Wauconda Olympic Triathlon

I decided to try something new with my training cycle for the Wauconda Triathlon this summer.  I consider myself more of a runner, and my training has always been run focused, with swim and bikining as secondary workouts.  My plan for the summer was to work more on the swim and bike, and let the run take care of itself.  Turned out, the swim and bike went well, unfortunately I crashed and burned on the bike!

Conditions: From all reports, we were suppose to have great conditions for race day, cool and low humidity.  Apparently Mother Nature did not read the reports, it was cool at the 6:36 swim start (68) but the humidity was in the 90% range, not good!  By the time I got to the run it was nearing 80, and still humid.

Swim: 1 Mile, 29:22 https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/380210686/3567515

My goal was 29:00, so pretty close to plan so far.  I had trained harder for the swim than I ever had in the past.  Being a swimmer in High School I've never worried too much about the swim, but his time I worked at improving.  I also wore a wet suit, and they really do help!  Felt strong for the whole swim, nice steady pace, and came out of the water ready to hit the bike.

T1: 2:54 

My goal was 2:30, and to improve from the LITH Sprint earlier this summer (2:58), and I did by 4 seconds, LOL.  I am actually that pretty happy with this time  considering it is a quite a long jog from the water to the transition area.  Unfortunately my first mistake occurred here.  I did not load up my shirt with my nutrition, which may contributed to the failed run.

Bike:  28.6 Miles, 1:30:09, 19.1MPH.  https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/380210708/3567515

My goal was 1:28/19.5 MPH.  The course was a 14.3 mile loop that we did twice.  The first loop went fairly well, and I was at a 19.6MPH average when I passed the Transition area, right on pace.  I planned on trying to keep my HR right around 150, and try to maintain 85-90 RPM on the bike.  Realizing I had not grabbed my GU Blox and Power Bar, I tried to ration the Powerade throughout the ride.  It was only 240 calories, but it was all I had, along with water.  About the 20th mile I really began to feel my energy level dropping.  When comparing the paces from the first loop to the second, I am slower on each mile.  I ended up giving back about 1/2MPH average by the time I got to T2.  My time was a couple minutes slower than goal, but still on track to get under 3:00 for an overall finish.

T2: 2:11

My goal was 1:30, but with my lower energy I knew I needed to get some nutrition in me so I took the time to eat 5 shot blox (170 calories) and a shot of Gatorade at the hydration station just outside transition.  

Run: 10K, 58:36,  9:27/mile average pace:  https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/380210725/3567515

Goal: 49:00, 7:53/mile average

This is the segment of the Triathlon where the wheels came off!  I knew this course was going to be challenging.  The sprint has a much easier course.  It's a shared course for the first mile, then the Olympic distance does an out and back that is a series of challenging hills.  This coupled with the heat and  humidity and my lack of energy put me in a bad place mentally.  For the first time in my racing career, I had to pee during a race.  Luckily there was a portapotty right outside transition, and I was able to get in and out of it in about 30 seconds, and still knock off an 8:30 first mile.  My the 1.5 mile mark I was already beginning to hurt, and could see the first of the many hills to come.  Once I made the decision to walk for 30 seconds, I knew my shot at my goal was over.  While I was a bit frustrated, It made the rest of the run a bit more tolerable.  I would run the flats and downhills, walk the uphills, and get water and gatorade at each station.  If I could have pushed myself a little harder, I could have probably still achieved my secondary goal of breaking 3:00, but it was just not to be.  The last mile I was able to push a bit.  There was a runner that had about 200 yards on me, trudging along.  I would gain on him when I ran, and give it back when I walked.  With about 800 yards to go I could see the finish line and had to pass him. I was able to dig down and finished the last 1/4 mile at about a 7:30 pace, and beat him easily.  

3:03:12, 52nd/141overall, 11th/26 in my Age Group.  I am a little disappointed in the results, but did enjoy the experience.  Some day I would like to try a 70.3 as well as a full Iron Man distance, but not right now.  I realize that I need to focus more on my in race nutrition (and training with nutrition) as well as incorporate more brick workouts so I'm more mentally prepared for the pain that is the run.  Great experience, and I will be doing more Triathlons in the future.  But for now, I'm glad to be going back home (running) and start my training plan for my first 50K on the Trails of Wisconsin in mid September.