Triathlon results

[figment]

I was going to edit the earlier post to include this, but decided the tone of it deserved to be segregated into its own post. Results are up and... frankly, I suck. I mean, I finished, but I'm really disappointed in myself. All of my times (other than the overall; note bike was 5 miles shorter) got worse since the Philly triathlon.
Overall: Place: 134 (all places are out of 150 women) Time: 02:02:15
Swim: Place: 114 Time: 00:22:28 (Philly time: 21:07)
Transition 1: Place: 119 Time: 00:04:01 (Philly time: 4:55)
Bike: Place: 144 Time: 00:57:57 Pace (est): 12.24 mph (Philly pace: 14.5)
Transition 2: Place: 30 Time: 00:01:13 (Philly time: 3:08)
Run: Place: 129 Time: 00:36:39 Pace (est): 11:48 min. mile (Philly pace: 11:10 min. mile)

The swim could have been worse. Given that I was dealing with really cold water and a wetsuit that changed what strokes were effective (crawl and backstroke work but the sidestroke and breaststroke really require your legs to be further under the water than the bouyancy of the wetsuit allow), I am not terribly disappointed in losing about a minute. I'm still disappointed, mind you. But it could be worse.

Transition 1, swim-to-bike: I think the wetsuit cost me that extra 54 seconds. I'll have to learn to be better.

The bike was just as bad as I thought. Maybe worse. 144 out of 150, that is awful. I think there's a possibility that the bike I was riding had a slightly flat front tire, but I don't know if there are any excuses out there for how badly I did. I knew during the race that it was bad - I didn't pass anyone but was passed by many, and the whole thing was grueling and seemed way more difficult than it should have been. Look how much my pace changed from the race I did in Philly a year ago! Gah. That is NOT the direction things were supposed to go.

Transition 2, bike-to-run: The only thing that got better! Makes me wonder what I was doing for that extra minute and a half in Philadelphia.

The run... ugh. Even that sucked. At least at the end of the run I felt good and was able to go pretty fast. But that means that I should have spent more of my energy out there on the run - I told myself I could walk the uphills and I maybe should not have.

I feel like my only excuses right now are being way too busy and recovering from an injury, and neither of those seem sufficient right now. At least it's over.

Comments

[ilexcassine.livejournal.com]

How many of these have you done?

I have noticed, in my own experience and in others, that there is a plateau effect when you are training seriously for a long time. Improvement happens rapidly, then there is a leveling off and/or a frustrating regression then there is improvement again.

Its very frustrating not to have performed your best, no doubt, but I'm sure you'll see improvements over the long term.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Two. Yeah, you're probably right. I think the injury really did hurt me, both training-time-wise and psychologically. It was hard to really pour on the speed, going down hill - I was scared of crashing (again). And you can really see that when you look at how my place slipped on the bike. It'll get better. Thanks.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

you finished a triathlon, and the conclusion you come to is you suck?
you are mistaken, my running, biking, swimming friend.

[sioneva.livejournal.com]

This.

I know it's disappointing not to improve...but frankly, anybody who finishes a triathlon deserves to be VERY proud!

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I am... I'm just too demanding of myself, I guess. Thanks for the perspective.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's just... you know when you expect a lot out of yourself, sometimes you disappoint yourself? The burden of high standards, I guess. Something I'm sure you're familiar with. :-)

In which I have had 2 Koenigshoeven

[katana-girl.livejournal.com]

Ummm...This is your second triathalon right? and your first after an injury.
Seems to me that that is pretty frakking cool.

Re: In which I have had 2 Koenigshoeven

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And have a Koenigshoeven for me; they sound good.

[ethel.livejournal.com]

Semi-related:

I was talking with lisa pepin at the concomm meeting yesterday. She's done 3 marathons -- I honestly had no idea. She was relaying a story about how she was the "penguin" in one 5K she did -- the very last one in a very large race. She decided to just have fun with it, and that after all, even though she was the slowest person there, she was still faster than every single person watching.

You've done two triathalons, which is two more than 99% of everyone on the planet has done. I totally beat myself up over things like this too, and I really get it. Honestly. But even with tiny setbacks, and even if someday you're the penguin too, you're still miles ahead of where you were two years ago -- both figuratively and literally.

And penguins are awesome. And so are you.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

even though she was the slowest person there, she was still faster than every single person watching
That's a very good point and perspective.

