This past Sunday was my first triathlon since IMAZ back in November. In years past I have done the LavaMan Triathlon down in Lavallette, NJ in late June as a gauge to see where my fitness is and as a bit of a motivator to get ready for the July and August races that I normally do. Well, this year I didn't do LavaMan because my daughter had a soccer game that day (family comes first), so I went into the NJ State Triathlon (Olympic) a bit unprepared or rather unsure of where my fitness was. I suspected that I would be slower than I was last year this time, but I still thought I would be able to put in a decent time. Well, let's just say, the day was all over the place....here is my weekend recap and race report:
Saturday
My wife and kids went to my in-laws for the weekend, so I was left to pretty much do whatever I wanted. I slept a little late (7:20AM), ate some breakfast and then watched the Tour de France Time Trial (Cadel Evans rocks!). It was around 11:15AM when I decided to head over to Mercer County Park to pick up my race packet....it was brutally hot out. easily over 99F. I didn't spend a whole lot of time there, pretty much got my number, t-shirt (way too big) and looked at a couple of tri tops that were on sale but of course not the right size (damn!). On my way back to my car I ran in to fellow Blogger Theia who had made the trip up from Delaware for the race. We talked for a few minutes before we went our separate ways (translation: we both needed to get into air conditioning and drink large amounts of water).
Once home I grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and headed over to our pool to relax for a little bit, and of course put in a short swim (500 yds) just to loosen up a bit. It was so hot out and I realized that laying in the sun was probably not the best idea the day before a race. I headed home to relax in the air conditioning.
Sunday
I was up and out of the house by 5:20AM, I little later than I would have liked, but not terrible late (I arrived at my transition by 6:10AM). The time in transition kind of flew by, having to set up my spot, then getting to talk to Theia again, and then it was time to exit and head down to the lake. It was already 80F+. The bad part of this race is that they send off each wave in 5 minute intervals and I was in the second to last wave which meant I had to wait around for 45 minutes before my start....ugh!
The Swim - 1,500m
At last it was time to get in the water, the piss warm water of Mercer County Lake. The horn blew and the normal amount of kicking and slapping occurred. I tried to find the cleanest water possible and around 200m in I was in a rhythm and swimming OK. The first 900m seemed like forever and my shoulders were starting to feel it a bit, but at least I wasn't dealing with a whole lot of contact along the way. Finally the turn buoy and then a few more strokes and the other buoy for the second to last straight away. This is where I really started to hurt; my lack of swimming over the past few months really affected me and I slowed considerably. I continued to push forward, hoping to see that last buoy which would signal the end to the swim. Finally I made the turn and cruised smoothing to the end and up the ramp. My shoulders were sore but my breathing was really all that labored; I felt good considering. I saw my family: My wife, two daughters (high-fived them all), my Dad, and my Mother- & Father-in-Law....always great to have people cheering you on.
Swim stats: 35:30 (2:09/100m), 503 Rank Overall
T1
Apparently I was a little more tired than I initially thought. I was out of it and had trouble figuring out what the heck I was doing. After some fumbling I got my glasses, helmet and watch on and jogged out of transition....slowly. 1:49, 166 Rank Overall
The Bike - 25.5 miles
It took me a bit longer than I expected to get my feet into my shoes (I was doing this on the fly on the bike), but around the 1st mile marker I was going. The course is two loops, flat for the most part, with some good opportunities to really open it up and fly. The first loop was a blur, I was feeling good, my legs felt fresh and my breathing was spot on. Every mile was right around 2:45 (21.8MPH) and I didn't feel like I was pushing all that hard. The second lap started off the same as the first and I was just cruising along passing all of the waves that started before me in the swim. I think there were five guys that passed me the entire ride and they were geared up (race wheels, aero helmets, etc.). Around mile 21 I started to feel it a bit, maybe I as riding a bit faster than I should have. I had to put in a little extra effort to keep my speed up and I wasn't feeling all that great; my quads were sore and I was running out of fluids.
I shook off the bad feelings and knew I only had around 12 minutes of riding left. On the way into the park I took my feet out of my shoes way too early (like a mile too early). Such a rookie mistake which would come back and bite me on the run. The ride was ending, I did a flying dismount and started my run through transition.
