FINALLY - My first Triathlon Race

Before I start on this RR, I want to give a little history for those who don't know me:

In May of 2008, I ran my first Marathon and got 2 stress fractures... so, after recovery, in around November, 2008, I started training for triathlons - a new challenge, but less stress on my body... My first Tri was supposed to be in April of 2009, but in March, I started having BAD shin splints and decided with the help of my Physical Therapist, to NOT do the race in April... I took time off, worked with my PT - the minute I started running again - shin splints

Then I found an Active Release Technique Doctor who told me to go out and run, bike, swim... do what I wanted to do... I'm happy to say, that I FINALLY got to my first triathlon start-line yesterday - now to finish...

Lake Las Vegas Sprint Triathlon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sunset Racing
90* – 100* (all I know is it was HOT - and even HOTTER at the end)
Sunny

Triathlon - Sprint
Total Time = 2h 25m 37s
Overall Rank = 207/226
Age Group = 45-49
Age Group Rank = 10/11

Pre-race routine:

I had laid all of my stuff out the night before the race, so on race morning, I just had to get dressed and pack the stuff into my back-pack and load my bike in the car.

I woke up early enough to eat a whole packet of instant oatmeal... usually nothing wants to go down that early... I also drank a bottle of water on the way to the race - about a 40 minute travel time.

I arrived at the race and met up with my friend and her roommate, who did not do the race. We walked our bikes over to transition, got body marked and set-up transition and took a few pictures. I thought we were early, but there were hardly any spaces left... I got a GREAT space anyway...

It was kinda funny that my bike didn't touch the ground at all... it's hard to see in the picture, but it was the only one that was just hanging in mid-air... I still love my bike! (It's the one with the pink fork)

This is me showing off my body markings:

My friend Jenn & I before the race: and NO, we didn't go shopping together - we just both like zoot :)

Event warmup:

The oly race started at 6:30 and the Sprint start was at 7:30… I was in the last wave, so I didn’t start til 7:45ish, My friend and I walked down to the beach as we were supposed to be able to start our warm-up at 7:00… but they didn’t let us near the water til about 7:15ish as many Oly swimmers were still finishing. It was fun to watch the swimmers come out of the water after their long swim.

I swam to the nearest doc and back... I felt out of breath, and wondered how I'm going to be able to do this race...

Swimming
00:23:49 | 800 meters | 02m 59s / 100meters
Age Group:	7/11
Overall:	198/226
Performance:	Good
Suit:	no wetsuit allowed
Course:	swim under the bridge to the bouey's... around 2 bouey's, back under the bridge to the beach... then run about a quarter mile to transition to where the timing matt is.

Comments:

The race only used 1 set of Bouey’s for both the oly & the sprint, after the Oly, they moved the bouey’s… It was tough to see the actual course from where we were standing, so I just swam til I got past the bridge, figured out where to swim next, then swam to the first bouey, then figured out where to go next, etc. I suppose that slowed me down a bit, but it was better than swimming WAY in the wrong direction…

I surprised myself on the swim. I thought it would take MUCH longer and that I would be the last one out of the water... but that wasn't the case... I sighted well, drafted some, and there were still people swimming when I got out :) Even one of the Volunteers commented, “you told me you’d be the last out of the water” and he gave me a High Five!

My time on the swim looks longer than it actually was since they added most of the transition onto the swim time... I hit the lap button on my Ironman watch after I got out of the water – my actual swim time was 20:32 – not bad, I’ll take it!

What would you do differently?:

I had taken my flip-flops to the beach, I ran with them a little way, but ended up taking them off. I'll just go barefoot next time.

T1
Time:	02:17

Comments:

Take off my goggles and swim cap, put on socks, bike shoes, helmet, sun glasses, race-number belt - grab the bike and go…

During this transition, I talked to my neighbor - who didn't finish the race...he looked fine, he wasn't injured, so I asked what happened... he said he swallowed a bunch of water and had a horrible swim - whatever - there's 1 person I beat to the finish!

