2011 Soma Triathlon Race Report - Need a Laugh?
Before I get into the specifics of my race, let it be known that to call this a “C” race would be overestimating its importance to me. I signed up for this race because I have not been in a race since last IMAZ and could not go the whole year and show up at IMAZ cold. I did not taper at all. I did a full log of training all week including a 60 mile ride the day before the race. The only thing I didn’t do was a long run, which I wouldn’t have done anyway because of the leg injury I have been nursing since my last long run. Though I’ve been dieting, I did no nutritional preparation. I was even out late the night before doing unheard of pre-race things with old friends from Phoenix with no cares about the next day. I even almost decided not to do it when the alarm went off race morning at 4:00. I just didn’t care. But I ultimately embraced the reason for the day: training, transition and group open water swim practice, and, most importantly, to test the status of my bum leg. Remember when you’re reading that not only is this not what I would typically do in/for a race, but that I would also not necessarily recommend this approach to anyone. I do believe that these reports do serve a good purpose, though, for the team so I felt I should write it down to preserve for posterity. I hope those that read it feel as if they didn’t waste their time, even if for a lesson in what not to do or a good laugh.
Usually I have a bagel & cream cheese with coffee. This time I stopped at Circle K and found a blueberry muffin to eat. Got a crappy coffee and a lowfat milk with it for the drive over.
None which is typical for me.
This was an average swim for me. Since it was waves, there weren’t many people around me after about 5 minutes. I still can’t swim straight. I practiced sighting for IMAZ and ended up passing a few people from previous waves so that was cool. Of note, the timing mat was at least a 1-2 minute jog from the swim exit/wetsuit strippers so all that is included in my time.
I felt pretty good on the bike, but was carrying some fatigue. Every time I started pushing harder toward 80%, my legs asked me why I was pushing so I backed off to a more comfortable effort. As for the course, it was three ~ 19 mile loops. You were never more than a couple miles from transition so there were like 15 turns and turnarounds on each loop. It was like slow, speed up, fast – repeat. This got old quick. That also put a lot of people in very close proximity to each other. There was many accidents that I saw, and don’t get me started on the drafting. Oh well, it was probably worse because I didn’t feel like being there. Nutrition went OK but later found out I didn’t take near enough Infinit. I planned 24 ounces of concentrated Infinit which totaled about 1100 calories to see if my stomach could handle 350 calories an hour, but only took in about 14 ounces. I had a water bottle fly off my bike from a bump and needed to go 10 more miles before the next one so I stopped drinking it for a half hour because I was afraid of not being able to chase it with water. So I could have, and should have, drank more water, and only got in about 640 calories. Needless to say, no stomach issues.
No issues. I even put on socks which I don’t normally do for a run of this distance.
Comments
Nice work.
When I compare race times, I drop the transitions, and look at the actual time moving. For you, that would be, uh, let's see, 4:59.58?
Sound like sub-5 to me!
You didn't mention the beer/margarita count from the night before!
In all seriousness I think your report speaks volumes about coming into a race without stress and countless hours of over thinking a rather simple process of swimming, biking and running all in one day.