Bike Stats: 1:11:32 (21.4MPH), 171 Rank Overall
T2
The trip to my rack was a rough one, I stepped on a rock that left the bottom of my left foot a bit bruised. I was not feeling all that great. I racked my bike, slipped my shoes on (no socks), grabbed my visor and race belt/number and off I went. 1:27, 176 Rank Overall
The Death March....err Run - 6.2 miles
I knew the first mile would be a little rough, but I figured once I got my legs moving that things would settle down and I could hold an easy 8 - 8:30/mile pace. Well, the first mile was around 8:50 and I was OK with that. What I wasn't OK with was the pain I was feeling in my legs. Perhaps I pushed it a little hard on the bike, eh? Maybe I didn't take in enough fluids? I was about to find out. At the first turn around I grabbed two cups of water and a wet towel and walked through the aid station....the temp was easily 95F, it was HOT!!! Around 1.5 miles into the run I dropped my Clif Shot Bloks and had to pick them up....cramp in my right hamstring. WTF? This was not a good sign at all.
What was to ensue was the worst run I have ever had in a race ever. The 10K run was a combination of running, shuffling, and walking. Thank God for the numerous fire hydrants and fire hoses at various points along the course. Honestly the high light of the run was seeing my family at the midpoint and getting to do another round of high fives as I went by.
I am not going to give a mile by mile description of the run since it would seem as though each mile was a carbon copy of the prior mile. I will say that my pace slowed with each passing mile, and around the 5.5 mile mark I really wanted to try and finish strong but my body just wouldn't let me. I was starting to get a mild head ache and despite my best efforts I just couldn't run like I wanted to. I think I finally picked up the pace for the last 1/4 mile, high-fived my wife and daughters as I went down the finishers chute and was ecstatic that I was finally done with that damn run.
Run Stats: 1:01:08, (9:51/mile), 508 Rank Overall
Final Time: 2:51:26, 345/976 Overall, 56/138 AG
Final Thoughts
Of course I am disappointed with my overall time and especially with my run as a whole, but I think I got what I deserved. I haven't been able to train as well as I would like; swimming is tough because of family commitments, biking is OK, and running is tough because of the weather and the breathing issues I am dealing with (heat and humidity kill me). My swim was exactly where I thought it would be considering the training I had put in. The bike was slightly better than I expected, but I think that ended up hurting my run. The run was horrible, but as I just stated, I rode a little too strong on the bike and didn't take in enough fluids, thus affecting my performance running. It was a hot day and I didn't take care of my body like I should have. I learned my lesson today and will be ready to do well next time.
I have another race in two weeks, a sprint tri down in Asbury Park, NJ, Born to Tri. It is a much shorter race, flat as a pancake, and an ocean swim. Hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler and I can post a much more competitive time. As for right now, I need to get ride of the soreness in my legs, the pain behind my right knee and get back to training.
Cheers everyone!
My NEW journey to compete in Ironman Arizona...and hopefully KONA!
Showing posts with label NJ State Triathlon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NJ State Triathlon. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Day Before the Day
I just finished watching the Tour de France Time Trial and I am inspired. Cadel Evans absolutely ROCKED IT! It was amazing to see him dig down and absolutely crush the Schleck brothers to take his first Tour de France title (he will ride to Paris in yellow tomorrow). So glad that Alberto Cheat-ador won't end up on the podium this year and that the first Australian ever will win the Tour.
So, tomorrow is my first triathlon since IMAZ, the New Jersey State Triathlon (Olympic), and I am feeling OK about it. I picked up my race packet earlier today (I am number 984 for anyone wanting to know). I dont' expect to set any records (personal that is), but do hope to put in a respectable effort despite the excruciatingly hot temperatures we are experiencing on the East Coast. My goals for tomorrow are as follows:
So, tomorrow is my first triathlon since IMAZ, the New Jersey State Triathlon (Olympic), and I am feeling OK about it. I picked up my race packet earlier today (I am number 984 for anyone wanting to know). I dont' expect to set any records (personal that is), but do hope to put in a respectable effort despite the excruciatingly hot temperatures we are experiencing on the East Coast. My goals for tomorrow are as follows:
- Swim (1,500m): 35:00 - I haven't been swimming nearly enough and frankly it wasn't until about two weeks ago that I started to feel comfortable in the water again. Of course sub-30 minutes would be nice but I am realistic
- T1 & T2: ~1:30 - I really hope to be faster than that at each transition, but I am realistic about the heat and how delirious I may be after the swim and bike.
