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Toronto Triathlon Festival - Olympic Course - Triathlon


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Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Toronto Triathlon Festival
24C / 75F
Sunny
Total Time = 3h 11m 13s
Overall Rank = 649/725
Age Group = 40-44
Age Group Rank = 24/30
Pre-race routine:

Woke at 5am and had breakfast (muesli, rice milk & banana) and drove to the race site. Found my transition spot and set up and then stood in line waiting for a port-a-potty. By the time I had reached one and made it back to transition it was time to put on my wetsuit and head for the corals. No warm up of any kind.

Ridiculous that for a race this size there were no more than 15 toilets. The line ups were insane.
Event warmup:

None.
Swim
  • 32m 41s
  • 1500 meters
  • 02m 11s / 100 meters
Comments:

I actually said to a girl before getting in the water that given that the breeze was cool, perhaps the water was warm. WRONG! It was so cold and as we all slithered in a loud gasp was heard from our wave. I floated with my feet and hands out of the water to keep them warm until the horn sounded.

This was the busiest swim I've ever been on. I felt as though I was always fighting for a clear path. I was kicked and I kicked. I slapped and was slapped back. Nothing intentional but we were swimming on top of one another for almost the whole swim.

When I first started I gave up any expectations on the swim and tried to deal with the cool temperatures. My goggles weren't sealed properly and I wear contacts so the water in the one lens was annoying and they were fogging up a bit. I mistook orange swim caps for buoys. I couldn't even see the buoys. They were so far away and so few that it was hard to sight. I just followed everyone else.

The second part of the swim was gross with grass, garbage and duck feathers everywhere. We all got SO bunched up rounding the buoys. The last little part I focused on long strong pulling to get away from nearby swimmers.

We were assisted up a ladder getting out of the water and I lost my balance and bumped in to a girl - apologized and she was nice about it.

What would you do differently?:

Not much. There's really not much you can do swimming in a channel with so many women. Actually this is probably my best swim ever in a race.

Syracuse was 1931m and I swam it in 2:18.

My last two olympics were
Cobourg, 2011: 38:21 or 2:45 (though this was a crazy swim of 3 laps)
Cobourg, 2010 38:02 or 2:32

So ya... I'm pleasantly surprised!
Transition 1
  • 03m 11s
Comments:

I felt really dizzy running to transition and had to hold on to the bar to get my wetsuit off. Finally sat on the ground to put on my socks etc. Carried shoes with me up the cement ramp as they told us it would be slippery. Mounted the bike and took off.
Bike
  • 1h 31m 11s
  • 40 kms
  • 26.22 km/hr
Comments:

I was surprised by the headwind which was there the whole climb to the DVP start. It subsided a bit as you climbed the DVP. I didn't pass anyone out the way out - and no one really passed me either. It was odd as I'm always passed. I guess a lot of my age group got out of transition faster than me as I went from MOP to BOP. I knew it would be a lot of climbing - nothing compared to Syracuse but I also knew where the downhills were so I hammered them and rode consistently uphill.

Once I hit the turnaround I used the tailwind and downhill and really hammered it out and passed quite a few people. Felt great. I have always wanted to ride the DVP.

Towards the end I played cat and mouse with one woman and it was getting annoying. She would pass me out of purpose and then slow down and then I'd pass her. She'd pass me when I was slower - drinking water etc - and then I'd pass her again. She passed me towards the end and said "One last time" and I let her and followed but once we hit the CNE grounds I felt like I was drafting and at some points riding almost adjacent. I'm too nice!! I didn't want to ruin her finish as she was older but then I remembered "Doh! This is a race!" and I went past her and said "sprint for the finish?" and that was the end of her.



What would you do differently?:

I need to develop a more competitive nature. I always hold back at the end.

