Rob's NYC Olympic Tri Race Report
Top-Line Summary
For my third time racing the NYC Olympic tri I had a goal of finishing in under 2:15 with a top 10 AG finish with a stretch goal of under 2:10 and a top 5 AG finish. My swim and bike times were slightly off the mark, but a strong run (second fastest of all non-pro/elite in the race) allowed for a 2:12:10 finish and 6th place finish in my AG. This was a big improvement on years past and marked my first top 10 AG finish in a triathlon. Still, I see lots of room for improvement, particularly on the bike. Though this is my last tri of the year, I'm really encouraged by my consist improvement and am very motivated to make big gains on the bike this coming OS.
Background
Having focused primarily on the EagleMan 70.3 in early June, I initially had the NYC tri as a B-level race. Thankfully, Coach Rich told me to make it an A-level race, which helped me stay (mostly) focused on training and remain motivated after completing the half iron. Having done decently in years past with the NYC Tri (2010- 2:37 ; 2011- 2:29) , and now being much more experienced in the sport, I entered the race confident that I could finish under 2:15. I even felt as though 2:10 could be a possibility depending on bike traffic and temperature (race typically in the high 80s, even 90s). To do so however, I knew that I had to run at the top of my ability and improve my transition times. Before the race, I have to admit, I felt very relaxed. The race start was just a mile from my apartment, and after having now completed an IM and HIM within the year, a Olympic distance race seemed like a piece of cake.(This was my first Olympic in 2 years.)
SWIM
Time: 17:31 (Goal Time: 17:00)
The NYC tri’s swim is known to be very fast with a strong current working in your favor. (Each year the organizers drop a bag of potato chips in the water to see how quickly it can complete the swim. It typically clocks a 30-minute time.) That said, you exit the water about 600m from transition, so T1 can tack on serious time if you’re not prepared to run. Knowing this, I chose to do the swim without a wetsuit, instead wearing a Kiwami Amphibian tri suit. I figured this would not slow my swim by much (if anything) in comparison to a wetsuit, and would save time in the run to T1.
The swim went fairly as planned and I emerged from the water with a 17:31 time.
T1
Time: 4:17
As I started to run towards transition, I was amazed by how many people were walking. I felt almost silly / apologetic sprinting and bumping past those taking their time. Even though I knew better, I slowed up a bit and jogged the last 250m. Once in transition, I tossed on my gear and was ready to roll. As I hastily pulled my bike off the rack, I got my handle bars stuck in the cables of the bike to my left. This ate up about 30 seconds, but I still felt decent about my time. Not having to run in or change out of a wetsuit was felt like a big advantage. That said, I definitely didn’t take full advantage of it and looking back am frustrated that I didn’t haul ass to T1 and remain focused on getting the hell out of there quickly.
BIKE
Time: 1:10:42 (Goal time 1:07:00)
For the bike leg, I hoped to watch my wattage and maintain a consistent zone 4 effort in the high 180s. Having done the race before however, I knew that the course would be crowded and that this would be tough to do. Being in the 25-29 AG, I was one of the last of the 3500+ participants to jump in the water, so I would spend the ride (and run) passing many people along the fairly narrow out and back course. Not surprisingly, this turned out to be the case and sticking at a consistent wattage and cadence proved difficult. In fact, even looking down to see my power numbers was tough. I ended up with an average power of only 159 watts and normalized power of just 166 watts. With these low power numbers in mind, I really think I could have strategized better. I pretty much knew the course would be crowded, but really just hoped for the best.
For next year when I likely do the race again, I need to give more thought to approach. I think I could have pushed harder at times when congestion was less and maybe should have hit the hills a little harder to get past many of the riders that would hold me up on the flats and downhills. In the end, my 1:10:42 bike split was 22nd in my AG, a reminder that I’ve improved on the bike but still have a long way to go.
T2
Time: 1:15
This time was pretty quick. I used bungee laces to avoid time spent on tying my shoes and had a good plan going in so as not to waste any time (especially after having been pretty slow in T2 at EagleMan).
RUN
Time: 38:25 (Goal time 38:45)
The majority of the NYC tri’s run is in Central Park. If you’ve done the loop in CP, you know it’s pretty hilly. On top of this, transition is set down low at the edge of the Hudson River, so to get to W72nd street and then CP you have to mount a few hills. Knowing this and expecting the high temperatures (forecast was 90 temp/90 humidity), I put my goal time at a 6:15 pace despite my zone 4 pace being 5:59.
Getting off the bike a little later than I wanted, I realized that I needed to hit a 36-minute 10k to achieve my stretch goal of a sub-2:10 time. Knowing this would be really tough but still wanting to keep the dream alive, I committed to a 6:10 pace for the flats and hills, figuring I’d hammer the downhills of the run as fast as possible to get near the 6 minute mile time. At the 4-mile point I hoped to be able to make up more time potentially with sub-6 minute miles. While getting a huge boost from seeing family and friends at the 1-mile mark, the 6:10 pace was taking all the energy I had. I also was blowing by other runners, mostly older AGs, finding no one to help push me closer to a 6:00 min mile.
By the halfway point I had averaged a 6:07 pace and knew that the 2:10 time was gone. It was now hot and muggy, likely mid to high 80s with high humidity. (Thankfully, I wore a Fuelbelt with sodium and fairly concentrated Perform to replace all that I was sweating out, hitting aid stations only to dump water on my head.) With 2:10 no longer possible, I stayed motivated to keep up my pace by focusing on the runners ahead, hoping to see people in my AG. From mile 3 to 5, I past at least 2 guys in my AG. In the last mile, I only saw one person in my AG, seeing him about 50 meters ahead with just 400 meters until the finish line. (I was assuming that he was in my AG at this point since I couldn’t see for sure.) Getting a big boost by both seeing the finish and a potential AGer, I gave the last 400 meters everything I had. He spotted me as I was closing in (at this point I could see that he was in fact in my AG) and launched into a sprint. We ran side by side for the last 50 feet and I just barely edged him out at the finish line. Exhausted, we chatted for a little while after and congratulated one another on strong finishes. As it would turn out, he jumped in the water 15 seconds after me (wave start for my AG), so actually bested my time and took 5th place in the AG. Shucks… but at least my finish photos are better 
– see below; I’m in all black.
My final run time of 38:25 put me at a 6:12 min mile pace. While I didn’t find this too impressive, especially given my low watts on the bike, the time turned out to be the second fastest of the day by any age grouper. I guess the heat took its toll on many.
OVERALL & TAKEAWAYS
Time: 2:12:10 (Goal sub-2:15:00, Stretch Goal sub-2:10:00)
Again, this was my first top 10 AG finish in a triathlon, so definitely a big improvement and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. The consistent improvements that I’m seeing, first with HIM distance in June and now with Olympic distance are very encouraging and motivating. Lots of room for improvement on the bike and even in transition. Very much looking forward to this race next year and hope to get under 2:10 and land in the top 5 in AG. Now, to relax until gearing up for the NYC marathon…
Comments
Even if you didn't get the AG spot over that guy, the moral victory is yours!! Well done!
matt, again, really appreciate the support. already looking forward to putting in some hard bike sessions in the OS to get my bike where it needs to be. updates to come on that front following the NYC marathon.