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TRI Aggieland - TriathlonSprint


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College Station, Texas
United States
Redemption Racing Timing
78F / 26C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 26m 3s
Overall Rank = 213/387
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 28/38
Pre-race routine:

This was my first ever triathlon event. So I was excited and a bit nervous too (for good reason it turned out). I hadn't gotten in any appreciable pool time because my "connection" to the water was broken. My training partner, an avid swimmer, had a pool jet at his house. However, it was broken and every repair job yielded no working pool jet. Therefore I showed up very unprepared for the swim portion.
Event warmup:

Laid out transition. Chatted with other folk and then headed into the race. We weren't allowed any swim warm up so we all just sat in the bleachers and waited for start time to roll around.
Swim
  • 18m 11s
  • 437 yards
  • 04m 10s / 100 yards
Comments:

No that swim time is not a typo. What occured in the pool is about as far away as you can get from swimming without drowning. As stated before I had no appreciable time swimming. Yes I'd heard here a thousand times before not to underestimate the swim. Well I did....I know stupid stupid me. So in I jump and off I go and the first 50 meters goes okay. I'm a little winded when I make the turn but figure I am fit enough and I'll settle into a rythym. Then it happened.

My glorious moustache apparently holds water like a sponge. As I turn my head on the second lap to breathe water runs from my lovely stache back straght up into my nose sending me into a coughing fit. I tread water as I try and regain my composure to carry on. Start again and the same thing happens only this time I try and push through and end up sucking water. By the time I hit the wall again I am having major "chlorine" burps. Have you ever tried to burp underwater while breathing, it is a challenge. The next 50 meters watched me continue to get drowned by my own facial hair which made me really tighten up and my form (what little I had) deterioated. So after numerous "near death" experiences I had enough and switched over to backstroke the rest of the way. Which by the way I am not very good at. So I was getting passed constantly. My apologies to those who had to find a way around me.

I got kicked in the head, hit in the face, grabbed by the ankle and so on and so forth. All I could think was just survive the swim, it'll be alright once we get on to dry ground. I finally arrive at the final wall after being passed by what felt like the entire field. And as my feet hit solid ground all I could think was "hehehehe...yeah buddy now its my turn"
What would you do differently?:

I've already started doing it. Joining the Y to swim. Getting a coach to get me right. I'll be swimming 3 - 4 days a week. That was absolutely embarassing.
Transition 1
  • 03m 1s
Comments:

Transition area was my only complaint about the race. On a gravel parking lot, at least run a street sweeper through it, at most lay down some astro turf. My feet hurt.

I thought I was making good time, but perhaps it was just my elation to have not died in the pool. Either way I could have run harder into and out of transition.
What would you do differently?:

Hustle more, quit wasting time.
Bike
  • 34m 41s
  • 12 miles
  • 20.76 mile/hr
Comments:

Admittedly the bike is where I am the most comfortable and it showed. After dragging my sorry carcass out of the pool I got on my bike and then started to "eat 'em up".

The course was really alot of fun to ride. It was much flatter than the area I train so everything felt really good. I was probably in the last third of people coming out of the pool. As I pedaled along I was flying by alot of people. It was really good to finally be comfortable and on my bike is where I am most comfortable.

The course did have a few turns where people seemed to bunch up which slowed me down a little because they couldn't that slow traffic stays right. I almost ran over a few who were looking to cut a corner but were moving much slower than me. It was alright though I kind of expected that. For the most part folks got out of my way when I called out.

I really enjoyed this course. I was waiting to be overtaken figuring it would happen sooner or later, but alas I did not get passed. Thats a benefit or being a BOP "non drowner" (I can't call myself a swimmer yet).