- Bike (25.5 miles): 1:15:00 - That would put me around 20.4 MPH, a realistic goal, but I also think I can go around 1:12 (21 MPH). We'll see.
- Run (10K): 50:00 - Around 8:00/mile pace. Again, I think I can go faster, but I know it is going to be a brutally hot day tomorrow and I think the 50 minutes is doable.
- Final: 2:43:00 - I should be able to go under 2:45:00, which would be just an OK race, but good considering the past seven months of training and not really focus on racing. Family and job has taken priority over training, and I am realistic about what I should expect tomorrow. Let's just go out and have a good race. Of course I do have a "what if everything goes right" goal: 2:32:00.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Running Faster, but Not Swimming
It has been a good week. From a training perspective I have been fitting in as much as I can. From a "life" perspective the kids are done with school and my wife is feeling good. From a work perspective I am close to writing a few sizable accounts which should mean some cha-ching for me. So if all of those things are good then as a whole I must be doing well also, right? Right!
Let me delve briefly into the training aspect of my life....here is a quick recap of the past week or so:
- Friday - 45 min trainer ride
- Saturday - One hour run, pretty easy and slow going, but there were some solid hills involved.
- Sunday - Two hour ride, averaged over 18MPH on a pretty hill route.
- Monday - REST DAY
- Tuesday - 4 mile run, 8:04/mile pace. Finally getting a bit faster, not 7:45/mile fast, but getting there.
- Wednesday - One hour trainer ride, felt pretty good but really wanted to ride outside
- Thursday - 4.2 mile run, 8:06/mile pace, the legs are coming back :)
- Today - TBD, but probably 45 - 60 minute trainer ride unless I can get outside and ride
Other than the above, things are going pretty well. I think that I might be able to alright at the NJ State Triathlon that is about five weeks away. I am not going to be anywhere near placing in my age group, but at least I should end up in the top 20% or so.....at least I hope I do. I haven't signed up for any other races just yet because I am not sure what exactly I want to do. If I am down at my 'rents in August for my birthday, I will do the Born to Tri in Asbury Park, NJ. Other than those two races I have my eyes on a few others, but I don't know which ones I feel like doing (Riverstock Triathlon, TriRock Gettysburg, etc.). I am thinking about doing a HIM (Pocono Mountain 70.3 or Hunterdon Half) but I don't know if I want to dedicate the time to the training or put out the cash to do them. Part of me does want to do another HIM, but I don't want it to be so friggin' hilly. I would really like to do a nice flat HIM...maybe WTC should see about putting on a Jersey Shore 70.3. I would be all over that.
Time to get some work done and make some money. Cheers!
Monday, August 30, 2010
RR: Riverstock Triathlon (Olympic) - Award!!!!!
First off, the past few days have been very mellow with regard to training as my plan called for a mini-taper for my Olympic distance triathlon I did yesterday. I was still training every day, but the sessions have been shorter and less intense leading up to my race. Example:
Thursday: One hour bike with with 5 x 1 min pick ups at 15 min
Friday: 40 min. run with 5 x 1 min pick ups at 10 min; 30 min easy swim
Saturday: was suposed to do a :15 bike (bike check) and :20 easy run, actually played a soccer game with fellow coaches of my daughters soccer league
Now on to the race report....I decided to drive up to Sunbury, PA (2.5 hour drive) the day before the Riverstock Triathlon (Olympic distance) and camp out (tenting it). I arrived at the race site around 5:45PM, signed in and then realized that I never actually reserved a camp site. I spent the next hour trying to find one, eventually getting a spot about a half hour from the race site (whew!). I set up the tent, which I borrowed from my neighbor, finished my dinner (pizza from "Unida Pizza", great name) and was beat...I think I fell asleep around 8:45PM. It was not a good night of sleep as the air matress I was sleeping on lost some air slowly through the night, and I didn't have enough blankets. Some wacky dreams didn't help either.
