Quarterman triathlon race report

[shorewife]

Got up at 4:30am to drive to the race an hour away in south jersey.  It was actually a little bit chilly in the morning and the humidity from the days before was gone.  This triathlon is called Shoreman and is a half iron distance, but last year they added a Quartermann distance.  Its a bit of an odd distance though: 0.6 mile swim, 36.65 mile bike, and a 6.5 mile run (so a bit bike heavy).

The race was in a small lake.  I guess it had red cedar in it because it was the weirdest water I've ever swam in.  It was pitch black and the only thing you could see were your own arms which looked red.  So it was kind of like swimming in blood.  Gross.  But the water was warm and shallow.  I saw lots of people standing up during the race!  Anyway, the race got started a little late and we had to wait for 3 waves of half swimmers to go by a few times.  When it was our turn to start the entire heat of quarterman triathletes (about 100) started at the same time so it was the most swimming contact I've had in a while.  I never really settled in to the swim because of the crazy start but my time getting out was 18 minutes.  

Transition was a bit slow because the run to the bike was over a dirt path that was rocky and then I had to get sand off my feet.  I think it was around 3 minutes.

The bike course was flat fast and shady, but also super boring.  There was no crowd support and very little athlete support.  My first loop averaged 19.0mph but the second loop dropped me down to 18.7.  Overall I'm happy with that average but just disappointed I slowed down so much on that second loop.

T2 was uneventful, although I made a big mistake by leaving behind my socks for the run....

I didn't realized the run would be on an unpaved trail with a lot of loose sand so my feet are totally ripped up now.  I felt like crap on the run and was running pretty slow for me.  I got passed by someone in my age group about 3 miles in but she didn't continue to pull away.  With about a mile left, I gave it all I had and passed her!  My average on the run was 9:20.  I can definitely do better than that.

My final time was 3:30 but its hard to judge since it was such an odd distance.  Here's the best part though...........I WON MY AGE GROUP!!!  I got a really cool pilsner glass for my award too

Obviously I'm happy with placing but I think I was just tired coming off a peak week of training so I feel like I could have done better for myself.  This week is actually a recovery week and then I have a sprint on Sunday so hopefully I'll feel better for that and be able to keep up a more consistent pace.

[trigal]

Nice job! Congrats on the AG win!

[joenali]

Nice work! Sounds like a fun race!

[mrs.jacinthe]

Congrats on the AG win! That's ridiculously awesome!

Also, I know it's iron/tannin that makes cedar water, but I'm not 100% sure I'm okay with red water. And I consider myself pretty ok with most water conditions.

[juliabug]

That is an unusual distance! Congratulations on your win!

[bostonmichelle]

Congratulations!!

[Susie]

Which lake was it? I did a tri at Belleplain State Park once, and the water was kind of like that. I wasn't a huge fan either.

[sadlebred]

Congratulations on the win!!

[kams]

That's fantastic. An AG win is huge, but on peak week? Badass.

That water sounds so freaky. can you imagine being a first timer in blood water?!

[sassystace]

Congrats! You did awesome, you AG group winner, you!

[emilyj]

Congratulations! That's awesome!

[shorewife]

Jul 27, 2015 14:12:23 GMT -5 Susie said:

Which lake was it? I did a tri at Belleplain State Park once, and the water was kind of like that. I wasn't a huge fan either.

It was Egg Harbor Lake.  I think it must be a south jersey/pine barrens thing?

[shorewife]

Jul 27, 2015 14:29:28 GMT -5 kams said:

That's fantastic. An AG win is huge, but on peak week? Badass.

That water sounds so freaky. can you imagine being a first timer in blood water?!

Thanks!  Yeah a woman was pretty upset about panicking in it on the Women for Tri facebook page.  

[cinco]

Congrats on the AG win! That is fantastic!

[ktzmoh]

That's so fantastic! And holy speed demon on the bike!! Nice work (despite the blood water - nasty)

[al320]

Congrats!

[Deleted]

Congrats!

[CallingAllAngels]

That's fantastic!! Congrats!

[hannahb]

Congrats!

[thom]

Ahhh- congrats on the AG win!! What an awesome outcome for you.

P.S. - the red water would freak me out. Way to be tough.

[irene adler]

Yay! Way to go!!

[wawa]

Jul 27, 2015 15:24:01 GMT -5 shorewife said:

Jul 27, 2015 14:12:23 GMT -5 Susie said:

Which lake was it? I did a tri at Belleplain State Park once, and the water was kind of like that. I wasn't a huge fan either.

It was Egg Harbor Lake.  I think it must be a south jersey/pine barrens thing?

Yeah all the lakes down there are like that. My extended family all live down there and I've been to belleplain to swim a ton of times. (Lake nummy!)

It tAkes a little getting used to.

[kams]

Jul 27, 2015 15:24:51 GMT -5 shorewife said:

Jul 27, 2015 14:29:28 GMT -5 kams said:

That's fantastic. An AG win is huge, but on peak week? Badass.

That water sounds so freaky. can you imagine being a first timer in blood water?!

Thanks!  Yeah a woman was pretty upset about panicking in it on the Women for Tri facebook page.  

Yeah, I can imagine the panick factor being a bit higher, but it's no fault of the race. That's tough.