Anderson, South Carolina
United States
REVOLUTION3 Triathlon
65F / 18C
Precipitation
Overall Rank = 64/169
Age Group = M 40-44
Age Group Rank = 12/30
Well lets see. The week before the race I was kicking off my inspection in Seabrook, NH. That Friday I had a debrief with plant management at 9:30am a flight out of Manchester at 1:15 and arrived back in Philly at 3:00ish. Found my car was happy to see no one stole my bike and tri-bag and headed out on my 11 hour ride to Anderson. Immediately hit traffic and then the rain started and traffic slowed even more. Called it enough for one day at Hopewell, VA and found a Hampton Inn to crash at for the night after the first hotel I tried was full. Day two got going and at least the weather cooperated. About noon I picked up the ACC football stations and then I passed through Charlotte, NC and Kannapolis (Home of Dale Sr and Dale Jr. and the site of the NASCAR Chase race that week), which slowed traffic way down again. Hit the South Carolina Border and heard the Clemson-Louisville pre game show and rode the signal to its source. Good 7 hours on day two got me to the expo around 3:30pm. Check in. I really contemplated switch from the Half to the Olympic since I have been going pretty well at the Olympic Distance the past few races and I really hadn't been biking enough the second half of the year and wasn't feeling very confident but I convinced myself to stick with my original plan and do the half. Got my chip, bid, and swag, ran into several of my teammates, helped with the photo booth, then headed down to T1 at Darwin Walker Park.. Got my stickers on my bike and rolled her into her spot for the night then took the long way back to the hotel and checked in. There was an Arby's next door to the hotel so grabbed a roast beef and a King's Hawaiin, watched some Baylor-TCU and NASCAR and hit the sack.
Got to sleep in until about 5:30am before heading out. Ran into another racer and the lady let us grab some breakfast way before it opened and we headed to the Sports Complex. Got a quick sprinkle on the drive, then it stopped. Parked in the Civic Center lot and hit the bathroom and step up T2 then got my bags and hopped on the bus. Another quick burst of rain so covered up my running shoes before leaving. Nice bus ride to the Park and then the walk in the dark to T1. Got in an beat the crowd to the bike Mechanics and got to pump up my tires before the huge line formed behind me. Got set up and sat down and another round of rain began but this one didn't stop so I changed out of my "Dry Clothes which they were still kind of dry and put on my wetsuit. pulling it up I tore a nice sized hole in my left back hip. Not much I could do about it now so I headed to the beach to wait for the sun to come up and we could check out the water. Right as the sun did come up, there was the first crack of thunder and we were in a holding patterns and the first few good soaking showers came through. I laid down on beach a while but started getting cold so found some shelter under the playground slide. After a 45 min delay or so we got a window to get the swim in. Some folks still had fun!
Event warmup:
Everyone had about 10 min to get wet prior to the first wave (mine) so I got a few strokes in then headed to the start corral. The later waves could still warm up but we had to get going.
00:29:13 | 1600 yards | 01m 50s / 100yards
Age Group: 16/30
Overall: 69/169
Performance: Below average
Suit: Hurricane Cat 5 Full with a gapping hole in left h
Course: Due to the weather and small window everyone had to do the Olympic Swim course (so they didn't have to reset the course ) Originally 30 min between last half wave and first Olympic wave for that. Went out the up and around the Penninsula and over and down to the read bouys on the back the over and back to the arch.
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 70F / 21C
Current: Low
200M Perf. Average
Remainder: Average
Breathing: Average
Drafting: Below average
Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
Comments:
It actually stopped raining for a the start which was good. Started at the right most edge and back a bit. Felt like I got going well but got tangled with a guy for a while before I did my water polo roll to get outside and away from him. After the turn it wasn't bad finding space. Felt like I was moving well out and around the Pennisula but on the back side even though I hit the red buoys dead on, it seemed like the main flow of traffic was well inside me, same for the second red buoy. Sean clearly said 3 orange bouys and then two reds but seem like traffic turned early. Was all alone on the up beach leg. Felt like a good swim but my results were not very good. Very disappointing on many levels.
