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Niels Heemskerk - New Orleans 70.3 race report
I decided to do this race as part of a visit to my daughter in Baton Rouge. I live in the Chicago area, and was unable to follow the exact out-season plan due to plantar fascia problems as well as the cold weather. The longest run I was able to put in was 7 miles on a tread mill. Only two outside rides, just one with the new powertap I got through coach Rich, so I didn't (don't) know what to do with it yet. I used TriBike to send my bike down, it is a great service, it took only 5 minutes to put the bike in Transition. The best was after the race, just handed them my bike and walked away.
My wife and I arrived Wednesda and spend some time on Baton Rouge site seeing, ate some awesome cajun food, mostly fish, and washed it down with a few glasses of wine. I had a nice 40 minutes run Thursday morning on fresh legs at 9:30 average, and started drinking several pints of coconut water throughout the next few days to hydrate. I did not have the opportunity to do a training swim, but I feel pretty good in the water so wasn't too worried about that.
The swim was a goofy N shaped course in the South Shore Marina with three hairpin turns, well protected so the swim was pretty relaxed. Beautiful sunrise, nice temperature water, lightly brackish. They used a time trial send off, 8 swimmers every 10 seconds, jump in and start swimming, i liked that, it really spreads out the field. I probably could have pushed a bit harder, ended up with 2:09 per 100m...9 seconds slower than I planned for.
T1: Fairly long run along side the transition area, went at it slow and steady.
Bike: On board two bottles of Infinite (my only food), and my fuelselage filled with a bottle's worth of water, and a salt stick dispenser. Used up all of the liquid, and two salt stick tablets while on the bike. So as I mentioned, I have a new Powertap.
This was the first full 56 mile ride ever with power, I looked to keep my heart rate in zone 2-3 the first 20 minutes, with that it looked like my power should be around 140-150. I have no idea how you folks keep your power steady, the wind was really swirling and gusty which made the power spike, I also had to get on my feet ever now and then which spiked my power to over 200. Anyway, I rode as much within how I thought I should ride. My heart rate was nice and steady average 146 with average power 144, IF 0.77, so I really spiked way too much. But baded on my heartrate I probably could have pushed harder. I did make a very big mistake, last year I had a lot of pressure in the perineum, so purchased a tri specific saddle, but this was only the second ride, so the pain move to other areas ;-)
T2: Wow, I could hardly walk, I felt fine, but my groin and legs were like concrete.
Run: Started out walking the first 100 yards then I wad able to dial in my Z1 speed, using my "running with air" breathing I was able to keep going. At mile 4 I started getting a blister, luckily I found a very nice EMS lady to put a bandaid on my toe. I walked about 50 steps every mile and only drank a small cup of Perform every other aid station. I was planning on running 10:30 starting out and negative split the rest, I wimped out and did not run well, I need to harden the .... up.
I want to thank fellow ENer Rick (don't know his last name) from Mobile he caught up with me around mile 8, I think, it made the rest of the run bearable. Rick had just a bit more kick at the end so I had to let him go. I finished in 6:26:52 my PB was 6:13.
Overall a reasonably executed race, not happy with the run, but there were reasons. Now I am ready to prepare for the rest of my season. I will talk to Rich, but i assume I will start with a dedicated run block now that the temps are getting more bearable in the North.
My wife and I arrived Wednesda and spend some time on Baton Rouge site seeing, ate some awesome cajun food, mostly fish, and washed it down with a few glasses of wine. I had a nice 40 minutes run Thursday morning on fresh legs at 9:30 average, and started drinking several pints of coconut water throughout the next few days to hydrate. I did not have the opportunity to do a training swim, but I feel pretty good in the water so wasn't too worried about that.
The swim was a goofy N shaped course in the South Shore Marina with three hairpin turns, well protected so the swim was pretty relaxed. Beautiful sunrise, nice temperature water, lightly brackish. They used a time trial send off, 8 swimmers every 10 seconds, jump in and start swimming, i liked that, it really spreads out the field. I probably could have pushed a bit harder, ended up with 2:09 per 100m...9 seconds slower than I planned for.
T1: Fairly long run along side the transition area, went at it slow and steady.
Bike: On board two bottles of Infinite (my only food), and my fuelselage filled with a bottle's worth of water, and a salt stick dispenser. Used up all of the liquid, and two salt stick tablets while on the bike. So as I mentioned, I have a new Powertap.
This was the first full 56 mile ride ever with power, I looked to keep my heart rate in zone 2-3 the first 20 minutes, with that it looked like my power should be around 140-150. I have no idea how you folks keep your power steady, the wind was really swirling and gusty which made the power spike, I also had to get on my feet ever now and then which spiked my power to over 200. Anyway, I rode as much within how I thought I should ride. My heart rate was nice and steady average 146 with average power 144, IF 0.77, so I really spiked way too much. But baded on my heartrate I probably could have pushed harder. I did make a very big mistake, last year I had a lot of pressure in the perineum, so purchased a tri specific saddle, but this was only the second ride, so the pain move to other areas ;-)
T2: Wow, I could hardly walk, I felt fine, but my groin and legs were like concrete.
Run: Started out walking the first 100 yards then I wad able to dial in my Z1 speed, using my "running with air" breathing I was able to keep going. At mile 4 I started getting a blister, luckily I found a very nice EMS lady to put a bandaid on my toe. I walked about 50 steps every mile and only drank a small cup of Perform every other aid station. I was planning on running 10:30 starting out and negative split the rest, I wimped out and did not run well, I need to harden the .... up.
I want to thank fellow ENer Rick (don't know his last name) from Mobile he caught up with me around mile 8, I think, it made the rest of the run bearable. Rick had just a bit more kick at the end so I had to let him go. I finished in 6:26:52 my PB was 6:13.
Overall a reasonably executed race, not happy with the run, but there were reasons. Now I am ready to prepare for the rest of my season. I will talk to Rich, but i assume I will start with a dedicated run block now that the temps are getting more bearable in the North.
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Great report, it certainly was hot and windy. The run looked brutal, I felt guilty for doing the relay, but injuries are injuries.