Race Result

Racer:	Kevin Shaw
Race:	Kinetic Sprint
Date:	Sunday, April 20, 2008
Location:	Spotsylvania, VA
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group:	Male 45 - 49
Time:	1:34:42
Overall Place:	101 / 371
Age Group Place:	8 / 40
Comment:	a transition mud fest!

Race Report:

I got to the venue very early at about 7:20 AM, the race didn’t start until 10:00 and my wave was set to go at 10:15. Packet pickup was very smooth and I chatted with a few other folks as we compared bikes and other gear. Man what a great bunch of folks!

I waited out a rain shower and then decided to set up my bike in the transition area. I just got the bike racked when it began to pour again, so I headed to the concession stand shelter to wait out this shower, I had plenty of time to get things in order. I got body marked, which I still find a pretty cool process, it just makes me feel like a real athlete. I again ran into some guys that I chatted with earlier and it was fun to joke around with them a bit. In-between showers I got my area set up. I ran into TimS Woodbridge, who was near me at the Colonial Beach Triathlon last summer which was really fun. I had to get my swim cap switched out as they gave me a purple on rather than the whit one I should have had.

I looked for the Rats tent but didn't spot it before the race so I went over to the TeamZ tent to and found my friend JR and chatted with him for a bit. I still had about an hour to my start but decided I might be warmer if I put on my wet suit. I went back to the shelter area for a bit and then noticed people getting into the water to warm up, that being relative with the 61F temps, so I made my way down to get into a couple of hundred meters and try to get used to the cool temps. It was a good thing I did since I need the experience to see how the wetsuit worked, and also my neoprene cap which I ended up adjusting a few time.

Finally it was time for the National Anthem and then the elites were off.

This was my first beach start and I though the process was pretty cool. Every three minutes a new wave went off. We walked across a timing mat by wave and then got a countdown and were off., Wading through the water until it was deep enough and then a couple of dolphin dives and we were swimming. I felt like I was struggling a bit and it felt like my wetsuit was restricting my arms a bit, they felt like they were getting extra resistance. On the first leg of the triangle I kept drifting just a little bit right but felt my sighting was better than it had been in the past. I still wasn’t in the groove of the swim yet. Just before the first turn buoy which was about 200 meters in, we stated to catch the slower guys in the wave in front (purples caps). About halfway we started to catch the slower women in pink caps and I started to feel better about my swim and almost felt like I was in the groove, but really I just wanted the swim to be over and get on the bike. We rounded the last turn buoy and I finally found my groove, probably because I could see the beach in front and knew the end was near. We started to catch the next wave, (fluorescent green) and I could start to hear the announcer so I concentrated on a strong pull and a fast finish. Before I knew it I was out of the water and jogging up to T1, while pulling off my wetsuit, I need to put more body glide on my wrists, I the 750 meter swim in an estimate 19 minutes, I'm not sure of the exact time as the results aren't out yet, this would be one of my slower swims, but the water was cold and I didn't get into my groove until about 2/3 through the swim. Time: 14:54AG Rank AG 8/40 overall 103/371

Time unknown as I don't wear my Garmin in the swim and I didn’t wear my wrist watch, next time I will.

T1 seemed pretty quick but I did have some problems getting out of the wet suit, next time it Pam all the way time 2:32 AG Rank 6/40 overall 98/371.

Bike. At the mount line I hopped on the bike and took a few pedal strokes to get a bit of speed up before trying to slip into my shoes. I really need to practice this more as I almost wrecked trying to get my left foot in. Finally I gave up and rode with my feet on top of my shoes for about ¼ mile and then eased my feet in and secured the Velcro straps. Whew man I really have to work on that as my first mile was a dismal 14 mph. We cruised through the park for the first 2.5 miles and then turn left onto Lawyers Rd. By mile three I was up to 20 mph and the rain seemed to let up a bit. The first 4.5 miles were mostly up hill and I was working pretty hard trying to pass more than be passed. I was playing a bit of tag with a younger guy so it was fun. I kept hearing a taping sound and I looked down to see my race bib belt dangling off of my handle bar, so now I’m thinking, don’t forget the belt, don’t forget the belt. I mull over trying to put it around my waist while I’m riding but with the wet and crowded conditions I decide my ne mantra for the ride is, “don’t forget the belt”. We hit a nice downhill section for the next two miles and I averaged 24.5 mph .At about 8.5 miles the road must have been a bit bumpy and I almost lost my areo-bottle I noticed a few yellow spongies from other bottles so I wasn’t the only one! I held onto the bottle and tried to get the Velcro strap re affixed with minimal success, I finally got it resurrected but I was worried it would come off again. This slowed me down a bit but mile 5-9 were at an average 22 mph. We hit some more rollers but the hill after the bridge at mile 11 was the steepest and I actually stood up for the first time.s18 miles and I felt fast as I was usually the one passing rather than being passed. The roads were very wet and as it was pouring rain so the conditions were a bit slippery. Time 53:10 AG rank 14/40 overall 134/371 avg speed 19 mph, a bit slower than I hoped.

T2, Man was this was a mud pit! Not my best transition, I missed my rack not once but twice and it cost me a bunch of time, Tim passed me and got to his rack first, however once I found my spot I got onto the run very fast and I didn’t forget to grab my bib belt off the bike! As I passed Tim at his rack I patted him on the back, just to let him know I was there. Time 1:59 Rank AG 14/40 overall 168/371.

Run, 5K, started out uphill for the first ¾ of a mile with an elevation change of 130 feet. Tim came cruising past me and we exchanged pleasantries. The rain started to come down a little harder. I was trying to find my legs and I knew that I need more brick workouts and here was the evidence to back that up. My first mile split was 7:58, a bit slower than I would have liked. I felt like I was getting into a bit of a groove but the rain was getting harder and I could read my Garmin to get pace information. We turned to the out and back, but and it rolled a little bit from there, mile 2 split turned out to be 7:00. I think I spotted Reid Kiser before he turned into the campground. At the turnaround was the last time I would see Tim before the finish line. We turned left and into the campground for a nice downhill finish for a change mile 3 split was 6:38. It was raining so hard now that I had to take off the glasses as I couldn’t see a thing and they were no longer an effective rain shield. We came out of the woods and it flattened out, I ran the last .1 miles in and estimated 40 seconds for a pace of 5:45. Run time: 22:09 AG rank 7/40 overall 95/371. The skies really opened up during the run but at least it wasn't hot

Total time 1:34:42 All in all a good race and nice start to the triathlon season.

After the finish I saw KonaKev in a rather ad looking Rats tent so I went over and chatted with him and Shawn and a few others. I was glad to find the Rats.