Race Morning
I woke up at 5:15AM, actually I was lying there awake for a while waiting for my alarm to go off and trying to stay warm. I emerged from my tent and immediatlely noticed the fog, thick soupy fog. After packing up camp, I made it down to the race site with plenty of time to set up in transition and take care of normal pre-race business. There really wasn't time for a swim warm up because the fog was so bad, you couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of you. So everyone just milled about in transition until the pre-race meeting. One quirky thing, the DJ they hired never showed up so we didn't have music for the National Anthem. So the RD asked if someone could start us out in singing it....so one person started singing and them all together we all joined and sang it. Pretty neat and had everyone feeling good before hitting the water.
Swim (1,500M)
The fog finally eased up a bit, but not a whole heck of a lot. Regardless, the race director was determinted to start the race at 8AM and that is what we did. The swim was wetsuit legal (thank God!) which meant I didn't fret at all, knowing that I just had to keep my arms moving and just try to swim straight. It was pretty uneventful for the first 300m as we were swimming with the slight current, then we had to go about 200m perpendicular to it before turning upstream for about a 600m. This was a bitch! The current was a bit stronger than normal and just before making the turn back towards the start you had to do under a bridge where the current picked up quite a bit and made for some really slow going. I pushed through it, bumped into a few people, and then made my way to the last couple turns. All in all it was a good swim; I think I had my wetsuit a bit too low as my shoulders and neck were just a bit tight afterwards. Swim time: 31:26
T1 - 1:36
I felt like it was a bit slow just because I had to get the wetsuit off and I opted to put on socks. After looking over everyone else's times I realized that there were only a handful of people faster than me.
Bike (24.07 miles)
Everything was going really well for the first five miles or so, then I had my first bit of uphill and I could feel it in my quads, the result of my Saturday soccer game. I pushed through it and just kept my legs moving. The course was a bit tough, pretty much all uphill for the first 12 miles but then some really great downhill portions where I hit 38 - 40 MPH. I think if I drove the course ahead of time I could have let off the brakes a bit and gone a bit faster. Duirng the bike I think I passed three people and was passed by two, but that was it for me seeing anyone out on the course. I would have liked my bike time to of been faster, but it was a pretty tough course where I wasn't in aero for any solid length of time. Bike time: 1:14:38 (19.35 MPH)
T2 - :42
I was pretty quick, but could have been quicker. Shoes on, Garmin from bike to wrist, nutrition, visor and glasses. Looking over the results, again, there were only a handful of people faster than I was in transition.
Run (6.2 miles)
Immediately my left hamstring felt tight, almost cramp-ish, and I was nervous that I didn't drink enough on the bike. I eased off a bit from my 7:30/mile pace and just tried to find my right pace. I passed one guy right away and then ran the next two miles or so with a guy named Jeff. It was nice to finally have somene to chat with. I opted to try and pick up the pace a bit for the last four-plus miles, so I said good-bye to Jeff and off I went. Miles three and four were tough, pretty much a gradual incline through Northumberland, until the turnaround at the far end of town. Then it was smooth sailing for the last couple miles as I was able to go from 7:47/mile pace down to 7:30's. I felt really good and was eager to get to the finish line. Once I entered back in to the park where the race finished, I was told that I was in 12th place overall and I was smiling BIG. Run stats: 46:52 (7:33/mile)
Final Time: 2:35:13
Place Overall: 12th out of 92
Age Group: 1st out of 6 (not a very deep field)
The highlight of the day came during the awards ceremony when I learned that I won my age group and received a really cool award (see below). It is an old "45" recorde on a wooden base. So cool and so happy that I actually won my Age Group for the first time EVER!!!!! Granted it wasn't a bit race but I am still proud.
Oh, and a really cool finishers medal (see below).
So, there you have it, the Riverstock Triathlon is in the books and it was a good race. Next up is going to be the Hunterdon Half in October and then Ironman Arizona in November. As for today, I am going to be resting my weary legs so that tomorrow I am ready to get back to training!
Thursday: One hour bike with with 5 x 1 min pick ups at 15 min
Friday: 40 min. run with 5 x 1 min pick ups at 10 min; 30 min easy swim
Saturday: was suposed to do a :15 bike (bike check) and :20 easy run, actually played a soccer game with fellow coaches of my daughters soccer league
Now on to the race report....I decided to drive up to Sunbury, PA (2.5 hour drive) the day before the Riverstock Triathlon (Olympic distance) and camp out (tenting it). I arrived at the race site around 5:45PM, signed in and then realized that I never actually reserved a camp site. I spent the next hour trying to find one, eventually getting a spot about a half hour from the race site (whew!). I set up the tent, which I borrowed from my neighbor, finished my dinner (pizza from "Unida Pizza", great name) and was beat...I think I fell asleep around 8:45PM. It was not a good night of sleep as the air matress I was sleeping on lost some air slowly through the night, and I didn't have enough blankets. Some wacky dreams didn't help either.
