Massachusetts State Triathlon

July 27, 2008

Equipment/Fashion Report

Club tri-shorts and belly-exposing top.
Complimentary red Promotion Wetsuit
Adrenaline GTS 8’s.
LIT visor.

2006 Felt S32.

Breakfast Report

Wheat bagel and a banana en route. Cookies ‘n Cream Clif Bar about an hour before race start.

Result Summary

0.9 mi Swim: 28:37 (31:48/mile, 1:48/100y, 83/166 Finishers + 3 DNF’s)
T1: 2:43
22.7m Bike: 1:06:42 (20.4 mph avg., 42/166)
T2: 2:20
6 Mile Run: 53:05 (8:51/mile, 116/166)
Total: 2:33:26 (78/166, 11/16 AG)

In-race Nutrition

Gatorade in T1 and T2, 1 bottle Gatorade on the bike, generic granola bar at about bike mile 10, water and Gatorade as available on the run.

Evaluation against previously posted goals:

I didn’t really have any goals. We’d returned from a week at Scout Camp the afternoon before the race and there may have been a beer or two consumed while floating in the pool and recovering later that day. I was racing mostly to get the participation points for TriFury in the USAT State Club Championship. The fact that it was the Championship made for a strong field that was further weeded out by the weather.

When I rolled over at 4:20 AM, ten minutes before the alarm was set to go off, there was a steady rain outside the window but I decided to press on. As I made the 60 mile drive to the event, flashes of lightening lit the sky and heavy downpours soaked the road causing my little car with bald tires to squirm and me to wonder what I was doing. But, as I approached the race venue, the rain begin to let up and had completely stopped by the time I got out of my car about 6:20. So… A dry race! (Well, except for puddles and wet roads.)

I got my race packet and set up in transition and then found myself with much time to kill. I chatted with clubmates and mostly stood around. A women near me announced to her friend “this guy is famous!” which, of course, caught my ear. Turns out she’s Kickrunners Multisport lurker and had seen my picture there! Fun. I chatted with her and others until it was time to head to the beach.

There were two races – the sprint and the “intermediate” – and the shorter race waves were going first. I chatted with a clubmate, Mary, as we waited for the waves to pass. Finally, it was Mary’s turn and she was off. The old men, in blue caps, were last and next.

I started in the middle of our smallish wave – maybe 40 or so swimmers. Many took off but I seemed to hold my own near mid pack and avoided major collisions. The water was warm and I quickly found my rhythm and stroked on. Not a third of the way in I came on the first of the green-capped swimmers from the previous wave and would pass several of them through the rest of the swim. I may not have been that fast, but I was quite pleased that I stayed in my stroke the entire distance. I maybe took one breaststroke at the first turn buoy as I’d run over a woman from the green wave and paused to apologize and move away from her. I swam until my hands hit sand and then was up and out. I was quite surprised and excited to see only 28 minutes on my watch as I stepped out! I was quite pleased with my 50th percentile swim!

T1 was a bit weak. In my swim excitement, I’d unzipped but forgotten to begin pulling down my wetsuit and I struggled getting it off. I sat on my bucket for the application of socks and shoes and was finally off on the bike.

The bike course was two loops with this nasty hill at 5 and 15. It was this mile long grind that just wore people down – especially us heavier guys. The first time up, I was passed by one rider and quickly reeled him in just after the crest. The second time up, I was passed by two riders – and I took names - #428 and #290. I chased them both for the rest of the loop and caught 428 with less than a mile to go (though he killed me on the run!). 290 got away – rat bastard!! (Turns out he was a relay rider!) Other than that, I wasn’t passed and reeled in several from previous waves. I was actually surprised that my 20.4 mph average bike wasn’t better ranked – especially given that dang hill!!  I guess it just illustrates the strength of the field!

T2 seemed OK – just changed shoes, grabbed my LIT visor, and was off. Could have been faster but, I was winding down.

The run was a jog. The week layoff and lack of sleep was catching up and I just didn’t have much. I looked for a steady pace and just ran it out easy. The course was mostly flat – with a couple of squirrely turn-arounds where you could check out the competition. I passed a few but was certainly passed by more. I walked the water stops but ran (jogged) otherwise and managed a bit of a push for the last half mile or so before diving for the finish line to the applause of clubmates – thanks guys!!

So… I had fun. Max Performance puts on a good race. I finished respectably amongst a strong field (soundly MOP!) and, much to me surprise given that there were a lot of strong racers out there, I even got some age group points for the club!!  And our club successfully defended its title as USAT Division I State Champions!!! All in all, a good day. But now I’m tired.