Last Season Race 3 (Graham Beasley)

The Graham Beasley was a great event.  It was out of town so Marie and I stayed at some friends place the night before.  Had a great night, and great dinner (thanks guys!).  I got up nice and early and did my morning routine and got to the race site nice and early.  I got "good" place in the transition area, I use the rabbit ears because it was easy to find, but a long run with the bike.  The forecast for the day, sunny and HOT.

The swim was a deep water start, a little different than the last race.  The start was much more orderly and I came out with what I thought was a pretty good pace. This was the first race where I needed to spot the buoys and couldn't follow a lane rope or the bubbles in front.  As it turns out, I'm not so good at this.  I swam in a bit of an S pattern until I found somebody that was much better at spotting than I and tucked in behind him.  When it was all said and done, I felt my swim was a little slow, although this probably reflects a shift in training from swimming to  the bike as biking.  Had to justify the big purchase :)  I transitioned and got onto the bike with no problem.

The first part of the bike was through the town and then out into the country.  The roads were shared which was interesting.  Got passed and even passed a few cars who decided to just go "race pace".  This was the first race where I had a technical problem on my bike, I derailed at the start, that angered me a bit.  Ultimately probably cost me less than 30 seconds, but definitely was not good for the state of mind.  There were lots of people out watching us race at the end of their driveways cheering us on.  It was great.

I made it back to the transition area, and boy was it hot.  I don't think I took enough water on the bike.  I grabbed as much as I could in the transition and dumped a bunch on my head to cool off then off for the run.  The run was hot, the road was just radiating heat back up at us.  I really enjoyed my racing gear, it really helped me remove as much heat as possible.  I finished the race and pretty much let my momentum carry me right back into the river to cool off.  This was the first race where heat was a major issue, and WOW, did that post race swim ever feel good.  Probably a top 5 swim ever!!

When it was all said and done, by 500m Swim +T1 was 12:13, 20km bike was 39:51 and my T2+5km run was 25:51.  I was very happy with how I handled the heat and with the results.  Another great race and lots of experience.

The next race was 5-6 weeks away, and this one was going to be far the biggest race of the summer.  It was another overnight in Orillia at my moms, and the race was longer and the most popular in Ontario.  Given that it was the summer and such a long stretch, I was just hopping I could maintain my fitness until then.
 
http://results.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=46632

Last Season - Race 2 (my second race)

After the first race, I learned lots, got a few more brick sessions in and anxiously waited for my first open water race.  It was a particularly dry and mild winter/spring which lead to very low water levels in the Ottawa River.  So low that they have to reposition the swim course because it going to be too shallow otherwise.  Because of some constraints the course was actually shortened to 400m during this process.  My obsessive compulsive preperation was in fine form, reading the race details over and over, the rules, and some pointers on the open water swim.  I made a list, checked it 4 times and got everything prepared well in advance.

The race day was very humid and the forecast was calling for rain, rain, and more rain.  The water was of suspect quality - I think the local ducks and geese weren't helping the low water levels.  But the race was on as long as there was no lightening.

I got a great spot in the transition area, and had a pretty good warm up.  The start was  shallow water start, and there were only 2 waves, Men, and Women 5 mins apart.  There were about 130 males starting, probably too much.  Somehow I ended up in the middle, which I cam to realize was not a good position.  When we started, the only thing that could describe what was happening is spawning salmon, because it sure wasn't swimming.  In the first 100m I swam over some guy doing breast stroke (wtf, start at the back) and like wise got swam over by others.  Them some guy hit me in the head, not once, not twice, but three times.  I wish it stopped at two, not because of the pain of taking an arm in the head, but because the third time knocked my goggles off.  Not that the water was particularly clear, but still, what a pain. Finally by the first turn things at thinned out and I got into a rhythm, probably slower than I wanted, but at this point, I was just happy to be racing.  I got out of the water and there was Marie cheering like crazy!  She handed me my watch and off to the transition I went.