I really wished I had pushed it some more on the course in hindsight, but I wasn't sure how much was too much with the run still left.
What would you do differently?:

Probably push it a little more out on the course. I feel like I left a little speed out there.
Transition 2
  • 02m 5s
Comments:

I got back to my rack to find two bikes toppled over where I was staged. So I had to lay mine down. Re-rack theirs so I could get mine on the rack. Helmet off, shoes on and out the door I went.
What would you do differently?:

Not stage my stuff next to selfish nimrods. Hustle maybe a bit more coming in.
Run
  • 28m 3s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 09m 01s  min/mile
Comments:

Coming out of T2 my legs felt solid. No problems other than trying to keep my pace manageable. I always have that problem running off the bike. My mind and eyes are so used to seeing thing moving by faster that they sometimes push my legs too hard early on and I get gassed before I finish.

1st mile turned at 8:32 which I thought might be a little to fast so I tried to throttle back a little to conserve energy. I continued on and slowly passed people here and there along the way.

There was a soul sapping little hill that really seemed to go on forever. In reality the hill wasn't that long or steep it just seemed that way. Mile 2 clicked by and I was down to a 9:30 pace. This irked me something fierce because I had throttled back too much. I was looking for anything sub 9 as far as average pace went and here I was cruising right at 9.

The third mile seemed to take longer than I thought. Someone finally blew by me, and my heart sank until I realized looking at his calf that he was a relay team member so all he had to do was run. I continued to pass some people and other than the relay guy I held off any comers.

As I was getting towards the end one of the volunteers offered me these words of encouragement to lift my spirts "doing great 203, and that is an excellent moustache sir" Made me laugh and helped me pick up the pace. Clocked the last mile @ 9:05. I made the turn for the finish line which was and uphill run and tried my best to kick it into gear.

On a side note a kids triathlon club had set up a splash zone. Runners could choose to run through it and the kids would squirt you with water guns. As I approached each time I saw a lot of people opting out and the visible dissappointment of the kids when nobody wanted to get sprayed. Well I challenged 'em on the way out and way in and they had a blast shooting this big dude with an awesome moustache. It was great and people need to quit being such sticks in the mud.
What would you do differently?:

I really felt pretty good. Need to focus more on controlling my pace early on. But not too bad for my first time in a race environment. I was happy with it.
Post race
Warm down:

Crossed the line. Got an ice towel (great idea by the way), ice bag, and finisher medal. Checked my time and found my training partner had smoked me by 8:30. His swim time was 10 minutes faster than mine. We basked in the glow of finishing our first triathlon and reaching our unspoken time goal of sub 90 minute finishes.

We went over to the tranisition area. They wouldn't open it to athletes until the last bike was off the course. So we got to cheer in the very last people on the course it was an awesome experience and great to see some real never say die attitudes.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Uh in case you couldn't tell it was my "swim" and I'm using that word very liberally.

I will not perform that badly again I can promise you that. My next race is at the end of September and is an Olympic distance. I will be ready for the swim. I won't get my butt kicked by the same event twice.

Event comments:

I've only been in one but this one seemed really well run. Great communication. Informative, easy and open to all. Already have it on my calendar for next year. May make it an annual thing.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2012-07-11 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:18:11 | 437 yards | 04m 10s / 100yards
Age Group: 36/38
Overall: 379/387
Performance: Bad
Suit:
Course: 400 meter pool swim snake style through 8 lanes in a 50 meter pool. Ideal conditions for a newbie
Start type: Inside Pool Plus: Time Trial
Water temp: 0F / 0C Current:
200M Perf. Below average Remainder: Bad
Breathing: Bad Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 03:01
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
No
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
00:34:41 | 12 miles | 20.76 mile/hr
Age Group: 11/38
Overall: 54/387
Performance: Good
Wind: Little
Course: 6 mile loop X 2
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 02:05
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Below average
Racking bike Below average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:28:03 | 03.11 miles | 09m 01s  min/mile
Age Group: 14/38
Overall: 137/387
Performance: Good
Course: Lollipop course through main campus.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Too easy
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2012-07-18 3:23 PM

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