Sonoma, CA
Race Totals: 4:41:41
Swim: 31:21
Bike: 2:31:01 (22.25mph avg)
Run: 1:34:47 (7:14 per mile avg)
Race Totals: 4:41:41
Swim: 31:21
Bike: 2:31:01 (22.25mph avg)
Run: 1:34:47 (7:14 per mile avg)
Pre-Race:
This is my second “season”
doing triathlons, and my first 70.3. It’s also really only my second year
swimming and biking but what can I say, I’m hooked. I used to run,
occasionally, but up until 3-4 years ago I was carrying around an extra 40-50
lbs, so I wouldn’t really consider it running, more like jogging.
A little info about myself:
I’m 30 years old, weigh 150 lbs, my FTPw = 225watts, and my VO2max = 69.2 (320
watts). My pre-race goals were 33 min swim, 2:30-2:33 bike, and I really wasn’t
sure what my run pace would be. 6:10 pace for olympic distance, so I was
guessing somewhere between 6:40 & 7:20 pace for the run.
4:15AM I ate 2 instant oatmeal packs, a single serving package of almond butter, ½ banana, a starbucks double-shot. ( 550 cal )
4:15AM I ate 2 instant oatmeal packs, a single serving package of almond butter, ½ banana, a starbucks double-shot. ( 550 cal )
7:15AM Honey Stinger
Chocolate Gel in transition chased w/ water. ( 120 cal )
7:42AM Race Start
Swim (1.2mi):
I’m not a strong swimmer so usually I just try and survive the swim and try not to fall too far behind. This time was no different. I finished top 25% of my age-group.
Swim Total: 31:21 (48th 30-34AG, 285thOA)
T1: 2:31
Bike (56mi):
First race w/ a power meter. I know its bad form to race on new equipment, but I was feeling slightly uncomfortable with my bike pacing coming up to the event and decided to reward myself with a powertap just 7 days before the event. Everything I have read on the Internet says that you should race a HIM at 80-85% of your FTPw. However after my V02Max / Blood Lactate test, Coach said I should be racing the whole bike in low Zone 4 ie 86 – 90 % FTPw. So the whole race I was trying to keep my 30 sec avg power ~ 195-200 watts on the flats, 175-185 watts on the downhill’s, and under 300 watts on the hills. Almost every time I checked my computer during the race it seemed like I was pumping out too many watts, and at the half way point I checked my average and it was 205 watts. Time to slow things down a bit. The second half I kept my pacing under control and came in at 199 watts average for the whole race. The weird thing is I actually had a faster split on the second half, go figure. 1st split = 1:16:53, 2cnd split = 1:14:08.
I’m not a strong swimmer so usually I just try and survive the swim and try not to fall too far behind. This time was no different. I finished top 25% of my age-group.
Swim Total: 31:21 (48th 30-34AG, 285thOA)
T1: 2:31
Bike (56mi):
First race w/ a power meter. I know its bad form to race on new equipment, but I was feeling slightly uncomfortable with my bike pacing coming up to the event and decided to reward myself with a powertap just 7 days before the event. Everything I have read on the Internet says that you should race a HIM at 80-85% of your FTPw. However after my V02Max / Blood Lactate test, Coach said I should be racing the whole bike in low Zone 4 ie 86 – 90 % FTPw. So the whole race I was trying to keep my 30 sec avg power ~ 195-200 watts on the flats, 175-185 watts on the downhill’s, and under 300 watts on the hills. Almost every time I checked my computer during the race it seemed like I was pumping out too many watts, and at the half way point I checked my average and it was 205 watts. Time to slow things down a bit. The second half I kept my pacing under control and came in at 199 watts average for the whole race. The weird thing is I actually had a faster split on the second half, go figure. 1st split = 1:16:53, 2cnd split = 1:14:08.
Bike Nutrition:
· 0-20min: H2O
· 20min: Honey Stinger Waffle (160 cal)
· 40min: 2 Cliff Shot Blocks(66 cal)
· 60min: 2 Cliff Shot Blocks(66 cal)
· 1hr20min: 2 Cliff Shot Blocks( 66 cal)
· 1hr40min: 2 Cliff Shot Blocks( 66 cal)
· 2hrs: 2 Cliff Shot Blocks( 66 cal)
I drank 3x 22 oz bottles of water during the bike but I think this
turned out to be too much water for the 63-67 degree weather because the last
1/3 of the bike course I really had to pee to the point where I was literally
dreaming of the bathroom in the transition area, and every bump I went over on
the bike was killing me.
