Running Mania

Stats:

Time: 2:41:04
Age Group: 16/39 Overall: 122/349

Swim 1500 m:
Time: 29:28 AG: 12/39 O: 127/349 pace: 1:58 min/100m

T1: 2:38

Bike 43.5 km:
Time: 1:15:54 AG: 8/39 O: 79/349 AVG speed: 34.4 km/h

T2: 2:50

Run 10 km:
Time: 50:15 AG: 24/39 O: 171/349

Short summary

I have enjoyed this event. My goal set last year was to finish in the first half in all parts. This was accomplished. I can't complain to much I am planning to place in 1/3 in the future. My swim improved even compared to last week My bike time is good but I can see room for improvement. My running was not bad, but competition is strong and it will be very difficult to improve my position.
Both my transition times are veeeeery long This is not acceptable anymore and I have to start practicing now


Highlights

swim.
Last week swim at Binbrook wasn't to good. I needed more practice. I arrived at Guleph Conservation area one day before the event to practice open water swimming. My practice was kind of funny in a way but also reviling. I practiced for 10-15 minutes only. Here is visual of my swim. (pink - plan, purple - execution)

In my first attempt I started near one buoy (red point on the sketch) heading towards buoy not marked on this sketch ended near another buoy in different direction. I did few more moves and did my second long part - this one was almost regular circle Large thunder clouds moved over the area at this time and I decided to finish my swimming session. Almost made it to the car before heavy storm fully developed. I knew what I have to do during the race.

I went to sleep shortly before 10 p.m. I didn't get much sleep. Car traffic was heavy as campers were returning from the city or driving to washrooms/showers until midnight, very noisy, lovely pair of neighbours/"marathoners" finished their activities before one o'clock and rain started. It was raining for most of the night. Around 5 a.m. I woke up/emerged from my tent, ate pre-race cereal and drove 6 km to buy coffee at Tim Horton's. It wasn't raining anymore, but dark clouds were hanging on the horizon. We were expecting that it will rain during the bike ride. I had all my gear ready for any weather.



It was mass start with racers seeded according to predicted swim finish time. I started first of 2 loop course. It was crowded like never before in my swims, It wasn't difficult to keep right direction with such crowd, although my first loop was chaotic, I was checking two often directions and couldn't get into the right tempo. After the short run across the beach I changed my swimming tactic. I was drifting of swimmer in front of me for 50-80 meters then after direction check, I was passing that swimmer sprinting to another one in front. It wasn't as fluent as it sounds, but it worked fine and I had very good second loop. I had very good pace and followed straight line. My total pace 1:58 min/100m would improve much more if the distance was longer.

bike
The dark thunder cloud vanished. It was still cloudy but it wasn't raining
Last week in Binbrook my average speed on 27 km course was 33.3 km/h. This time on much hiller 43.5 km course it was 34.4 km/h. This time I was passed by a number of people. For the first time I have seen advantage of tri-bike/possition especially on flat, windy parts of the course. Those bikes/riders were cutting it's way through the air nicely. Time to upgrade my road bike. I already bought pedals and shoes last week I didn't have courage to use my new gear in the race yet

run
Near the end of the bike ride clouds moved away and it was sunny and hot during the run.


My pace during 6.5 km run in Binbrook was 5:18. This time on 10 km course it was 5:02 min/km. I am a little disappointed, my goal was to run at least marathon pace (4:58 ), but even in such case I still would be behind the racer in front of me in my age group.

transitions
The racer in front of me in my age group was total 2:46 in transition area, shorter than my bike/run transition (2:50). By simply cutting 2 minutes of my total transition time (5:28 ) to still above average 3:28 I would gain two spots in my age group and more than 10 overall. I have already dropped food basin and shoe horn from my gear list What else should go I had 2 bags of gear at Binbrook, reduced to one only this time . ..There is slow progress...Practice. practice...

