Honolulu Triathlon (Summary)

Norm and Tri Bro Matt

Everyone needs a picture at the advertisement sign. 

The swim was a blast.. I had trouble breathing because I could not keep from smiling.  The bumping, pushing and roll over's all added to the fun.  I felt strong and was having the time of my life.

The Bike was a cool experience that I can build on for the next race. I really put a number of thing together this time that improved T1. A great deal of change to the bike as well.  

The run.. Well I again I really need to work on my run.  Let's look at the numbers and figure out how I'm going to tweak the training schedule in the next two months.

I came in 27th out of 76 people.. M45 to 49.   29.30 swim, 1.10.33 Bike and a 56.36 Run.

T1 was the 7th fastest and T2 was the 13th fastest.  Pretty happy here.

What is needed to push myself up the scale for the next race.

I beat number 20 out of the water and in the bike but he ran a 6.94 mile.  Fast really fast run

I beat number 21 out of the water and in the bike but he ran a 7.26 mile. Still out of my range unless I get bionic legs.

I beat number 24 out of the water and in the bike but he ran a 8.23 mile.

Now this I can do.. I'm sure of it.

Running - Lots of Bricks, more regular runs and some coaching on my running style. Hills as well.  Shoes are good. I just need to build the legs and form.  Regular runs on Tuesday with HI Runners.

Swimming- will continue to improve because I'm really going to hit the pool and focus on drills in the next two months. Also I tend to migrate to the water after work just to relax.  Nothing like a 1500 to clear the head.  

Biking- its much harder for me because of the daylight issues and my trainer just died. (not a person a device) We are heading into summer so the days will be longer so that will help. The hills are on my list for the weekends. Pineapple roads. 8 miles of up.

Weight- I managed to drop 20 lbs in 4 months..  Could I drop more and still remain strong. I think so    This will be a focus in the next two months. 1 lbs a week would equal 8 lbs before the Tinman Olympic Tri. 8 lbs less to swim, bike and run with should yield a fast time.  Providing I do it right and not all at once.

What to do in the next few days. Nothing. I need a week to reflect and catch up on family life. Veg.. Work.   I will keep reading and looking for ways to go faster.. Now I know that a 2:39 total time in the big picture is really nothing, but it was way better than I expected and it put a big smile on my face. Workouts take time, and the Kids have been forced into Norm's Triathlon boot camp on Saturdays. Getting a teen(s) out of bed early on Saturday is hard enough but I'm taking it one step further. I'm asking them to get into cold water as well. Not always pretty... I couldn't do any of this without the support of family,friends and coworkers.    I have to say this is the most fun I've had in along time... I have to take my hat off to Sonja for jump starting my desire to (Tri) again. 

Honolulu Triathlon (Run)

Run Forest Run... Ha ha.



The run yes the run.. Where were we... Yes High 5 my brother inlaw Jason and off I go for 6.2 miles of roads, sidewalks and board walks.  This run goes through 3 different parks and down an ocean front boardwalk.  As usual I'm passed by a number of people because the legs will not kick into gear. I keep talking to myself, trying to get something to work and work fast. At the about the 1 mile marker I come across a Micronesian family sitting on a table watching everyone run by.  I greet  them in their language and they are surprised but warmly greet me back.  I continue on from one park into Kakaako park and into the first water stop.  I try to choke down my first perpetum solid and ended up with a big ball of perpetum in my mouth that I could not swallow or chew or dispose of.  It just kind of stayed there like some mortar for brown tile on your floor. I couldn't wait for the next water stop to wash it down and get a fresh breath of air.  At the next water stop I tried to walk, drink, chew and swallow.   Better but not to good.  I had one more left along with a few more E tabs but this was not working.  I decide to abandon my run fueling strategy and just hit the sports drink at every water stop and run to the finish.   Good move as I felt better and wasted less time dealing with the solids.  Next time I going with jells and E Tabs... Wash it all down with water and go.

The run seemed like it would never end.  Running, Running god this park is longer than I remember. I did take a few moments to look out at the ocean as I passed by and that sure helped.  Once I turned down the straight next to transition I spotted the whole family on the fence cheering. This really picked my spirits and I ran faster.

I picked it up and passed him later. Cheering does give you power

The Cheering Section. Grace, Yoko, Joshua, Kiara, Ti , Mark and Jason,

In this picture you can see a big tent in the forground, to get there you need to run around the park and come at it from the other ocean side.  The crowd at the finish line was big and loud.  The japanese groups are super fun to be around because of all the energy the put into the sport. At one point before the finish there was a group of 20 who all has thier hands out for the Hi 5 as you run by.  " go ""go ""almost there run"" run".  It really made the last part of the run enjoyable.   I crossed the finish line and was greeted by Jason and Kyle with the Video camera.  What a great race. After a few cups of sports drink it was back on the course to cheer on the other runner and my Tri Bro Matt.

Matt taking a shower before the finish.  Wouldn't want to smell now.

Go Matt go.... Matt burned it up a the end what a finish...

Cool looking finishing metal. Cooler looking Wife.

Our Family friend Yoko came to cheer.

