Completed my first Sprint Tri
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csm1021
Posts: 13 Member
Hello everyone! I have been looking at this group board since I decided to do a triathlon earlier this spring, reading race reports and looking for tips but I have never posted anything. Thought I would share my experience.
I got serious about my weight loss November 2011. Since then I have lost 44 pounds and working to lose the last 10 pounds. The triathlon training has really helped me shed the pounds. Working out 6 days a week, usually twice a day (Run, Bike, Swim, Zumba, Yoga and Bootcamp).
I completed in the Fontana, WI Triathlon this past weekend. I live in the area so I was able to do all my training on the actual route (lucky me as its a challenging hilly course). It was nice that it was a smaller event, only around 300 people total. I kind of freaked out when I saw on the website that they would cap at 1000.
I got the the event an hour before the start time and set up my area, laying everything out neatly just as I had practiced and read. And then an announcement comes on that they want at least 8 bikes per rack... Ugh now I have to redo everything as I was taking up a lot of space! Guess now I know that for next time.
There were four waves for the sprint and I was in the first... Was hoping to at least see one wave go out ahead of me, but here goes nothing. The water was completely calm. At the sound of the horn everyone is running in the water, lots of little sharp rocks! Honestly it looks like a sea of carp. I remembered to go to the side and towards the back as I didn't want to deal with people kicking and hitting me but somehow I still managed to get hit a few times. Once we got spaced out in the deeper water I was in a pack with about 10 other people and much to my surprise I started passing people. Then I had a thought that I was swimming too fast and using up too much energy so I focused on my strokes and realized I was just a faster swimmer then some others. I completed the swim in my best time ever, 9:57 (.25 mile swim). During my training it was anywhere from 11 to 12 minutes.
Ran through the sand and into T1. I had a time of 2:27. Honestly it felt like 30 seconds. I think I spent too much time trying to clean the sand/pebbles off my feet. Was also glad that I spent the $10 and bought a race belt. I was able to easily clip it on and go. There is no way I would have been able to pin the race number to my shirt with all that was going on (I'm sure there would have been blood!).
The bike was 12 miles. The best part of the bike portion was getting to the first and worse hill of the course. A woman coming up the hill with me said out loud "You've got to be kidding me!". It was a steep ongoing hill. During my practice rides there were times I wanted to get off the bike and just walk but I never did, just pushed through it. I finished the bike portion in 47:42. Not my greatest time but was pacing myself for the run... Also wonder how my biking will improve if I change to clipless pedals. I upgrade my bike a month ago (2013 Trek Lexa SL) was originally training with my old mountain bike, but didn't want to deal with learning a new bike and clipless pedals at the same time so I used my running shoes with cages.
T2 went much faster only 55 seconds.
And then the horrible hilly run started (5k). I have practiced this run at least once a week since May. I just got back into running in March, haven't ran in almost 10 years. Still working on improving my speed and distance. During the run I was really shot, my legs felt like lead and I was starting to feel dehydrated (at this point I had realized I had barely had anything to drink so far, need to get better about drinking water on the bike). I did a combo of running and fast walking. I did the run in 38:15 (possibly my worse run time ever, normally I can do this route in 33 minutes).
My overall time was 1:39:18. My goal was not to be the last one and to finish under two hours!
I had so much fun training and doing the event. Cannot wait to do another... Debating if I should do the Lake Geneva TriRock on September 15 or if I should wait until next year.
Going to spend my winter working on improving my bike and run. Researching other Tri's in the state that I can go to... And figuring out clipless pedals (I'm a bit of a klutz!)
P.S. Feel free to friend me if you're looking for other tri people.
I got serious about my weight loss November 2011. Since then I have lost 44 pounds and working to lose the last 10 pounds. The triathlon training has really helped me shed the pounds. Working out 6 days a week, usually twice a day (Run, Bike, Swim, Zumba, Yoga and Bootcamp).
