Rev3 Quassy - Olympic Course - Triathlon


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Middlebury, Connecticut
United States
Rev3
64F / 18C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 42m
Overall Rank = 114/799
Age Group = 55-59M
Age Group Rank = 3/34
Pre-race routine:

Because both of our kids were doing a race, we opted to stay at a local hotel which gave us the confidence we could get there quickly. In reality, it didn't work as we were quite late to transition. Kyle left his timing chip and we had to turn around and when there are multiple people racing, there is so much more to think about and remember. Usual pre-race breakfast of: RK treat, Boost High Protein, Bannana, Half a PopTart and G2. Drove in and did have to wait in traffic, as usual. I am more patient now while waiting to turn into the park because I know the timing to ensure a spot in the park. You must be at the 1/2 mile in spot by 5:20am to have enough time in transition and not feel rushed as it takes some time to haul the stuff over and set up. Kyle, my 19 yo son doing his second triathlon wanted to prove he could do it on minimal training. I reminded him of all the things needed to be done, but you know something always gets missed. Weather was perfect but there was serious fog! Set up the transition towel and went to the BR then headed down to the water.
Event warmup:

Hung around feeling the usual butterflies but I love the pre-race excitement now. Still, I was more anxious than usual with Kyle racing and wanting to push the pace this race and starting out the swim fast has always gotten me into trouble so I did an extended warmup. The start was delayed as you couldn't see past the first buoy and people could not be tracked in the water safely. The race started about 1/2 hour late when the fog cleared enough to see the course. In the overcast skies, I was able to see the back side buoys for the first time-ha!
Swim
  • 30m 35s
  • 1600 yards
  • 01m 55s / 100 yards
Comments:

The race started and I slowly, deliberately walked into the water until I couldn't. Then I started a nice, smooth, aggressive stroke. Started passing people (really, I did) and swam strongly for the for 5 minutes. I saw the first buoy was 2:50 on my watch and I was swimming 1:32 pace for the first third of the race, quite fast and I was on the verge of going too fast. Then, as usual, a solid kick to my chest, which happens every race, and I drank some lake. This is no big deal but due to the fast pace and location/venue being exactly where I had my first panic attack, I again started to hyperventilate. At least I know that I have to just control my breathing so I flipped onto my back and started to scull and then float while blowing all my air out. I did this for about 30 seconds and tried to swim but I wasn't quite ready so I did it again and then I was OK. Over a minute wasted on anxiety but I was not going to let it get me and just went back to swimming but much more slowly. Drafted behind someone for a bit on the last 1/3 but kept drifting over to the left so I left him and went past on the inside. Swim until you can touch, get up and start the jog up transition with a quick wave and went back for a fist bump to my son. Splits: 9:02/10:13/9:09; 27 SPM, much faster than my usual pace
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1200162532/1
What would you do differently?:

Start slower. Work on anxiety control. Another panic attack at Quassy-just priceless...

Transition 1
  • 02m 39s
Comments:

I did well with this transition. Went steady, no glitches. Got the swim stuff off and bike stuff on. No socks to save time but I hadn't practiced that at all and my feet got chewed up badly. Practice, practice, practice...I should know better but just forgot.
5/34 in AG; 205/799 OA
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Bike
  • 1h 17m 17s
  • 25.8 miles
  • 20.03 mile/hr
Comments:

I pushed pretty hard. GC said I burned like 14 matches but most were from going 280-400W for 20-60 seconds at various times. It seems like this is a reasonable trade off for momentum and it didn't seem to hurt me on the run so I'll do it like that again. There were a couple 'sprints' of 5-10 seconds at ~450-500W which is just silly. I'm not sure where I did these and should not have wasted the energy. Each cost 2 KJ. AP=202; NP=218 (right at my goal) but low cadence of 82 was because of lots of coasting to save energy. I have no problem with that and from practice, I learned that you can even go faster coasting if you are more aero as there is added energy cost of pedaling and not being as aero as you can get just coasting. IF of 0.93 with estimated FTP of 235, which was accurate by recent testing. VI=1.08. TSS of 110. 934 KJ total. AvHR=146/max=154. Wanted to be at avHR of ~146-148. The HR monitor died about 1/3 into the race so it is certainly incomplete data. Estimated CdA=0.25, not bad, not great. I hit my goals pretty much spot on. Could have done better with the VI but you can't ask for everything.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1200162578/1

Tried to cheer on anyone in a Cyclonauts kit. Good to have a team behind you, which is quite new to me.



What would you do differently?:

Nothing except avoid the short 'sprints'. Gotta figure out how to use Garmin multisport better.

I was quite happy with that effort and bike split performance and pleasantly surprised at how well I did comparatively!
Transition 2
  • 01m 27s
Comments:

A tad slower as my feet were hurting and I didn't know why at the time. Got a few cuts. Wanted to stuff nutrition into my top but with belt on it didn't go so I stuffed it down the front of my top. Mike was yelling to me that my split was 1:17! My wife was screaming her usual 'Go Dale!', which I just love, BTW.
10/34 AG; 265/799 OA
What would you do differently?:

Start thinking about transition a little earlier to run it all through my mind and KNOW what has to be done and be quick about it. Still lots to learn about this triathlon thing. At least this year I knew that I had to run out the back-ha!
Run
  • 50m 2s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 08m 04s  min/mile
Comments:

I pushed hard and it is nice to know what kind of effort I can hold on the bike and still be able to run. I'm going to have to use this to figure out Syracuse as the Half at Quassy was just miserable and did not help me at all for IMLP.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1200162578/2
What would you do differently?:

train on hills a bit more at tempo pace
Post race
Warm down:

Wanted to puke, so that's a good sign of maximal effort. Took a few minutes to catch my breath to even talk. Very challenging to lay it all out there. Worse knowing I had to return tomorrow for the HIM. Loved being surrounded by my family at the end. Went out to cheer Kyle on to his finish once I was able to get my wits about me. Very proud of the boy doing the race but not sure minimal training is the way to go. He proved he could do it that's for sure.

