RR - Falmouth Sprint Tri 7/19/09

Hi All,
I heard we like to read race reports so I thought I would share even it if is a little late. I did the Falmouth Sprint Triathlon on July 19th. This was my 2nd Triathlon and my first with an OWS. The first one was in May and was a 250yd pool swim

It race was a lot of fun and I was pleased with my results especially on the swim. I was primarily a biker who started running about 1 year ago to cross train and hadn’t really swum any distance since HS when I signed up for the Tri in May.

The race was a 1/3 mile swim, 9.25 mile bike and 5K run. My goal was to complete in under 1:15:00

It turned out to be a beautiful day, not too windy so the ocean was fairly calm not like the day before when some storms had rolled by, the RD actually said if the race was the day before they would have had to cancel as parts of the bike course were flooded!

I arrived early since we had to park about 1 mile from the race site and ride to the start and wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to set up transition, I also wanted to get a spot on the end of the rack. As another person said the time does fly.

I was in the 7th of 9 swim waves and just wanted not to be the last one out of the water, you get DQ if you are still swimming 20 minutes after the last wave starts. I am at the point now that I can easily swim the distance but I am slow. I was hoping to complete the 1/3 mile swim in 15 minutes or less so was pleased to complete in 11:25 and I wasn’t the last one in my wave. I few people from the next wave passed me but I passed a couple of people too.

The transition from the swim to the bike was fairly long perhaps 100-150yds I decided to cut some time and go sockless with the bike shoes to speed the transition. The bike is my strength and I completed in 33.51 which includes both TT (swim/bike and bike/run) according to my bike computer I did the bike is 30:20 seconds including running to from the mount/dismount areas so a little over 18 mph, 18 miles per hour was my goal. The course was an awesome rolling course and I was able to pass a number of people.

It was then time for the run, and I was a little tired at the start, and fortunately it was a flat course but it was starting to get hot. I would say that I am an average runner, I did the run in 28.34 which is a little slower then I would have liked, my best time just running a straight 5K (really 3.2 miles) was 27.08 in June but I guess I can’t expect to be as fast after swimming and biking. :)

I completed the race in 1:13:51 so 1:09 seconds under my goal, I was 19/45 in my age group and actually came in second in the newbie category for my age group (the newbie category actually combines to regular age groups so instead of 40-44 it was 40-49.)

I placed 351/600 overall (race included M/F age groupers and an elite category) so middle of the pact but in the swim I was 544/600.

Stats:
Swim (1/3 mile) 11:25 (544/600)
Bike/TT1/TT2 (9.25 mile) 33:51 232/600
Run (3.1 miles) 28:34 (351/600)
Total 1:13:51

My next race is in September and its shorter swim (1/3 mile) and a longer bike so that might play better to my strengths. My goal for next season is to improve my swimming to at least be within the middle range of times.

I think I am hooked :)

WOW! Congratulations to you on a great race- and you made it under your goal time. Woo hoo!!!! Yes, we DO love to hear race reports. ;) Thanks for sharing yours. Good luck at your race in September. You'll do GREAT!!!

Way cool! Always fun to see someone else get hooked :D

Congrats!!

PS: Yes, we really do love race reports. And pictures! ;)

LOOOOOOOVE race reports, keep doing races to keep reportin!

Nice job, Sharon!
Even though you will never see me in a triathalon...

Great job! Congratulations! You had a really solid race and came in UNDER your goal! That always rocks!

Hi All,
Thanks. Next time I hope to have pictures too. DH was suppose to be my photographer but he forgot the camera :(

They take pro pictures at the events but they are so expensive and well protected...

Nice Job!

Great job! I did Falmouth also and love the course. Won my age group...my times were quite a bit slower than yours. One of the benefits of aging gracefully:) (There were only two of us in the 60-65 age group). Will you be doing Hyannis Sprint II? I was going to do Hyannis II last year, but it was cancelled at the last minute because of weather. Glad to see someone else on the local tri circuit!

Wonderful job! Congratulations!

Alex

Way to go! It is soooo nice to meet your goals and then some. Can't wait for the next RR!

Ha! Easy to get hooked, isn't it? Sounds like it went really well. Weird how much fun they are, isn't it? :D

What's the September one like? Is it also an ocean swim?

Hi All,
Sorry for the delayed responses was on vacation.

Wavedancer, Congrats! It was a nice course plan to race agian next year. My mom lives in Falmouth so it makes it easy for me to do.

Salsabike, The Sept one is similiar for the bike and run distance, just found out they shortened the bike by 2 miles due to another event in town the same day. :( the swim is a resevoir swim, its only a 1/4 mile vs. 1/3 of a mile for the Falmouth. The main difference with this one is its a women's only event.

I will be interested to see how two weeks off from my training routine - was hiking instead impacts my performance in 2 weeks.