And thanks.

[ms-curmudge0n.livejournal.com]

Seriously, congratulations on doing the triathlon. And congratulations on coming back from being hurt - it takes a long time, and is a ready-made excuse to just throw in the towel, so you get double points for finishing after the injury.

Two thoughts about the biking: wasn't that a trouble spot for your recovery? You might just not be back up to your former level of fitness there. Also, I found that no amount of flat biking prepared me for hills. (After bicycle commuting very very consistently in MN, the first time I biked here in Seattle, I had to *walk* up the hill by my house. True story.) So there's that, too.

One of my friends finished last in the swim-leg of her triathlon... by a lot. The volunteers in canoes kept asking her if she needed help. (To say nothing of my inline marathon where I was passed by a group of four six year olds. Holding hands. Singing and holding hands. Not that I'm bitter.) So, it could be worse, eh?

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the bike was a major problem. My mom pointed out - rightly, she knows me well - that I was probably affected psychologically by the accident also. It's totally accurate; I was slowing down a lot more than I needed to for corners and not really pouring on the speed going down hills because I was scared of crashing. I think the only thing to cure that is lots of (reasonably careful) outside biking. The bike machine just isn't going to cut it.

...Singing and holding hands? Oh good heavens. But you did an inline marathon? Cool!

[kittenmint.livejournal.com]

I agree with everyone here. While you might be upset that you didn't do better, realize that you were working a sort of handicap as well - recovery from an injury which you DIDN'T have last time. Also, while you didn't do as well in most places during your trek/swim/bike, you didn't do THAT much worse either! You are off by a minute here, a second there, and while it might add up in the end, it is freaking awesome that you almost met what you were doing before an injury!!

Not only that, but it is amazing you can DO a triathlon. I can't even imagine doing something like that. You need a huge hug and pat on the back, even if you don't feel like you do, because you are just awesome.

In regards to a comment in your last post: Working on a bike outside is very different than working on a bike in the gym - I totally agree with you on that one. You get exercise both ways, but it is just a lot harder when done outside. *shrug*

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks a bunch. I think I do have to hit the outside-biking a lot more to make a difference - and I will. I am feeling reinvigorated!

(Also, you could do a triathlon... it just might take you a while to work up to it. Everyone has their own crazy hobbies and if you choose to devote the time to stuff like this I think almost anyone can do it.)

[kittenmint.livejournal.com]

Yay for feeling reinvigorated! And the upcoming nice weather should only help (hopefully!) ^_____^ You will get better and better as you go along, don't fret!

As for me doing a triathlon, no can do. I love to bike and swim, but I have bad knees (sigh) which get cranky at me for jogging on an elliptical for 40 minutes, yet I have no problems with a bike (it is weird...). It means, however, that running outside on pavement kills me. =o(

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Crazy but true: one of my friends who did this triathlon has bad knees and walked the whole "run" part. She still finished! (Intended as inspirational not pushy.)

[kittenmint.livejournal.com]

Wow!!! Hmmmmmmm *ponders*

[fayde.livejournal.com]

When I finished my marathon, the first thought that crossed my mind was, "Wow!!! I did it!" and the second was, "I bet I could beat my time". So I can see how, after training for something and not making your desired pace how you could be disappointed.

However, may I say how impressed I am that you've done not one, but 2 triathlons! Additionally, the more you do, the more data you have for your next ones. Where are your weak spots? What can you do to improve? Do you really need to work on improving or were you just having an off day?

And finally, my words of personal wisdom are these, "I personally keep getting paced with the "Over 65" category and so I now am mostly determined to just make sure that I can keep it up through the time when I'm Over 65 and then maybe I'll win some awards..."

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I think I really do need to work on improving but I am feeling a little less like beating myself up now. I think the biking really has to get better - I am both not in top condition (not bad but not top), not accustomed enough to biking on the bike I was using, and somewhat psychologically handicapped. Those are all things I can change. And I will! I'm already looking for my first MN tri... but I'm not signing up for anything until we have moved and gotten married. And probably gotten a job, but at LEAST the first two. :-)

And - your plan makes me smile. You are destined to be an awesome Over 65-year-old! (I knew that already but you keep reaffirming my belief.)

[purple-cow-0206.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about what everyone else has said...and just FYI, you outpaced me my 5K time with your run ;) Not by much, but you did.