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Rob's IM Princeton 70.3 Race Report

Robert SaboRobert Sabo
in Races & Places 🏁⛺

IM 70.3 (71.8) Princeton Race Report 5:01:17

 

Pre-Race

Thursday before the race, I woke up with intense pain in my left hamstring following PT on Wednesday.  Limping around at work, I wondered if my race would be off.  Friday and Saturday, I iced and rested.  Saturday, I went to check-in and then to EN lunch in Princeton.  Dropped off my bike and then had dinner with my parents.  I stayed at their house about 25 minutes from the race sight

 

Swim   34:33 18th AG

Nice 50-100m swim to the in water start.  Started up front in the middle and tried to swim hard buoy to buoy holding good form.  I may have gone slightly less then shortest distance, but not too far off course.

 

T1   3:33

There was a few 100m run to T1.  Moved fast and smooth with extra care to avoid stressing my left index finger.

 

Bike    2:49:25 17th AG

.89 IF

            My FTP that I was using this year was 200W (250W last year). I did no VO2 work nor did I do a real OS all do to trying, unsuccessfully to heal a right hamstring injury from 2013.  The course is a lollipop with a 6 mile (mostly poor roads) out to a loop in nice country roads.  The course had 45+ turns and some hills.  Had to slow at turns and then re-accelerate.  I stayed at 165w for first 15-20 minutes then increased to 175w.  Started eating one power bar split at 15’ 45’ and 1:15 then a pack of Gatorade chews at 1:45 and caf  PB gel at about 2:10.  Drank only Perform approximately 3 bottles.  Lost one minute to pee.  Felt strong last 20-30 minutes and actually picked it up a bit and rode hard right in to T2.  About half way someone rode up to me and was saying something about an EN badass.  It took me awhile to figure out it was Kevin Schrouth, who I rode many miles and a few thousand feet of climbing  on the Blue Ridge Parkway this year at the camp.  Nothing like remembering that challenge to remind yourself how hard you worked this season and how you have nothing to save it for. 

 

T2  2:33

Shoes off sneakers on.  Used the go bag to do the rest on the way out of transition.

 

Run  1:31:13

Did not know whether the hamstring was going to hold out but my goal was to go sub 7’s and possibly sub 1:30.  Had a gel at about mile 2 and 7 (GU) and drank Perform. 

Then went to coke.  Lap one was pretty good but was bumming because with the bike being about 1.5 miles long this severely reduced any cushion to go sub 5 hours.  My watch was not my usual so I was going by feel and the second loop just pushing hard smooth.   The volunteers were great.  The course was flat with only two slight hills and only one half mile stretch that the course was narrow with runners go both directions making it hard to pass the slower runners.  The last 2-3 miles just pushed as hard as I could till the end.  I was slightly bummed to not be sub 5 but happy that for what I had that day, I couldn’t have gone much harder than I did.  Checking the results, I was happy to get my first WTC podium.  I was pleased with this fueling strategy for this HIM race.  Might want a salt tab or two for the run.

 

 

Finished 5th  of 142 in age group 50-54  (109/1943 OA) and I got a roll down spot to 70.3 World Championships in Zell am See Austria on August 30th 2015. We  also won 1st place for Division I Tri-Club.

 

Post race the hamstring, which didn’t bother me while racing, was sore for a few days after the race. After a week of recovery, it will be off-season and back in physical therapy for at least a month before NOS.

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