Race Report (kinda long)
07-29-24 | 06:53 AM
#1
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Race Report
Mattapoisett, MA Lions Club Sprint Triathlon 7/28/2024
0.25 mile swim/10 mile bike/5k run. Mattapoisett Town Beach.
I just want to preface this by saying that my primary purpose was just to finish this race. After participating in a handful of triathlons every season since the mid-1980s, my last tri was in September of 2016. After that, my left hip had really started getting bad, and I couldn’t run. Ultimately I had hip replacement surgery in March of 2018. I had only a glimmer of hope of ever being able to run much at all again. (Mosty because the surgeons tell you that you shouldn’t do high-impact activity on the mechanical devices.) Then, not long after I fully recovered from the hip surgery, my right knee began feeling suspect (although fortunately that didn’t impact bicycling). With the pandemic, and some other issues, I just finally had knee replacement surgery in October of 2023. Now, I was certain I wouldn’t be running anymore. But in February of this year I began toying with jogging. And it felt OK. So here I am.
My official times and places:
0.25 mile swim — 5:26
10 mile bike — 34:14 (18.7mph avg)
5k run — 34:43
Overall place — 67/87
Gender place — 46/54
60-64 age group — 4/7
(I’m 63)
Go ahead and laugh at that run time. It’s like 11:10 pace, and pretty much what I’m able to do on my weekly runs. Although I am back to running, I’m only running once per week, 3-5 miles. And I’m not pushing for speed (yet). And because of the artificial joints, I don’t know that I ever will. Nevertheless, I’m pretty sure there’s room for improvement. Another thing in this race, I didn’t really set up for, nor give much consideration to transition times. I was more than two minutes in T1, and over a minute in T2. I know, and in the past, have done both in under one minute each. So, considering what I might be able to make up on the run, and in transition improvements…it puts me around 3rd place in the age group. (Maybe more considering the below info.) Woo Hoo!
And then there’s this. All week I was feeling crappy with flu/COVID-like symptoms. My last fitness prior to this race was seven days earlier on Sunday 21 July. Over Wednesday and Thursday I did three at-home COVID tests. All negative. But I rested, hoping to rally and be able to do the race (which I registered for a couple months earlier). Friday I went to my PCP to see what it might be. Mostly I felt good physically, but had a bit of a cough, slight chest congestion, and my voice was weird. He drew a test for COVID but said since it was Friday the lab probably wouldn’t get the results until Monday. And boy could I feel it in the race. Just two strokes into the swim and I thought “Wow. My lung function is still off.” Monday —The doctor just called. Positive for COVID.
Dan
0.25 mile swim/10 mile bike/5k run. Mattapoisett Town Beach.
I just want to preface this by saying that my primary purpose was just to finish this race. After participating in a handful of triathlons every season since the mid-1980s, my last tri was in September of 2016. After that, my left hip had really started getting bad, and I couldn’t run. Ultimately I had hip replacement surgery in March of 2018. I had only a glimmer of hope of ever being able to run much at all again. (Mosty because the surgeons tell you that you shouldn’t do high-impact activity on the mechanical devices.) Then, not long after I fully recovered from the hip surgery, my right knee began feeling suspect (although fortunately that didn’t impact bicycling). With the pandemic, and some other issues, I just finally had knee replacement surgery in October of 2023. Now, I was certain I wouldn’t be running anymore. But in February of this year I began toying with jogging. And it felt OK. So here I am.
My official times and places:
0.25 mile swim — 5:26
10 mile bike — 34:14 (18.7mph avg)
5k run — 34:43
Overall place — 67/87
Gender place — 46/54
60-64 age group — 4/7
(I’m 63)
Go ahead and laugh at that run time. It’s like 11:10 pace, and pretty much what I’m able to do on my weekly runs. Although I am back to running, I’m only running once per week, 3-5 miles. And I’m not pushing for speed (yet). And because of the artificial joints, I don’t know that I ever will. Nevertheless, I’m pretty sure there’s room for improvement. Another thing in this race, I didn’t really set up for, nor give much consideration to transition times. I was more than two minutes in T1, and over a minute in T2. I know, and in the past, have done both in under one minute each. So, considering what I might be able to make up on the run, and in transition improvements…it puts me around 3rd place in the age group. (Maybe more considering the below info.) Woo Hoo!
And then there’s this. All week I was feeling crappy with flu/COVID-like symptoms. My last fitness prior to this race was seven days earlier on Sunday 21 July. Over Wednesday and Thursday I did three at-home COVID tests. All negative. But I rested, hoping to rally and be able to do the race (which I registered for a couple months earlier). Friday I went to my PCP to see what it might be. Mostly I felt good physically, but had a bit of a cough, slight chest congestion, and my voice was weird. He drew a test for COVID but said since it was Friday the lab probably wouldn’t get the results until Monday. And boy could I feel it in the race. Just two strokes into the swim and I thought “Wow. My lung function is still off.” Monday —The doctor just called. Positive for COVID.
Dan
Last edited by _ForceD_; 07-29-24 at 03:21 PM.
07-29-24 | 12:03 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 1,520
Likes: 908
Dude, I think that's great! Hell, I'm almost 10 years younger and still have the OEM hips and knees. I would be pretty happy with that 5k time. As far as transition time, you're flying compared to me. If I'm wearing a wetsuit, I'm lucky to get out of T1 in under 10 minutes, around 3-4 minutes if I just swim in a trisuit. And T2 is generally 2-3 minutes for me.
