Gateway Olympic Triathlon: 2:45.10 PR!! 1/4 AG, 9/44 gender. [Course was short, would add 3.75 mins to time, 2:48?].
Previous Oly: Memphis 08 2:50.50 (short swim)
Evergreen 07: 2:59.0
Evergreen 08: 2:52.56
My first Oly in quite some time! I did Qmax in 2009 but that's not a true Oly distance. I did Evergreen in 2008, and I'm guessing that's my most recent Oly for comparison today. Although today's bike course was a bit short: 38K and not 40K, so there are some adjustments to make.
Prerace--short drive out to the lake, normal breakfast of eggs and some tater tots, banana, water. I'm more worried about packing club stuff than I am my own stuff, but the ride out at NT yesterday doubled as a start to the packing process. Never nervous, excited, but not nervous.
Swim--32:11 3/4 AG, 31/44 Females, 109/155 all racers. Water was said to be 66-68F, it was cold/cool but not COLD. I adapted fast. The water was smooth with no waves. I took a chance this time and waded into the middle of the pack instead of the usual back of the pack. With no other warming up, we were off. My IMWI experience gave me the worst of a mass start, knowing I survived that gave me a confidence boost today. So while I was kicked, bumped, and grabbed, it all stayed good for me. This swim had the least amount of stopping I've ever had in an OWS race! I found a good pace, had easy breathing, and focused on just staying technically good instead of fast. I only got sloppy at the end, especially when I started sighting the outbound buoys and not the inbound ones!
There was a run up a hill, and I was a bit dizzy so I walked. I needed to resolve the dizzyness before the bike so this was a worthwhile pause. Problem is, I don't know where the timing mat was! At the beach? I'll have to find out! So I don't know if the 32:11 includes the run up or not!
I'm still disappointed that I can't swim!!! I was at the bottom 30% of the females and entire field. But it was a PR, and I'm working hard at it, so I can't complain.
T1-- felt clumsy. I took my wetsuit off before the TA entry, that might have added time to the 32:11? Took a bit of time to get the new aero helmet on.
Bike-- 1:17.34 ave 19.2mph 1/4 in AG, 6/44 in gender, 51/155 in whole field. Top 13% in gender, this is why the swim is so depressing! the bike was a 38K, so if I had to go 40K the time would be...+3.75 mins or 1:20 mins.
I flew on the bike, it was one of my goals. That and seeing a mostly empty TA after the swim always gets me going. I didn't put the shoes on the bike, I wasn't sure the rubber bands I had with me would work. But a smooth mount and easy transition to cycling. I had a strong tailwind outbound, I kept telling myself to conserve energy for the return trip but it's hard to deny yourself the opportunity to go so fast! The course was like steps, straight then a right, straight then a right, etc, so we had tailwind/crosswind/tailwind/etc. I hit the turn around in 32 mins.
Then ooof into the wind. Easy spinning, lower gear. Thankfully I had the aerobottle (first test of Infit in a race) and I managed to drink most all of the bottle on this bike! The wind wasn't that bad, don't get me wrong--it wasn't easy--but I'd practiced this and knew what to do. Lower gears. No mashing. Don't panic about the pace. The course was flat (only 615ft climbing) with long straight stretches. Only a few minor hills.
T2--I came into TA with shoes off and ran to the racks. I decided to put socks on, so that took some time. But up and out and off and running!
Run--55:26, 8:56m/m 1/4 AG, 5/44 gender, 45/155 entire field. Mostly flat course along the lake, with 1 big hill around mile 1.25.
Lap 1: 3.1 mile 8:40 m/m
Lap 2: 3.1 mile 8:50 m/m
Good splits! My legs were tired at the start but from all the recent bricks I knew that if I just kept going I'd adapt to running. I felt like I was going so slow, but the Gman said 8:09! Slow down! I had a gel in the first mile and nothing but water after that. The full sun was out, the wind had really picked up, and the day was heating up. But I felt good, passed a good number of runners, but I had my eye out for females. I knew from the bike that about 10-12 were ahead of me. The hunt was on.
I stopped at each mile water station for water, drinking some and dumping some on me. I stayed positive yet had to keep refinding my good form. I had Rinny C's video in mind. Pick up feet, put a little more swing into the step, lean forward. It helped, but I'd keep losing it. Passed two females on the run, the other were too far ahead. I struggled up the last hill, Gman says it's about 100 ft only and had to walk a few seconds. But I made it up later with a fast recovered pace. I pushed on the run, I couldn't have gone any faster today. I finished strong and didn't have much left in the tank right at the end. So good pace!!
Post race--all good. No pains, soreness (yet), or problems. Hydrated better than usual.
Overall--If I could just swim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG I have to fix that!!!!!!!
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