Again - not much. I've been a weekend warrior in terms of bike training as of late so considering... I'm happy with it. Actually it's one of the few times I'm not DFL on the bike. I usually average around 21-23 so 26 is good for me.
Transition 2
  • 03m
Comments:

Moved VERY slowly. I was so afraid I'd wipe out shuffling down in my cycling shoes.
What would you do differently?:

I should have taken my shoes off at the top of the hill.
Run
  • 1h 01m 14s
  • 10 kms
  • 06m 06s  min/km
Comments:

I felt great as I ran out of transition. I guess that's a perk of having a brutal run one month earlier. In Syracuse I instantly felt the heat and my quads cramped but today I had a lake breeze and I didn't even have that brick feeling in my legs!

My secret goal was to do this in an hour. I felt good and I pushed the pace at times. I had a weird cramp on the outside of my left foot and I could feel a pebble moving about but I ignored it.

Felt strong. Towards the end the junior male elite runners raced and watching how fast they went - you couldn't help but move a little faster yourself. One guy spit though just as he passed me and I felt the spray yuk!

The last km felt so long. I had no clue where the finish line was and so I felt I was slowing down a bit.


What would you do differently?:

In the end I missed my goal by 1:14 but it's okay. Next time I won't walk the aid stations!! Or maybe I'll even do some speed work in training *GASP*!
Post race
Warm down:

Guzzled some water, ate a banana and chatted with some Toronto Triathlon Club members then walked to get my stuff and leave. Didn't feel like a big burger or beer. Also guzzled some Vega which is really yummy.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

More race specific training (ie cycling and run speedwork).

Event comments:

(1) Need WAY more port-a-potties. 10 were outside of transition - only 3 inside but they were on the far side so there was no way I was going to waste all that time running to use them. None on the course. Line ups pre-race were insane.

(2) Put swim buoys closer together so you can see them.

(3) Mark the potholes on the bike course. They'd sneak up on you and they were big and deep... and in some sections there were lots.




Last updated: 2013-06-28 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:32:41 | 1500 meters | 02m 11s / 100meters
Age Group: 16/30
Overall: 470/725
Performance: Good
Suit: LongSleeved
Course: Starting at the shores of Lake Ontario, the swimming portion is in the protected water basin of the West Channel of Ontario Place. You slither off a dock in to deep water and wade/float until the horn sounds.
Start type: Deep Water Plus: Waves
Water temp: 19F / -7C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Good
Waves: Navigation: Below average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 03:11
Performance: Average
Cap removal: Average Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Yes Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:31:11 | 40 kms | 26.22 km/hr
Age Group: 27/30
Overall: 696/725
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Cross a bridge over Lake Shore Boulevard and use the westernmost part of Exhibition Place to jump on the Gardiner Expressway via the Jameson Avenue entrance. East on the Gardiner to the DVP to Eglinton. Then back again.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Good Hills: Average
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:00
Overall: Below average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Bad
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
01:01:14 | 10 kms | 06m 06s  min/km
Age Group: 23/30
Overall: 662/725
Performance: Good
Course: west along the Martin Goodman Trail, through many of Toronto’s waterfront parks and then back east past Ontario Place. The final destination is Coronation Park.
Keeping cool Good 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? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2013-07-21 4:54 PM

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Master
1531
100050025
TORONTO
Subject: Toronto Triathlon Festival - Olympic Course


2013-07-21 7:52 PM
in reply to: #4810037

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Expert
1694
1000500100252525
Illinois
Subject: RE: Toronto Triathlon Festival - Olympic Course
Very nice race! It does sound like the Olympic is a good distance --- training is manageable. Love the part about the older lady who kept leapfrogging on the bike -- way to drop her on the sprint.
2013-07-22 12:56 PM
in reply to: #4810037

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Veteran
1677
1000500100252525
Houston, Texas
Subject: RE: Toronto Triathlon Festival - Olympic Course
Nice race!  Way to push through the swim....foggy goggles and having no clear water to just swim in is always a pain.  Even better that you managed a swim PR!  And oh so close on the run -- I guess you'll just have to come back for revenge!  Great race!
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