Sometime between the start of the swim and the end it start raining.  Just a little at first, but the by time I was on my bike, it was raining gangbusters.  Crazy rain, but likely no wind.  I got into a good cadence on the bike and eventually caught up to a large group of people.  Although it wasn't a draft legal race, people seemed pretty happy to take other people's wash in the face.  I tried to power past the group, and just when I thought I was past, the power savings of drafting left them with more energy and they were able to over take me.  I tried this probably 3 more times until I was drained.  I settled into a slightly slower pace and went on my own way.  I ended up posting a great bike time all things considered.

I moved to the run and felt much stronger this time around.  But just as the run was stating the rain let up and mother nature turned on the heat.  Boy it got humid and hot fast.  I was able to keep a pretty respectable pace for the race, Marie managed to see me a pass a few times, and boy can she cheer.  I think she scared the people around me.  I finished strong, and felt pretty good.  I didn't get made fun of crossing the line this time, so that was good.  I must have looked like I was enjoying myself all the more.

Overall, the conditions were terrible, but I was very happy for the experience, and despite the weather, I posted a respectable time.  The swim was slower than I would have liked, but the bike and run were right were I wanted to be if not a little better.

My 400m swim was + T1 was 10:51, my bike was 23.7 km in 42.29 and my T2 + 5km run was 24:35.
http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=46418&first=&last=corey&bibnum=&page=&sortby=place&city=&sizeofpage=200&limit=2000

Next up Graham Beasley, my first race not sleeping in my own bed the night before.

Last Season - Race 1 (my first race)

Well in the days leading up to my first race I read, reread triple checked the rules, course details and anything else I could find.  I tapered my training by taking the Wednesday and Thursday off, and went for a short, but quick run on Friday morning.  The weather forecast was not ideal, cool and overcast with a slight chance of rain. I created a race day scheduled and to do list - I didnt' realize how large this would be...

After work on the Friday I went down to pick up my race kit. I took a look around the transition area, and spoke to a few people.  As it turns out I was more prepared then the people I spoke with, however I was still quite anxious for the race.  Picked up my kit and headed home.  We had some of our good friends come down for dinner on the Friday and spend the night to cheer me on during the race.  We had a large spaghetti dinner, with garlic bread, cheese and some apples with caramel for desert.  In retrospect that was probably too much food and I could have done without the red pepper flakes on the spaghetti.  We took a pretty easy night and went to bed early.

I can honestly say I didn't sleep well, nervous and what not. I got up about 2.5 hours before the race start, had a quick shower to warm up, some bread with peanut butter than took the dog for a walk.  Once I got back I had a small bowl of cereal (raisin bran, again - maybe not a good idea).  I triple checked my bag, put my bike on the rack and headed to the race with about 1.5 hours to the start time.  I got to the race, got my bike down, double checked the tires brakes and other mechanical pieces then moved to the transition area.  WOW, was this process ever overwhelming for a newbie.  Everybody around seemed to know exactly where to go, and what to do.  I asked which rows the Sprint Triathlons had for the transition area, and was told the wrong row.  So I setup in the wrong row and just as everything was setup just right, I realized I was in the wrong place.  So I moved to a new row, and set everything back up.  Unfortunately, I was not in a great area, in the middle of the middle rows, hard to find in a race situation.  

The weather wasn't terrible, overcast and cool.  I took a walk over to the mount/dismount line and took a light jog to get warm.  Once I was warm I met up with Marie and my friends, I had my half banana and yogurt for a snack and continued to hydrate.  We then proceeded to the pool.  I setup my shoes outside if the pool area, it was a very long distance between the pool and transition area, so bare feet just wasn't an option.  I made my way into the change room and had my pre-race washroom trip.  This is where I realized that I probably had too much of the wrong food the night before.  But after the business was taken care off I felt much better and was ready to rock.  I made my way to the deck and the race before us was just finishing.  I made my way to the warm up pool and took few lengths to get the back and shoulders warm and heart rate up.  Once satisfied and nearly getting ran over by some very impressive swimmers, I got back on the deck and seeded myself by grabbing the 2:00min/100m stick and finding a place to stand.  Soon the race was starting   Given that the racers were starting every 15 seconds, I had a 5-10 minute wait before it was my turn to start.

