Race report: Guelph II Tri/Du

[spindizzy]

Last sprint duathlon of the season. My 5th. Goal was to finish 1:55 or better.

Good weather. cool, sunny. The original venue in the conservation area was moved to another area due to water quality issues. Delayed the start as people were late getting there. Very congested.

1200 athletes, 175 of them duathletes. I'm in second wave - All women and men over 50.

Run #1: 2k My watch indicates 9:10. On pace here. I always find about 1k into my run, my upper arms hurt. I guess it's a signal I'm working hard and using my arms to propel me. At the end of 2k we have to go in the swim entrance where I noted there was no timing mat. Hmm, how do they calculate run?

Run up to my bike. I am close to bike entrance which is a small up and down endeavor. My goal for bike was around an hour. Have been really trying to improve bike speed this year. Turn my polar on. No HR reading for a few minutes. Then it reads 35 for AHR. Nice! Decide not to fiddle with it as it will take away from my goal. I decide to just go by cadence. Try to keep that around 100. Nice rolling course. Many pass me. But many block and are not moving to the side of the road when not passing. Very congested at times, but I vow not to go over the centre line of the road as many others are doing. Just keep shouting "On your left" to get those blockers to move over. I finish in around an hour.

Go to rack my bike. Ack.. no room! Squeeze my body in between some bikes, push a few bikes and wedge my bike in. Totally unprepared and totally annoyed at this scenario.

Run #2. Not a hard course, but I involved myself in a lot of negative self talk. We were running through a campground, so people had lit a few fires (smoke)and were cooking which made me feel so nauseated. Some guy behind me was talking about eating. Not exactly what I feel like doing during a race! Was planning on doing 7K in 35 minutes. Ended up being 39 and change.


1:51:33 W50-59 4/9

2k 3 90 10:14 5:07
30k 4 103 1:01:08 29.4 T2 1:11
7k 4 108 39:02 5:35

So it looks like they calculated running time by adding on T1 to run. At least I know what I am capable of for first run. 2nd run..seems to go well in training. I fall apart here in races.

There were about 12 DQs this race. Most were for going over centre line. One was for not doing course properly. She finished very quickly and was noted to have avg speed of 45kph! (shades of Rosie?) I 'm not sure how you miss some of course - it was very well marked.

One athlete went down at finish. They did CPR, paramedics defibrillated his heart. He actually got up and moved himself to stretcher. Amazing!

What I have learned is that I do enjoy being somewhat competitive (2 podium finishes) and I am looking to improve performance and racing for next summer. Lots of hard work over the winter. Will look at aero bars. Maybe wheels. Core work. More speed and endurance drills.

This summer was a great summer of racing after my inability to race last year.

"To infinity and beyond!"

[colby]

Hey! You met your goal... by 4 minutes! Nice work!!

Core work is high on my list, too. Going to be a productive winter

[spindizzy]

I ferreted out some photos from the race photgraphers. Hope these links work!

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orde...490S0049&po=49

Ack - I can only get one of these to work...oh well!

[luvmypwds]

congratulations!!

I read about the water quality issues. Kinda scary, but good that they seem vigilent about testing the water quality.

I am aiming for a half-ironman next year - the one in Muskoka in September!

[Urlea]

Great Job!! You look strong and beautiful in the picture.

About those people that think they can skip out on part of the course, even if unintentionally at what point do you think "Man, I've been going a long time and haven't seen anybody maybe I'm not going the right way." ?

[spindizzy]

luvmypwds - very cool you are going to do the 70.3 next year. I am going to go up on the 14th to cheer on some athletes I know that are participating in the race this year.

Urlea - I too wonder how people don't wonder why they don't see anyone on course..????

The fellow that collapsed at the race - the family asked that this be posted on the website:

Sept. 2, 2008 - As many of you already know, at the Guelph 2 race we had an athlete collapse as he approached the finish line. Many have inquired as to his status, and we're happy to report that after being revived on site by staff, he's doing great. Here's a note from his family:
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! On behalf of Robb's family, we are very grateful for the role you played in bringing him back. When we think about how this all played out, it could easily have ended in a tragedy -- if he had been in the water or on the bike course, or anywhere else outside of the "three-minute window" between life and death. The quick action and skill of the St. Johns Ambulance team, and other medical professionals on site, made the difference on Saturday! Now we have to put up with Robb for many years to come! He's in good spirits in the hospital -- complaining about having to be poked and proded -- and lamenting that he could have posted better times at the GLII Tri! Thanks too, to the event organizers who have followed up on Robb's condition. There are no words to describe our appreciation and gratitude...."

What a fantastic outcome...a life!!!