Ashland Lions Triathlon – 4 out of 5 ain’t bad!

Ashland Lions International Triathlon
June 17, 2007
1m/26m/6m

Fashion Report
Club tri-shorts and top, Promotion wetsuit in complimentary red.

Breakfast Report
Homemade egg & cheese bagel sandwich.

Result Summary
1 mile Swim: 30:31 (30:31/mile, 27/32, 267/330)
26 mile Bike: 1:25:55 (19.5 mph avg, 15/32, 135/330)
6.3 mile Run: 57:04 (9:03 min/mil, 22/32, 175/330)
Total: 2:53:31 (19/32, 174/330)

Evaluation against previously posted goals:

1. Have fun. This is always the primary target.

Gator Girl came back from Canada on Thursday with a killer cough and cold. By ths morning, she was throwing up. Once before leaving home, again in the car on the way to the race. She decided that unleashing the technicolor yawn during the swim was a significant possibility – and one worth avoiding – so took the DNS and watched. Bummer for her.

The family was up and out of the house by 5:45. Kudos to my boys for once again sucking it up so mom and dad can go play.

Dunked. I was comfortable on the swim. I thoroughly enjoyed the bike. And even though parts of the run sucked, I still managed to joke with the volunteers and have some fun. I’d do this again! [1/1]

2. Swim: So much depends on the course, traffic, etc. but, assuming nominal conditions, I’ll be reasonably happy under 45, thrilled with 40.

Triangular course in warm water on a nice lake. Apparently I’m in the competitive age group as we’re the LAST wave to go. I’m very calm leading up to the start – chatting with friends, getting plans ready – it’s all good.

Unlike the last sprint I did where I flailed the whole 400 yards, I found my stroke pretty quickly today. I was relaxed and confident throughout. I bumped a few people here and there but it didn’t phase me; I was able to site regularly; I could see people behind me; and it was all good. Strangely, I think this was my favorite event today!

So… Either there was a favorable current or my wetsuit makes more difference than I expected or the course was short. Though I favor the latter, I’ll take it. Killed this goal. [2/2]

3. Bike: Again, a course that’s unknown to me. Two laps on a 13 mile loop that doesn’t look too hilly. I’ll be happy if I can average 19mph+ and thrilled over 20.

The math up above says 18.1 mph – but the time includes T1. Coming out of the water there was a killer run through the woods and up to the transition area. Must be a half mile and it’s up hill through woods. Everyone brought shoes to the swim exit – so I brought my Keen trail sandals down and they worked out fine. I kept it at a jog but it was at least a five minute run up the hill.

Got through the transition and out on the bike. The course was much hillier than I expected. I pushed where I thought I could, tried to keep the cadence high, and had fun. It was a two loop course and at one point I was pushing up a hill and feeling pretty good about myself as I was passing slower riders. All of a sudden, one of the Elites on his second loop blows by me like I’m standing still! Very humbling.

I felt strong throughout the ride. I hit 42 mph at one point – that could likely be the fastest I’ve ever gone on a bike! Shortly after that, a guy I’d blown buy on the down came cranking past me on the up. “It pays to weigh 140!” he says. “F%$ Y&2!!” I say! (I saw him in the food line later and we had a good laugh!) Excpet for the Elites flying by – I don’t think I was passed more than a few times. I passed scores.

As I dismounted my bike, the bike computer said I averaged 19.5 mph. Goal accomplished. Even with the hills. [3/3]

4. Run: This being my longest tri to date, I’m curious how much I’ll have left. I think I’ll be happy under 8’s, thrilled under 7:45’s.

Though promoted and scored as a 6 mile run, this course is marked as 6.3. Go figure.

By the time we hit the run, it was pushing 80 under a cloudless sky – not my favorite running conditions. My legs felt reasonably strong but I was hot and out of breath. The hills kept coming and I resorted to walking several of them as did many around me. All the time I was watching my total time and figuring I could still get goal five – as long as I stayed steady.

I passed many more people than passed me – but I was very disappointed. I had several 9+ miles and the math says 9:03 overall for the 6.3 mile 6 mile course. I can do better at this. I will. [3/4]

Edited to add: 24 hours later I’ve realized that T2 was in the run time. That must have been at least a minute or so. So maybe I ran closer to 8:50’s. Still sucked.

5. Allowing something for transitions… I think it would be neat to break 3 hours overall.

Bringing the swim home 14 minutes faster than expected was a big help. Bike was right where I expected, run sucked. T1 took forever with the run but T2 was reasonable. In total, nailed. With a little better run, I can do even better. [4/5]

Summary
It was fun. I leaned a lot. Like I gotta push a little less on the bike if I’m gonna run a half marathon afterwards. Like I gotta figure out how to carry more fluids on the bike. Like I gotta practice running with a lot of fatigue in hot weather. Like I can have more confidence in my swim. Like the field is much more competitive in an Oly than in a sprint – not a lot of laggards out there today. Like I shouldn’t underestimate the hills on the map – this course was tough.

Oh and… I had a chance to chat with TheProFromDover. He was bribing his way into the geezer wave at the swim start. He’s smooth.

Thanks family for letting me play! Thanks club for the support! Thanks Thor for making the trip to cheer!