Any triathletes here?

Sweet! Always good to have a practice run in before the race, and helps with course familiarity. What are the distances for the portions?


Only have a couple of the pics saved...ones from phones...from last weeks race.




A great swim last week started the itch to do one more this year, too.

[hammondc]

500M/13Mi/4Mi. I was happy with it. Especially since we got a late start and it was over 90* when we started the run. Another dry run this weekend and then the real thing the weekend after. Ill have to rummage up something rad to smoke to celebrate.

I have a feeling I am going to get the itch after this first one. I am already looking at road bikes.

Originally Posted by hammondc

500M/13Mi/4Mi. I was happy with it. Especially since we got a late start and it was over 90* when we started the run. Another dry run this weekend and then the real thing the weekend after. Ill have to rummage up something rad to smoke to celebrate.

The run can really suck when the heat starts to inch up. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!! If you're a heavy sweater, think about added a little salt to your electrolyte beverage of choice. I did, and I think it helped me. It may not taste good, but taste isn't what you're after. ANY smoke can be a celebratory smoke.

Originally Posted by hammondc

I have a feeling I am going to get the itch after this first one. I am already looking at road bikes.

Ha ha. I know that one! I did my second 2 weeks after the first one. Haven't looked back since.

[ashtonlady]

S0 When is the next one Mike?

Late August or September. Been looking at the schedule in the last day.

I might be doing it with a friend who's doing his first one this weekend. We'll see how he feels afterwards.

[hammondc]

Did the bike on the actual course saturday. Holy crap it is hard. this is a video of the bike portion, but the video really does not do it justice. that last 2 miles or so before the turnaround are hell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdR6bQEP5x0

[hammondc]

Looks like tomorrow is the day! oohhh yeah!

[hammondc]

1:47. Very good considering I just wanted to get in under 2hr. missed placing in the fat tire division by just under a minute. dammit.

[ashtonlady]

Congratulations

Originally Posted by hammondc

1:47. Very good considering I just wanted to get in under 2hr. missed placing in the fat tire division by just under a minute. dammit.

Great job! So when's the next one?

Got mine figured out as of this weekend. Sept. 18th. One Last Tri in Stillwater.

Yup...did my last tri of the "season" yesterday. Another sprint: 600yd swim (but was shorter, just not sure how short), 14.25 mile bike, 5k.

Here's my race report:
Wading in for a "warmup" swim was a good idea. It was chillly! I at least knew what I should expect when I hit the water for the race. Low 60s at best for a water temp, I think. It had been cold for a few days and rained that night and into the morning. Thank Dog for my wetsuit! The start was 5 at a time every 5 seconds. The water was PACKED. We ran about 100yds before we got to water deep enough to swim in. Whay have it there? I was swimming around and over people. One of the worse swim portions I've seen, though I finished well, and was pleased with my overall placing for that portion. I ran up on shore, feeling good about my time on the swim, and didn't feel the chill in the air as I stripped off the top half of my wetsuit. Ran to my bike, got my shoes and shirt on and took of to the mounting area.

The roads were wet from the rain from the night before and what was still coming down. But as I got going, I felt good and was pushing the pace fairly decently. My cyclocomputer was reading 24-25mph for the first couple flat to stlightly downhill miles. I was feeling good. The hills weren't too big and not overly challenging (plus my training rides had some decent ones, at least). The worst part was how far we had to slow down on the turns (which were rather sharp). Took lots of the momentum away, and I need my momentum, being a bigger rider. Finished the bike with what I calculated later as a 20.4mph average for the course, which is a record pace for me.

Back to the transition area, chugged a little sports drink and pounded a goo, threw on the running shoes and off I went for my last 3.1 miles. It's always a little odd when you get off the bike and hit the run, but I felt stranger than usual this time. Just into the run, I realized my right foot was numb, and wasn't getting any better. That sucked, but I kept pushing through it. We had to stop for bikes to cross in front of us on the run portion, which hurt the time a bit. I kept going, still with my foot being numb. There was some running on a wet trail, and a guy next to me bit it, so I stopped to help him up. It wasn't until about halfway into the run that the numbness in my foot started to let up. When it finally did, I was onto the trails for the rest of the race. There were some spots with poor footing and unevenness. Then a final uphill that threatened to cause my quads to cramp. I fought that off to the final turn and was able to "sprint" the remainder of the race to the finish line.

My time ended up as 1hr 20min 33sec. Good enough for 125th overall, out of ~500 entrants. My best finish yet! I'm not the best or fastest out there, but I love doing them, and will keep at it as long as I can. I'll never win one, but I might be able to win my age group when I'm 70.

On to planning next year's schedule now.

[landhoney]

I'm 2/3rds of the way towards trying one of these. I've run in several races up to a half marathon, and now have taken up biking again (Giant OCR2 road bike). I just need to work on the swimming.

I think just like with running, I'll have to pick an upcoming event a ways off and then use that as the motivation to get training/swimming. Maybe next spring

Season has started to take some shape for me...signed up for 2 tris so far this year. The sprint that I did to start out the last 2 years in June, and the Half Iron I did last year (yup...Half Iron again). Looking to possibly add 2 more tris into the schedule. Possibly one called the Tristar 111. It's a 111 km race...1k swim, 100k bike, and 10k run. Sounds interesting to me.

And Erin and I are doing both of the Warrior Dash locations in MN this year (June 30th, and Sept. 8th)

Any of you have anything planned for this year yet?

[hammondc]

None planned yet. Teetering on the idea of a couple. I will be doing the Tough Mudder in Austin though...

Race #1 of the season done yesteday. I cut my overall time down by over 2 minutes, despite having a run that was 2 min slower than last year's race. I'm pleased, yet disappointed, with the slower run time. Gotta adjust my training, so I have more left in the tank at the end. Next up will be the half ironman that I did last year. Need to really start stretching out the lengths of the training now.

Yesterday was also my wife's first triathlon. Despite hating the swim (choppy water, and tons of weeds), she loved it, and is looking forward to doing her next (another sprint) at the venue I'm doing my half at. I may have created a monster! LOL

Anyone else have anything coming up?

Race 2 of the year down...Chisago Lakes Half Ironman. Swim was a better time than last year. Bike was a better time than last year. Run was BRUTAL. Started to cramp a half mile into it. Ran when it could, and walked when I had to. It was painful, but I actually had a better time than I did last year. Overall, I'm pleased, as I've been fighting a sinus infection/cold for the last 2 weeks.

Next up is a sprint in 2 weeks, followed by an Olympic on Sept 1st.

[hammondc]

First Olympic length this Sunday. I'll be SO glad to get out of the water. I know I have the distance as I have been doing 2k yards three times a week at the YMCA. Tried open water a couple days ago....forgot how different it is. Got about 300 yards and panicked- mostly because I was the ONLY one around.

[RWhisenand]

Good luck Chip!

[E.J.]

Good luck, Chip... Look forward to hearing how it goes!

[hammondc]

Went pretty well. 3:13:38 for my first oly. Tough bike too.