Race Morning
I woke up at 5:15AM, actually I was lying there awake for a while waiting for my alarm to go off and trying to stay warm. I emerged from my tent and immediatlely noticed the fog, thick soupy fog. After packing up camp, I made it down to the race site with plenty of time to set up in transition and take care of normal pre-race business. There really wasn't time for a swim warm up because the fog was so bad, you couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of you. So everyone just milled about in transition until the pre-race meeting. One quirky thing, the DJ they hired never showed up so we didn't have music for the National Anthem. So the RD asked if someone could start us out in singing it....so one person started singing and them all together we all joined and sang it. Pretty neat and had everyone feeling good before hitting the water.
Swim (1,500M)
The fog finally eased up a bit, but not a whole heck of a lot. Regardless, the race director was determinted to start the race at 8AM and that is what we did. The swim was wetsuit legal (thank God!) which meant I didn't fret at all, knowing that I just had to keep my arms moving and just try to swim straight. It was pretty uneventful for the first 300m as we were swimming with the slight current, then we had to go about 200m perpendicular to it before turning upstream for about a 600m. This was a bitch! The current was a bit stronger than normal and just before making the turn back towards the start you had to do under a bridge where the current picked up quite a bit and made for some really slow going. I pushed through it, bumped into a few people, and then made my way to the last couple turns. All in all it was a good swim; I think I had my wetsuit a bit too low as my shoulders and neck were just a bit tight afterwards. Swim time: 31:26
T1 - 1:36
I felt like it was a bit slow just because I had to get the wetsuit off and I opted to put on socks. After looking over everyone else's times I realized that there were only a handful of people faster than me.
Bike (24.07 miles)
Everything was going really well for the first five miles or so, then I had my first bit of uphill and I could feel it in my quads, the result of my Saturday soccer game. I pushed through it and just kept my legs moving. The course was a bit tough, pretty much all uphill for the first 12 miles but then some really great downhill portions where I hit 38 - 40 MPH. I think if I drove the course ahead of time I could have let off the brakes a bit and gone a bit faster. Duirng the bike I think I passed three people and was passed by two, but that was it for me seeing anyone out on the course. I would have liked my bike time to of been faster, but it was a pretty tough course where I wasn't in aero for any solid length of time. Bike time: 1:14:38 (19.35 MPH)
T2 - :42
I was pretty quick, but could have been quicker. Shoes on, Garmin from bike to wrist, nutrition, visor and glasses. Looking over the results, again, there were only a handful of people faster than I was in transition.
Run (6.2 miles)
Immediately my left hamstring felt tight, almost cramp-ish, and I was nervous that I didn't drink enough on the bike. I eased off a bit from my 7:30/mile pace and just tried to find my right pace. I passed one guy right away and then ran the next two miles or so with a guy named Jeff. It was nice to finally have somene to chat with. I opted to try and pick up the pace a bit for the last four-plus miles, so I said good-bye to Jeff and off I went. Miles three and four were tough, pretty much a gradual incline through Northumberland, until the turnaround at the far end of town. Then it was smooth sailing for the last couple miles as I was able to go from 7:47/mile pace down to 7:30's. I felt really good and was eager to get to the finish line. Once I entered back in to the park where the race finished, I was told that I was in 12th place overall and I was smiling BIG. Run stats: 46:52 (7:33/mile)
Final Time: 2:35:13
Place Overall: 12th out of 92
Age Group: 1st out of 6 (not a very deep field)
The highlight of the day came during the awards ceremony when I learned that I won my age group and received a really cool award (see below). It is an old "45" recorde on a wooden base. So cool and so happy that I actually won my Age Group for the first time EVER!!!!! Granted it wasn't a bit race but I am still proud.
Oh, and a really cool finishers medal (see below).
So, there you have it, the Riverstock Triathlon is in the books and it was a good race. Next up is going to be the Hunterdon Half in October and then Ironman Arizona in November. As for today, I am going to be resting my weary legs so that tomorrow I am ready to get back to training!