I had my goggles on nice and tight and then took my start position.  I hadn't quite figured out how I was going to start.  I had two options, a dive, which i could lose my goggles because of inexperience, or just slip in and go. Ultimately the starter said GO, and I dove, not well, but my goggles remained on my head and not full of water.  Success!  I came out flying, got into a very fast rhythm... too fast, but I felt great.  Before I new it I had caught up with the person in front of me, and good thing too because lost my rhythm... came out too fast.

I gathered myself while drafting off the person in front of me and started looking for a good time to pass.  Coming into the next wall I gave the tap on the foot, and passed without a problem.  I then didn't want to slow that person down, so I picked up my rhythm, but stayed in control  Before I knew it I passed two more people and in around 9 minutes I was climbing out of the pool and walking out the door.  I crossed the timing mat (9:37 after starting) put my shoes one and started a 500m jog to the transition area.  I felt a little awkward on the transition run, didnt' have  shirt on, or my proper shoes, but I made it and found my bike without a problem. 

 I got my shirt, helmet, glasses and shoes on and ran over to the mount dismount line.  I got on my bike, got clipped in and was on my way.  I took a pretty easy pace, but felt like I was doing well given all the people I was passing (but all from the race before ours).  I probably let this go to my head and didn't give as much effort as I could have.  After the first turn around I was cruising along and passed a fellow who then decided he was going to draft off of me.  This made me a little uncomfortable as I wasn't (and still not) comfortable with people around me on the bike.  After a km or so, some guy on a bike that cost more than my car went flying by and yelled at the guy for cheating.  He peeled off after that and that was the end of it.  Coming into the second turn around there seemed to be a bit of co-motion going on about 50m up the road.  I received a moral boost from Marie and my friends and continued on with my race.  The second lap went well and as I was coming to the end of the bike portion, I noticed where the co-motion was, there was now an ambulance.  Very scary, as it turns out there was pretty bad accident and one guy was in pretty bad shape.  I'm not sure exactly what happened, but ultimately he ended up t-boning another bike and doing a face plant in the road.  From the people who saw it, it sounded like he was riding a little unsafe through turn area (this was the optional turn, turn if you have another lap, or straight through if you are done), and the other competitor didn't do a shoulder check before trying to turn around after missing the actual turn around area.  I took my time going through that area, and came into the mount/dismount area.  Got of my bike and tried to find my area.  Turns out I initially picked the wrong row, and then almost forgot to take my helmet off.  What a NOOB.   But eventually I sorted everything out and was on my way for the run.  

Although I had done a few brick workouts, I clearly  hadn't done enough.  I came out and didn't feel very good, and as it turns out didn't look very strong (thanks Marie).  After the first 500m I felt much better was in a good stride and just continued on my way.  There weren't many people on the run course, and before I new it I was at the turn around.  I was feeling pretty good and before I knew it I reached the finish line.  The announcer poked fun at me and told me to smile, which made me laugh.  But I finished strong, in a time of 1:18:25 and felt pretty good.  The breakdown was: 500m swim: 9:37 T1+20.5km bike+T2: 45:34 5km run: 23:14 which I was very happy with.  I finished 2nd in my age group which was a shock, but really I was just happy to finish and gain the experience.

http://www.sportstats.ca/find-an-athlete-find-a-race-search.php?lang=eng&first=Philip&last=COREY

Post race I felt great, got some water, had a banana and took a giant pee.  Gathered my equipment and made my way home and had a shower.  We then went for a nice walk at the dog park with Marie, my friends and our dogs.  Lots of fun.  All in all, a great experience!  I had 2 weeks until my next race, but next time it was going to be an open water swim.  A completely different beast.