I know most don’t post their race report on Slowtwitch, but since some commented on my race strategy, I figured I’d give you some humor for the day. Enjoy…if you read it!
St. Anthony’s Race Report
DISTANCE: 1.5K (.9m) swim, 40K (24.8m) bike, 10K (6.2m) run
Those of you that know me know I am obsessive-compulsive, anal, and extremely organized and regimented with things that I am excited about and looking forward to. St. Anthony’s is one of these events. I raced this last year (this is my second year racing triathlon), and have been looking forward to this since that race. Last year’s time was 2h 46m. This was a MAJOR A-RACE (most important) for me. I had a whole plan for the morning to help me with when to wake up, eat, etc. Things didn’t go as planned! On to the long description…
This past weekend was my Easter, so we had traditional midnight services. Left church early, feeling felt very guilty, and went to bed at 1:00AM. Set alarm for 4.45AM, thinking I’d automatically wake up at the drop of a hat, as I have done this whole week. Didn’t hear it, or it didn’t go off. Woke up at 6.45AM or so. That has never happened before…EVER. For those of your that know me, please try and imagine my carefully planned schedule going to hell. Oh, it was awful. I just don’t understand what happened.
Went about 80mph to the race site (very interesting self-talk happening during that ride) eating only a banana and some, but not much, h2o + Gatorade at about 7:10AM. (I had planned to eat a banana and a bagel at 4:55AM.) Got to Transition area at 7:30AM (on my schedule for 5:45AM!!!) to check in - official check in ended at 7:15. Asst. Race director Gill let me in. Got area all set up haphazardly, and went to the swim start, with no Body Glide on feet, or anywhere else I’d need it! Forgot goggles, and had to beg to get back in to Transition to get them.
Not only did my pre-race nutrition suffer, but I also had to rush my “evacuation procedures” (scheduled for 6:15AM). This really messed with my head. There was also no pre-race stretch (scheduled for 6:30).
Thankfully, my wave was 30 minutes after the first wave, so I finally get to the start, all ready to go. I have no tri wetsuit (race was wetsuit legal), couldn’t get one at the last minute. I had borrowed a surfing wetsuit, but didn’t wear it. (Wetsuits sometimes help you go faster while swimming.) Oh, well. START. After 100m or so…POW…recieved a heel to the nose. Ouch, baby, very ouch. About 1/2 way in, there is debris all in the water, so you had to play dodge the sticks and pebbles. What a fun game that is. Now started feeling a raw, rubbing feeling at my upper arms…no Body Glide. ‘This will hurt bad when I get to the run.’ (thankfully, I was wrong.) Got a bit off track, but nothing too bad. Got out of the water knowing I wasn’t that fast, but hoping it was better than my goal, which was sub 30 minutes. NOT – time in the swim was a blistering 31m 56s. This is slow. But I had no time for disappointment; I think my brain was still out of whack from being 2 hours late.
Get to T1 and pray that I go to the correct bike rack; I wasn’t able to study where it was b/c of my tardiness. Found it, and put on socks, shades and helmet. Shoes pre-clipped in bike, and off we go for the bike leg. T1 time was 1m 39s. Not bad, I guess.
Once I finally got my feel strapped in my shoes…which was an ordeal…I started off relaxed on the bike, just trying to settle in, at about 20mph. ‘Uh-oh, this is a bit too fast here for the first part.’ I planned to ease into the race for the first few miles, so I am off plan again! Within the first 1/2 mile, you encounter a brick (bumpy) road for about 200 meters or so. I lost my CarbBoom packet (CarbBoom is an energy gel to eat while exercising), so I’m thinking what else is going to go wrong here??' After about 3 miles, I say, to hell with my conservative plan of easing in, I’ve got to start hammering this baby out.’ So I put the Blue Pony in a pretty heavy (hard and fast) gear, and start pounding away. St. A’s has lots of turns in the bike leg, which slows you down. When you are in one of the last waves to start (my AG was the 8th to start), you encounter lots of slow and inexperienced riders, who can be a bit of a bike traffic hazard. Just avoided them and kept hammering away at about 24mph (Aaron, the big ring is nice!) Had a city bus come up behind me at about mile 20. Try passing one of those things in a race! Passed a LOT of folks, but that was to be expected. Finished bike leg in 1h 5m 28s. Okay, that is not bad there, I guess. Top 15 time in AG.
Bike dismount went great. T2 went very smoothly…except I went to the wrong bike rack (remember, I couldn’t study the layout because I was late). Finally get to my space. Shades stayed on this time when taking off the helmet, slipped shoes on + visor, had an extra, emergency CarbBoom with some h2o, and off to the run. T2 time 1m. Very pleased with this, all things considered.
Run was a bit hot, but heat doesn’t really bother me as much as it does other people. First mile was a smooth 6m17s. Okay, keep just around this for the duration, and you’ll be fine. Had h20 at every water station, drinking and splashing on me as well. The run was relatively uneventful; it just was tough, as I felt myself slowing, but couldn’t really prevent it. Had one annoying lady yelling happily to a friend of hers on how easy the race was. She was too enthusiastic…at mile 4 of the run. ‘Shut up, lady!’ I almost said, but I kept my mouth shut and just passed her. I was alone out there, passing people, but oddly enough, I no one in my AG. I actually saw only 2-3 people TOTAL in my AG throughout the entire race. ‘Where is everyone from my AG? Did I go out in the wrong wave?? Oh crap.’ Thankfully, I didn’t go out incorrectly.
I do not know if I could have gone harder or faster…which probably means I could and should have gone harder and faster! Mile splits were: 6.17, 6.30, 6.33, 6.39, 6.47, 6.37, last .2 - 1.19, for a total run time of 40m 56s. Top 6 time in AG.
TOTAL TIME: 2h 20m 58s
19 of 78 in AG/226 of about 1800 OA
Considering that I almost didn’t get to race, I should be pretty happy with this, but I feel a great sense of disappointment in myself, for sleeping in, for not going a bit harder, for having such a slow swim time. With just an average swim… Oh well, off to Gulf Coast (1/2 Ironman distance) in two weeks. I’ll be sure to have TWO alarm clocks with me then!!!