A Tri in the Buff(alo)

This is my race report from A Tri in the Buff held on Saturday, July 2nd. I copied this from my online training log. Feel free to comment or ask questions.

Distances: 750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run
Final time: 1:15:02
Overall Place: 14/110
Age Group(M30-34): 4/16

Pre-race routine: Stayed on site at the Evangola State Park campground. Didn't have the greatest night of sleep, but I don't believe that it affected me too much. Packet pick-up was at Tri Spot Multi Sports. Amanda and I then went to dinner at the Olive Garden before heading back to the tent.

Friday at 330 I was able to swim in the Lake with my wetsuit for the first time. Water was very choppy at that time, but the wetsuit felt comfortable.

Event warmup: I didn't do much of a warm-up for bike/run and that may have hurt me. I was so focused on warming up for the swim and making sure my heart rate was up at the start of the race. Legs were quite heavy at the start of the bike.

Swim

Comments: Was very focused on going out easy as to stay calm and I think it hurt me in the end. I felt as though everyone from my heat left me in the dust right from the start. It was a wade start and I set up to the left as heats from the Oly race were still in the water and we would eventually merge with them.

I was 27/51 in my wave so I was MOP. If I would have hit my goal pace/time, I would have been 16th.

The good: I didn't hyperventilate! Went out under control and was able to swim the whole distance without much trouble. Got hit a few times and pushed and I was able to deal and keep moving.

The bad: Sighting. Felt I did well for the first half of the race, but coming back to shore I had a tough time seeing the buoys. I felt as though I swam a lot further than I needed to. Definitely need to sight more often, especially as I get tired as I seem to drift more.

Wetsuit: Very happy with the purchase of my Xterra Vortex 4. Gives me peace of mind. Fits perfect.

My back was killing me the next day and I'm not sure if it's wetsuit related or just swim related.

OA 45/110; AG 6/16

What would you do differently?: Sight more often. Go out a little harder. I need to do longer swim workouts to build endurance. I believe my lack of swim endurance really hurt me on the bike and subsequently the run.

Transition 1

Comments: During the race I felt like this transition was 'bad' but in looking at the rest of the times, I was right in line with my AG (6/16). My suit got stuck around my ankles. Skipped the socks, put bike shoes on and ran out of transition.

Had way too hard of a time getting on the bike and clipped in after the mount line. Lost precious time here.

OA 18/110; AG 6/16

What would you do differently?: Not put Garmin watch on in T1 and wait until T2.

Bike

Comments: Bike leg started off rough. Bike shoes were on feet so a flying mount isn't much of an option. Took way too long to get clipped in and I started to get frustrated. Then after getting clipped in I was trying to put my Garmin watch on and that took way too much time as well. Once I was able to get focused on riding, I realized I didn't have much power in my legs. Felt completely trashed and tired - not sure what it could have been. Lack of swim endurance? Lack of nutrition before race? Lack of warmup?

Felt like I was working very hard the whole way. Bike computer was not working so I had no idea of my pace which was frustrating, but I just kept pushing and passing people. Unfortunately, most of the people I was passing were from the Oly. I did not see ANY sprint guys on the bike and that was a deflating feeling. On the other hand, no one passed me on the bike.

Finished with a 20.8 avg. (4/16 in AG) 1st in AG was 22.7. Makes me wonder how many in front of me had tri bikes and what difference it makes with me riding an entry level road bike with no aero bars.

OA 17/110; AG 4/16

What would you do differently?: Swim more!

Transition 2

Comments: I hadn't practiced taking my feet out of the shoes prior to the dismount line, but decided to do it in the race. It didn't go too bad actually and I was able to maintain some speed. I don't have tri specific shoes so it was a bit more difficult to pull off. My one shoe popped out of the pedal as I was lifting my bike up over the curb. I just left it there and kept running into transition.

Ran into T2 with the bike. Was able to get bike racked fairly quickly and get my shoes on. No socks which was a first for me. I took the chance of blisters because I felt like I needed to make up time. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to take my helmet off. Ran out of transition with it on only to have a race volunteer point it out. It slowed me down because I stopped, turned around and started running back until he said I could just throw it on the ground. Did that and I was on my way. Amanda was there to see it all and picked up my helmet for me.

OA 10/110; AG 3/16

What would you do differently?:Take my helmet off in transition. Put Garmin on while running out.

Run

Comments: Run was a bit longer than 5k. I had 3.25m. I didn't like this run course at all! It was a lot like a cross country race, only very difficult to navigate. Ran on some paved paths and roads and a lot of thick grass. The grass made it very difficult to get any sort of speed. Because there were a lot of twists and turns it made it difficult to see the competition in front of you. I ran by myself pretty much the whole way which is hard to do. I love having people to chase within sight.

I did pass a handful of people on the run - and thankfully, finally! - they were sprint participants and also in my AG. Again, no one passed me on the run.

I put below average for my overall performance because I came into this race hoping and expecting to run a better pace than I did. I need to put up good run times to offset my swim.

OA 3/110; AG 1/16

What would you do differently?: Probably could have pushed a little harder throughout, but with no one to chase it made it tough to stay focused and push.

Post race

Warm down: Didn't do anything to warm down. Drank a bottle of water, found Amanda and then tracked down my bike shoe that fell off while entering transition after the bike leg.

What limited your ability to perform faster: Probably my swim endurance. Feel as though it effected the rest of my race and limited my chances at a podium finish.

Event comments: Very nice race. Perfect for beginners - of which there were a ton! Seemed to be very organized and great communication from the event organizers leading up to the race. Probably would have given this race a 5 but the after race meal was pathetic. I bought an extra meal ticket for Amanda - won't be doing that next time.