Iowa Games Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Des Moines, Iowa
United States
Iowa Games
82F / 28C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 30m 32s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = Fat girls
Age Group Rank = 3/18
Pre-race routine:

Set up my bike, talked to others. Told them that this was my first triathlon and received lots of help from everyone. They were able to show me different ways to set up my transition area and talked me through how to get through transition. Picked up my race packet, got my numbers and marked. Already had my compression garments and tri suit on and ready to go.
Event warmup:

Walked around and swam in the lake for about 20 minutes to get use to the water and being so close to other people. Continued to talk to other people there and found everyone to be nice and supportive.
Swim
  • 13m 39s
  • 440 yards
  • 03m 06s / 100 yards
Comments:

Seeing that this was my first triathlon and my third time actually swimming in open water I think I did well. I had never attempted to draft before but that really didnt matter since I was one of the last one's out of the water. The water felt great and I felt comfortable in it. I did manage to swim right into the first bouy but was able to get around it witout a problem. I soon found my rhythm and was off. I ended up with my fastest swim time yet. I was able to get around the other bouyes without any problems.
What would you do differently?:

I need to work on sighting and being able to keep up with the others. That being said, being one of the last one's out of the water meant that it was easy to find my bike!
Transition 1
  • 01m 42s
Comments:

Transition I think went as well as it could. This was my first tri and I really did not have any idea or experience on how to do things. I can watch YouTube videos on it all day but until I actually do it I can only hope for the best.
What would you do differently?:

Put my socks in plastic bags. It rained a little bit before the swim leaving me with wet socks and shoes, Yuck! Other than that I think I T1 was laid out in a logical order.
Bike
  • 43m 39s
  • 13 miles
  • 17.87 mile/hr
Comments:

Since I wore a tri suit I was able to keep my transition time down. Getting out of transition was interesting. We had to run down then up a small grassy ditch to get to the mount point. Since I wear clips on my shoes it was interesting trying to keep my balance on wet grass and still hold onto my bike. The course it self I thought was challanging but not impossbile for a first timer like me. My chain slipped off the front grears twice costing me precious time. I was able to get everything fixed and set to go both times without any help. I managed to break one of the most basic rules in racing though: Nothing new on race day. I had backed in my back pocket a GU energy gel that I soon found out I could not safely eat and bike at the same time. It hung in the back of my thought leaving me feeling like I was choking. And it was so sweet that I only had half of it. Even with water it was not a pleasant experience. Of course I didn't even try to odo a flying dismount off my bike but I was able to run into T2 without a problem.
What would you do differently?:

Run the bike through the heigher gears the night before race day to make sure the chain will ride all the gears. I will also like to do a lot more hill work, the hills on the course just about had me. It let me know where my weaknesses are.
Transition 2
  • 01m 20s
Comments:

Getting my bike up and on the rack seemed easly. I slipped my bike shoes off and my running shoes on without a problem. Took a quick drink of my Powerade and headed out. By time time I left T2 I realized that I forgot my sunglasses. It was still overcast but the sun was peaking out in some placed and I had one my bike with them on and had gotten accustom to it looking slightly darker than it really was. Since it had rained eariler my other pair of scocks were wet to I just kept my current pair on.
What would you do differently?:

Keep my sunglasses on. Put both pair of scoks in seperate baggies to keep them dry. Condider taking a small water bottle for my back pocket for the run segment.
Run
  • 30m 9s
  • 3.1 miles
  • 09m 44s  min/mile
Comments:

I got out of T2 feeling great but soon my legs were going much slower than I wanted. My legs did not feel heavy but very tired. I flet like I could not swing my hips foward enough leaving me with a run/shuffle gate for most of the course. I was hot and feeling miserable from still having lake water in my hair and my compression clothing wet with lake water and sweat. For most of the course I did a run/walk combination but was able to get across the finish line without feeling like I was going to die and still felt ok physically and mentally.
What would you do differently?:

Wear dry socks, even if its just for mental support anything would have helped. I need to work more on my brick workouts to get used to running off the bike.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around talking to people and eating the snacks that where provided.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

It was my first tri and I think I did as well as I could. I wish my chain did not slip on the bike and that I could swim faster but overall I'm happy with my performance.

Event comments:

It was my first tri and I think I did as well as I could. I wish my chain did not slip on the bike and that I could swim faster but overall I'm happy with my performance.




Last updated: 2011-07-20 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:13:39 | 440 yards | 03m 06s / 100yards
Age Group: 3/18
Overall: 3/
Performance: Good
Suit: Black and blue tri suit
Course: A lazy triangle in a counter clockwise pattern. Course was marked with red bouys. Also had lots of support personnel both in and out of the water.
Start type: Run Plus:
Water temp: 82F / 28C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Good
Breathing: Average Drafting: Below average
Waves: Good Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 01:42
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Average
Biking
00:43:39 | 13 miles | 17.87 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/18
Overall: 3/
Performance: Average
Wind: Little
Course: A three loop course consisting of several small hills and two large hills per lap. Even heard some of the veteran tri's complain about the course. We had to cross over a set of rail road tracks at the bottom of the hill, have not been that scared on my bike in a while. Flying down the hill was bad enough trying not to look down and loose my balance. But then had to cross over some tracks made it worse. Was thankfull for the last time I had to cross them.
Road: Smooth Wet Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Not enough
T2
Time: 01:20
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Average
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:30:09 | 03.1 miles | 09m 44s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/18
Overall: 3/
Performance: Average
Course: A two lap course that was mostly flat with one small hill in the middle. It was paved with a water station at the half way point of each lap.
Keeping cool Below average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4