What would you do differently?:
I was so Jeckel and Hyde with my swim this year. Rotten swim at Williamsburg, disappointing swims at Maine and South Carolina, OK swims at Quassy and Steelman, and really good swims at Knoxville and Pocono Mts. Can't point my finger at what I did differently between Pocono and SC. 16 of 30 AG 54 of 117 wave and 69 of 169 OA
Transition 1
Time: 04:50
Performance: Below average
Cap removal: Below average
Helmet on/Suit off: No
Wetsuit stuck? Yes
Run with bike: No
Jump on bike: No
Getting up to speed: Bad
Comments:
Stopped about 3 racks too early, then couldn't get my suit off and stopped to look at the damage. Struggled to get my Energy Blends in my kit pockets like last year. Then just couldn't get my wetsuit in the transition bag. Finally trotted out and got to the mount line and couldn't get my second foot clipped in and drifted to the curb as I fought with it and boom a fall over (onto the grass at least). Was stuck there a few seconds before getting to try again.
What would you do differently?:
Find a better landmark for my rack, be smooth not jagged, and not fall over on the bike before I even got clipped in. Lost 1 spot in my age group to 17th of 30, 7 spots to 61 of 117 in my wave and the same 7 spots OA to 76 of 169.
Biking
03:00:19 | 56 miles | 18.63 mile/hr
Age Group: 9/30
Overall: 45/169
Performance: Average
Miles 0-2: 9:48 (12.25 mph) Miles 2- 11.6: 29:26 (19.57 mph) Miles 11.6- 34.6: 1:13:40 (18.73 mph) Mile 34.6-50.5: 50:21 (18.95 mph)
Mile 50.5- 56: 17:04 (19.34 mph)
Wind: Strong with gusts
Course: Turned into a two loop course going away from the park and out into the country side. Olympic and Half split and then we hit Miller's Bridge a very technical winding downhill with a 90 degree right and right into a long hill . Got that loop twice. then back past the park and up the 110 to town and back around to the civic center, Steady rolling hills but not monster hills. Steady to Torrential rain.
Road: Rough Wet
Cadence: 80
Turns: Average
Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average
Hills: Average
Race pace: Hard
Drinks: Not enough
Got going nice and conservatively and spun my way up the first hill and then got into a nice rhythm. The rain started early and started getting heavy. Had a group of folks from the Olympic catch me and I worked to stay with them in a hilly segment and actually pasted a number of them back and held them off for a while. Caught a guy in a team USA kit doing the half and went back and forth with him a few times. The rain just kept getting heavier and heavier and I did not want to take my hand of the bars to get a drink. Filter fed water through my muststash but that wasn't enough. Started catching Andrew Corbett from our team and was catching him until Miller's Bridge. That segment is tough is dry conditions now with leaves and branches all very wet and the rain I backed way off to make sure I stayed upright then really have no momentum starting up the hill. Grinded up it and rode well to run Andrew back down as we caught Deborah on a hill. After I caught her the rain really kicked up and for about 30 min it was a monsoon. I caught Andrew and passed him but could barely see as the rain pounded us and stung my eyes. Glass were about useless. Had to just keep punding along. I did make sure I took a performance blend at mile 20 and 40 and I felt good afterwards both times. THe second loop was a bit better and the sun actually came out for about 5 min, but then it was more rain and grinding.. Miller's hill was really slick with the wet leaves and we started to hit some traffic, fortunately they well almost too nice about not passing as I caught up to a few cars which it really unnerving for me after my accident. Got through it and felt pretty good. Was very happy to see the park and passed 3 guys in my age group during those last 4 miles though Anderson heading back to the civic center. Got hit with a massive cramp in my left hammy about a mile from the finish and rubbed it out and stood and sat till it subsided.
