Very disappointing day. Here is the bike map
Well on that map when I get to the turn just past mile 12. I miss the turn. That area there I ride straight into is corn fields (which is much of the course). So I'm not able to see above it to see the bikers I had been following. Shortly thereafter I'm back at Scenic Drive and there are arrows on the road so I figure I'm ok. Eventually things start looking familiar and I realize I'm off course. I look at my watch and I'm at 16 miles. I have no idea how to go about fixing this problem. I don't know the area. So I just ride it out. I have no clue where I am on the route. Turns out as you can see I'm going to do much of the course again. It was listed at 15 mile ride. I did over 23 miles. Once I was over the 60 minute mark biking I just went into warm down mode.
When I finally got to the end of the course 1:23:15, the race people seemed relieved to see me. (the truck picking up the cones from the course had passed me).
I looked at the time. Getting close to 10AM I believe, I remember they had said awards ceremony was going to start at 10. So I just handed them my chip timer and told them I'm done. The run wasn't going to be the same seeing how I had been riding along no handed (giving the hands a break). The intensity was gone. Which is a shame. It was a beautiful day for it.
I don't know what my swim split is yet. Have to wait for it online. It's probably not great. I had a heck of a time sighting the buoys, we were looking directly into the sun when you would peek. Then the one time I decided just to swim and not look for a bit I went off my line a bunch. So I have no clue where I ended up in the swim portion. I'm prepared to be disappointed there too.
So because my watch keeps all the info I was able to go in and put in a lap marker at the mileage which I went off course. I had averaged 18.3mph up to that point. The split time from that point to the "end" a little more than 11 miles later was 15.3mph (like I said, I dropped the intensity).
Yes I'm disappointed I didn't run. I should have done it anyhow. To be honest on the drive home I was thinking I should have just doubled the run as well and turned the event into a Pseudo International Distance. It was an amazing day weather wise to do that. But I had arrived at the end of the bike about 34 minutes later than I should have and I just didn't think my numbers were going to reflect anything useful at that point, bad frame of mind.
Shawn said "Call it a learning experience". So I've been looking for something I learned.... This is it. I've learned I that I need to work on my "Sighting" during the swim. I've learned that it's probably worth driving/riding the bike course when at all possible. (not sure it would have mattered, corn, soybeans, houses, corn, soybeans, houses...)
I've also learned how disappointing it is to have something mess up your race. Grrrr.
The good news is, It's Sunday, AKA Cheat Day, Even better news, Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer is out. I love that stuff.
Hope to hear more good news once Craig posts his results.
PS: I'm glad Genine wasn't watching this one. I'm sure she would have been very concerned when every other biker was finished and I was still nowhere in sight.
2 comments:
That Sucks! It will be a couple days to really believe you learned something. I thought the same way after the TANGO.
I am sorry to hear that happened to you. You feel so prepared then Bam a unforseen problem.
My question would be, what was it that caused you to escape the course and why didn't the organizers realize this could happen? It wasn't the first year for the race? What kind of dis- organized bafoons were running this event? Demand a full money back return!
Sorry again. Hope your break was nice yesterday and that Mr. Adams was a benefit to you.
Yeah, I can officially empathize with both you and Casey. I keep telling myself to forget about it but it's going to take a couple days I guess.
I think I missed the turn because of cars on the road. I believe a car was passing me going into that intersection and cars were turning off of Mountain into my direction.
So I had no chance of seeing the paint on the road as the car passing had the lane. I would have had to see the cone on the right and I was very likely too focused on the cars to my left.
Compared to the WV triathlon , I have to be a bit disappointed. The only people on the bike course at the turns were paid police officers at the more "busy" crossings. I can't remember if that was 2 or 3 places. (some had picked up and left by the time of my 2nd lap). You would think they could place people at a couple other points along the way. The WV race lasted hours because of the 30 start times. This one they were presenting awards 2 hours after the start of the event. They wouldn't have had to be out on the course very long.
I have a feeling I will be obsessive about the course maps in future races. Do they make "Tom Tom" for Bikes :-)
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