Course Maps Link
http://rev3tri.com/quassy/course-maps/

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Not much. That was a PR and a max effort. Shocked to see that I got 3 AG and made the podium for the first time ever in a big race. The fast old guys must have decided the weather was too risky for both days and just didn't come.

Event comments:

I love this race. I still wish they would do better with parking. Two entrances into the park would make it twice as fast. It could also use some more shelter and seats for sunny/rainy days. I am lucky to have a super strong support group around me that starts with my wife Denise. Joining the Cyclonauts has been wonderful and there are so many people who have opened up (especially JimS/Gerry/Doug/Mary/James and so many others) and shared experiences and having someone to S/B/R with is priceless for a guy who does 99% of his training solo. Special props to my kids Mike and Kyle who did race weekend with me. Swimming with Tony keeps me at a level which is far above what I could do without him pushing me. Cycling with my Ellington peeps (Jae/Gary/Bill/Mike/Jim) and my EGranby/Canton crew (JimR/Bill etc) are always fabulous bike training days. And Bobby, DC/DreamChaser has been my idol and mentor for triathlon from the beginning. Very special seeing and talking to him during the event.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2015-11-06 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:30:35 | 1600 yards | 01m 55s / 100yards
Age Group: 12/34
Overall: 313/799
Performance: Bad
Suit: Helix Sleeveless
Course: Inverted triangle. First two yellow buoys followed by Orange Turn buoy. All are about 0.1mile apart. Each side of the triangle is ~0.3. Overcast and no sun glare for the first time ever.
Start type: Wade Plus: Waves
Water temp: 73F / 23C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Below average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 02:39
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:17:17 | 25.8 miles | 20.03 mile/hr
Age Group: 2/34
Overall: 68/799
Performance: Good
Totally messed up the Garmin as it was in Multisport. Said I was running by now so I reset it and changed it to bike as I was walking down through to the transition bike exit. Just one more thing to come up and think about. I may leave it on the bike next time and not time the swim which makes sense since I don't want to push the pace in the swim anyway. Or I'll have to figure out a better way. Decided that I would try to hold 210-220 W so I used the 3s and 30s Power screen I'd set up and just looked at that and HR and tried to keep it at 215 most of the time. This helped a lot and forced me to pick up the pace at the top of hills and the beginning of flat sections. This is important to remember. I tried not to burn matches and not go too high over FTP, but according to Golden Cheatah, I did burn a few.
Wind: Little
Course: Out and to the left, rolling hills constantly but net down for the first five miles then rolling and net UP for the next 10 miles with a long slow ~4 mile grind up from 6-10. Steep hill mile from 13-14 had me up and out of the seat burning a match. You then can fly down until mile 20 when it gets flat again. I hit my max speed of 49.3mph during this section. Then one last 2 mile grind from 20-22 before some rollers taking you back to the transition area. Nothing is flat for very long, it's up or down and in the end it always seems like there is more DOWN.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence: 82
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:27
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Running
00:50:02 | 06.2 miles | 08m 04s  min/mile
Age Group: 4/34
Overall: 169/799
Performance: Good
I had to try to reset the Garmin but it went into multisport by accident. At least I got data. Began to run and tried to go out and just get my breath and run steady for the first few miles. I knew it was flat to rolling downward for the first 2 miles so I just wanted to get some nutrition as I like to eat Shot Blocks in the beginning of the run. I noticed my HR was reading 46 so the battery in the HR monitor strap died during the race-doesn't it always seem to work out like that? Felt pretty good and started to immediately lengthen my stride and quicken the pace instead of just 'settling in'. Banked some time on those first miles and would need it as there are still a few hills on the run. Hit the first one and just tried to keep a quick cadence and steady effort. The hill lasts from 2.1-2.6, so only ~1/2 mile but it takes a bite. Then steady again and the next hill is 3.0-3.3. Again, steady effort. Walked through all aid stations and had gatorade initially and switched to coke. Started to bonk at mile 4 so I took consecutive gels and water/gatorade. Got to the steeper hill at mile 5.5-5.8 and just pushed the best I could. Actually walked for 5 breaths as I was nearing my max effort. I was talking to a guy who was bouncing around me in my AG from the end of the bike to now. He says 'I hope we aren't 3 and 4'. It took me a second to realize he was talking about AG spots but I've never heard that kind of talk before. It didn't matter because as soon as we hit the hill, he shot up it like he was coasting previously. Gapped me and I did not believe I had any chance of catching him. I saw his back at the top of the hill ~30 seconds ahead of me by then. Impressive! Got to the top and pushed with what I had left and crossed the line. HR data=useless by now.
Course: Leave transition and out and down the street before looping back to the park in a counter clockwise circle. Every race down here finishes with some kind of hill so expect it. 3 hills of note at: 2.0-2.5; 3.0-3.3 and 5.5-5.8. First two miles are down so this is a gentle first half of the course even with the first grinding hill. The second 5K begins and ends with a hill so that ain't nice.
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