JLombardis Mooseman International (Oly+) RR
I'm not sure what it is about this event, maybe it is just NH in June...but it seems there is a 50:50 chance that the weather will be breathtakingly beautiful or heartbreakingly horrible....today was horrible..low 50's, continuous rain, and wind with some strong gusts along some portions of the course. This is not an excuse...everyone races in the same conditions...it just is the palate on which we paint the portrait of the day.
My ambitions coming into the day were for an AG podium spot; reviewing last years results (in good weather) and my current training/fitness I figured I could finish under 2:40 and if all went well maybe closer to 2:30 and competitive in the AG. However after seeing the day and the bike course (too hilly)...I tempered the 2:30 ambitions but still felt sub2:40 was reasonable if all went well. Target times were 30 swim/1:20 bike/45 run with 3 min. of transitions = 2:38..simple eh.
I arrived late afternoon Friday; I really wanted to arrive by noon so I would be able to register, maybe swim, and drive the bike course, get something light to eat and be able to relax...driving 8hrs and then rushing around organizing does not lend itself to the kind of relaxing night before the race which is ideal...but the weather was nice, registrations went smooth, and I was able to drive the half the bike course..the half Ihad never seen and with the longest climb - A coupld of learnings here...I drove the course in reverse...really is better to see it the way you will ride it...and ride the entire course...even though I had ridden the other side of the course previously as part of the 70.3 version last year...I completely missed/forgot some of shorter but steep inclines in the first 10k! Check into my rustic cabin accommodations on Lake Winnisquam, eat some pizza, walk Kona dog and get to bed by 9:30...a little anxious about what weather tommorrow will bring.
I awake around 4:50am and lo-behold no rain overnight, I make some coffee and take Kona for a walk and there is a bright orange orb attempting to rise over the lake...its beautiful...maybe the rain will hold off until after the race!...I change into my gear...and head off to the race site....5min. down the road...and the rain begins...and the sky is clouding over...for good...it will rain continuously throughout the day and into the night. Oh well it was expected I guess.
To the race; check in & get wet suit asap becuase it is warmer that way. Nice touch they have a warming tent set up...& only a short wait to the swim start...I take a gel (GU Peanut Butter) and do some short warm up strokes...
The Swim - 1.5k (.93mi) in beautifully clear Newfound Lake...the water is warmer than the air temp...a clean start but alot of chop in the water...the first 400 feels really rough and unsmooth and it really takes me to about 1/3 into the swim before I really start to feel relaxed/smooth in the water and I commit at the turn buoy to push hard in...and I do...I make up alot of ground passing many people and hop out of the water the clock says 28..I like that...felt good...I was 9th/30 AG out of the water.
T:1 - Transition is now a puddle...and disorganized...make my way to the bike..shoes on...and jaunt out 2:00+..too long but ok.
The Bike - 44k (27.4mi) - I hop on the bike feeling good a ready to execute..this is a tough hilly course...aahhh I look down and my Garmin is not picking up signals from my power meter - no power, no cadence, no speed, and because I chose not to wear my HR strap today for the first time...no HR! I have nothing but percieved effort to work with. I fiddle with the garmin trying to reset it finally I make a decision to actually stop pullover and attempt to get the Garmin resett with my powermeter...why you ask? Well I simply do not know myself well enough on the bike to redline this race without some independent measure to provide me some additional feedback other than how I feel...This is a hilly course and long enough too easy to overcook early on the hills wrecking both the bike and hte run....so I figured a minute here would be worth it....but to no avail! (after the race I was able to resett properly..Learning here is to check that the electronics are not only on..but working as expected the morning of the race...STUPID STUPID STUPID a realy Newbie mistake/error & no power file to review...just speed data from mr. garmin.
As for the ride itself; I rode as best I could given the situation; but I know that I went too easy in the first half...being overly cautious and was able to ride the back half (the half I knew from driving the day before)...strong....I was passed by 6-9 people in the first 5k (as I was stopped or otherwise futzing with the Garmin) but I passed an equal number in the second half...I finished in 1:26 (19mph) but figure I threw away 2-3 minute in the first 2 mile playing with the electronics...so I am pretty satisfied with the ride...knowing I that physically I could have ridden the 1:20 I planned. I was 9th/30 in AG off the Bike
T2 - aaahhhh STOOPID- almost 4:00min!.....transition area was now a pond....as I waded to my spot the guy next to me was searching for his shoes...and like an idiot I stop and chat/help him...then my hands are so cold I can't get the tongue of my shoes pulled up...takes me 2-3 attempts at each shoe..I finally give up on shoe number two and run with the tongue out of place!....uncomfortable.
The Run: 10K (6.2mi)...I like the fact that this is an out and back course...goal here was around 45 with negative splitting....I ended up 46 with splits of 7:40,7:37,7:42,7:35,7:15,7:05 (7:00 for the final .2)...I was very pleased with the run..as miles 2-4 featured some tough hills...I was 5th/30AG on the run.
Final time 2:46 8/30AG 7min. off the podium spot (49/300 OA)...with stupid transitions and electronics games I was about on target...cold wet and fairly satisfied...but I need to get serious about some race excecution details & transitions
Thanks for reading and for all the kind comments and support along the way.
SoarFeet 2012
Comments
Joe, thanks for the RR. If it were me, I would have just rolled with the data I had and not bothered to fix it. In an Oly, the PM is used more as a whip vs pacing tool after the first 10-15' of the ride. And every second counts in an Oly.
Rich - I generally agree with you ...especially for the short distances...but the thing is...I've had only been working with the powermeter for about 2-3 months...and have had my eyes nailed to it on my workouts and some great training rides...I have found power to be very liberating ..as in...it has allowed me to overcome feelings of pain/tiredness etc. in rides and push through...giving me the confidence that I was within my limits but just experiencing mental discomfort...and it did a better job of it than HR ever did for me...so I was looking forward to having that as I attempted to redline and also I wanted the valuable data/feedback of another hard effort on some different terrain...
So I agree...didn't need it...but kinda wanted it....
and TIM...I'll take the +1...thanks!