I completed in the Fontana, WI Triathlon this past weekend. I live in the area so I was able to do all my training on the actual route (lucky me as its a challenging hilly course). It was nice that it was a smaller event, only around 300 people total. I kind of freaked out when I saw on the website that they would cap at 1000.
I got the the event an hour before the start time and set up my area, laying everything out neatly just as I had practiced and read. And then an announcement comes on that they want at least 8 bikes per rack... Ugh now I have to redo everything as I was taking up a lot of space! Guess now I know that for next time.
There were four waves for the sprint and I was in the first... Was hoping to at least see one wave go out ahead of me, but here goes nothing. The water was completely calm. At the sound of the horn everyone is running in the water, lots of little sharp rocks! Honestly it looks like a sea of carp. I remembered to go to the side and towards the back as I didn't want to deal with people kicking and hitting me but somehow I still managed to get hit a few times. Once we got spaced out in the deeper water I was in a pack with about 10 other people and much to my surprise I started passing people. Then I had a thought that I was swimming too fast and using up too much energy so I focused on my strokes and realized I was just a faster swimmer then some others. I completed the swim in my best time ever, 9:57 (.25 mile swim). During my training it was anywhere from 11 to 12 minutes.
Ran through the sand and into T1. I had a time of 2:27. Honestly it felt like 30 seconds. I think I spent too much time trying to clean the sand/pebbles off my feet. Was also glad that I spent the $10 and bought a race belt. I was able to easily clip it on and go. There is no way I would have been able to pin the race number to my shirt with all that was going on (I'm sure there would have been blood!).
The bike was 12 miles. The best part of the bike portion was getting to the first and worse hill of the course. A woman coming up the hill with me said out loud "You've got to be kidding me!". It was a steep ongoing hill. During my practice rides there were times I wanted to get off the bike and just walk but I never did, just pushed through it. I finished the bike portion in 47:42. Not my greatest time but was pacing myself for the run... Also wonder how my biking will improve if I change to clipless pedals. I upgrade my bike a month ago (2013 Trek Lexa SL) was originally training with my old mountain bike, but didn't want to deal with learning a new bike and clipless pedals at the same time so I used my running shoes with cages.
T2 went much faster only 55 seconds.
And then the horrible hilly run started (5k). I have practiced this run at least once a week since May. I just got back into running in March, haven't ran in almost 10 years. Still working on improving my speed and distance. During the run I was really shot, my legs felt like lead and I was starting to feel dehydrated (at this point I had realized I had barely had anything to drink so far, need to get better about drinking water on the bike). I did a combo of running and fast walking. I did the run in 38:15 (possibly my worse run time ever, normally I can do this route in 33 minutes).
My overall time was 1:39:18. My goal was not to be the last one and to finish under two hours!
I had so much fun training and doing the event. Cannot wait to do another... Debating if I should do the Lake Geneva TriRock on September 15 or if I should wait until next year.
Going to spend my winter working on improving my bike and run. Researching other Tri's in the state that I can go to... And figuring out clipless pedals (I'm a bit of a klutz!)
P.S. Feel free to friend me if you're looking for other tri people.
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Replies
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Congratulations!!!! I say go for another race on the 15th. You've caught the bug, why wait a whole year for another opportunity.0
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Congratulations!!!! Awesome race report. Y'all are getting me so excited and nervous at the same time! :noway:0
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Congratulations! You rocked it out. I just finished my first one the beginning of August and am also looking at getting another under my belt in two weeks.0
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Amazing!!!! Definitely do the one in September!
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Congratulations! Yes, I think clipless pedals will help you a lot. I am a clutz too...and I have fallen with mine (almost fell last weekend on a group ride), but they are still worth it. GET THEM! It sounds like you did a great job, especially for a hilly course. I think you should do the one in September...don't wait a whole year! Welcome to this addictive world.0
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That's so great you were able to use the actual course for practice. Hills are definitely killer!! Congratulations on a great start to the sport
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Thanks for the comments! I'm going to see if I can still get into the race in two weeks... 98% sold out per the website!0
