Urban 2.80.20 Long Course Triathlon
7:05am 12 February 2012Long = 2km / 80km / 20km
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Garmin Connect details: Swim T1 Bike B2 B3 B4 T2 Run
Run: 3 x lap - last one differing distance! Kinda the same course as Geelong 70.3s, except in reverse direction.
I was always destined for a PB in this race; it was the first time at the 2.80.20 distance. This "long" race replaced the Geelong Half Ironman races of previous years, and on essentially the same course, with some tweaking for the differing distances (2 x Olympic 40km Bike laps, instead of 3 x 30km).
I still have a an aim to break 5 hours for the half ironman, as the 2.80.20 is some 10km shorter, the obvious target was under 5 hours at least.
I paid an additional $30 for the privilege of doing registration and bike check-in on the Sunday morning. This "option" is not advertised on the website, but saved me a trip to Geelong and back on the Saturday, as I needed to be in Knox mid-afternoon.
First race with the new Garmin 910xt GPS watch. As usual I turned the watch on in order to test bike speed/cadence working while riding to transition. Unfortunately I pressed a couple of buttons and locked the keys, such that each time I pressed a button, the warning "Keys Locked" appeared. You can't even turn the unit off when in this "mode". I didn't know how to dis/enable this "mode" which put me in a bit of a panic. After bike check-in, I was back to the car to google "keys locked" on the phone. Simultaneously pressing Mode and "up" locks/unlocks the keys.
This was my second attempt (after Sandringham Olympic the week previous) to follow my new hydration plan. 2 bottles Gatorade day prior; one during day, one before bed. 2 more bottles race morning before race, only had one. 1 litre (approx 2 bottles) per hour on bike, mixed "Hydralite Sport" with Gatorade, mmmm salty!! And one cup (250ml) at each drink stop on run.
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Pre-race: Pouring rain while racking bike. No allocated bike rack, was a bit hard to find a spot in the dark, and rain. Hydration: Usual "pitstop" before swim, and wetsuit "warm-up".
Swim: My longest race swim (so far), so a PB! Swam fairly well at an even pace, without getting off course too much, averaging 2:04 mins/100m which is the same pace as Shepparton 70.3, but marginally slower than previous Geelong half ironman(s). Hydration: - 2 "pit-stops" while swimming, don't know I'd ever had one while swimming in a race before.
Bike: 2 x 40km lap - the "Geelong towards Port Arlington with deviation to the point" Olympic distance bike course.
Bumped the lap button on the Garmin during 2nd lap, hence had to switch off Multisport mode, and had a few bike recordings to get back on track. Found out later it was because I wear the watch with the face on the inside of my wrist (which is facing up) on the bike, wouldn't have happened if I'd locked the keys! Didn't ride spectacularly, conditions were not easy, strong winds, bit of rain. Hydration - only drank about 600ml per hour, constant need to pee (cold whether didn't help); 4 "pit-stops" but very little time lost!
2:30:21, slowest average speed 31.92km/hr in a race for a year (Geelong Olympic Feb 2011)
T2: Unfortunately the earlier issue with "Keys Locked" on the Garmin distracted me from testing/checking the speed/cadence sensor. When I went to un-rack the bike I found the back wheel would not turn - one of the two cable-ties had broken and the Speed/Cadence had jammed against the wheel (this may have been a result of my effort to "tap" the sensor in closer to the wheel during the Bike leg of the Dune2Dune race, whereby the sensor hit the wheel, snapped a cable-tie, and hung useless for the remainder of the ride). Rather than risk loosing or breaking the sensor, or have it catapult me off the bike, I re-attached it with some electrical tape which had been holding several gels on the top tube of the bike. Problem solved (for the day), sensor worked OK, T2 time 2:18; not bad considering.
Planned to wear socks for run, but hadn't worn any for bike, but when I picked them up they were saturated (as were my shoes), so no socks.
Footnote: had noted before the race the guy across the rack from me in transition had his hat, shoes and socks in plastic bags, and thought what a silly idea. But when I got into transition it was no longer raining, and I made a note to self -"what a good idea".
Run: 3 x lap - last one differing distance! Kinda the same course as Geelong 70.3s, except in reverse direction.
