Sunday, June 07, 2015

Cedar Beach Sprint Triathlon - Recap (day after)

Although I fell off the bicycle in the second lap, I am glad that I was able to finish at all. Circumstances could've have been different, if for example, I wasn't wearing a helmet. I don't think that I would be able to write all this today, although I do have this headache from the fall that doesn't go away except with rest. I also don't remember exactly why or how I fell, but in doing a little forensic investigation of my bruises on the right knee, right elbow, right shoulder, and the scrape on the bike's break assemble, I will surmise that I slipped or skidded on something.

I struggled on the bike portion right after the swim in the frigid, wave less, waters of Cedar Beach. When I finished swimming half a mile, I was very wobble walking off the water onto the shore. I was lightheaded that I walked all over the green mat into the T1 transition area. I knew from prior experiences that the wobbliness off the swim leg would go away, as I did also had problems in taking off the wetsuit (purchased one day before race event) right at the ankles. And I didn't want to puncture the brand new wetsuit with a nails in my quick anger. I lost a lot of time in the T1 transition, which confirms why a triathlon in the warmer months eliminates the need for a wetsuit, even with the incentive of additional buoyancy that can speed things up.

The hills in Mount Sinai were not that steep, but right after the swim leg, I struggled that even with the highest gear I had to stand up to pedal uphill, and pant. Lost more time here. I didn't want to switch to the next chainring in case it didn't land and I would have to get off to readjust the chain. There were some downhills that weren't steep, but yet I picked up a lot of speed. In the first bike lap nothing out of the ordinary happened. Then, towards the end of the second bike lap, after some quick downhills, I fell off the bike. Not remembering how or why, I was surrounded by EMT cleaning the bruises. They asked me if I wanted to go the hospital. Feeling nothing broken or unbearable pain, I signed a Release Form to continue and finished the bike portion. At this point, time didn't matter, even when the chronometer on the bike gave me the illusion that I had a chance to be in the top 3 of my age group. Results later confirmed that I practically finished last in the age group. But for those who would simply read the results, who have never known that I had survived crossing the FINISH LINE in the Run Leg with a decent pace, with bruises and blood all over the elbow and knee.

I wanted to get the gauzes replaced by the EMT at the Finish Area, but no one came right away. I looked for some food, and there was a sponsor supplying some BBQ flavored chicken in a bun,but it didn't appeal to me.

Good thing I had some bananas and a Cliff bar in the car.

Hopefully, years from yesterday when I look back the results, especially during Bike leg, I'll remember that I lost a lot of time from the fall.

However, a Lessons Learned from this event is that I need more conditioning. And I thought that all the training up to this point were enough.

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