Monday, July 26, 2010
RR: New Jersey State Triathlon (Sprint) - OMG Hardware!!!
Friday
I went to my sports doctors (Advanced Sports Chiropractic) to have my neck worked on at 2:15PM Friday afternoon. It had been bothering me for the past week and a half and I needed some relief before the race on Saturday. I suppose that it helped a bit, but nothing dramatic. From there I had to pick up my girls and head over to Mercer County Park to pick up my race packet. Nothing too exciting to report, just picked up my number, chip and actually was gifted a dry-fit t-shirt that I didn't pay the extra cash for (score!).
Friday night was uneventful which was a good thing. I was in bed by 10:30PM, probably a little late, but I wasn't able to get in bed any sooner....too many last minute things to remember to pack.
Saturday
Up at 4:30AM and out of the house by 5:00AM. I ate a package of Pop-Tarts on the way along with a bottle of Powerade. At the race site, I was body marked by a 10-year old boy who apparently just learned how to write his numbers, and write them really BIG. I laughed it off, racked my bike and set up transition. Again, uneventful morning leading up to the race start. I did manage to get in a decent warm-up which helped to loosen up my neck (yeah!)
Swim - 500 meters
The swim was a little rough, and I mean that in the literal sense. There was a lot more contact than I have had in any other triathlon. I was dragged under twice, swam over twice, pulled back a few times, and generally man-handled for the first 300 meters. Once I made the turn to shore I was able to start swimming in a nice groove and cruise. I think because of all of the contact, I was more tired than I expected to be getting out of the water. Luckily I immediately saw/heard my wife, girl, parents, and mother-in-law which gave me a boost of energy and I flew up into transition. There is a good 100 meter run/climb out of the water to transition that goes towards the swim time, so my actually time is a bit skewed.
Swim time - 11:12 (2:14/100m) - 275th out of 1,357
T1 - 1:28 - really happy with my transition, only about 20 seconds off the fastest (one of the race leaders).
Bike - 11.5 miles
After getting on my bike and getting into my shoes I thought I was just start flying. That was not the case. I think my heart rate was really high and I was having a bit of a problem with my breathing. It took about two or three miles before I felt better, but I never felt really good on the ride. I think the heat and humidity definitely played a part in that. It was just after 8:00AM and it was already 85F+ and really humid, conditions that I don't do well in. I plugged along as best as I could constantly picking off cyclists from the earlier waves. I tried to keep my cadence up around 100 RPMs and just pedalled hard. I don't have good ride stats because my Garmin got all messed up about a 1/2 mile out of transition. I was never passed on the bike and I never saw anyone from my age group the entire ride. It was definitely odd, but I didn't think much of it. I finally made my way back to transition doing pretty good, but definitely feeling the heat. I saw my family as I was racing down the shoot to transition and again got another boost of adrenaline. Bike time - 31:59 (21.6 MPH) - 56th out of 1,357
T2 - 1:11 - Again, really good transition, only mistake was almost forgetting my race number belt, luckily I was only about 10 feet away when I remembered.
Run - 3.1 miles
One word....HOT!!!! Even as I was running out of transition I could tell how uncomfortable the run was going to be. I saw my wife running along side of me down the exit shoot, she was yelling to everyone that I was coming. I was able to give my daughter (oldest) a high five as I ran by, so awesome to see her and everyone there. I felt like crap for the entire run, never once feeling like I was running smoothly. The whole time I felt like I was slogging along through the heat and humidity. The first mile took forever, but I was only passed by one guy from an earlier wave and I must have passed at least 20. At least 1/4 of the people I passed were walking, it was just so friggin' hot out there. I continued to check out the numbers of the guys coming the opposite way to see if there was anyone in my age group that I might be able to catch, but I never saw anyone. I thought it was odd, but I never thought much about it. About half-way through the run (at the turn around) I was passed again by a guy I had no chance of catching...that was it for me being passed. I continued to make my way through the field of runners in front of me and watching what looked like a walk-a-thon for the rest of the folks out there. Finally, I saw the finish chute and I pick up the pace a bit. I could hear people calling my name (thank you Lynch family!), then I heard my wife and family yelling for me; I gave them a wave and a smile and made my way to the finish. I didn't have anyone to catch ahead of me so I just cruised in. Not a great run, but considering the conditions (and the walking wounded out on the course) I am OK with it. Run time - 23:24 (7:33) - 86th out of 1,357
Final Time - 1:09:19
Overall: 48th out of 1,357
Gender: 43rd out of 755
Age Group: 3rd out of 123
Post-Race Comments
It was a brutal day, with temps in the mid-90s when I finished. I would have like to have gone a bit faster in every leg, but conditions just wouldn't allow it. I was about 30 seconds slower than last year, with my swim time about 1:10 slower (wetsuits were permitted last year). I wanted to stick around for the post-race festivities and see about awards but I had Daddy-duty (youngest daughter had a birthday party at 10:00AM) and had to leave by 9:30AM. When I got home around 1:00PM, I checked the final results from the race and BAM! there it was:
Holy Crap! Granted my time was not even close to the top two guys, but still, 3rd in my age group! This is only my second award ever (the first an AG 3rd place in a tiny 5k). I thought back to the bike and the run, and how odd it was that I didn't really see anyone in around my age. I guess I know why now, they were all behind me. What a great way to end the day. Now if I can only find out how I am supposed to get that darn award (I have emailed the race director already).
