My First Olympic Triathalon (Actually my first Tri period)

Yea I definitely need to train more, though I think this was also a goofy result. Not to make excuses, but it was not a good race for me in terms of a few things that I would change in the next race (Learning) and a few things I have no idea about what happened (Like the Stomach thing which went away late Monday but when I woke up this morning [Tuesday] I still feel a weird stomach cramp feeling). Oh well always room for improvement. I started reading the Triathlon Training Bible yesterday and got about 40 pages into it. I think that is going to be very useful.

Also I wish my Garmin did not flake out on me. It froze for some reason and I got part of the bike ride (maybe 19 of 24 miles and 1/2 a mile of the run). I bet my race was something like the following:

Swim:

1. 100 meters - OMG I AM SWIMMING I AM GOING TO DIE! Where am I in the pack, how am I doing, I can't see anything, but I think I am going to right direction
2. 600 meters - wow this is not too bad... just like a long chill run but in water I am doing ok think I am about in the middle of the pack 'I think'
   
3. 50 meters - shoot I just got passed by the fast people from the group that started 5 minutes after me (Good news is that I am super in line with the buoys)
4. 50 meters - ok turning yea that means I am almost 1/2 through the swim...how long have I been swimming? Feels like a long time, I think I am way over time already for the entire budgeted time of swimming, but I can't be because I am in the middle of the pack right?
   
5. 200 meters - ok so not only the fast people from the group behind but 2 groups behind are passing me but a few are now laboring and I am just crusing along with them...or them with me whatever!
6. 400 meters - watch out for the bridge, hey Mr lifeguard wish I had your job! (He laughs as I say that in mid swim - I know I am a loser but it kept me going strong)
   
7. 10 meters - OMG everyone seemed to have reached the last bouy at the same time! 'How the hell does that happen?' This is worse then the start, people everywhere.
8. 50 meters - Now everyone is sprinting for the shore, me included, but I am not really getting passed by anyone so that is good.
9. 50 meters - Ok people seemed to have fizzled out someplace, and I am going strong(ish).
1. Shoot missed the step when the guy tried to help me out of the water and almost brought him in with me. :)
   

Transition 1:

1. Hey look there is Lindsey with Thatcher and Brooklyn watching me run and taking pictures! I better show them a nice Peace sign! (see pic above)
   
2. OK running on grass - I did not really think about all the grass I would get on my feet. I mean Steve told me but it did not register.
   
3. People are all over the place on the side cheering for you. This is kind of cool!
4. OK at the bike: stop - drop - shoes on
   
5. Jump up helmet glasses and HR monitor ON!
6. Jump on my ----shoot no jump off the bike still in transition area can't get on bike will get DQ'ed!
   
7. OK leaving the transition area and I am almost dry already. It is starting to get hot.

Bike:

1. Mile 1-2 Why the heck is my Garmin not working right now...this sucks - start - restart - restart again AHH DARN IT!
2. 3-4 OK still not working so I have no idea how hard I am going but I feel good. This course is a lot more challenging then I thought it was going to be a lot more hills then I thought though the turns don't seem to be that bad.
3. 5 - OK my garmin started to work for real, Yes! Now I am feeling better I seem to have found a good pace 2:45/mile and my HR is in a mid zone 3 that is good. Just keep on cranking.
4. 7 - remember how I said the turns were not that bad? I was wrong! This one is a complete u turn I got there with 4 other people had to coast a bit still almost stopped to avoid collision.
   
5. 8 - Just got passed for the first time by 2 guys who made me seem like I was standing still of course their bikes look like they cost about 10K each and all they do is train. (Were they yellowheads? That would be odd if I killed them swimming and they made me stand still in the bike, my better sport, they must be orange or blue or pink heads).
   
6. 9-11 - OK I have settled into a grove, except for these Stupid U turns! The 2nd one was worse the the first one and I almost almost hit the sidewalk it was so quick a turn. I had a little too much speed I guess. The 3rd U turn was not that bad. A few more people passed me but not many. Again did I mention this course had more hills then I thought there would be. I was expecting a pancake. Not that it was south mountain or anything like that but there are climbs.
7. 12 - Yes I reached the 1/2 way point. 1st girl just passed me (At least I think it was the first) 2nd is right next to me and she appears happy like a clam.
8. 13-17 - Wow just cruisen feel great and relaxed. Though it is getting seriously warm and then 1st u turn was worse the 2nd time as I think I am running into more people on there first lap.
   
