Race Result: 2011 Cy-Man Sprint Triathlon

Event: 2011 Cy-Man Sprint Triathlon (USAT)
Date: Sunday September 11, 2011
Location: Polk City, IA (Big Creek State Park)
Hotel: Hampton Inn in Ankeny
Weather: 67F, sunny, light winds from SSW at 4-6 MPH
Official Results: 2011 Sprint Overall results; 2010 Sprint Overall Results

Personal Results

Goal: 01:08:00
2010: 1:09.05
Actual: 01:07:26
Overall: 12th overall (224 total); 12th overall in AG Males (149 total); 1st in 50-54 AG (6 total)

The last time I had been in Iowa in 2011 was for the Pigman Sprint triathlon the first weekend of June. I had about three weeks of actual training post the pelvic stress fracture prior to the event and it showed in the results. I ended up 7th in the 50-54 AG.

This time I came in very confident and the results showed. Only one of the six people that had beaten me at Pigman (Guy Olson) entered the Cy-Man event, and I was able to finish ahead of him after he had beaten me by a little over three minutes in June. That shows the progress I have made.


To the personal report!

Swim - 500 yards

Goal - 08:19
2010 - 7:09
Official Time - 8:08; 2nd in AG (6 total); 30th overall fastest

The announced water temp was 71 F. Someone said there were like 240 people which made me wonder why they only went with three swim waves. It would be crowded. And the course was completely different from 2010. But worst of all was the water condition. Oh man, it was like swimming in pea soup and someone had also dumped a few barrels of green dye.

I guess there was a severe algae bloom earlier in the week. The DNR water tested and said it was safe to swim in. But it was not pretty. I made sure I didn't swallow any of the green putrid water...that's for sure.

One could actually walk to the first buoy on the triangle shaped course. During warmups I swam until I could not touch and I estimate that at 120-yards. Standing there, I was watching other swimmers practice and it was disgusting to watch their arms leave the water as all you could see was a green splash.

I was in wave 2 and the swim was fine.....technically speaking. I knew I would be laboring as I have only swam one time during all of September to-date. My focus is on running so swimming has taken a back seat! I stayed wide as always and had a fairly smooth swim. With about 200-yards to go I encountered slow swimmers from Wave One but other than a few directional changes, nothing serious to contend with.

I was SO happy to leave the water behind. Twenty-four hours removed I am only experiencing a few very minor swimmers itch symptoms but nothing else so far...knock on wood!

T1

Goal - 1:30
2010 - 1:19
Official Time  - 1:34

My wetsuit top came off much easier this time. There was no blind run into a barrier like Maple Grove. I decided to put on my socks in T1 rather than T2 which cost a few seconds. Smooth otherwise.


Bike - 14.3 miles

Goal - 37:57 (22.6 MPH)
2010 - 39:48 (21.6 MPH)
Official Time- 38:14 (22.5 MPH); 2nd in AG (6 total); 19th fastest overall

Like last year, I really liked the out-and-back course. Unlike last year, the winds were much better. The wind (4-6 MPH) was at our backs going out. The out course is more declining than the return so by the time I hit the turn-around I was averaging a little over 24 MPH. I was thinking I could finally muster an official race 23 MPH bike average but it was not to be. Facing hills and a headwind I ended up short of that.

It is a nice bike course. The roads are pretty smooth. I went back-and-forth with a couple people, finally dropping them at the turn-around. No calf cramping of any sort.

As I was approaching T2, I saw Guy Olson already on the run. In the back of my mind I was wondering if I had a chance to catch him. But I didn't give it much thought as I was so far behind. I just was going to have a nice run.

T2

Goal - 0:50
2010 - 0:49
Official Time - 0:54

Can't say why it took this long other than I had set up by Bike Out/In and Run Out was at the far end of the transition zone. I had no issues and was already going full bore by the time I hit the timing mat.

Run - 5K

Goal- 19:22 (6:15 per mile pace)
2010 - 20:00 (6:26 per mile pace)
Official Time - 18:35 (5:58 pace); 1st in AG (6 total); 4th fastest overall

Not sure where this effort came from, but it felt damn good. There is a turn we have to make where we circle through a cul-de-sac and I could see I was gaining on Olson pretty well. So I picked up my pace even more. By the time I went through mile one I could actually see him some distance ahead.

We made a turn for home and I could see I had cut that distance in half. At mile two I caught him and just kept on hammering. It was really starting to get warm and I was starting to labor a bit but I felt pretty comfy the whole way. I was very pleased with this run and effort.

Awards

I received a nice medal for my Age Group win. And instead of T-shirts, we got a pretty huge fleece blanket in our packet.

Next Event:

Sep 17 (signed up) - Bismarck Half-Marathon