We had to run with our bikes past the matt to the mounting line… then I stopped, made sure I got my feet on the pedals, etc… no running or fancy start for me…

Biking
01:06:38 | 14.44 miles | 13.00 mile/hr
Age Group:	6/11
Overall:	173/226
Performance:	Good
Wind:	Some
Course:	very HILLY... come out of transition up-hill, and continue to the steepest climb of the course. Then some downhill til you climb again, then an awesome downhill portion to the turn-around... after the turn-around, you must climb what you just came down... then a nice downhill back to transition

Comments:

I had Soooooo much fun on the bike... I was able to pass people and only got passed a couple of times. I like going fast on the descents! My max speed measured 36.7mph… I know people go MUCH faster than that, but that’s my fastest to date J

Lap	Time	Distance	Pace/Speed
1	06m 57s	1.00 miles	8.63 mph
2	03m 37s	1.00 miles	16.59 mph
3	07m 21s	1.00 miles	8.16 mph
4	06m 10s	1.00 miles	9.73 mph
5	02m 11s	1.00 miles	27.48 mph
6	01m 56s	1.00 miles	31.03 mph
7	02m 06s	1.00 miles	28.57 mph
8	03m 43s	1.00 miles	16.14 mph
9	06m 08s	1.00 miles	9.78 mph
10	07m 01s	1.00 miles	8.55 mph
11	07m 54s	1.00 miles	7.59 mph
12	03m 11s	1.00 miles	18.85 mph
13	02m 02s	1.00 miles	29.51 mph
14	02m 54s	1.00 miles	20.69 mph
15	02m 34s	0.54 miles	12.67 mph

What would you do differently?:

I put electrolyte mix in my aero bottle, but didn't put enough. Then I finished that and had to stop to re-fill my bottle. I didn't have any electrolyte mix in my 2nd bottle.

I need to learn how to drink from the cage or at least re-fill from the cage without having to stop for the refill...

T2
Time:	01:10

We had to stop at the mounting line – again, nothing fancy here… just stopped my bike like normal and ran up to the matt with it, racked it and took off my helmet and cycling shoes, put on running shoes and off I went…

Running
00:51:45 | 03.62 miles | 14m 18s min/mile
Age Group:	11/11
Overall:	214/226
Performance:	Bad
Course:	Hills, Hills, Hills - started with an uphill out of transition, and then a slight incline to head out to the dirt road. once on the dirt road the hills were very steep! up and down... came back out of the desert portion and ran around the transition area and went another mile down the road to the Village where the finish line was.

Comments:

I expected to have trouble running, but not THAT much trouble! I figured I'd run & walk til I got my legs under me, but once my legs were under me, I started getting shin pain - DARN... I stopped to stretch, loosened my shoe laces, stretched again... someone offered me gatorade... I took a sip, and kept walking. It took a good 2.5 miles before I could run - and then I was out of energy.

The race had advertised a 3.18 mile run… but I truly believe they set-up the turn-around in the wrong place… It even shows it wrong on their map! After about 2.5 miles, there was a sign that said “1 mile to go” the man I was running with at that point and I thought it must be wrong! But, it was right… According to my Garmin, the run was 3.62 miles, so that’s what I’m counting… I still can’t decide if this was the longest 3 miles I ever ran – it’s a close race with the last 3 of the Marathon I did last year.

Lap	Time	Distance	Pace/Speed
1	16m 09s	1.00 miles	16m 09s /mile
2	15m 40s	1.00 miles	15m 40s /mile
3	12m 51s	1.00 miles	12m 51s /mile
4	07m 11s	0.62 miles	11m 39s /mile

Almost to the finish, and I saw my friend walking back to her car… she had an event to go to after the race, she congratulated me on my race and told me it wasn’t much further to the finish – you couldn’t see the finish line til the last about .05 of a mile… I crossed a matt that brought up my name to the announcers, and as I crossed the finish line matts, they announced my name – even correctly (although he did stumble on it for a second) I threw my arms up in the air as if I won the race and smiled for the camera…I actually had to hold back tears of joy and accomplishment... I hope the pictures come out well!

What would you do differently?:

1. walk more out of transition... my body needs more time to adjust.
2. Bring a hand-held with water or electrolyte in it.
3. do more bricks

Post race

got to the finish and grabbed water & a bagel... walked around a bit then went and stretched. As I was walking around, I looked down to the lake… there was my team from work on the row boats – too cool! I yelled to them (I was supposed to practice with them, but I did the race) Then I cheered for the winners in the awards ceremony. I was glad that I finished in time for the awards

It was a LONG walk back to transition (just over a mile), I packed up my stuff and rode my bike back to my car. Came home and crashed!

What limited your ability to perform faster:

my run sucked! I need to practice running off the bike, and see if electrolyte replacement will help with shin splints?

If you read this whole thing