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Parris Island Triathlon - TriathlonSprint


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Parris Island, South Carolina
United States
Set-up Inc
45F / 7C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 11m 35s
Overall Rank = 101/365
Age Group = M40-44
Age Group Rank = 13/26
Pre-race routine:

Let me start off by saying I've been dreading writing this race report. I was sick with bronchitis and probably shouldn't have raced. I generally felt fine, but was prone to coughing fits that could hit at any time. For about the previous week, I'd gotten very little sleep, since I'd invariably wake up at 1am coughing like crazy, and then not be able to get back to sleep. The net result was my first truly bad race in a dog's age. BUt I'm getting ahead of myself.

Woke up about 6am, loaded the bikes on the car, ate some oatmeal, showered, hopped in the car and drove the 10 minutes to the island. Got there plenty early and set up transition, getting a good spot on my rack.
Event warmup:

Went for about a 15 minute run and my legs really, really felt good. It was cold and windy, but it seems like every race I've done the last two years has been cold and windy. So, whatever. After running, took the bike out for 20 minutes, just working through the gears. Came back to transition to find someone had horked my spot (http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=69483&posts=33&start=1).

Swam a couple of hundred meters. It doesn't take long to get your arms warm in 88 degree water.
Swim
  • 07m 17s
  • 547 yards
  • 01m 20s / 100 yards
Comments:

After the 24 elites went off with a 2 minute gap, I was the 14th age grouper (you're seeded by projected time) to go off, at 15 second intervals.. By the chip mat out of the pool, I had passed 11 of those 14 people. In a 7 minute swim. People need to learn how to accrately predict their times. Does anyone else do time trials? Sheesh. It's really hard to get into a groove when you're passing people constantly. But what can you do? Next time, I'll seed myself much faster (even though this year's seed was on the money).

But...all that being said, I felt decent and was actually a few seconds faster than last year, despite literally swimming 5 times since IMFL. Also, it's hard swimming in 88 degree water. It's like running when it's 100 degrees out.
What would you do differently?:

Seed myself faster.Train.
Transition 1
  • 01m 29s
Comments:

Since it was so cold and windy, I thourh a jacket on out of the water. Otherwise I would have been a bit faster.
What would you do differently?:

Placed the sun closer to the earth.
Bike
  • 37m 5s
  • 13 miles
  • 21.03 mile/hr
Comments:

It was probably a factor of working hard in a very warm, very humid environment and then suddenly working hard in a very cold, very dry environment, but right out of transition I was coughing and coughing and coughing for nearly the entire bike. Also, calf cramp issues right out of the gate, probably related to the tension from the coughing.

I'll just say it's really hard riding hard when continuously coughing. That really sucked.
What would you do differently?:

Traded for some good, phlegm-free lungs.
Transition 2
  • 01m 14s
Comments:

Simple transition. Took off the helmet, jacket and bike shoes, through on the running shoes, grabbed my race number and I was off.
What would you do differently?:

Not much.
Run
  • 24m 31s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 07m 53s  min/mile
Comments:

Started off horribly. The coughing had stopped by now, but both of my calves were cramping right out of T2. I stopped to stretch and really thought about just bagging it since I was 1. sick, 2. In pain and 3. 3 minutes behind schedule. I actually turned around and took a few steps back towards transition but then quickly squelched that idea. The first half was pretty miserable, but then I started feelingbetter and in the second half I was actually running sub-7 minute pace pretty easily.
What would you do differently?:

Not have sucked so much.
Post race
Warm down:

Jogged back into the pool area to watch Amy start. And coughed for about 30 minutes, just for good measure.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Sick.

Event comments:

Again, in retrospect I shouldn't have raced. I'm dissappointed because if I had a good day ( a couple minutes faster than last year) I would have been on the podium. I ended up having good legs, but just couldn't use them because of all of the damn coughing. Oh well.

Time to train.

Epilogue: this was Amy's first triathlon, and she was awesome. ^th of 16 in Novice female, and ran her fastest-ever 5K. I'm really proud of her.




Last updated: 2007-03-23 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:07:17 | 547 yards | 01m 20s / 100yards
Age Group: 1/26
Overall: 12/365
Performance: Good
Actually, since this was a snake swim in a pool, the real distance is 500 meters = 25 meters, since you're also swimming the width of the pool. So my real pace was really 1:16/100 yds. OK.
Suit: Tri shorts
Course: 20 lengths, snakey snake.
Start type: Inside Pool Plus:
Water temp: 88F / 31C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 01:29
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
00:37:05 | 13 miles | 21.03 mile/hr
Age Group: 22/26
Overall: 111/365
Performance: Bad
Wind: Strong with gusts
Course: A couple of out and backs that result in a big loop. Lots of direction changes meant constantly being exposed to different wind directions. Because of the wind angle (NW), the predominant wind directions was head or cross. 20-25mph and gusty. Joy.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 90
Turns: Below average Cornering: Below average
Gear changes: Good Hills:
Race pace: Too hard Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 01:14
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Good
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
00:24:31 | 03.11 miles | 07m 53s  min/mile
Age Group: 22/26
Overall: 174/365
Performance: Below average
I was a full 2 minutes faster on the second half.
Course: Out and back.
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 2
Physical exertion [1-5] 2
Good race? No
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 1

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2007-03-23 8:36 AM

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Giver
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Subject: Parris Island Triathlon


2007-03-23 1:43 PM
in reply to: #734312

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Elite
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Lakewood, CO
Subject: RE: Parris Island Triathlon

I hope to my bad races be like that some day.  Hope you are feeling better!

 

I also hope you aren't doing IMFL again this year   {it seems like every race I've done the last two years has been cold and windy.}

2007-03-23 1:54 PM
in reply to: #734804

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Giver
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Subject: RE: Parris Island Triathlon
jcjsc00 - 2007-03-23 2:43 PM

I also hope you aren't doing IMFL again this year   {it seems like every race I've done the last two years has been cold and windy.}

I'm not, so you should be safe. It'll no doubt be windless and 70 degrees all day.

2007-03-23 2:09 PM
in reply to: #734312

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Master
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Atlanta, Georgia
Gold member
Subject: RE: Parris Island Triathlon
Holy Cow! Those bike and run splits are quite solid but that swim time is just sick! Nice race even with bronchitis. .

Way to go.

Is it possible your 'fight or flight' adrenaline overcame some the bug you were fighting?

c

2007-03-24 7:59 AM
in reply to: #734312

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Elite
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In my bunk with new shoes and purple sweats.
Subject: RE: Parris Island Triathlon

Maybe you should have had a throw down in transition prior to the race. And what's up with the calf pain, my calfs have hurt since that race, could it have been the 90 degree soaking followed by the frigid exertion?

But...your worst day is a heck of a lot better than most folks best day, so buck up there Jimbo. You had a great race "experience" with your wife and you both were awesome.

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