Bill Eckert Sprint #2 Race Report
Second Sprint race of the year. Much better swim and bike but a bad run. Race: Chattahoochee Challenge Sprint, Columbus, GA Date: July 18, 2015 Overall Time: 1:50:31 Figured I would try this one because it has a river swim. Swim (10:11, 500m) This was fun. The start is an individual start where you slide down a slide they have set up on the steps that go down to the river. The current really helps. Felt like I was really swimming fast without even really trying. The open water swimming helped. T1 (06:02) It is a loooong way from the swim exit to the transition area. Just took my time. Bike (49:28, 12.9 miles) It was a nice bike. Relatively flat. I dropped my chain in the first few miles but got it back on pretty quick. It did make me a little sketchy about shifting the crank though. Probably spent too much time on the big ring. In general I felt good but in retrospect I think I may have overdone it a bit given the run outcome. T2 (2:30) Run (42:20, 5K) It was hot. As I came off of the bike and started to run I just could not get going. I was hot and my heart rate was really too high. I walked a lot of this one even though it is a relatively flat course. The finish was awesome though. They had a water slide at the end too. The water felt good but when I jumped in my right calf cramped. End: I could not seem to get enough fluid in me. I thought I had drank plenty in the days before but I guess not. Take aways: 1.The open water swims, runs on the road and rides on the road have really helped. I felt much more comfortable other than the heat and hydration. 2. I need to make sure that my hydration and nutrition are good always but especially in the last days before the race and during the race. I have been working on my hydration and fueling plan for Augusta using the EN tools and have been training with that plan. I just need to make some adjustments and get more serious about sticking to it in training and in the races. 3. I need to get more fluid/nutrition in on the bike to make sure I am "topped off" before the run. I sweat a lot so salt may be an issue. 4. I need to think about the race as a whole as opposed to how each segment goes. This is especially true as I prepare for Augusta. What is that saying, there is no such thing as a good bike split followed by a bad run. 5. And again, I need to lose weight. I am overweight and my biggest improvement would come from not having to tote that extra weight all around the course.
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