Mullet Man Triathlon

Mullet Man Triathlon April 26, 2012

Location: Perdido Key, FL

Class: F 20-24

Results: AG 2/4 Female 9/39 Overall 69/156 Time 1:53:41 

Local Knowledge and Conditions:

Race conditions started out with a temp of 55 degrees at the time of the swim, cloudy, winds at 6 mph and humidity at 88%.By the bike the temp went to the upper 50's with wind at 10mph and maintained about that for the run as well.  

Pre-Race Strategy & Warm Up: Before the race, I set up my transition, which for this race there was no numerical/assigned transition set up.  You just picked wherever you wanted to be.  I chose to be in the center at the end nearest the bike/run out.  

I was cold from the lower temps and the wind so I went ahead and put my wetsuit on, just didn't put the top portion all the way on and threw a sweatshirt on.  I also found the restroom and went as many times as I could but made sure to stop taking in fluids within 30 minutes of the race.  

Race break down: 

Swim 

The swim took place in the Gulf of Mexico.  Waves/currents weren't too rough at all, with the overcast there wasn't much visibility in the water.  They started us out in 4 waves, I was in the 4th with the women.  I was still slightly cold from the outside temps while waiting for our start, so I did as my coach advised me to. I peed in my wetsuit.  Sure enough I was feeling nice and warm.  I started out towards the front of the group for the swim.  I ran out and as soon as the water hit my knees I dove in and began swimming.  

T1-

While getting out of the water and running towards transition I heard my coach yell "Take off your wetsuit!" which is a good thing she did cause I completely was not taking it off while running which I should have been.  They had kiddy pools near transition to get the sand off our feet but seeing as how the transition area was in a dirt parking lot it was counter productive.  I was able to finish taking my wetsuit much faster than my first race with it.  Coming out of transition was slightly dangerous.  

There were cops stopping traffic since the course was on a main road but it was still 

very cluttered.  

Bike

The roads weren't fully blocked off for the bike portion so we were having to share the road with ongoing traffic which was slightly scary and desirable.  It was mostly flat with the exception of the overpass they had us go over which going out wasn't that bad but coming back the wind made it pretty tough coming up and slightly terrifying coming down with how strong the wind was and how fast we were going (pushed 30 mph going down hill). Elevation gain of 129 ft, max elevation of 109 ft. Other than that, it was a simple out and back course.

T2- 

I was in and out at a decent time.  I dealt with normal transition situations, like other peoples stuff was thrown on to mine.  Annoying but whatever, we are racing I get it.  The only thing coming out of this transition again was traffic.  I was paused cause I hadn't known if traffic was stopped by cops or if I was about to play frogger.  Thankfully I made it out safely, and my coach yelled to me that there was a girl a minute ahead of me so it was time to push it.

Run

The run course was another out and back, very flat course.  There was a water station at each mile (for 1-3) but there was only one person manning the water station so if you were in a group you pretty much had to go get the water on your own.  I was really in need of water due to not drinking enough during the bike, I could feel myself being dehydrated and my face was like sand paper with all the salt on it.  My legs had the normal jello feeling and oddly enough my first mile was my fastest even though I felt like a turtle walking through peanut butter.  Since unable to take any nutrition during the bike I took a gu as soon as I started running which seemed like a good idea at the time but later found out it wasn't.  I threw up the water and gu I had consumed at mile 3 and as soon as I crossed the finish line I began dry heaving since I had nothing else in my stomach.  I knew I pushed it.

Lessons Learned: 

Don't forget to put body glide or some type of lubricant around your neck when wearing a wet suit.  I had very bad chaffing on my neck.  For my bike after this race, I immediately got a new water bottle system put on my bike to make getting fluids much easier during the bike.  Instead of classic water bottles I had an aero containter with straw put in between my aero bars.  

Future Goals : Continue to work on faster transitions, taking of my wet suit more efficiently, and just become overall faster for next time.

Something funny that happened: Throwing up on myself (granted it was just water and gu) at mile 3 but continue my run without letting it phase me, after all I had already peed on myself, whats a little spit up?

I did take 2nd place for my age group.  The age group awards were nifty ceramic red solo cups (appropriate considering the race took place at a bar).