Race Result

Racer:	Erik Melis
Race:	Summer Super Sprint
Date:	Sunday, August 10, 2008
Location:	Manassas, VA
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group:	Male 50 - 54
Time:	0:50:50
Overall Place:	54 / 302
Age Group Place:	3 / 10
Comment:	Nice short race and homecoming for first post IMLP race

Race Report:

Tri It Now Summer Supper Sprint Triathlon (Manassas, VA)

Swim (400yds): 8:21
T1/Bike(8 miles)/T2: 25:37 (22:52 bike only)
Run (1.8 miles): 16:53
Total: 50:50

Age Group: 3/10
Overall: 54/302

Summary

I chose to do this race as my first event after IMLP because it was close to home, it was short, and it was kind of a homecoming event for me. Four years ago at the Freedom Aquatic Center in Manassas I participated in the Manassas Mini Triathlon as my first ever triathlon. In this race, I managed to take 3rd out of 10 in my age group netting me a bronze medal. I was 54 out of 302 overall managing to take almost 3 minutes off my time from the last time I did this race in 2006. Since I was still feeling the effects of the IM, I will definitely take that.

Pre-Race

Wasn't actually sure if I'd do the race as registered. When I woke up in the morning I was feeling really stiff and having some sharp pains in my left foot that concerned me. I did some stretching and decided I'd go and do the best I could while listening to my body and withdraw if I needed to. I just wanted to have fun so that was the goal. Got to the race site about 1-1/2 hours before the event so that I could get a decent parking spot, get my pick of spots on the bike racks and because my wife was volunteering to help with the race so needed to get there early. Got my choice end spot on my bike rack and luckily the rack I was assigned was not one of the racks that seemed to have a problem staying upright. A number of the racks had a problem with the leg spreading apart and collapsing as soon as any number of bikes were placed on the rack. I think it's time to replace those racks. Got body marked, finished my pre-race nutrition (banana, Kashi bar and some Gatorade). This race is really interesting because of the variety of entrants... lots of newbies which is a lot of fun watching them get excited about this great sport and a number of folks like me who had done triathlons before. The variety of bikes is also pretty amazing. They ranged from mountain bikes with bike knobby tires to the Cervelo P3C with full disc wheel (and the rider with an aero helmet).

Swim(400 yards) (8:21)

The swim is a snake swim (16 25-yard lengths) where everyone goes down one lane then under the rope and up the next lane and so on. People are seeded based on projected swim time (some folks don't estimate real well either) and are sent off at 5 second intervals. Folks are warned that flip turns are not allowed and are grounds for DQ and are also told that they must go under the rope before kicking of the wall for the next length. Lots of folks were kicking off the wall and going diagonally under the rope. This resulted in several near head-on collisions and a number of people being warned in mid-swim. I just maintained a nice steady pace trying not to run over the slower people and trying not to impede the faster ones. There were a number of traffic jams at the lane ends but it was fine so long as you just stayed relaxed and didn't get too aggressive. Finished the swim within 15 seconds of my estimate. Got out of the pool, walked out of the building and then ran out to the transition area.

T1/Bike(8 miles)/T2 (25:37) (bike only per computer: 22:52)

The way the timing is done here the T1/Bike/T2 times are all together. My T1 transition went very smoothly and got out to the bike mount and course without much effort. The bike course is two loops and has 4 sharp u-turns on each loop and tends to be a little crowded. The turns can be a little dicey with people of such differing experience levels and on such differing equipment so I just took it easy in the turns. I didn't want to scare the heck out of any of the new triathletes and potentially make their first experience a negative one and I didn't want to end up like the one guy I saw who did a nasty face plant when he wiped out on one of the turns. I pushed the bike pretty hard and passed lots of folks who left the pool before me. Even with all the u-turns, I managed an average speed (per my computer) of just under 22 mph. I was actually 19th out of 302 overall on the t1/bike/t2 leg so feel pretty good about that. T2 was also pretty uneventful except that I could feel that pain in my foot when I started out so decided to be smart and keep the pace easy and not do any damage to it.

Run(1.8 miles) (16:53)

The run was a flat out and back on sidewalks and asphalts so was not too difficult. Kept my pace at just below where I could feel the pain in my foot until I got near the finish line at which point I just opened it up for a nice sprint finish.

Post-race

The part of this race is the after it's over and they have the Kids Can Du Duathlon (run/bike/run) for the little kids ages 5-10... It is so much fun watching the little kids run around the transition area in the bike helmets (that are in many cases bigger than their heads) and then ride bikes (some with training wheels) up the hill and back and then finish it off with another run around transition to the finish line. I saw one little guy who actually got body marked and had his "6" proudly displayed on his calf.

Next up... Reston Tri in September. Hopefully by then, all the residual tired feeling from IM will be gone.