What's next? Back to training with my next race either Saturday, August 7th (Born to Tri in Asbury Park, NJ) or Sunday, August 29th (Riverstock in Sunbury, PA). I am signed up for Riverstock (Olympic distance), but not for Born to Tri (Sprint) as it doesn't really fit into my training, but we'll see. Stay cool!
I went to my sports doctors (Advanced Sports Chiropractic) to have my neck worked on at 2:15PM Friday afternoon. It had been bothering me for the past week and a half and I needed some relief before the race on Saturday. I suppose that it helped a bit, but nothing dramatic. From there I had to pick up my girls and head over to Mercer County Park to pick up my race packet. Nothing too exciting to report, just picked up my number, chip and actually was gifted a dry-fit t-shirt that I didn't pay the extra cash for (score!).
Friday night was uneventful which was a good thing. I was in bed by 10:30PM, probably a little late, but I wasn't able to get in bed any sooner....too many last minute things to remember to pack.
Saturday
Up at 4:30AM and out of the house by 5:00AM. I ate a package of Pop-Tarts on the way along with a bottle of Powerade. At the race site, I was body marked by a 10-year old boy who apparently just learned how to write his numbers, and write them really BIG. I laughed it off, racked my bike and set up transition. Again, uneventful morning leading up to the race start. I did manage to get in a decent warm-up which helped to loosen up my neck (yeah!)
Swim - 500 meters
The swim was a little rough, and I mean that in the literal sense. There was a lot more contact than I have had in any other triathlon. I was dragged under twice, swam over twice, pulled back a few times, and generally man-handled for the first 300 meters. Once I made the turn to shore I was able to start swimming in a nice groove and cruise. I think because of all of the contact, I was more tired than I expected to be getting out of the water. Luckily I immediately saw/heard my wife, girl, parents, and mother-in-law which gave me a boost of energy and I flew up into transition. There is a good 100 meter run/climb out of the water to transition that goes towards the swim time, so my actually time is a bit skewed.
Swim time - 11:12 (2:14/100m) - 275th out of 1,357
T1 - 1:28 - really happy with my transition, only about 20 seconds off the fastest (one of the race leaders).
Bike - 11.5 miles
After getting on my bike and getting into my shoes I thought I was just start flying. That was not the case. I think my heart rate was really high and I was having a bit of a problem with my breathing. It took about two or three miles before I felt better, but I never felt really good on the ride. I think the heat and humidity definitely played a part in that. It was just after 8:00AM and it was already 85F+ and really humid, conditions that I don't do well in. I plugged along as best as I could constantly picking off cyclists from the earlier waves. I tried to keep my cadence up around 100 RPMs and just pedalled hard. I don't have good ride stats because my Garmin got all messed up about a 1/2 mile out of transition. I was never passed on the bike and I never saw anyone from my age group the entire ride. It was definitely odd, but I didn't think much of it. I finally made my way back to transition doing pretty good, but definitely feeling the heat. I saw my family as I was racing down the shoot to transition and again got another boost of adrenaline. Bike time - 31:59 (21.6 MPH) - 56th out of 1,357
T2 - 1:11 - Again, really good transition, only mistake was almost forgetting my race number belt, luckily I was only about 10 feet away when I remembered.
