psycofish
06-29-06, 06:02 AM
Here is my race report for the Medexpress mountaineer half. held last Sunday in West Va.
First I just started doing tris last year and got the bug. I have no swim, bike or run past but like many of you after 1 I was hooked. I did 4 sprints and 1 Olympics last year and 1 sprint this year. End of last year decided to commit to a half. Overall my training leading up to it was down my 2 week taper turned out to be 2 week of taper and 1 week of nothing
Race day start was mid 60 and overcast with a rain likely
1.2 mile Swim: The swim was in a river water temp were in the low 70's. I didn't have a wetsuit so a friend let me use one. Never had the chance to swim in one before the day of the race. Man it was like wearing a life jacket, very cool... The swim was good they did a separate age group starts so there wasn't to much congestion. The start of the swim I, like everyone else went out too fast, after about 400 though I found my rhythm. Nice relax swim time was 38 min. My goal was 40 so I was happy. 12 out of 32 age group.
T1: I knew I would be slower in T1 because I had minimal practice getting the wetsuit off and I was. I got the thing hung up on my heel and it took some time to get off. Finished with socks and shoes and I am off.. 3:08 the 8th slowest in my age group:(
56 mile bike: My goal on the bike was pace, I had my heart rate monitor on and wanted to keep HR at upper 150's. The course was a 2 lap course. the first 6 miles was nice and flat and my speed was in the lower 20's but my HR was in the 170's I need to relax...at mile 7 the fun starts.. a 1 mile climb at a 8% grade. trying to keep my cadence in the upper 60's. Start to get passed by many bikers boy I hate hills... The next 15 miles are rolling hilly with some longer uppies than downies... Held my own down got my but kicked on the ups. The last 10 mile of the first loop was a fast, flat to slightly down hill grade speed back in the 20's . Made the first 28 miles in 1 hour 32 min and in the high 18's. Heart rate was high 160 low 170's higher than I want but heck I am going to be under 3 HR for this killer course.. Yeaaa.. The second loop starts and so did the ran . This could be trouble on the down hill might have to slow a bit.. The 7 miles out again speed was in the low 20's. Must be relaxing more HR coming down to lower 160"s. Hit the hill again, try to keep cadence up. boy legs are tired maybe just get up hill and not worry about cadence. Its now pouring rain.. the rolling hills are going slower but heart rate has leveled off in the upper 150's. Picked up some speed on the way back to town.. final bike split 3 HR 9 min, 17.7 MPH goal was 18 a little bummed. Was 21 out of 32. Drank 3 gu2o's bottles and 6 gels
T2 was 2:52 I changed into dry socks and for some dumb reason a dry shirt.
Starting the run all I could think about was "I got to pee" It going to be a long run feeling like this.My first mile, leg transition not bad at all. It was actually my fastest mil at 8:20. Shirt now sopping wet. Don't know why I bother to take the time to change it. Mile 2 I got to hit the porta john ahhhhhhhh. what seemed to be the longest pee in the world ahhhhh ok done, back off to the trail. the course was also a 2 loop course with 4.5 of the lap being flat an the 2+ miles being very hilly and 1 section that was just ridicules. About mile 7 started getting stomach cramps and had to hit the john again for a longer stretch... Darn all that gel...
my run time was disappointing at a 10:30 pace. was hoping to be under 10 but the legs couldn't do. To many hills on the course and not enough on the training... Total time was 6 HR 11 min my goal was 6HR But I am very pleased to have gotten a half under my belt. I was 23 out of 32 age group and 135 of 220 overall.. I wasted at least 2 min in transtion, 4 min in the porta john(i dont know how you guys can go 6 hr drinking all that water and gel and not have to go).
First I just started doing tris last year and got the bug. I have no swim, bike or run past but like many of you after 1 I was hooked. I did 4 sprints and 1 Olympics last year and 1 sprint this year. End of last year decided to commit to a half. Overall my training leading up to it was down my 2 week taper turned out to be 2 week of taper and 1 week of nothing
Race day start was mid 60 and overcast with a rain likely
1.2 mile Swim: The swim was in a river water temp were in the low 70's. I didn't have a wetsuit so a friend let me use one. Never had the chance to swim in one before the day of the race. Man it was like wearing a life jacket, very cool... The swim was good they did a separate age group starts so there wasn't to much congestion. The start of the swim I, like everyone else went out too fast, after about 400 though I found my rhythm. Nice relax swim time was 38 min. My goal was 40 so I was happy. 12 out of 32 age group.
T1: I knew I would be slower in T1 because I had minimal practice getting the wetsuit off and I was. I got the thing hung up on my heel and it took some time to get off. Finished with socks and shoes and I am off.. 3:08 the 8th slowest in my age group:(
56 mile bike: My goal on the bike was pace, I had my heart rate monitor on and wanted to keep HR at upper 150's. The course was a 2 lap course. the first 6 miles was nice and flat and my speed was in the lower 20's but my HR was in the 170's I need to relax...at mile 7 the fun starts.. a 1 mile climb at a 8% grade. trying to keep my cadence in the upper 60's. Start to get passed by many bikers boy I hate hills... The next 15 miles are rolling hilly with some longer uppies than downies... Held my own down got my but kicked on the ups. The last 10 mile of the first loop was a fast, flat to slightly down hill grade speed back in the 20's . Made the first 28 miles in 1 hour 32 min and in the high 18's. Heart rate was high 160 low 170's higher than I want but heck I am going to be under 3 HR for this killer course.. Yeaaa.. The second loop starts and so did the ran . This could be trouble on the down hill might have to slow a bit.. The 7 miles out again speed was in the low 20's. Must be relaxing more HR coming down to lower 160"s. Hit the hill again, try to keep cadence up. boy legs are tired maybe just get up hill and not worry about cadence. Its now pouring rain.. the rolling hills are going slower but heart rate has leveled off in the upper 150's. Picked up some speed on the way back to town.. final bike split 3 HR 9 min, 17.7 MPH goal was 18 a little bummed. Was 21 out of 32. Drank 3 gu2o's bottles and 6 gels
T2 was 2:52 I changed into dry socks and for some dumb reason a dry shirt.
Starting the run all I could think about was "I got to pee" It going to be a long run feeling like this.My first mile, leg transition not bad at all. It was actually my fastest mil at 8:20. Shirt now sopping wet. Don't know why I bother to take the time to change it. Mile 2 I got to hit the porta john ahhhhhhhh. what seemed to be the longest pee in the world ahhhhh ok done, back off to the trail. the course was also a 2 loop course with 4.5 of the lap being flat an the 2+ miles being very hilly and 1 section that was just ridicules. About mile 7 started getting stomach cramps and had to hit the john again for a longer stretch... Darn all that gel...
my run time was disappointing at a 10:30 pace. was hoping to be under 10 but the legs couldn't do. To many hills on the course and not enough on the training... Total time was 6 HR 11 min my goal was 6HR But I am very pleased to have gotten a half under my belt. I was 23 out of 32 age group and 135 of 220 overall.. I wasted at least 2 min in transtion, 4 min in the porta john(i dont know how you guys can go 6 hr drinking all that water and gel and not have to go).