Amica 5430 Sprint Triathlon Race Report

The 5430 Sprint Triathlon was the first triathlon I ever did. I did it with Team In Training, and Coach Mary and Coach Charley got me through a fun race back in 2006. I was hooked, and if you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know all about it. This year my scheduled allowed me to sign up for this race again.

Saturday, June 20
After a brief workout in the morning at the Air Force Academy - about 11 miles along Stadium Drive, I headed home. The tri team was riding for 2 hours, the cycle team 40 miles. I just cut it short...wanted to save the legs for race day! When I got home I packed up and headed up to Boulder. On the way I made a stop at Chick-fil-A for my ever so successful day before the race lunch. Except I ordered by number and the combo numbers were different in Castle Rock! Instead of a grilled chicken sandwich I got the deluxe - the fried sandwich. I ate it anyway. Probably a little too much grease for my system along with the fries and milkshake, but it tasted so good! I like eating a little more in the beginning of the day and then having a lighter dinner.

I'm back on the road, on my way to Boulder. Everything is pretty green out here - I'm enjoying all the views. Traffic wasn't an issue and I made good time. Got to the Res for registration around 2:30, race meeting was at 3:00. I didn't have to wait in any lines, walked right through, and even missed the USAT check-in. One of the volunteers saw my FSU visor and asked if I went there. Yep, and so did she. Then I made my way through all the stops (WTC has a big check-in procedure at their races) and ended at the t-shirt table. They are out of mediums. How do you run out of shirts when the race has been sold out for a month or two and everyone fills out what size they want???  I put my name on the list to get one sent to me. The t-shirt guy also asked if I went to FSU. Apparently he did as well, and didn't know that the other volunteer did...the 'Noles are taking over! Next up was a table where you can buy a raffle ticket and the procedes go to the Govener's Carbon fund, or some sort of environmental fund for the state. So I gave them $5 and got two tickets.

Ran into some Pikes Peak Tri Club folks who were just arriving for the packet pick-up. Craine and Molly were there and a line was forming. I realized I missed a step so got in the USAT line so they could check off that I was here and a member. Right when I was showing my card, the race announcer called my name. Huh? Turns out I dropped my race packet - thought I was putting in the bag and it must have slipped. So phew! That could have been a disaster!

3pm rolls around, the line is now long and Barry Siff starts going over the basics of the race. This was Barry's race with 5430 Sports until this year - he sold his race company to World Triathlon Corporation (Ironman). So no longer a local race, we were all curious on how it would go, but it was great that he is still involved in some capacity. After the race meeting, I ran into Ben, one of my NEO Endurance Sports athletes and his family. He gets to race on Father's Day while his kids play in the hotel pool. Then I caught up with Jeff and Terri from the Tri Club and we went over to the water with Craine to check out the temps. Jeff tried on a new wetsuit.

We then headed out and were goign to meet for dinner a bit later, so I headed to Pearl Street to park and find a coffee shop to get some work done. Took in a little of the local culture as well. There is a lot of "culture" in Boulder!

Then I met up with Steve and Michele Vaughan, Molly, Jeff and Terri and we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Skipped the cheesecake though. Ate half a sandwhich and took the other half to share with my host for the night. After dinner I drove over to Jordan's house so I could crash on her couch for the night. Nice comfy couch!

Sunday, June 20th
My alarm went off at 4:45am, but of course I woke up at 4:43. Quickly got my stuff around and headed over to the Res. I've done a lot of events at the Res, so this is all familiar territory. Took my things to transition, got my chip, racked my bike, got transition set up, got body marked, went to the bathroom, went for a warm-up run. Legs were feeling pretty good! I was hoping they would stay that way! Steve got the Tri Club tent out of my car so we had some shade and a place to stash my flip flops since I always forget them if I leave them on the beach. Chatted with the people I knew, and some I didn't. Got a short warm-up swim in. Finally a race where I can warm-up in the swim! Then we headed back to the beach, found our wave, and waited to start. 8:00am my wave goes off.

GPS data (bike and run, all as bike...goofed when starting the multisport)

Swim, 750m: 19:02.
I think I messed up my positioning here. I started to the outside a bit as to not get run over right away, but since it is a clock-wise swim and an pull left, I'm pretty sure I got some extra yardage in there. Otherwise the swim felt great - plenty of buoys even though we are swimming into the sun. I drafted a bit on the way back in, got out of the water, ran up the beach and into transition. Not fast, but no real issues either.

T1: 1:39
Got to figure out how to get the wetsuit off my ankles faster, probably lost 10s or so with this. Shoes were already on the pedals so it was race belt (Ironman rule), sunglasses, helmet, and go!

Bike: 50:22, 17 miles, 20.5mph
Ahhhh...the bike. Here's my time to shine. There are a few rollers coming out of the Res, then you just hit a gradual climb on Jay Rd and Hwy 36. Tried to keep it steady here, but push it a little, as after 7 miles it's a flat/gradual downhill stretch that should allow for a little recovery. Passed a lot of people here. I didn't count, but I made up quite a bit of time. I didn't like it if another female passed me, no matter what age group. I tried to keep up. Once the "climbing" was done, we turn on Neva Rd and just rock. Go as fast as you can. I think there might have been a slight headwind, but overall good conditions. Then we turn and head back to the res with a brief stretch along the Diagonal Hwy. I think this was a tailwind since it felt a bit easier than normal. Back into the Res, over the rollers, duke it out with a 24 and 26 year old. The 24 year old was not far behind me the whole bike, sometimes she was a little ahead. Nice bike ride! My fuel/hydration for the bike was about 16oz of HEED, maybe 120 calories total. Slip my feet out of my shoes right before the transition area.

T2: 1:03
Dismount, park the bike (not pretty), take off the helmet, put on socks, shoes, grab the hat and go. Race belt was already on. I was hoping I hydrated enough on the bike, as it was getting warm!

Run: 25:07 (8:07 pace)

Here's where sprint races really hurt. Run a 5k after you've pushed yourself for about an hour already. The run course is mostly flat, one short hill, then slightly up on the way out and ever so slightly down on the way back. My legs felt pretty good, though I probably could have used a few more calories at the end of the bike to prep me for the run. Felt it a little. It's all mental here - the fitness is totally there since I did a half ironman two weeks prior to this race. So I just had to convince myself to run! I was also starting to feel the grease from yesterday's lunch. The finish line to this race is on a downhill stretch for about 100or so yards, so at least everyone can look fast, even if they have nothing left! I kept running, and soon enough I crossed that finish line! 1:37:12.

Totals:

2010: Swim 19:02, T1- 1:39, Bike 50:22 (20.5mph), T2- 1:03 Run - 25:07 (8:07 pace) Total: 1:37:12

Rank: 22/97 age group 35-39.

Compare this to my results from 2006 when I did this race as my first triathlon:

Swim 19:44, - T1- 02:52, Bike* 1:00:59 (16.9mph), T2- 1:25, Run- 28:37 (09:13 pace) Tot...al 1:53:38

Rank: 84/127 age group 30-34.

*mountain bike w/slicks

So after 4 more seasons of training, I did make some improvements! Still need to work on that swim...

After cooling off some, I hung out at the tri club tent, cheered on Carley to her first triathlon finish, ate the post-race food (nutella, anyone!). I hung around for the awards, as a couple Tri Club folks made it to the podium, and I wanted to see if I won anything in the raffle. And I did! both my tickets won - I got $40 to Boulder Running Co and a sweet TYR transition backpack! My lucky day! Then I cleaned up, Steve packed up the tent and got it back in my car, and I headed down to Divide to hang out with my Dad (and mom) a bit on Father's Day.