9. 18 - Wow Jay (Friend of mine) just tapped me as he road by...DARN IT! I thought I was going to be way out in front. OK so I will speed up and ride next to him if I can.
10. 20 - OK heart rate on climbs was hitting into zone 4 trying to keep up with Jay need to settle down a bit - bye jay! Same girl is still riding next to me yelling at friends as she goes. 'Hey Girl how come you are yelling at people as they ride bye aren't you tired?' Girl 'Tired the race doesn't start until the run!' 'Oh I though it started 1/2 way through the run'
    
11. 21-23 - Hey the girl next to me I am still with for the last 12 miles that is a good sign though she seems to have the course/turning things down to a science where I just make huge bumbles of the turns!
12. 24 - Almost there and I am still neck and neck with the girl and I can actually see Jay just ahead...

Transition 2:

1. Wow came in OK got my shoes off while still attached to peddles that is good never could do that before and I bet it will save me some time. I know don't try new things on the course but it worked!
   
2. Girl is literally the setup RIGHT NEXT TO ME - 'Hey girl what are the chances of that?' Girl 'Not high' (GRUPH why are you talking to me attitude)
3. Hey look I made up time on Jay in the transition. Its got to be the shoes! :)
4. OK RUN RUN RUN
   

Run:

1. 8:01 - stomach hurt but ran through it - keeping up with Jay - good god can I tell you how HOT IT IS! - STUPID WATCH JUST FAILED AGAIN ARGGGGG!
   
2. 13:00 - BOINK! Though about quitting had to walk there goes Jay! I'd mess with the watch but I am too hot.
   
3. 13:00 - DOUBLE BOINK! I really thought about quitting - had to pull over to almost vomit but not really a vomit feeling more of a hard hard stomach feeling like something stuck in my esophagus, lower esophagus cockles lower cockles....ok you get the idea.
   
4. 9:30 - F'it I'm going to jog through it - plus I just saw Lindsey and the kids and they are so happy for me I have to find some strength from some place.
   
5. 9:10 - Wow this sucks but only 2 miles left - Some guy is talking about can't wait for football season to start so he does something else on Sundays besides this - wow I can't agree more and I am not a football guy.
   
6. 7:30 - Heat is about to kill me but my stomach loosened up so I am finally passing people instead of getting killed. Last mile and seems like people are boinking hard. I pre-boinked so I guess I got that going for me, which is nice.
   
7. .3 miles I feel like hell! It is about heat related exhaustion time, but I can see the finish line!
   

THE END! - Did I tell you it was almost 100 degrees when I finished! WTF seriously we are having near record heat on my first Triathlon what weather god did I piss off! Thank goodness they have water for me here, better wander over an see Lindsey and the kids. Man she rocks to have them here. I think I am going to puke. Nope I'm good just very very tired. Very tired and... wait water park? Brooklyn wait a minute let me catch my breath...ok water park you were good I will drag myself that direction...maybe that water was a good idea I almost feel human again...what time is it 11:00? already? OK let me get my bike and then we will be off to B's friend Connor's Birthday party. Man this is going to be a long day! :)

OK so here are my results:

• Total Time - 2:57:42:61
• SWIM: 39:06
• T1: 1:45
• Bike: 1:11
• T2: 1:09
• RUN: 1:04 (I know I know I boinked what can I say!)

24/40 in my age group
277/540 overall

Did I mention that I am a geek? I parsed the data into Excel so I could see how I did proportionally:
Swim - 244 out of 540
T1 - 158 out of 540
Bike - 149 our of 540
T2 - 40 out of 540
Run (uh OHHHH) - 399 out of 540 (BOINK DOUBLE BOINK!)

http://www.tucsonracing.com/results/TATres09.htm



Not to shabby for 3 weeks of actually training. I mean I was always working out but had not gotten in a pool or specifically had a goal in mind until 3 weeks ago. While it was not the sub 2:45 that I was hoping for on a day like that I will take it!

2009_05_17_Olympic Triathalon

Avery