What would you do differently?:
Certainly could have ridden harder but with the conditions I think it was best to scale it back a few notches. My back bothered me a little towards the end which was better that I thought since it was aching a bit prior to the swim start. Hard course to set a steady rhythm. Should have drank more even though I got a lot of rain water in my mouth that isn't enough only drank half of one bottle. Gained 8 spots in my AG (17th to 9th), 16 spots in my wave (61st to 45th), and 25 spots OA (76th to 51st)
Transition 2
Time: 01:29
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Below average
Running with bike Average
Racking bike Average
Shoe and helmet removal Average
Comments:
Had a great landmark (the light post right next to my rack and spot at the end so finding my spot was not issue as was racking. Had to hunt for my socks which were inside my transition bag. Changed sock and grabbed my hat and race belt and went.
What would you do differently?:
Not much. bit brain dead but good thing my socks were inside the bag and stayed dry. Lost two spots in my AG 9th to 11th and the same two spot in my wave and OA to 47th and 53rd respectively, but I was glad to have changed the socks.
Running
Age Group: 21/30
Overall: 93/169
Performance: Below average
Mile 0-2.5: 22:06 8:50/mile Mile 2.5 -9.0: 1:03:39 9:48/mile Mile 9.0-13.1: 38:44 9:27/mile
Course: Two loop course out the civic center, then up the civic center drive up and down a good hill and up again to the turn, over to 110 out on one side and back up to the turn at a light in the middle lanes of traffic and back to the civic center around to where the busses were and back around for lap 2.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Comments:
Got going and waited patentiently for my legs to come in. Had one guy in my AG and the team USA guy pass me but then they both stopped for the porta potties. The AG guy came back and passed my again. Andrew Corbin finally caught me around mile 2 and he zoomed off. Got to see Holly and several other of my teammates helping out on the course. Starting feeling decent for a stretch and got going at a nice pace for the rest of the first loop. drank Gatorade and water and occasionally Coke at the aid stations. At the end of lap 1 I got passed by the Team USA guy and saw Susan and out of no where boom I hit a serious low. Had to walk a bit a few times to get it back and then walked the most of the aid stations to get my drinks in. The second lap was ugly, Deborah passed me in the civic center, then I caught up to Susan who was one lap one having a tough time too but keeping everyone positive. Saw Josh and Steph running well going the other direction. The pace slowed to a shuffle up to the turn but I finally started to feel better on the way back. Hit Holly's water station on last time and had a lady in yellow pass me so I decided to stick with her to the 12 mile mark, then to the top of the hill up to the intersection, then to the Salt station, then I actually passed her and someone else as she asked if I was on my last lap and I said yes. I opened up a little space so I had the finish chute to myself so ham it up a bit and get called home be Sean for the 32nd time.
Drink more on the bike and maybe eat a bit on the first loop. Wasn't really in half Rev shape coming in so I didn't expect a stellar run anyway so all in all it was ok. Didn't get rained on too much on the run at least.
Post race
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Ok
Warm down:
Got my medal and dry towel and headed over to the Recovery Pump tent. Got a picture and then talked to Andrew, then got some food talked to a the Team USA guy and another person who was around me most of the bike, then went to transition and put on some dry clothes and loaded my bike and stuff into the car. Started around and cheered in everyone until the final finisher with Multi SPort Ministries. I was going to run with then if I had done the Olympic but, I was shoeless by the time I saw them finishing their first loop. Glad I stayed for the final final finisher ceremony with Rev 3 and got in the post race staff picture. Me and SUsan were the only athletes left other than the two final finishers.
What limited your ability to perform faster:
Lack of training volume over the second half of the year. But given the conditions and other distractors, It was a pretty good race and I'll take it.
Event comments:
Weather made this race a challenge and delayed the start and I would really like to thanks the volunteers and police who stuck it out under such tough conditions to keep us safe and supported. Those folks earned a medal today!
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No due to T-Storms in Area forcing swim delay.
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4
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