Ideally, I'll always be in sprint triathlon shape. The dream is to be in half-Ironman shape at all times, but for now, that's a dream. I digress. Anyway, Littlefoot, being a week and a day out from IM Chatt, would be a great opportunity to get some fitness in before the race. I also though it would be a great chance to see where I was at, since I had barely worked out after IM Boulder. With Delta Indoc behind me, and a nice 3 week break coming, the time was perfect!
Pre-Race
September in Colorado can get cold, and this morning was no exception. T and I figured that the temp in the park was around 40 degrees. We picked our trans spot (right next to each other...yay!), quick got checked in, then bolted back for the car. We chilled for about 30 minutes, then went back to trans. I brought a blankie from the back of the car to stay wrapped up with. Our friends Curtis and Lisa were racing, so we chatted with them for awhile. I also was regretting not having a wetsuit, since mine ripped in the crotch at IM Boulder. I did have Roka Sim Shorts which I wore, so at least I had buoyancy going for me, I guess.
We walked to the water to warm up, which for me took a bit longer than normal. But once I got warm, I was fine. I was grateful it would be an in-water start, and that I was one of the first waves to go. The countdown began, and I was off.
The Swim (750 meters)
I love sprint tri swims. I like bringing some speed to the swim and focusing on my hinging to see how it translates. This morning was no exception. I started towards the back, as I figured I'd be one of the slower swimmers. Wrong. I was quickly passing people, some of whom were backstroking or doggy-paddling. I was there in my first tri, so no judging. However, for me, it was nice to be blowing by people.
I quickly emerged from the water no worse for the wear, and was pleasantly surprised at my time.
Swim time - 17:55
T1
I was dragging a bit into transition. I debated wearing long sleeves as it was still pretty cold air-temperature wise. I decided to go for it. I also realized I was rusty at transition. Maybe I should practice these in the offseason?
T1 time - 2:57
The Bike (15K)
This was where I was really curious. I hadn't ridden but more than three times since Boulder (granted I had dome some hotel exercise biking, but does that really count?), so I knew I'd be a tad slow and my lungs would hurt.
Bear Creek State Park is super hilly. Go figure, it's near the mountains. I felt it on the climbs, but not as much as I thought I would.
At some point on the ride, I dropped my chain. There is something seriously wrong with my derauiler so I need to get that taken care of (more on that in my next race recap...).
Overall, I was able to maintain some decent speed, and my legs held up well. My lungs were gassed, and the small cold I had been fighting definitely reared its ugly head on the bike. Regardless, good ride.
Bike time - 33:19
T2
Unlike T1, this time I didn't lolligag. I hustled my booty and was excited to get out there on the 5K course.
T2 time - 2:14
The Run
Nothing too exciting to report on the run. My first mile was sub-10, which I was really happy about. I paid for it on mile 2 and 3, which had a lot more climbing. It was clear that I had lost a lot of run fitness and would be holding on for dear life at IM Boulder. Fun times.
As I came near the finish, I saw T. I said hi and told her I'd see her at the finish.
At the finish line, I heard my name announced. The race announcer also said something about me being a Delta pilot. Now THAT put a smile on my face! :-)
Run time - 32:25
Post-Race
The best part about this race is the post-race pancakes. Flippin Flapjacks shows up and feeds you delicious pancakes and sausage. Seriously. I schnarfed mine and went to the finish line to wait for T. I saw her cross and then her, Curtis, Lisa, and myself hung out to see if any of us won a bike at the raffle (we didn't).
Overall, I was happy with this race and had a lot of confidence for IM Chatt. I felt that this was a good test for it. Little did I know...
No comments:
Post a Comment