Shallonges
I was extremely busy last week and away for most of the weekend but I had a glimpse at results of some PEC competitors. Dave is racing progressively better every week and he would be competing in another 3:20 Shallonge ( as Lisa said ), if there were brave enough souls to go against Dave. Doonst is training hard but still in my class. Ironboy's Olympic Triathlon result (2:41:43) shows that he would be easy to beat, from his recent report (http://www.runningmania.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26820):

ironboy wrote:
I think it was a very successful race.
.....
My goal was to see just how fast I am.

I am eager to see result of my Kingston Shallonger 1stepatatime. His race will be next week at Welland.

Very impressive results Wes. You seem right on track. I agree that ironboy will be very easy to beat. That Dave though!

were you sleeping in transition?! even I was faster than that this past weekend!

Irongirl wrote:were you sleeping in transition?! even I was faster than that this past weekend!

not only did you just get chick you got chicked by a prego!!

Great accomplishment! You're improving tremendously! No reason for any disappointment at all!!

Solid Performance there buddy. Good bike leg, and strong on the run too. That'll help at PEC.

When I'm doing Ironman, I'll try and think of you. And how I'll make you swallow those words at PEC!

Well done casual runner! I saw you in transition just before the race, but I was running late and was a bit stressed and didn't have a chance to say hi to anyone.

Regarding T2 - are those laces I see on your runners?

Just say no to tying shoe laces in T2.

Great report Casual-Runner! I like the in-depth analysis!

Yes - Your transitions should be much shorter. Get rid of the shoe laces!

And yes-practise, practise, practise!

Nice job and a very thorough report!!
Congrats on a solid race! Judging by your analysis, your next tri is going to be so much better. Way to go, Wes!

Way-da-Go, Wes ... Will you ever stop ... You're having a heck of a season, so far .....

Nice work Wes!

Trix & Barbara gave you the suggestion that I had.. get thee some zip or elastic laces. Will shave a bit of time off your transition.

I know you wear a sleveless wetsuit.. do you step on the leg to get it off over your foot, or fiddle around & pull it over your foot by hand when you're getting it off? Body glide, body glide.. all over your ankles to help ease your suit over your feet when you're trying to get it off in a hurry.

And, remember what we said.. practice, practice, practice.

And then a one more time!

Job well done. You do a great post-race analysis, and I think you'll get all the bugs worked out in your first season! Keep up the GREAT work!

I tied double knots in my shoes - I have always used regular laces - I just like them.

I still had faster transitions than Wes though.

Great race Wes, I can see I've got my work cut out for me in K-Town!

Cheers!

Sometimes your transition times will be affected by the placement of the mats, as well as thie size of the T-zone and where you are in it, so you can't compare Irongirl's T times to CR's.

Racing tri isn't about being comfortable, it's about being fast. So, look at your clothing choices and see if there's a way to minimize changing any of your gear between each leg. Are you wearing your bike/run clothes under your wetsuit, or are you putting a top on in transition? Though I like racing in them, socks take a while to put on when your feet are wet. And yes, elastic laces will help with that T2 time.

Great race, Wes!

Congrats on a solid race! I always enjoy reading your details race reports.

La wrote:Sometimes your transition times will be affected by the placement of the mats, as well as thie size of the T-zone and where you are in it, so you can't compare Irongirl's T times to CR's.

Racing tri isn't about being comfortable, it's about being fast. So, look at your clothing choices and see if there's a way to minimize changing any of your gear between each leg. Are you wearing your bike/run clothes under your wetsuit, or are you putting a top on in transition? Though I like racing in them, socks take a while to put on when your feet are wet. And yes, elastic laces will help with that T2 time.

Great race, Wes!

oh, I'm well aware of that fact - I just notice that he hasn't commented about the transition mats/distances/location.

all in all, Wes, for a first time Oly Tri - you did really really well!

MINI-T wrote:...
Trix & Barbara gave you the suggestion that I had.. get thee some zip or elastic laces. Will shave a bit of time off your transition.
...