Run - 3.1 miles
One word....HOT!!!! Even as I was running out of transition I could tell how uncomfortable the run was going to be. I saw my wife running along side of me down the exit shoot, she was yelling to everyone that I was coming. I was able to give my daughter (oldest) a high five as I ran by, so awesome to see her and everyone there. I felt like crap for the entire run, never once feeling like I was running smoothly. The whole time I felt like I was slogging along through the heat and humidity. The first mile took forever, but I was only passed by one guy from an earlier wave and I must have passed at least 20. At least 1/4 of the people I passed were walking, it was just so friggin' hot out there. I continued to check out the numbers of the guys coming the opposite way to see if there was anyone in my age group that I might be able to catch, but I never saw anyone. I thought it was odd, but I never thought much about it. About half-way through the run (at the turn around) I was passed again by a guy I had no chance of catching...that was it for me being passed. I continued to make my way through the field of runners in front of me and watching what looked like a walk-a-thon for the rest of the folks out there. Finally, I saw the finish chute and I pick up the pace a bit. I could hear people calling my name (thank you Lynch family!), then I heard my wife and family yelling for me; I gave them a wave and a smile and made my way to the finish. I didn't have anyone to catch ahead of me so I just cruised in. Not a great run, but considering the conditions (and the walking wounded out on the course) I am OK with it. Run time - 23:24 (7:33) - 86th out of 1,357
Final Time - 1:09:19
Overall: 48th out of 1,357
Gender: 43rd out of 755
Age Group: 3rd out of 123
Post-Race Comments
It was a brutal day, with temps in the mid-90s when I finished. I would have like to have gone a bit faster in every leg, but conditions just wouldn't allow it. I was about 30 seconds slower than last year, with my swim time about 1:10 slower (wetsuits were permitted last year). I wanted to stick around for the post-race festivities and see about awards but I had Daddy-duty (youngest daughter had a birthday party at 10:00AM) and had to leave by 9:30AM. When I got home around 1:00PM, I checked the final results from the race and BAM! there it was:
I placed 3rd in my Age Group (M 35 - 39)
Holy Crap! Granted my time was not even close to the top two guys, but still, 3rd in my age group! This is only my second award ever (the first an AG 3rd place in a tiny 5k). I thought back to the bike and the run, and how odd it was that I didn't really see anyone in around my age. I guess I know why now, they were all behind me. What a great way to end the day. Now if I can only find out how I am supposed to get that darn award (I have emailed the race director already).
What's next? Back to training with my next race either Saturday, August 7th (Born to Tri in Asbury Park, NJ) or Sunday, August 29th (Riverstock in Sunbury, PA). I am signed up for Riverstock (Olympic distance), but not for Born to Tri (Sprint) as it doesn't really fit into my training, but we'll see. Stay cool!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
What To Do?
New Jersey State Triathon - Sprint or Olympic?
I am going to sign up for the NJ State Triathlon today, but I don't know which distance I should pick. I have only ever done the Sprint race, primarily because the Olympic distance always sells out before I have the funds to pay for the entry. Thus, I go with the Sprint distance and I am happy with that. Well, it appears that neither race is sold out yet, so I actually have a choice this year. Problem is, I don't want a choice, I like to have it pre-determined which race I will be doing. Here are my thoughts on each:
Sprint Distance
- I missed the top 50 last year by 30 seconds and I think I could really do well this year...maybe place in my age group
- The race is on Saturday instead of Sunday, so I will still have the rest of the weekend left to do with as I wish
- Since I would be done in just over an hour, my wife and kids wouldn't be too bored
- My Ironman training doesn't call for an Olympic Distance race until mid-August
- I won't be totally wiped for a long run or ride on Sunday as part of my training
- Packet pickup is on Friday night from 5pm - 8pm....a bit inconvenient
- The first year of this race I was signed up for the Olympic but went with Sprint because of poor swim training
- A lot of triathletes I know will be doing the Olympic distance
- It would be a good test for me on a fast course to see how I stack up again other area triathletes
- Packet pickup is on Saturday, Noon - 6PM, I could go earlier and watch a bit of the Sprint event
- I would be subjecting my family to two and half hours of watching me race
- I'm planning on doing another Olympic distance tri only two weeks later (Steelman Triathlon)
Maybe next year I can try the Olympic distance.
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