First Olympic length triathlon in the bag

Well I attempted and completed my first ever Olympic length triathlon; however beyond that not many positives.

Going into todays triathlon, I wanted to work on two things, anything beyond that is just positives. The areas I wanted to work on was the swim (longest swim to date), and my race nutrition.

Well one area was just fine while the other area darn near ruined the race. Any guesses? Yup, the nutrition just about did me in. Okay, back to the race report.

I got up at 4:30am, took a quick shower, dressed, and some oatmeal/toast. Out the door at 5am, for the 2 hour drive (according to Yahoo). Well I arrived at the race at exactly 6am, so I had 2 hours to check in and set up transition. By 7am, I was chilin in my truck, trying to calm the fears.

Since I jumped up an age group this year, I was in the last wave. Not wanting to get caught up in the melee that takes place, I hung to the rear, to ensure the best possible outcome for me. I must admit the the swim was by far my best ever. I was calm, relaxed, and kept in a nice steady swim stroke throughout the entire 0.93 mile swim. I even managed to find someone to draft off of. If I had to work on anything in the swim it would be the turns. Each turn I seemed to find myself go extremely wide instead of hugging the turns, and making the race as short as possible. Oh well, that just comes with experience I suppose.

I came out of the water, feeling really good (for me), in the past I would exit the water out of breath, and a bit dizzy. Must be I'm relaxing and breathing much better.

The Bike:

I had a slow transition, as I wanted to make sure I had everything needed, and give myself a chance to relax and get my heart rate down as much as possible. I had 2 gels, 3 fig newmans, and aero bottle with watered down gatorade.

I mounted the bike with wanting to stay in my zone 2 for a large majority of the bike in order to stay as much aerobic as possible. However that didnt seem to last long. On this bike course your doing one of two things; either going up hills or down hills. Very little flat riding on this course. The down hills were great.

I had planned to be on the bike about 1hour 20 mins, which would call for just under 300 calories. So about every 20 minutes I had either a gel or a fig newman. When I had the fig newman I would basicaly let it dissolve vs. chewing it.

I felt the bike plan was going as planned and was felling pretty darn good. I got passed by like 4 bikes, and managed to pass about 5 bikes.

Got off the bike, transitioned to the run fairly smooth. My legs were feeling pretty good, and took off on a nice slow jog. Yet after a short distance I started to get this distended/bloating feeling. It was causing me some discomfort to run, and was forced to a fast walk. My stomach felt hard to the touch. My guess was that the whole lack of blood to stomach thing was going on. I managed to get fluids down; however no more gels (even though I took 2 with me). At about mile marker 5 I found a guy running about my pace, and joined him. I ended up running the last 1.2 miles and salvaged what was a dismal run.

It looks like I came in about 5th from last, with an extremely poor time. However trying to take some positive from this, I at least finished and learned some.

Areas to work on:
1) Finding something that I can eat during the bike that would have an adverse effect during my run. Like some here, I've never had any issues with my stomach when it comes to eating or working out.

2) Work on building my aerobic base, and doing some hills to get stronger legs.

3) Lose at least 10 pounds before my next race.

I need to cut down on races and just train between now and my HIM (August 1). For some reason I've done 3 triathlons and a century ride each of the past 4 weekends. My legs did feel a bit heavy, so maybe I wsnt recovered from last Sundays Century ride.

My next triathlon with be, July 5th, and it will be a Sprint at the same venue as my HIM. Beyond that NO MORE races for me.

I might even look at getting a guy from the triathlon club to make me up a training plan for the remaining weeks before the HIM (He used to ride professionally, trains numerous triathletes around the area).


Thanks for allowing me to share this with you fine folks. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Curt

Hey Curt,

   Congrats on a great race! Who cares about how you placed??? It sounds like you stuck to your plan, and although the nutrition didn't work out as expected, you still had a solid race! In reading your report... I think you packed your stomach full of too much in T1... I would suggest not taking in anything until about 10 - 20 minutes into the bike. I think you overloaded your stomach is all that happened. I would stick to the same nutrition plan, if it has been working for you, but would deff not pound that kind of food in T1... Just my 2 cents... Keep on keepin on brother, you are doing awesome, rest a little, let your body recover, eat a lot of protein, and most importantly, always have fun and remember where you came from... How many people do you think were racing today that were EVER Morbidly Obese??? You guessed it, 1... You ARE THE MAN!!!!

No No No No. I guess thats what I get for typing this report without first sleeping.

I had 2 gels and the fig newmans while on the bike. Nothing on the run. I forgot about the gel I had prior to the start of the swim.

Now whatcha think?

Curt

Deff a good question now.... Have you tried the water-down gatorade, fig Newtons, and gel combo in your practice runs? Did it work ok for you then? I am not sure what the issue could have been. I know that since surgery, I have a hard time eating and immediately drinking afterwards, it makes me feel bloated as well, and I usually end up puking because I would rather do that than be in discomfort until it all flows through my pouch. Not sure.....

Hold on cowboy...did you EAT 2 gels and 3 fig newtons in T1?

ZOINKS! 

There you go! 

You ate WAY too much!


Your HR is HIGH after the swim. You need to calm down and lower HR before you eat, otherwise you absorb nothing and will bloat.

I like the philosphy of training to race, not racing to train. I think you are smart for cutting back in the future.

Curt this quote is for you my brotha'. 

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt

DID NOT START < DID NOT FINISH < FINISHED LAST < FINISHED FIRST

You beat the course man!  Great job!

Great job on your first Oly man.  It took me 24 tris before I was able to get a nutrition plan down.  :)  And it's still not fullproof.  

 Great report Curt!
Obviously I have no suggestions for you, I'm in the same boat.  Looking forward to my next race Wed (a sprint) to see if I can't do it any better).
Good luck at the firecracker and Steelhead is in just 6 weeks, YIKES!!!!
--Dan 

Congrats Curt,

Sorry you feel like it was a hard day for you.  I think you owne yourself a big pat on the back for completing your first race of this distance.

Thanks for sharing your race report.

Scott

Great job! 

Hey Curt!

I know I haven't been on in quite some time, but I'm glad you did this one, stuck with it and finished!  Great job mentally.  Sorry about the bad experience on the run, though.  That makes for a not very fun race.  

I'm nervous about doing an Oly length myself.  MAYBE this Labor Day.  I'm doing 2 sprints on back to back weekends in August, so hopefully I'll be in shape enough.  Then again if hubby is home on break, we'll be elsewhere and I won't be able to.  With IM CDA this weekend and only a couple hour drive away, I'm seriously thinking about it for next year if school doesn't kill me first!  I know there won't be much time to decide as it'll fill up fast, but we'll see.  Once I pay the money, I'll HAVE to do it!

Linn