Niantic Bay Triathlon 8-5-2012

This was my third time doing this race. I did in in 2007 and then again in 2010. It remains one of my favorites.


While my race goal is always to do better than I have in the past, I never read my old time in advance, and since the batteries died on both my running watch and my bike, I have stopped keeping time and distance, particularly this year as my training has lagged I just try to run the race at a pace that keeps me from keeling over dead.

The race was at low tide, so I just kept walking at the start. The swimmers weren’t gaining on me, so I stayed on my feet. I think I was the last one to swim. I swam easy and straight, and only had a couple bump-ups. I did get a direct elbow blow to the face, but it was not from a Clydesdale so I was not much shaken, and my goggles stayed on. Normally I swim into the beach until I can no longer take another stroke. This time I decided to stand when I could stand, and I think I will start doing this. Rather than having to stagger up and struggle with my balance. I get my feet under me, and can start unzipping my suit while still in the water. I had my best time swim there at 14:58, but while an increase in my race percentile from 2010 (from 49% to 44%), it was still down from my 2007 35%.

I have had issues this year stepping out of my wet suit, including a face plant on the sand at Terramuggus, I kept the legs on until I was in transition, and then using the transition fence as balance, was able to step out pretty quickly.

The bike was okay, I went a little faster than in 2010, which surprised me because I felt like I was slow-poking it. It is a nice ride, while not the flat race it promises in the brochure, there are a few hills that require some effort.

I was very tired immediately on the run, just starting to feel the heat. Fortunately there was a lady with a garden hose and I took off my Heat hat and let her hose my head down, which felt great although for the next quarter mile, my shoes and my shirt felt quite heavy with all the water, although that soon evaporated off as it was quite hot. I cooled myself down with water on the head at the water stations and got two more hose dousing on the course. I managed to run the whole way. When I hit the beach at the end, the temperature on the sand seemed ten degrees hotter. I felt I had no gas for a final sprint, but then I heard someone coming up behind me and people cheering for them, so I put the blazers on and sprinted in ahead of my unseen competition. While I race only myself, I hate being passed in the final 50 yards. I finished my run at 32:10, which made me think the run is shorter than 3.4 miles as I don’t feel like I was even running a 10 minute mile pace.

I got handed a cold water bottle, a cold Gatorade and a medal, but I just walked right over to the beach, took off my sock and sneakers and laid the drinks down and went in for a dive and then floated on my back. I spend so much of the race asking myself why I do this, but it always comes down to that finish line sense of accomplishment and that post race dip in the water reward. While I enjoy the post race dips at Terramuggus, the water at Niantic Bay is so much more refreshing.

I never check my results until I am home, and then I analyze them closely. I actually beat my 2010 time by a minute, and increased my percentile finish from 78% to 71%, so I felt good about that even though I concluded I am not in shape to do the Terramuggus Olympic. The four laps of Jones Hollow Hill has me daunted, along with the prospect of a 10k in the August heat and humidity. I suppose I will see how I feel on the eve of the race and then, weather and shape dependent, make a decision on registering.


Results

338 of 471(71.7%)
22/37 Clydesdale
Total: 1:36:52 
Swim   14:51 (209) (44.3%)
T1         2:35
Bike 45:34 (362) (76.8%)
T2         1:53
Run 32:01 (354) (75.1%)

Past Performance

 2010
 400 out of 511 (78%)
31 out of 43 Clydesdales
 1:37:56 Total
 Swim 254 (16:13) (49%)
 TI 2:47 Bike: 421 (46:01) (82%)
 T2 1:30 Run: 422 (31:28) (82%)

 2007
 357 of 389 (92%)
 Division: 21 of 24 Clydesdales
 Total:  1:50:44
Swim: 17:06 (135) (35%)
 T1: 4:55
 Bike: 51:29 (374) (96%)
 T2: 1:48
 Run: 35:27 (367) (94%)