Goosepond Island Half Distance Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman


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Scottsboro, Alabama
United States
Goosepond Island Half Distance Triathlon
60F / 16C
Overcast
Total Time = 5h 03m 45s
Overall Rank = 48/195
Age Group = 40-44M
Age Group Rank = 8/20
Pre-race routine:

I drove up with the family on Saturday to spend the night. Got up at 4:45 am and ate a bagel with peanut butter and a bowl of oatmeal. Got to the race at 6:00 am to set up transition, get oriented to the layout, etc.
Event warmup:

I did some running to break a sweat and get the HR up.
Swim
  • 36m 48s
  • 2112 yards
  • 01m 44s / 100 yards
Comments:

Since it was windy, there seemed to be a lot of chop to the water. My time was ok but I know I can improve a lot here. I felt plenty strong and my breathing was good. However, my navigation needs work. I was swimming all over the place. I feel like if I sight more effectively and swim straighter I can drop a lot of time.
What would you do differently?:

Swim straighter. I'm going to look into attending an open water clinic next year. I'm rating my swim as "average" mainly due to poor navigation.
Transition 1
  • 03m 1s
Comments:

Overall T1 was ok. Ran from swim exit to T1, got the wetsuit off quickly, shoes and helmet on quickly, etc. However, I had a problem getting my arm warmers on over the wet skin. Felt like an eternity getting those things on. It was cold and windy (about 55 - 60 degrees) so I really wanted to get them on. Ended up being worth the time as they did a great job keeping me warm.
What would you do differently?:

Not much.
Bike
  • 2h 41m 17s
  • 56 miles
  • 20.83 mile/hr
Comments:

This is the best I've felt on a bike leg in any race I've ever done. I've spent a lot of time on this with my coach, Andrew Shanks. I felt strong and fast today. Usually, I'll start to fatigue during the last quarter of the race but I felt good the whole ride. I focused on keeping my HR at 140 and drinking enough water and Nuun. I also took in some energy gels for calories. I'm very happy with this bike leg. The time I've listed is estimated. The official time listed was 2:44:17. However, that time includes time spent in T2. Due to some technical glitch with the timing chip, my bike split and T2 have been lumped together. I checked the Garmin as I was approaching the dismount line and it was b/w 2:40 - 2:41. I think a split estimate of 2:41:17 is reasonably close.
What would you do differently?:

Not too much. Very happy with the bike leg.
Transition 2
  • 03m
Comments:

Happy with T2. Dismounted quickly, ran with the bike to the rack, got socks and shoes on, and ran out. The time I've listed is estimated. My timing chip did not split out my bike time and T2.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Run
  • 1h 39m 38s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 07m 37s  min/mile
Comments:

Overall I felt good. Probably started a little too fast - around a 7:30 mile. Started to slow down during the second half of the run - around a 8:30 - 8:35 mile. I felt great up until mile 7 - 8. The remainder of the run seemed long. My legs and back started to get tight. I was able to push through it and not stop or walk. I think I kept pace at 8:35 but the finish line was a welcomed sight. I ran across the finish line with my 6 year old son, which was fun! We both got a big kick out of it.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe do longer runs more frequently. Overall I'm happy with the run.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around, drank water, ate some of the food, etc.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Poor navigation during the swim. My legs and lower back got tight during the last 4 miles or so of the run. However, I'm very happy with my performance in this race. Far surpassed the goal times I set for myself. The weather was perfect (at least for me) - cool and overcast.

Event comments:

I think this is the first year they have had the Half Iron event here. They did a good job. Lots of volunteers and signs to help direct you - with one exception. At the very end of the run they snaked us along the back edge of transition to get to the finish line. It was not well marked and I had to slow down to ask the volunteer for directions. In the scheme of things, not that big a deal. I would recommend this race.




Last updated: 2012-08-14 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:36:48 | 2112 yards | 01m 44s / 100yards
Age Group: 13/20
Overall: 0/195
Performance: Average
Suit: Wetsuit
Course: Circular course. Four left turns and back in.
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 69F / 21C Current: Medium
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 03:01
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
02:41:17 | 56 miles | 20.83 mile/hr
Age Group: 8/20
Overall: 0/195
Performance: Good
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Out and back course. Some rolling hills but mainly flat.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:00
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Good
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:39:38 | 13.1 miles | 07m 37s  min/mile
Age Group: 6/20
Overall: 0/195
Performance: Good
Course: Past the golf course and through the camp grounds.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5