Concrete Man Oly 7/30/2011
Well this day had its ups and downs, it was like a roller coaster the whole time. I woke up feelling great took in my usual 2 slimfast Chocolate shakes which is what always works for me. I was hoping for a wetsuit swim but there is no way that was going to happen this time of year in the midwest.
The course is a 3 loop swim each 500m which you have to get out of the water each time and cross a timing mat which is pretty rocky, last year I got a good gash on my heel. Then its your standard oly 25 mile bike and a 10k. Rolling hill bike course and same with the run. I aligned up acording to the wiki I am a average swimmer so near the front on the sides for me. It is a small race I think around 100 people in that wave then the sprint course started 10 min after us with around 100.
The gun went off and I was off trying to keep my self focused on my form but I was having real trouble with my right eye of googles feeling up with water I must have stopped 5 times trying to get a better seal. Its a triagle shaped course and when we made are first turn to the right the sun was right in our face. I could not sight very good I just tried to follow the people ahead of me. I got out of the water and knew something was wrong right when I looked at my watch and saw it said 22 min I knew I thought the course looked a little long and I did have some trouble with my googles but wow this course is no were near 500. I tried to stay in my box and jumped right back in the water and did it 2 more times and got out of the water at 1hr and 10min.
I ran up the hill to T1 and the wife asked me if I was okay as I am usually out of the water about middle of the pack but this time I was in the back half of everybody. It was depressing to me to look and see most of the bikes out of T1. I did not care I hopped on the bike and away I went. I was really wiped out from the swim. I am a heart rate athlete so I just tried to keep it low zone 4 for the first loop of the bike since it a 12.5 mile loop. On that first loop I hardly saw anybody I passed maybye 2 people on the downhills. I thought man this race has went up and totally left me. On the second loop it was alot better caught up with some people and lost them on the downhills manly since they were coasting.
I got off the bike feeling great but still wondering were the race was. I got off the bike and there they were, half of them running and alot of them jogging or walking in a Oly? It was warming up maybye low 90's. I started my run with around my MP which is around 9:00min miles the legs were tired but I was trying to keep steady at around 9:10 which is what felt good. Then I started counting people as was passing them because most of them could not keep the pace. I chatted with one guy asking him about the swim and he said one volunteer told him someone made a mistake and the swim course was about 1000m per lap for a total of 3000. I am training for a half in september and my long swim I think to this point have been around 2700. It showed because you looks at the results and people killed themselves on the swim and bike but when It came to the run they had nothing left. Which helped me because I had such a poor swim but I did not over do it. I kicked it in gear for the last mile and ended up finishing strong when there were alot of fit guys I passed on the run that did excute the race well. I ended up with 35th overal and 5th in my age group which normally I am in the middle of my age group. I thought my day was blown coming out of the water but with the advice from the team, coaches and the 4keys I was able to execute well. This stuff works even in a tough Oly! Did I mention at least 6 people were taken by ambulance in a small oly and sprint race. Total time was 3hr 38min
The race director had nothing to say for the poor swim, I think I am done with this race, last year he had only 3 aid stations for the run and ran out of water for the back of the pack finshers.
Thanks Coaches and Team EN!
Comments
1000yds per loop vs. 500yds? Wow, huge mistake...
Nice job managing it EN style though...
I did it back in the early 90's when this was a sprint and called the Ozarks Triathlon sponsored by the Antler Bar and Grill! Good luck at Redman!