Jetton Sprint Triathlon 2014 Edition

It's a little hard to compare triathlons.  Distances vary, transition areas vary, distances to the transition areas vary....  You can estimate, you can guess, you can go by feel how you are improving.  But it's always nice to have the opportunity to compare apples to apples.

I had one summer of triathlon under my belt before I returned to where it all started.  Jetton Sprint Triathlon.  And it's here that I have the opportunity to do just that, compare apples to apples.

I had some concerns going into Jetton this past weekend.  Swim, knee, nutrition, anxiety.  Also, with my current training cycle getting ready for EagleMan, I felt like I had an opportunity to do well.  I didn't just want to finish it.  I wanted to "race" it.  I felt like I had the chance to get on people's radar, to become a name that people might want to watch for in the future.

Anyway....
'nuff of the blah blah blah
time to recap

Race morning.
shower, walk dogs, feed dogs and eat my English muffin with pb
double check bags
run upstairs to grab wetsuit
grab body glide
double check bags
run back upstairs to grab wetsuit
pump Thelma's tires
load car
double check bags
grab forgotten bike shoes
run back upstairs to grab race belt
fingers crossed I had everything because it was time to get on the road

Race site.
park in a field
ride from field to event area on weird pedals without clipping in
remember how to ride without being clipped in
try to remember how to get off without unclipping
check in, body marking and chip getting
set up transition area
10min jog to warm up (Hi Mr. van Voo!!!)
wiggle into the potato sack that is a wetsuit
quick dip in the lake
sing national anthem

Swim:  17:48 - 2:22/100m
(2013-23:36)  -5:12
This swim went much better than Belews in April.  Of course, this one was half the distance, but we won't concentrate on that part.
There were 4 swim waves and they had all the AG ladies start the day in the last wave (and in pink caps. ugh.). I was able to swim the majority of the course, practice my new sighting technique, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.  I was able to keep anxiety attacks under control, taking it nice and easy.  My goal was not time, but to have a swim I could feel good about and I think achieved that. I might have even passed some gents in green caps along the way.

T1:
2:05 (2013-6:02)  -3:57
I was able to jog my way up to transition this time.  I had a little trouble getting the potato sack off, but eventually broke free; threw on my bike shoes, shades and helmet and Thelma and I were out of the gate.

Bike:  46:04 - 16.18 mph
(2013-48:11)  -2:07
All things considered, I can't complain too much about my bike segment...but I'm going to anyway!  I WAS TICKED!!!  not even 3 miles in I felt that twinge in my knee.  I knew I could run on my knee, I simply had to find a way to make it through that bike.  So, to save the knee, I honestly had to pedal most sections of the course with my right leg, especially on the two major climbs.  Which relatively speaking aren't huge climbs, but caused owies nonetheless.  I was disappointed I couldn't give it my best effort and would have liked to see how I would have fared if I attacked the course like I wanted to.  There were times I was brave enough and comfortable enough to get into aero position, so that is the positive that I will take away from the bike segment.

T2:  1:34
(2013-2:05)  -0:31
Looking back, I lost a lot of time here messing with my watch.  I'm putting the face onto quick release band and fitting Thelma with a bar to put the watch face on, so next time I can simply pop it off the bike and onto my wrist without issue.  I also need to find the quick button to change the mode from bike to run.  I could have taken another 30 seconds off I think.

Run:  26:03 - 8:23/mile
(2013-29:37)  -3:34
If I could kill any segment of this triathlon, one would think it would be on the run, and that's what I was banking on.  This is the first time I actually paid attention to who was around me, actively looking at the calf markings to see the AGs of the women ahead of me.  To see who I needed to "pick off" and who I could let go.  I passed a few men and women on the run, and I got a passed though I'm pleased to say maybe only

once or twice.  As I was making a move to pass on the left, I heard a voice behind saying "coming up the middle."  This woman passed us at a good clip, so I tried to hang on her feet hoping she could pace me in.  Alas, I couldn't hold on and I had to let her go.  I'm slightly disappointed in the fact that this is the same pace I've been hitting in my interval training.  Come race day you'd think I'd dial it up 10 seconds or so, but all in all not a bad run for me.  All that fiddling with my watch and it still wasn't working so I basically ran blind the whole way, no idea how fast, how far or how far yet to go.  Finally I came up on a volunteer that said something that I didn't quite catch and I asked "am I here?"  He said "you are, now sprint it home!"

You don't need to tell me twice...

2013 I finished in 1:49:29.
2014 I finished in 1:33:32.
-15:57 PR

Great PR, still pretty low on the AG rankings.  Oh well.  There's always next year!
And next year, heck with the apples.
I'll be a kiwi.

Next up?
70.3
23 days.