Race report - Gatorade triathlon series 2012-13 Race 4, Sandringham (Olympic distance)
My first OD race! The occasion is finally upon me. I was fairly nervous about this up until the day before, when I decided to properly embrace to advice to "just enjoy" one's first race at a new distance. I did my first ever triathlon at this same location 2 years ago. Awesome.
Results
Total 3:11:46.2 (4/8)
Swim (1.5km) 34:36 (3/8)
T1 7:15
Bike (40km) 1:24:18 (6/8)
T2 2:26
Run (10km) 1:03:09 (6/8)
It seems a little surprising that a 3rd 6th and 6th ends up being 4th overall. I think that can be mainly attributed to the swim blowing some people out.
The swim was kind of tough going. I think that is actually the longest swim I have done in an event, and I don't have a lot of practice swimming that continuously, so maybe that's all it was. My sighting was not great, I felt like I spent a lot of time correcting direction. It also didn't help that my goggles almost always fog up and for part of the course I was relying more on other competitors than buoys to tell if I was going the right way. We were also out there for so long there was more time for faster waves to swim through us, which may have contributed to the impression of going so slowly (normally only 1 or maybe 2 waves would get a chance to come through).
Finally it was over... then the giant run up the hill to transition some 700m away, hence a 7 minute transition time. This year they moved the swim timing mat down on the beach so the swim times are more accurate which is great IMO.
Then the bike...this was kind of horrid. I don't have enough practice doing longer rides, longer aero rides, and longer fast rides, and it all showed. I opted for just surviving and not really pushing myself too hard at all. There was a bizarre little rain cloud just over one part of the bike course. We had to ride through it about 4 times. Sopping wet, giant pelty drops, then you would come out the other side and the air was dry. Very strange, and miserable, experience.
With nutrition, I had a gel in T1 after the swim, and then 2 more on the bike. My stomach felt a bit unhappily gurgly and I was a bit nervous and how it would go on the run. I don't think I have ever exercised hard for over 3 hours straight before so it was a bit experimental. This was also a big part of my decision not to push very hard. Next time I would try and get a bar to eat on the bike instead of just gels. I drank only a little bit more than 1 water bottle of water but my bladder seemed very full.
Anyway, it was miserable. I was sore and cold and wet and hating it. Really need to raise my seat, it makes my knees hurt -- but I only ever notice in races. Stupid. I just thought, mental toughness. This is not it. If this is what OD is like imagine what long course is like. Thoughts about quitting. Thoughts about what happens if you just leave in the middle of the race and don't return. :) Thoughts about an accident on the wet road that would sadly (or not!) cut my race short.
Getting off the bike to run into transition was such amazing relief for my butt and my body in general. I have never been so happy to go out for a run!
The rain cloud never did come over transition or the run course, thankfully. It's a really nice run course too, along the beach with nice views. I went out, taking it easy, and felt surprisingly good. At about 4km passed a toilet block and decided to play it safe and stop and wait to use it. That probably added at least 2 minutes. But on balance I think it was a good decision, I felt a lot better and safer to run a bit faster. A few of my km's would have been under 6:00, which I didn't think I would do at all. I was budgeting 70 minutes or more for the run, so I was very happy with my final time there.
I think I have the running bug!
Dale, who came third, did a sub-3-hr time which is awesome. The second place woman was only about 20 seconds in front of her. And the first placer was 2:51, which is about 20 minutes faster than me. 3:05 would probably be my next OD goal, quite achievable especially if I don't do it on the Sandringham course!
Results
Total 3:11:46.2 (4/8)
Swim (1.5km) 34:36 (3/8)
T1 7:15
Bike (40km) 1:24:18 (6/8)
T2 2:26
Run (10km) 1:03:09 (6/8)
It seems a little surprising that a 3rd 6th and 6th ends up being 4th overall. I think that can be mainly attributed to the swim blowing some people out.
The swim was kind of tough going. I think that is actually the longest swim I have done in an event, and I don't have a lot of practice swimming that continuously, so maybe that's all it was. My sighting was not great, I felt like I spent a lot of time correcting direction. It also didn't help that my goggles almost always fog up and for part of the course I was relying more on other competitors than buoys to tell if I was going the right way. We were also out there for so long there was more time for faster waves to swim through us, which may have contributed to the impression of going so slowly (normally only 1 or maybe 2 waves would get a chance to come through).
Finally it was over... then the giant run up the hill to transition some 700m away, hence a 7 minute transition time. This year they moved the swim timing mat down on the beach so the swim times are more accurate which is great IMO.
Then the bike...this was kind of horrid. I don't have enough practice doing longer rides, longer aero rides, and longer fast rides, and it all showed. I opted for just surviving and not really pushing myself too hard at all. There was a bizarre little rain cloud just over one part of the bike course. We had to ride through it about 4 times. Sopping wet, giant pelty drops, then you would come out the other side and the air was dry. Very strange, and miserable, experience.
With nutrition, I had a gel in T1 after the swim, and then 2 more on the bike. My stomach felt a bit unhappily gurgly and I was a bit nervous and how it would go on the run. I don't think I have ever exercised hard for over 3 hours straight before so it was a bit experimental. This was also a big part of my decision not to push very hard. Next time I would try and get a bar to eat on the bike instead of just gels. I drank only a little bit more than 1 water bottle of water but my bladder seemed very full.
Anyway, it was miserable. I was sore and cold and wet and hating it. Really need to raise my seat, it makes my knees hurt -- but I only ever notice in races. Stupid. I just thought, mental toughness. This is not it. If this is what OD is like imagine what long course is like. Thoughts about quitting. Thoughts about what happens if you just leave in the middle of the race and don't return. :) Thoughts about an accident on the wet road that would sadly (or not!) cut my race short.
Getting off the bike to run into transition was such amazing relief for my butt and my body in general. I have never been so happy to go out for a run!
The rain cloud never did come over transition or the run course, thankfully. It's a really nice run course too, along the beach with nice views. I went out, taking it easy, and felt surprisingly good. At about 4km passed a toilet block and decided to play it safe and stop and wait to use it. That probably added at least 2 minutes. But on balance I think it was a good decision, I felt a lot better and safer to run a bit faster. A few of my km's would have been under 6:00, which I didn't think I would do at all. I was budgeting 70 minutes or more for the run, so I was very happy with my final time there.
I think I have the running bug!
Dale, who came third, did a sub-3-hr time which is awesome. The second place woman was only about 20 seconds in front of her. And the first placer was 2:51, which is about 20 minutes faster than me. 3:05 would probably be my next OD goal, quite achievable especially if I don't do it on the Sandringham course!