Tim Cronk 2012 Mooseman OLY/HIM DNF/Revenge report!
I live in NH and have done Mooseman HIM 4 times now but have never done the Bullmoose (adding the OLY). I know the weather and am used to it but I am a freeze baby. In 2010 I learned a valuable lesson about racing in the rain with temps below 60. I rode with no gloves, in shorts and singlet, suffered badly on the bike that year but finished. You heat up on the hills but die on the descents.
I felt well trained and ready for this weekend, no taper, just wanted to get in a big tri weekend but still compete, lots of pratice.
Saturday the OLY/DNF .... The swim uneventful and warmest part of the day.... After my 2010 HIM learning experience I added toe covers, vest, and arm warmers.... I figured I would use that as a trial for the HIM on sunday.... Worse case scenario a little suffering... First 7-8 miles on bike were fine, by mile 11 I was shuttting down and could not function. Probelms shifting, could not drink, etc.... shut it down and limped 6-7 miles back for my first ever DNF. I would have given anything for warm clothes or a ride... About ten minutes in the warming tent my teeth finally started to chatter and then they would not stop... Put all my clothes on and still shivered the rest of the day while I waited for my girlfriend Heather and the EN members Steve and Joseph.... They are all tougher than I. It rained the whole day. Temps were 52 degrees . What is the wind chill at 20mph soaking wet at 52 degrees. ..2010 the temps where high fifties and on and off rain.
I had pretty much decided I wasnt going to race on sunday since the forecast looked even worse than saturday.
Sunday the HIM..... Kevin Walter was staying with me and had driven from western NY he was gonna race. Sunday morning up a 4am and forecat and conditions much better. OK I'll give it another go.... At least I prepared the night before.... We got lucky with a few degrees warmer and alot less rain.... I was still not going to take any chances... For the bike I added socks, long windproof cycling pants, heavy long sleeve cycling shirt, long sleeve wind shirt, gloves.
Swim 32:52 PR of 25 seconds very happy here, feeling like I swam much better than saturday (swam hard saturday but kept way too right adding distance and not getting any draft) ... BTW results still not available for OLY.
T1 7:28 took my time and dressed warm ... thought it was gonna be closer to 10 min
Bike 3:10:33 ... very interesting here... I rode NP 185 , VI 1.04 , IF .80 , TSS 201.3 and was 9 minutes slower than my practice lap on the course where I rode NP 179, VI 1.06, IF .77 TSS 181.5. And last years numbers I rode a 3:06 with NP 181, VI 1.09 , IF .88 , TSS 240.3. So with 3 data reference , I rode my highest NP , lowest VI , but slowest speed.... I would have to blame the added clothes (drag) , sitting up more on the descents for traffic , washouts, etc, and I think less favorable winds on the last 10 mile stretch. I had every intention of riding at least .85 but just wasnt feeling up to it , coulda been the fatigue from saturdays shiverfest or the fact I just cant seem to function in the cold.
T2 5:15..... started with a portopotty break, went in sat down, did some business, took my gloves off, had to take all those clothes off, new socks and on my way.... again thought it would be alot more....
Run 1:39:44 PR by 5:38.... had a great run .... very pleased with this...
Nutrition.... I know its only a HIM but lots of talk about nutrition again lately. I weigh 120lbs... 1 gel before swim, 2 bottles , 44ounces total on the bike of the new gu brew and perform mixed LOL I know but it was left over from saturday so I added to it and used it 300 cals per bottle, 4 shot blocks, 2 gels on the run, perform and coke. 1200 calories total around 220 per hour from begining of swim til end. ZERO water. Worked well and felt great. I too have abandoned the Infinite ( I only tried it late last year and did not like). Also not a fan of water. Another note on nutrition and temps.... Was very pleased to be able to drink 44ounces in 3 hours, in 2010 nutrition just didnt happen on the bike.... You would not believe how many people on saturday and sunday were finishing there bikes with full bottles. People just do not drink in the cold.
Clothes and Preparation has become the 5th discipline and most difficult part for me. Its covered above so not much to add. I just want hot races they are easier to figure out IMO. This am its cold , raw, and raining hard again.
Nice meeting more EN peeps and Congrats to all who raced saturday or sunday !
Tim,
Comments
Way to puke and rally!!! At 120lbs it's no wonder you have a hard time with cold conditions. We all have different things to adjust for, at least you're learning yours and figuring out how to handle it. You'd have a nice advantage at a hilly, hot race with that weight and ability to dump heat relative to others.
Tim - It was great to see you at Mooseman....what a day!...I'm impressed you got up and gave it a go on Sunday...though I kinda thought deep down inside that you would as long as it wasn't a deluge in th morning....Good decisioning on pulling the plug onthe Oly and going strong on Sunday...congrats!...putting up my RR shortly.
@Steve I just dont know how you did both in 2011 and 2012! You da man! In retrospect I wish I biked with my wetsuit on but you gotta know iits gonna be cold enough to do that and there in lies the problem. You just dont know until its too late!