile
Age Group: 34/115
Overall: 116/767
Performance: Bad
Course:
Keeping cool Average Drinking Too much
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? No
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] 4