Rainbow Beach Double Triathlon - Race Report

Race Details:
Rainbow Beach Double Triathlon         
Day/Date: 22/08/2015- 23/08/2015
Distance:      
Day 1 - 2.5KM run/20KM Bike/2.5Km Run
Day 2 - 750m Swim/ 20KM Bike/5 KM Run
Race Start:               
Day 1 - 3:30PM
Day 2 - 7:30AM
Race Number: 32

Race Plan & Goal:
To have a strong first triathlon race for the start of the season. I am very excited to be back racing again and cannot wait to see how training in all 3 disciplines have progressed. This is my first Triathlon back and its a double!!!! Recovery will be important with another race the next day. This is a major test for where I am situated for the season ahead and will test my bike leg

Race Report
Race 1
Preparation:
As per previous races my preparation started a couple of days out with hydration and eating the correct foods before and after training. Last year the swim was cancelled on the first day due to bad weather and it turned into a Duathlon…. 2.5KM run/ 20KM Bike/ 2.5KM run. After checking the weather forecast I was preparing for similar conditions to last year…hopefully nowhere as bad!

This year’s weather again has forced the swim leg to be cancelled and turned the first race into a Duathlon….disappointing but let’s get on with it!

Transition set up:
Set up is getting quite similar now but after the cramping at the Lake Side Duathlon I am making sure I have the correct amount of hydration on board ready to go at all times. Both drink bottles where filled x2 one water and one Endura Raspberry flavoured electrolytes. Endura Gels were in place on the bike. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to choose where my bike went but I wasn’t going to let that get into my head I had more to contend with now…..one of Australia’s best Juniors, Matt Hauser, is now racing along with Tayte Dixon plus others….this is going to be on quick race and a good opportunity for me to race alongside these two.

Briefing for race:
With the change in race format from Triathlon to Duathlon it was important I understood what was going to happen. My Race plan was pretty simple and I didn’t want to lose the front pack, especially on the long bike leg.

1st Run & Start:
At the start line it was obvious it was going to be quick with Hauser and Dixon on the start line so my goal was to try and stick as close to them as possible because if I didn’t then the race was over as they are far quicker on the bike then myself. So when the starter pressed the green light I took off more aggressively than previous races and just hoped I would keep the endurance later I the race, when I hit the base of the hill I was about 10-20 off them and it was now time to lift to make sure the hill didn’t break me….it felt good to maintain the same pace as these guys and coming into T1 I was not far of them at all but I was determined to stay as close to the front pack as possible.

Transition 1:
I thought that I had a fast transition taking my shoes off while putting my helmet on was the most efficient way as I have worked out from previous races. The front pack was only just ahead and still.

Bike Leg:
The bike was tough I could see the front pack slowly and slowly riding off ahead of me, I was by myself no one behind no one in front I know that it was going to be a hard ride but I had to dig deep. These style of rides challenge me as they are long, not tight and exciting like previous races.

Transition 2:
I feel as if my second transition was also good I racked the bike by the seat and put my shoes on while taking off my helmet. I was with a group of 3 other people I wanted to put time into us ASAP.

Run:
Legs felt a little bit heavy coming off the bike again and into the run but I pushed through it the hills were hard especially the one out the back but I knew that the time would be important so I had to lift the intensity.  

Lessons learnt:
IT was good race and very valuable learning experience as my debrief with Toby helped me understand the value of keeping the intensity on the bike leg and how important it is to maintain the pace while on your own…..experience is something I need to be patient with and take away from every race.

Times for Race – OVERALL: 51:47.5    Position: 7th overall

Race Report
Race 2
Preparation for the race:
I had stretched constantly overnight and packed the bag….I was ready, and was feeling good – The Swim was on and it was also going to be a wetsuit swim which meant this would be my first actual TRIATHLON of the season. Hauser’s flu had got the better of him and he decided to pull out of today’s race which is a shame for him and after Tayte’s impressive win yesterday he was certainly the one to beat.

Transition set up:
I racked my bike put my helmet in place with my race belt ready, my towel down and shoes down. Once again I had my bottles filled x2 one water and one Endura Raspberry flavoured electrolytes. Endura Gels were in place on the bike, no second guessing today….left Transition and was focussing on my race ahead…..i wanted to improve the bike leg today and maintain my focus out on the road.

Briefing for race:
I understood the course and I was feeling good and ready to race, a quick swim warm up with a few efforts got me ready for the race.

Swim:
“GO”….the adrenaline filled my body, I was so excited to be racing in a triathlon again wanted to get off the start line strongly with a strong swim. I was the first to hit the water quickly wading then into my dolphin dives started to swim then we had hit another sand bank back up and dolphin diving again. Once we got out of the breaking waves it was straight to the buoy, there was two people in front and 3 people next to me, I felt I had a little more so pushed to get to the front group and succeeded, it only took me a little bit of an effort, which gave me confidence that my swim has improved. A few meters later it was just Dixon and I, swimming side by side out in front. When we got to the last buoy I was just in front but I had trouble catching a wave in and was caught by Dixon and Baldwin. It was then a race to T1….

Transition 1:
The hill up into transition was really big and I had to work hard to get up it, once in transition once again I had some trouble getting out of my wetsuit (I have to get these legs cut) and it took a while to get off, this wasn’t my best transition but I could make it up.

Bike Leg:
My Mount was good and I was up and pushing hard to stay in touch with the front group with Tayte’s bike leg being so strong I wanted to test myself today but putting my feet into the shoes proved a little difficult for me today and I fell off just down the road.

After yesterday’s disappointing ride I was determined to maintain aggression and focus today and I was feeling much better on the bike. I thought it was tough course the long way out and back but I also thought I was a lot more focused. Coming back into transition there was another pack just behind me, so I had to really improve this transition time….

Transition 2:
This was a better transition then the first one, I was putting my shoes on while taking my helmet off. Once I had my helmet off I was off….. heading out to the run with a guy just in front that I was determined to catch before the hill and a group just behind….i was feeling really good.

Run:
I had my first goal achieved very early in the run and passed the guy just in front and I was determined to catch up to the next person ahead of me. The hills hurt a bit more than usual bit I dug deep and felt the pain while going up, my goal for the run was to try and keep as close to about 3:30KM/pace as possible and catch up to the people in front. I could see Todd Baldwin just ahead and I knew I would have to work hard once we hit the turn around to go back up the hill I made sure that I put in a surge to catch up faster and it paid off. I could see him start to lift and I said “That’s it Todd you’re looking good” as I ran passed him….I was now after my next challenge and as I got to the top of the second hill I could see an SCTA Uniform and was my opportunity to lift and lap Brett, this was my learning now to start to lift and set goals during the race and keep raising the bench marks….so my next goal was to catch him before the turn around once again digging deep I could start to see him more and more. I passed him just before the downhill and picked up the pace….. heading down the final stretch in pain but a big smile for the camera’s and the final sprint for the line. I was really happy with my race today and an improving bike leg that still has so much more to learn from. IT was awesome to be swimming in race conditions again and very pleasing to be able to match the swim leg with the likes of Tayte Dixon and Todd Baldwin…..my run leg will continue to improve but felt really strong today especially after racing the day before.

Times for Race:
OVERALL: 1:01:55.2  Position: 5th overall
Overall Position for the Rainbow Beach Double…
1st in my age category 16-17 Years….Another Medal at Rainbow Beach
5th Place Overall for the Two Days

Reflection:
Very happy with the 1st Place and overall placing for the two days – massive improvement on last year and still so much more learning to do with this sport…..very excited to start the season off and cannot wait until the next race.