I have those elastic laces on both pairs of my shoes It didn't help I use running shoes on my bike, but different than my running shoes for run - it is one of those many things I will have to change. Things that added to my T2 time: putting on GPS watch, replacing bike glasses with running glasses (had to search for it - wasn't expecting sun), adding sweat band ... and of course B-Tube head buff...

Here is embarrassing series of pictures (not made in fast/sport mode ) from my T2:













I haven't done yet...

.

BJH wrote:... I saw you in transition just before the race, but I was running late and was a bit stressed and didn't have a chance to say hi to anyone.

I was looking for maniacs and was surprised not seeing any . Sorry that I missed you.

Bike gloves: not necessary for a race.
Shoes: If you're not biking in cycling shoes, then there is no benefit to wearing two different pairs of running shoes. Use the same shoes on the bike that you'll be using on the run.
Glasses: again, same glasses for both biking and running. Even if they aren't "right", it saves you time.
Garmin: Use it in training. Race with a simple sports watch. Use your bike computer for your bike stats, or keep your Garmin attached to the bike. Don't fiddle trying to get it on for the run.

Like I said, it's not about being comfortable (like you would be in training), it's about being fast. Normally, your T1 will be longer because you have to get out of the wetsuit and get on any bike-specific gear. But T2 should be rocket fast because all you're doing is dumping your bike and helmet and picking up a hat and heading out.

In your case, taking a minute or so off your transition times would have made a difference in your placing. But you ultimately have to ask yourself whether the minute you are saving in transition is worth it if you are uncomfortable during the event.

La wrote:Bike gloves: not necessary for a race.
Shoes: If you're not biking in cycling shoes, then there is no benefit to wearing two different pairs of running shoes. Use the same shoes on the bike that you'll be using on the run.
Glasses: again, same glasses for both biking and running. Even if they aren't "right", it saves you time.
Garmin: Use it in training. Race with a simple sports watch. Use your bike computer for your bike stats, or keep your Garmin attached to the bike. Don't fiddle trying to get it on for the run.
....

I know. I am very embarrassed
As I said earlier I have already dropped foot basin and shoe horn I forgot about my stool - dropped it also Here is picture from my first sprint tri last year (with stool and basin)

I was so afraid that I will forget helmet that I had it on before my wetsuit was off. And than I had to take my helmet off to put my shirt on
I haven't practiced a lot this year, it will change ...

Don't be embarassed! Every race is a learning opportunity.

It's a fine balance between being prepared, executing things exactly the same way each time, but also being flexible if things don't go as planned. If you plan things too rigidly and the weather or something else throws a curve ball at you, you need to be resourceful and flexible so that you don't fall apart and lose focus.

La wrote:Don't be embarassed! Every race is a learning opportunity.

It's a fine balance between being prepared, executing things exactly the same way each time, but also being flexible if things don't go as planned. If you plan things too rigidly and the weather or something else throws a curve ball at you, you need to be resourceful and flexible so that you don't fall apart and lose focus.

Planning and executing transition is on of the best parts of Triathlon, especially compared to just running. It takes practice, but before you know it, you'll be very efficient, if you focus.

WOW!! there is so much room between those bike racks!!

our races have the bike racks super close together!!

I often wear my garmin for both the bike and the run (it's my bike computer as well) - during the last km of my bike, I unstrap it from the bike and put it on my wrist.

Anything that I want to take with me on the run (i.e. buff) just gets taken in my hands on my way out and I worry about it while running....

Practice Practice Practice!! It's definitely a good reason to have some short/sprint triathlons in your training program.....

WOW! You got that kind of speed on the bike without clipless???? You'll be on fire once you're clipped in and can take advantage of the upstroke!

Lots of good advice on transition - no gloves, no extra shirt, and no GPS. I use a polar system that has a speed/distance footpod that I can leave on my running shoe and turn on in transition. I wear my watch and HR monitor for the entire race. This year I'm not even using the footpod - just racing by HR and time but this is the 3rd time doing this race so I know the course, I don't need GPS.

Congrats on a great race! Doesn't matter how long you do this - you learn something every time you race.

Sounds like you had a great race! Very well done!