Did my last triathlon of my first season on Sunday...
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vtate75
Posts: 221 Member
It was a Sprinternational.......1000 meter swim, 21 mile bike, 4 mile run.
I have to say that I wish I had stopped my season after my first International a few weeks ago. I'm still bummed out about this one. I am not sure why...my times were good (for me), but I just don't feel great about it. I've been sick for about three weeks. I went through 10 days of antibiotics, but I'm still not well.....coughing and such all of the time. I think that is what is leading to my negative feelings about the whole event.
The swim started from a treading water start. I've never done that before. I was in heat four. After the heat in front of us went, they moved us all into the deep part of the lake where we treaded for 2 minutes. I really liked that. The water was cold, but it wasn't as cold because we were treading water to warm up. I think it helped me. The swim went fine. I finished in the middle of my age group. I was feeling pretty good coming out.
The bike...oh the bike....it was hard. The course was SUPER hilly, and it was a repeated loop, so after the first time, I knew the second would be hard. What made it worse was the traffic. The traffic was terrible. There were no closed lanes, so we were in a tiny bike lane on a four lane road for about 80% of the time. Other time was spent on small two lane roads, but there was a lot of traffic there as well. I was almost hit by a car who turned out into the bike lane about 2 miles into the event. I almost wrecked with another bike who was swerving to miss a car who almost hit her. I saw a lot of "near misses" out there. There was a lot of time when I was stuck behind a slower biker but couldn't pass due to the traffic. Needless to say, my bike time was not good between the hills and the traffic. I didn't enjoy it.
The run was an easy and flat out and back across a big dam. It was very pretty, but the sidewalk we were running on was full of Sunday morning casual walkers and joggers. I kept finding myself saying "EXCUSE ME!" as I tried to scoot by walkers. My time was pretty good for the run, and the view was beautiful, but I felt like I was running a maze.
Anyway, I have been struggling with this for the past few days. I want to do another event to end the season better, but I can't. I am taking solace in the fact that in my first season of triathlons I did 4 sprints, and international, and a "sprinternational." Now I'm just training for my first HIM next year. We shall see.....
I have to say that I wish I had stopped my season after my first International a few weeks ago. I'm still bummed out about this one. I am not sure why...my times were good (for me), but I just don't feel great about it. I've been sick for about three weeks. I went through 10 days of antibiotics, but I'm still not well.....coughing and such all of the time. I think that is what is leading to my negative feelings about the whole event.
The swim started from a treading water start. I've never done that before. I was in heat four. After the heat in front of us went, they moved us all into the deep part of the lake where we treaded for 2 minutes. I really liked that. The water was cold, but it wasn't as cold because we were treading water to warm up. I think it helped me. The swim went fine. I finished in the middle of my age group. I was feeling pretty good coming out.
The bike...oh the bike....it was hard. The course was SUPER hilly, and it was a repeated loop, so after the first time, I knew the second would be hard. What made it worse was the traffic. The traffic was terrible. There were no closed lanes, so we were in a tiny bike lane on a four lane road for about 80% of the time. Other time was spent on small two lane roads, but there was a lot of traffic there as well. I was almost hit by a car who turned out into the bike lane about 2 miles into the event. I almost wrecked with another bike who was swerving to miss a car who almost hit her. I saw a lot of "near misses" out there. There was a lot of time when I was stuck behind a slower biker but couldn't pass due to the traffic. Needless to say, my bike time was not good between the hills and the traffic. I didn't enjoy it.
The run was an easy and flat out and back across a big dam. It was very pretty, but the sidewalk we were running on was full of Sunday morning casual walkers and joggers. I kept finding myself saying "EXCUSE ME!" as I tried to scoot by walkers. My time was pretty good for the run, and the view was beautiful, but I felt like I was running a maze.
Anyway, I have been struggling with this for the past few days. I want to do another event to end the season better, but I can't. I am taking solace in the fact that in my first season of triathlons I did 4 sprints, and international, and a "sprinternational." Now I'm just training for my first HIM next year. We shall see.....
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Sounds like maybe you did too much this season? I'd prefer to do less racing and more training. This way you are totally fresh and ready to give it your all in the two or so races you do race.
I've never seen this distance before, just sprints. It almost looks like an Olmypic distance but a bit shorter.
Congrats on your first season accomplished! Just to compare (if you want to) this is what my race years have looked like and I feel great and have plenty of energy. I usually feel a real lul about September and that is when I take a 2-3 week hiatus.
2010- (Flagstaff AZ)
Run for the Mountain 5K in May
Mountain Man Sprint Triathlon in July
Robert Tucker Mini Tri in September
2011-(Flagstaff AZ and Longmont, CO)
Run for the Mountain 5K in May
Outdoor Divas Triathlon in August
2012- (Boulder CO)
Summer running series (three 5Ks) April-May
Outdoor Divas Triathlon in August
This is plenty for me with yoga and everything else I'm doing. I'm glad you challenged yourself, but there is a fine line between challenging youself and pushing yourself too hard.
Good luck with your training for your Olympic distance next year...I'll be doing it too!0 -
One year I did two Olympic tri's and a run series that built, 2 miles at time, from a 5K to a half-marathon. Thinking about it, it sounded fine. Doing it, I ended up being so physically exhausted from all the training that I missed a period
Though, I got it a week later, which was my first week off at the end of all that madness. Just had to relax a bit, I guess. I definitely learned from that! 
Glad you enjoyed your season though. Have a great one next year too!!
-just wanted to edit- this was all in the space of one summer. I was racing 2-3 weekends a month. My tri's were somewhere around the 7- and 11-mile runs, so it was pretty heavy by the time I got to those.0 -
Nope...I don't think it is too many races. I LOVE to race. I think it was being sick and all of the other stuff...just bummed. I LOVE racing.0
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Sounds like the conditions were not in your favor, way to finish , and give it your best . Hope your feeling better0
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I agree with Cgirlish. I'm familiar with that area, and I can't imagine actually RACING on those roads without any closure. Great job on enduring though -- on top of being sick! I hope you're completely feeling 110% soon, if not already. If it helps, I aspire to your workout dedication!0
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You even did all that coming down from being sick! I am really surpised with all of the traffic and pedestrians that, they didn't make that a closed course. Thank goodness no one got hurt. Great job, you deserve some rest and relaxation!0
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4 lane road and no closures??? That would say something to me about the company or RD that put the race on. That just wouldn't fly here with the city or the county permit wise and I'm guessing it doesn't where you're at either so draw your own conclusions.
Congrats on toughing out a race you weren't 100% for. That is impressive and I know several seasoned triathletes that would not do that. Impressive.0 -
4 lane road and no closures??? That would say something to me about the company or RD that put the race on. That just wouldn't fly here with the city or the county permit wise and I'm guessing it doesn't where you're at either so draw your own conclusions.
I agree. I emailed the event organizers to tell them how dangerous it seemed. We will see if they respond. It was a fairly large event, so there should have been plenty of money to have more police and others to direct traffic and close roads.0 -
Nope...I don't think it is too many races. I LOVE to race. I think it was being sick and all of the other stuff...just bummed. I LOVE racing.
That's great! I always feel that the stress of a race brings me down a notch somehow...I guess you are "fed" by it. I'd like to get there. Good luck, and I hope you are feeling better!0
