Frank Maples Triathlon

[rocknrollgirl]

Sounds like a good day all the way around. Great Job girls!!!!

[Wahine]

Way to go girls. It sounds like you both did really well on your bike and run. Yeah KSH for running pretty much the whole way!! and Wow 2 min per mi off for btc.

[Running Mommy]

WOW! Good job girlies!! Sounds like some solid racing early in the season! SWEET!

[btchance]

KSH - great job! I'm looking forward to hearing all about it

This morning I got up and out the door pretty quickly for an 1:10min drive. I'm trying some new things with nutrition and drank a Slim Fast for breakfast - doesn't seem to upset my stomach, and doesn't cause too many problems when I'm competing (especially when I'm fixing to start my period). Anyways, for a warm up I biked the run course, stretched a little, then did some strides before the run (it was a reverse tri).

The weather was pretty nice - 50s to start, probably about 60 to end. I just worse my regular tri clothing plus gloves and arm warmers.

The run was 2 miles, flat. I took off at a pretty hard pace, and kept my HR around LT. My main problem in the past was not pushing myself hard enough, so that is something I'm working on this year. I kept up the pace for 1 - 1.5mi, then had to slow down and control my breathing a little bit more. I looked at my watch coming into T1 and it was 18:02, so 9min mile for me. Yeah!! First time that has happened.

T1 went smoothly, got in and out in probably 1:40 or less. Either way, I was on my bike and moving by 20min in.

The bike went really well, averaging 17.7mph over 15miles. The majority was on a highway, and I definately felt like I was flying. For once, I was aero for most of the ride. The first 10miles were pretty flat, a few small rises but nothing significant. For this part I was averaging 18.4mph. The last 5miles had a few small hills - enough to slow you down a bit, but not significantly. By this point I was a little cooked and once I got through the hills couldn't keep up the pace and ended up at 17.7mph. One thing that helped me here was that there were enough people around where I had rabbits - pick one out ahead, pass them, and find the next. Until the end, I always had someone to chase, and by some miracle, I was never passed.

T2 didn't go quite as well, I had my HR monitor watch over the top of my arm warmers, so I had to extract that, and I just started to run out when I realized that my inhaler and nutrition was still in my pocket - quickly turn around and get rid of them, then get to the pool.

The swim was 200yards snaking in the pool, and the pool was hot. On the first lap I realized that my hair was not secured like I need it, and drove me nuts throughout the swim (and I had it braided to try and prevent this problem - I need to cut some off). Then my goggles started leaking and I had to readjust them part way. And my back started to cramp a bit on the first 100yards but worked out by the end, plus my arms were sore from being in the aero bars for that long (need more time in them). But the last 50yards came together finally, I got into a rhythm, then sprinted past somebody in the last 25yards. I think the swim was somewhere around 4-5min.

My time overall was 1:14, and I went into this knowing I could be under 1:30. I'm really happy with the run and bike, huge improvements made there, the swim will come together, especially if it's before the bike. It was the least of my worries for the moment.

My next tri is at the end of May. Until then it's long rides and runs to prepare for an Olympic in July.

As far as pics go, there were some taken by a friend, but it will be a while before they get to me. I'll let you know when I get them. There are pics from last weeks duathlon here, though, if you want to see what I mean by needing to cut some hair off. (I didn't realize it had gotten so long). http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_...&PWD=&BIB=1439 with a good example of hair problem here http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_...hotos&BIB=1439

[Tri Girl]

Congrats on your race!!!! Sounds like you did AMAZING!!!!!! So very happy for you!!! Awesome run, bike and swim times- especially for so early in the season. I've never done a reverse tri, but it seems like they would be soooo much harder. There's a reason why the swim is first usually (nobody drowns when they're fresh ). You did great!!!! Thanks for the great race report! I look forward to you posting your pics when they come in.

Oh- and awesome pictures by the way (and you DO have a lot of hair ). I was looking at that length and thinking "Locks of Love would die to get 10" of that hair" (and I'm only thinking that because I'm growing mine again to donate- not because I'm a weirdo). Thanks for posting your du pics (nice that they got so many of you)!!

[tprevost]

WOW! What a fabulous improvement on your run! Well done Also, you look great in your pics, I'm looking forward to seeing those that your friend took

Thank you for the great report!

[KSH]

Great job BT!

You were a speed demon on the bike and the run! Wonderful!

The Olympic will be a breeze.

Congratulations on a wonderful race.