New Brighton Area Memorial Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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New Brighton, Pennsylvania
United States
85F / 29C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 35m 56s
Overall Rank = 47/53
Age Group = 30-39
Age Group Rank = 10/11
Pre-race routine:

HA! I think I was an idiot for even attempting this. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. due to jet lag, since I returned from Germany only two days previous. I drank a cup of coffee, ate a couple of fruit bars, and then water until I led service at church at 10 a.m. Immediately after the service, I hit the road. I was on the road by 11:30 a.m. and I was flying low. I had about 100 miles to cover to reach the race and I had been told that my starting time was 1 p.m. or 1:12 p.m. It would be close. I managed to arrive right at 1 p.m. My wife (who had stayed at my parents' house since we had returned from Germany) was on site and had gotten the organizers to move my start to the 1:12 p.m. start, the very last heat. I jumped out of the car, pulled off my clerical collar and khakis right there in the parking lot. Thankfully I had planned ahead and had been wearing my tri suit underneath it all. ;) (Otherwise, Evil Lizzie who had arrived at exactly the same time, would be posting pics of the streaking pastor all over... I do believe that she has pics of me stripping in the lot) Anyway, my dad, wife and Evil Lizzie all helped get me ready while I got marked, and put my chip on. One problem, as I ran over to the pool and registration area, I was barefoot. I now have two large unpopped blisters on my feet due to the hot asphalt. I was majorly concerned about how these would affect my performance.
Event warmup:

Next to no warmup. A little stretching... a few seconds in the pool. Whistle blows and I was off...
Swim
  • 09m 4s
  • 400 meters
  • 02m 16s / 100 meters
Comments:

I don't know if it was because of my state of mind, but I went out too fast. My form broke down after the first lap, I was gasping for air, my head was coming up every stroke, and not rolling but coming up. I was almost dead after three laps, but I kept going. I also had not been in the water for two weeks due to the Germany trip. Bad move. I also had heard that the fastest people were in the final heats, so it was in my head to go out as fast as possible... another bad move. I let someone else's race dictate my own, essentiall.
What would you do differently?:

Ok... doing this race while jet lagged was one minor problem. Racing for an hour and half to just make the start... really was a problem. And I let things get into my head.

Looking at the rankings, and my time, I realize that it wasn't all that bad, but I honestly think I could have done better if I had swam more efficiently and not just tried to crank through the water. I think some visualization exercises or some meditation immediately preceding might have been a good thing... but I had zero time.
Transition 1
  • 01m 55s
Comments:

I was trying to focus getting my breathing under control. And my feet were rather sensitive. I really tried to get them as dry as possible so their dampness didn't cause the blisters to pop.
What would you do differently?:

I would choose different socks. I had grabbed socks that went up over my ankle, not my ankle socks. The ankle socks are much easier to get on over wet feet. I also will try putting the shoes on the bike and doing that sort of start in the future, but I didn't set up my transition area, others did, and they did a great job for me. I could see everything.
Bike
  • 49m 6s
  • 11 miles
  • 13.44 mile/hr
Comments:

Again... due to the Germany trip, I hadn't been on a bike for almost two weeks. I was terrible. The hills killed me, and I know I have dealt with tougher hills.
What would you do differently?:

Ride more... and not take two weeks off before a race.
Transition 2
  • 01m 55s
Comments:

I got a little confused coming in to T2 -- how far to ride before I got off, where my transition area was, etc. I found it all and had to snap out of the pedals, get my shoes off, and then my running shoes on. I had some debris in my eye since my glasses don't cover my eyes all that well. I got that out, grabbed my hat and took off.
What would you do differently?:

I could have taken my feet out of my shoes with the shoes still on the pedals, but I hadn't practiced that and during the race it didn't even occur to me to do so, but I can practice that. Better set up could help, but everything was really there and visible.
Run
  • 33m 56s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 10m 55s  min/mile
Comments:

I knew I was the last competitor on the course and I just enjoyed the run. Volunteers on the course kept asking me, "Are you the last one?" After a while I just enjoyed myself. I would smile and say, "Just call me toilet paper, 'cause I'm wiping up the rear." They all got a good kick out of that. I wasn't really paying attention to time, but at one point someone said, "Wow, you got around that loop pretty quick." I didn't really think about it. But it ends up that my run was one of the best 5ks I have ever run. I felt good and I DID run while in Germany.

When I came up to the finish, my 4-year old son ran with me. That was cool. And of course everyone clapped for me.
What would you do differently?:

I don't know... this was actually the best part of the race for me. I ran a sub-11 pace at the end of a tri. I am really pleased with that. Best of all... no blisters popped! I was amazed.
Post race
Warm down:

I walked around, ate a banana, and drank some powerade (they had huge bottles of it!). I didn't feel dead. My wife thought I looked better than after my first tri last year.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Jet lag, lack of swimming and biking for two weeks...

Event comments:

This was a good race. Unfortunately there seemed to be a lack of competitors. 53? How odd... But... as long as it isn't on a Sunday, I would do it again next year.




Last updated: 2007-05-27 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:09:04 | 400 meters | 02m 16s / 100meters
Age Group: 4/11
Overall: 28/53
Performance: Below average
Suit:
Course: High School swimming pool-- 9 laps, good water temp
Start type: Inside Pool Plus:
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Bad Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 01:55
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Below average
Biking
00:49:06 | 11 miles | 13.44 mile/hr
Age Group: 10/11
Overall: 46/53
Performance: Below average
Wind: Some
Course: Rather hilly course on country roads. There were a fair amount of hills in the beginning that I had not been expecting, but should have. I had been alerted to the roller coaster hill, with a steep downhill followed by another steep uphill. That was really no problem. The earlier longer climb with the turn on to another road almost killed me, and I popped a chain.
Road: Rough Dry Cadence:
Turns: Below average Cornering:
Gear changes: Below average Hills: Below average
Race pace: Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:55
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Below average
Running
00:33:56 | 03.11 miles | 10m 55s  min/mile
Age Group: 10/11
Overall: 48/53
Performance: Good
Course: Down the hill, around the town of New Brighton and back up the hill to the high school.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Below average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4