Bike Nutrition Totals (+/-):
· Calories: 490* (196
per hour)
*For reference, raced at ~150LBS (Hourly Caloric Intake (Bike):
1.3 calories /LB)
Bike Total: 2:31:01 (22nd 30-34AG, 115th OA)
T2: 2:01
Run (13.1mi):
Now here comes the interesting part of the race. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. My original pacing plan was to run the first 2 miles @ 7:20 pace (zone 2), then the rest at a nice 6:40 pace (zone 3). However, if I met my goal of a 2:30 bike split, I told myself I would go for broke on the run. This was probably a bad idea. I ended up missing the bathroom in the transition area, so my first goal was to get to mile marker 1 as fast as possible so that I could go to the bathroom. After what seemed like 2 full minutes in the bathroom, I got back on the course and hit the lap timer. 6:49 for my first mile (including the bathroom break). I felt great. Mile 2, 6:35. Perfect. Maybe I can get through the rest of the race at 6:40? Nope. Right after mile 2 I got a horrible stomach cramp, my usual sign of going out too hard. I dialed down my pace to around 7:10 miles hoping it would go away, and then I could get back to my 6:40 pace. About 6 miles into the run I started seeing all my friends on the course and fellow trisports athlets, took my first gel, and things started getting better. The cramp went away, but for the life of me I couldn’t get back down to sub 7. I then kept telling myself at mile 8 I would pick it up again, mile 9 maybe? Mile 10? Pace kept dropping. Mile 11 was the worst. Ran into a friend from the M25-29 wave, chatted for a minute tried to convince him to run in with me, he decided to pass on the offer so I had to bring it home by myself with everything I got left.
Bike Total: 2:31:01 (22nd 30-34AG, 115th OA)
T2: 2:01
Run (13.1mi):
Now here comes the interesting part of the race. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. My original pacing plan was to run the first 2 miles @ 7:20 pace (zone 2), then the rest at a nice 6:40 pace (zone 3). However, if I met my goal of a 2:30 bike split, I told myself I would go for broke on the run. This was probably a bad idea. I ended up missing the bathroom in the transition area, so my first goal was to get to mile marker 1 as fast as possible so that I could go to the bathroom. After what seemed like 2 full minutes in the bathroom, I got back on the course and hit the lap timer. 6:49 for my first mile (including the bathroom break). I felt great. Mile 2, 6:35. Perfect. Maybe I can get through the rest of the race at 6:40? Nope. Right after mile 2 I got a horrible stomach cramp, my usual sign of going out too hard. I dialed down my pace to around 7:10 miles hoping it would go away, and then I could get back to my 6:40 pace. About 6 miles into the run I started seeing all my friends on the course and fellow trisports athlets, took my first gel, and things started getting better. The cramp went away, but for the life of me I couldn’t get back down to sub 7. I then kept telling myself at mile 8 I would pick it up again, mile 9 maybe? Mile 10? Pace kept dropping. Mile 11 was the worst. Ran into a friend from the M25-29 wave, chatted for a minute tried to convince him to run in with me, he decided to pass on the offer so I had to bring it home by myself with everything I got left.
Mile 1: 6:49 ( 6:22 pace +
bathroom )
Mile 2: 6:36
Mile 3: 7:10
Mile 4: 6:58
Mile 5: 7:10
Mile 6: 7:08
Mile 7: 7:22
Mile 8: 7:15
Mile 9: 7:22
Mile 10: 7:18
Mile 11: 7:39
Mile 12: 7:33
Mile 13: 7:29
Mile 13.1 6:00
First half 46:43 (7:04/mi), back in 48:04 (7:23/mi)
Run Nutrition:
· Mille 6: ½ Gel (~50 cal)
· Mile 10: ½ Gel (~50 cal)
Misc: Drank
½ cup of water at every aid station & poured ½ cup of water on my head.
Run Nutrition Totals (+/-):
· Calories: 100* (66 per
hour)
*Hourly Caloric Intake (Run): 0.44 calories /LB
Run Total: 1:34:47 (15nd 30-34AG, 107th OA)
Race Total: 4:41:41
15th M30-34
107 o'all (pros/amateurs)
Race Total: 4:41:41
15th M30-34
107 o'all (pros/amateurs)
Lessons Learned. Overall it was a
great first 70.3. thanks to Trisports.com, Long Beach Tri Club and thanks to all my friends that did
it with me. Congrats to my buddy Mark Tripp who got third place in our AG and
qualified for the World Championships. To further improve i think i needed to
eat a little more, either on the bike or earlier in the run. i definitely had
the feeling that my legs could go faster but i just didn't have the energy. I
also feel like i went out too fast on the run. It looks like i got some things
to try for next time which is always good. As always I will also try and work
on using my watts more efficiently on the bike, and increasing my FTPw. next
stop SF Triathlon @ Alcatraz.
