Hempstead Harbor Sprint Triathlon
750 m swim, 11.5 mi bike, 3 mi run
Training:
I have trained more over the winter this year than ever in my life, which is to say that I trained over the winter. It wasn't quite as much as I had hoped, due to getting my feet wet at my new-this-year 60-hour/week job, but it was something. Running had been my priority, with a half marathon PR of 2:33:46 in April and building up (safely) to 17 miles per week this spring. My 2012 average was 7 miles per week. My 2013 average is 11 miles per week so far, and steadily increasing.
For biking and swimming, my goal this winter was to do anything, but consistently, which is new for me. I had hoped for 2 days per week on the trainer, 30-45 min, which I had done pretty well through the winter. As the weather got nicer, though, I was not completely successful at moving one of those rides outside with any consistency. I did, however, become comfortable riding alone on the quiet suburban roads in my town (which eliminated several excuses to avoid riding) and even got in one 20-miler last month.
I got a YMCA membership and swam in crowded lanes (4+ people at varying speeds, some 10-year old kids practicing butterfly) all winter. It wasn't the once per week I had hoped, but I averaged about twice per month plus one open water swim, which is a huge improvement on last year's nothing (I think I had gone swimming twice before this race last year).
The two weeks prior to the race were tough; I had forced time off due to work business, stress, and general frustration with training. Two weeks before the race I had done an awful 5K, and came home so upset that I decided I needed a few days off from training. Most of that week was a school trip to Boston, which was a ton of fun and a ton of walking, but no formal training (although I was able to get away with a "Who wants to race the teacher around the track?"). Immediately after I returned from a nearly sleepless few days in Boston, I got engaged, and then came down with a cold. I took another very easy week to rest up for the race.
Pre-race:
My A goal was 1:40:00. This was a 10-minute PR over last year's performance, which I didn't think would be possible after the lost two weeks and the poor performance at the 5K. My B goal was 1:50:00 (just beat last year's time), and my C goal was to not die.
Transition was open from 5:45-7:10, so I decided I would wake up at my normal work time (5:45) and get there when I get there (about 5-10 min away). Of course, I beat my alarm clock by quite a bit (which was fortunate, I realized when my alarm went off at 5:45 PM that day) and managed to leave the house easily around 6. I had eaten half a kaiser roll and drank a tall glass off water. There was some race-related traffic (I found out later that they didn't open the parking lot until 6:10) and I was parked and walking to transition by 6:20.
I got my timing chip and went into transition. Transition was not numbered, so I could put my bike anywhere. I've never seen that, but I guess it rewards early arrivals, so I put my bike right next to the swim entrance, to minimize the amount of wet-barefoot-on-asphalt time. While setting up, I met a very nice woman who suggested that I use vegetable oil instead of Body Glide to lubricate my wrists and ankles. Lubrication helps take the wetsuit off, and while I haven't had huge problems, it's not the easiest part of the triathlon. I took her advice and rubbed some vegetable oil on my wrists, ankles, and shoulders, and slowly pulled on the wetsuit.
I always thought triathlon would be a little bit more interesting if the timer started before the athletes started putting on their wetsuit.
I walked over to the race start with about 15 minutes before the start. I jumped into the water to acclimate. I haven't quite mastered the warm-up, but I swam about 25 yards slowly to adjust to the open water. It's scary swimming in murky water without a clear route marked with a black line along the bottom. Surprisingly, I felt awesome, with none of the usual tight throat, leaky goggles, and panicked lungs I usually get in the open water. I guess the open water swim last month was really helpful in that regard.
On my way to the start line, I heard my name called - my Daddy came out early on Fathers' Day to watch! That gave me the boost I needed, and I confidently strode over to the swim start.
The Race:
Every part of the race went smoothly. The end.
Nah, just kidding. I like writing more than that.
The gun went off and I waited a second or two, and then jumped in. I swam pretty easily, but steadily. I went as fast as I could without getting winded, and had to stop to catch my breath about two or three times. The new sighting technique I had learned last month worked well, and for the first time in my life as a triathlete, I managed to stay with the group the entire time. I never thought I'd be so proud to be kicked in the face the entire time. I looked at my watch a few times and noticed that I was ahead of schedule, and tried to slow down. I got out of the water feeling good, right in the middle of my wave, and made it to transition at 16:50. Way ahead of schedule! (I was hoping for 20:00.)
Last year's T1 took 4 minutes, so I hoped to do it in 3. I worked quickly, while making sure to catch my breath. The vegetable oil worked like a charm. My wetsuit came off, socks came on, bike shoes, helmet, and sunglasses, and I was running the bike out of transition. 2:56.
My goal for the bike was 13.8 mi/h. By about 3 miles in, I had hit that average, so I felt good. I was riding strategically: pushing it on the flats and downhills, and changing gears early for the uphills. I tried to keep my cadence high and backed off if I felt my quads burning. I soon learned that the last mile of each of the two loops was downhill, so I could push it at the start and pick up time later. I finished in 47:05, for an average of 14.7 mi/h. Possibly the best bike ride of my life.
T2 was thrilling, but I cut off 30 seconds from last year. Elastic laces were definitely a good decision. 1:27.
I left T2 to start my 3 mile run, with 34 minutes before my goal time. If you've been following my progress, you know that I've been endlessly chasing the sub-30 5K, but have several finishes under 31 minutes. At my hardest effort, I could easily crush 34 minutes for a 3-miler, but I was already feeling tired. I kept at a steady clip, slowing down on the uphills, but never stopping to walk. Around the .5-mile point, I started chatting up a fellow racer. We kept together for a little while, and I noticed that I passed the 1-mile mark at 9:20, even faster than my 5K pace. I tried to slow down, but actually kept up the same pace for 3 miles. Including being able to chat. I was breathing heavily, and I finished with a burst, but I completed the run in 27:59. (This means that if the race had been .1 mile longer, I would have gotten my sub-30. I can run that fast, I apparently just need a warm up of a .5 mile swim and 11.5 mile bike ride.)
Total time: 1:35:56
Post-race:
Annual Fathers' Day brunch at the diner: mac and cheese bites, vanilla egg cream, fried egg on an English muffin, and a side of bacon. Probably twice as many calories as I burned in the race, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I took a nap.
This is the first goal I've met in a while, and I think I could have even done better than this. I was not totally wrecked at the end, like usual. I think I could have cranked out a couple more minutes on the bike. Still, it feels nice to achieve a goal, and it is evidence that the hard work I've been putting in is starting to pay off.
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