Race Report – TrySports Asheville Triathlon – Part 3 – Swim and T1

SWIM:

I didn’t know what to expect from the swim. The only training I’ve done has been at our complex pool, which is all of 17 meters long, and this was a 50 meter pool, 8 lengths for 400m total swim. I had no doubt at all that the 400m wouldn’t be a problem normally, but with people swimming over each other in lanes, no idea how fast everyone else would be, and the race-start adrenaline that sometimes causes me to go out to fast in the runs I’ve done, I just wasn’t 100% confident.

My plan was simple: be smooth the entire time. When I try to swim fast, I end up getting choppy and don’t really go any faster. So, off I went at 7:30:30…and within 10 yards I was clear of my starting partner, and by the time I reached the first wall at 50 meters I’d passed one of the two who started in the group in front of me.

I felt strong, and actually pretty fast. I was breathing on each full rotation, as I wanted to make sure I got enough oxygen and wasn’t out of breath for times I needed to pass and hold it for an extra rotation or two. That strategy really paid off, as on the second length I passed right between two people (one doing the backstroke) and broke free for a minute.

By 200m, I’d passed in front of all but one of the novice group (6 people had started in front of me). Our new friend Carolyn was a very strong swimmer and had started at the front of the wave and she was out in front – I may have been gaining a bit, but not much. At that point I eased up just a bit as I was starting to feel like I was pushing too hard, and I passed a few stragglers from the wave in front of us. The strange part of that was that they had started a full 3:00 ahead of the first of the novice wave, so they were REALLY slow.

At that point it was pretty smooth sailing and I was able to look behind me and see that our other new friend, Carrie, who also was a strong swimmer, was coming up behind me. She passed me with about 75m to go, and I tried to draft off her. She was very fast.

I finished strong, pushed myself out of the pool, and was off to the transition area.

Official Swim Results:
8:17
Male Novice Rank: 1/13
Overall Male Rank: 38/123
Clydesdale Rank: 3/10*

*I’m including where I would have finished in the Clydesdale group, which is what I would race if I were not in the Novice category. This group is all men over 200 lbs. (and under 39 years old – there is a Masters Clydesdale group for those 40+). The women have a similar group called the Athenas for those over 150 lbs.

End result: Excellent swim. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

TRANSITION 1:

From the swim to the transition area was VERY short – just outside the pool gate. I took my goggles off and jogged over to my bike, stepping on the towel to dry my feet while I put on my sunglasses, Headsweat bandana, and helmet (always put on your helmet and fasten the strap before doing anything else, as you will be DQ’d if you move your bike without fastening your helmet).

Then I quickly (it felt quickly, but I doubt it was) stepped into my bike shoes, pulling the Velcro tight. I have ridden and run both with and without socks, and decided to go without today. I grabbed my bike and jogged it to the mounting area – the first novice out of transition.

Official T1 Results:
1:31
Male Novice Rank: 2nd
Overall Male Rank: ?
Clydesdale Rank: 3rd – though the 2nd and 3rd place men didn’t get their transition time ranking, so it may have been lower

End result: Good for my first ever transition, though definitely a place I can shave 30 seconds or so.