Wasaga 2011 race report

This year's race was a significant improvement over last year and I'm quite pleased with the outcome!


I really wanted to take some time off the swim and I was successful in that venture. I also did my first race in my Fighting Koala's unitard. That's a bit interesting, not being able to quickly go pee if needed. And there are always nervous pees. Especially because I was really stressed about the swim.


The day was sunny but chilly in the morning. It was really perfect temperature for racing. The water was warmer than last year and it was flat. That was a huge relief after doing an open water swim in Sauble Beach the week before and getting motion sick from the waves rocking me back and forth. My nerves settled right down as soon as I saw that the water was calm and I had a great race.  I was a bit chilled to start on the bike, being wet and all but quickly warmed up. By the time I hit the run, it was sunny and warm and I was feeling good.



my results:
overall place 244/399     
time 1:35:35.3                      
age group place 17/39     
swim place 33/39 (I beat SIX girls out of the water!)  
overall swim place 337/399  
swim time 21:09  
time/100m 2:50
run up time 0:51 (there is a long way to run before getting to T1)  
T1 1:57
bike place 17/39  
overall bike place 254/399
bike time 43:04 
bike speed 27.9km/h
T2 1:15   
run place 15/39
overall run place 213/399
run time 27:22
run pace/km 5:29 


Compare with last year's results:
overall place 252/355
time: 1:40:19  
age group place 16/25
overall swim place 321/355   
swim time 23:34
time/100m  3:09
run up time 0:42
T1 3:37 (um... was I blow drying my hair?!)
overall bike place 236
bike time 42:46
bike speed 28.1 km/h
T2 1:57
overall run place 212 
run time 27:46
run pace/km 5:34


Let's analyze this a bit. I did very little training leading up to this year's race because of the wedding. Last year I was coming off an injury so, while I had done a lot more training in the early summer, I'd been off for 6-8wks mid season. So I think fitness levels are probably comparable, yet I took almost 5 minutes off my time! Where were the gains? 
Swim - I took more than 2 minutes off here. This is a big deal because the swim is by far the hardest part of the race for me. 
Transitions - Again, another 2 minutes or so saving in much faster transitions than last year.
Run - 30 seconds. Not much here but still respectable. I'm excited about this because I want to run the Octoberfest 5K and a respectable 5K time after swimming and biking will hopefully translate into a quick race time.

cleansing

I'm on a cleanse to cap off a summer of debauchery and over indulgence. It is seven days of taking those crazy horse pills and clean eating, four days of shakes only, and then three days of steamed veggies and protein and more horse pills to 're-populate the flora of my colon'. Nice. 


I'm at day three and a half.

Currently feeling: tired.

Today, I fell off the bandwagon and ate Arby's and I viciously paid for it. 
Tonight, spaghetti squash and sauce. 
Back in the saddle.

vices

so there is this guy... who works in the factory next to my building... that we think is smoking meth at 9AM in the morning...

do ya think I'm sexy?

apparently these:

aren't welcome in bed. who'd a thunk it? I hear a resounding 'not sexy' from the audience.


went to visit the awesome people at Runner's Choice last night after our brick work out. ME was in need of tri shorts and he found some awesome Zoot shorts. I picked up these bad boys, some gels and chews. now I just need to make an effort to get into the pool...


last night's workout:


~15K bike - nasty head wind
~4K run - 9:30/M


the calves were protesting when I came off the bike. likely that is the result of me not getting enough water or electrolytes throughout the day. must remember to hydrate better over the next few days.

Wasaga Beach Sprint Triathlon race report 2010 and run up to 2011

yet another tardy race report for everyone (as in almost a year tardy)!

in September 2010, I finished my very first triathlon. it was a sprint distance tri, so slightly longer than a try-a-tri but nowhere close to the Olympic distance. it was still a big leap for me because it was a 750m swim. I knew I could do the run and bike distances but the real wild card was the swim. I can swim but certainly hadn't done proper training for the distance. I think I'd been in the pool 5 times all summer. not to mention that there's that pesky knee injury I'd sustained about 8hrs after the duathlon in June. that kinda slowed me down all summer long and since I'm moody and whiny, I didn't get in the damn pool.

anyway, I had three goals for the triathlon:

1. don't drown.

2. don't lose your shorts when you whip off your wetsuit.

3. finish.

I can tell you that all goals were completed successfully! I love it when a project goes so smoothly!

well... at least the run and bike portions. I kind of had a major meltdown on the swim. the air horn went to signal the start of the race and me and the 40+ men started. it was cold in the water but not hypothermia inducing. I was shivering anyways b/c of nerves. 

hoodieruns              1:40:19 

age grp  16/25     

swim 23:34     

T1 3:37     

bike 42:46  (avg km/h 28.1)   

T2 1:57   

run 27:46  (pace/km 5:34)

now I'm four days out from the 2011 race and I'm nervous. the husband and I did an open water swim in choppy Lake Huron on the weekend. I was motion sick after 10-15mins in the water. hence the nerves. what should I do? Koach and another friend both suggested ear plugs. other friend also suggested non-drowsy ginseng gravol. meep!

I know that this year is going to be slower due to the absence of any training all summer long. the wedding consumed my attention and time. but that's ok. this year's goals are to finish and to do the swim faster than last year. will let you know.

a few changes for hoodieruns

sorry folks. long time, no write.
I do have some excuses: I got engaged, I got married and now it's September.

but I'm back now. promise.