Honolulu Triathlon (Bike)

The bike is a 24 mile ride from Ala Moana Park through town and out to the Arizona Memorial and back with a dog leg out along Lagoon drive by the airport.  Pretty flat so it was fast and it was easy to push big gears.  I was cautious and tried to keep the cadence up because the last race I pushed big gears for most of the ride and had no legs to run on. Around downtown I  stated to catch up with the previous waves and found a lady riding on an ISM seat.  I have been looking at this seat to combat blue balls and wanted to know what it was like.  Not wanting to let this opportunity for a product review get away I asked her how she liked it. She stated she loved it.  With the review over I pulled on. The ride to the turn around was pretty cool as its not to often you get the opportunity to ride in the middle of the road through downtown.  At the turn around I started trading places with a lady from the previous wave. She was riding a new set of carbon fiber wheels with carbon fiber spokes to boot.  Each passing between us was followed by a comment. " Head winds only on your side"  " Need a power jell" etc.  We traded places for 10 miles until a near accident by a crazy rider split us up.   Not sure what he was doing but he almost took a spill and took some other rider with him.  My Italian friend that took a spill at the transition came riding by and we discuss the pile up a little. He was muttering a few Italian words under his breath so I can only imagine that his comments were not good. The ride seemed to last only minutes because the next thing I knew Ala Moana shopping center was approaching.  I reached down and unstrapped my shoes making sure not to catch my toes in anything and road on into T2.    This time the bike rack was mostly empty so finding my place was pretty easy.  Racked the bike, Off with the helmet, On with the running shoes and I'm strapping my number belt as I run.  Love those shoe speed laces.  T2 time was 1.19 ok but could be faster. 13 other people got out faster than I did so this will be an area to pratices.   I didn't wear socks on the bike and the feet feel fine. I'm wondering about the run because I had problem last race with my old running shoes rubbing a good size hole in my ankle.  The thought fades away as I run past my brother in law Jason who is cheering me on.   Where did Grace and the kids go I wondered, maybe they are out on the run course.

Honolulu Triathlon (Swim)

 What a an excellent morning for a swim.  I guess 1300 other people felt the same way.   The excitement of getting ready to swim in a big group is hard to put in word but I'm going to try.

Wave 1 Starts.

Because the groups are so big the starts are in waves.

6AM Wave 1 Male 34 and under

6:03 Wave 2 Male 34 to 39

6:06 Wave 3 Female 39 and Under

6:09 Wave 4 Male 40 to 49  (My Wave)

6:12 Wave 5 Female 40 and Over

6:18 Wave 6 Male 50 and Over.



Wave 4 (My Wave) Preparing to Start

As each wave goes the other wave get into the chute and prepares to go. Last race I started in the back, not knowing better and ended up climbing over people and getting kicked.  I was not going to make this mistake again.  I was standing right at the edge of the entry so I could make my way up to the front as my wave was called.  I ended up about 4 deep from the front which was a good position. The race director was getting everyone fired up by repeatedly yelling "Are you ready" Swimmers would reply  " Yes" "HI" "Let do it"  Race director "20 seconds are you ready"  Screams from everyone including the crowd. Race director "5 Second are you ready"  Total uproar.   Race Director  " Go"  for my wave this 78 people entered the water with splash.   I had a good entry had to dolphin 2 times to get into good water.  It was the same as before a crazy jam of bodies all trying all to get ahead, but this time it was different  I had a plan.  I pop my head up and looked for a fast swimmer in the clear and gave it everything I had to catch him.  I followed his bubbles keeping right on his feet for a good 500 meters then as he started to slow I look for another swimmer and did the same until the turn around.  I started seeing swimmer left over from the previous wave bobbing in the water some gasping for air because they tired and others with the rescue boards helping them.  I felt for them but knew they were in good hands. About 200 meters after the turn I started noticing people running into the next wave of people head on.  I thought, oh great that's a good way to get knocked out.  At this point I took a good tall look at the course and change my angle to make sure I stayed well clear of the oncoming swimmers.  I was hunting and drafting from person to person and having a blast.  This was an excellent swim and I was totally enjoying it.  Goggle not fogging, everything flowing, Legs felt great.  As we neared the finish of the swim the field started to narrow and it started to get crowded again. We started to run into the slow swimmer from the previous waves and this really made it tight.  I had a number of times when there were swimmer on both sides of me and there was contact every stroke.  I was even pushing them away from me on every stroke.   I was starting to get crowded in and it was pissing me off.  Then a trick my Tri Bro Matt showed me came to mind. Roll over the back feet of the one crowding you and dig really hard. They will look to see what heck just happened and you will be long gone.  It worked and worked great. I think I started having fun with it because I tryed it 4 more times before the swim finished.  Not good for swim times but entertaining.

 I'm in the back trying to get the darn swim cap off.

I  found out later it was my best swim time ever. 29:30 

My best on record for a 1500 meter was 33.10. I guess all the drafting an roll over's did pay off.

So it's up the beach and into T1. In the sea of bike it's really easy to run down the wrong lane. I was aware of this and precounted the lanes before the race started.
So here I'm talking to myself.  " Lane 1 ok, Lane 2 ok, Lane 3, Lane 4 and ok here we go lane 5, Was it turn on lane 5 or after lane 5 Crap I don't remember."  It was before and not after so I needed to do a little (s) turn about 1/2 way down the lane because there was a tree in the way.
In the past I have always put my bike shoes on during the transition and then ran to the mount area then road away clicking in my shoes as fast as possible. With my new tri shoes that have only one strap I'm leaving them on the peddles and strapping them as I ride. So here we go from the start.  Run into T1 drop the goggles and the carrot colored swim cap on my mat in the specified place. On with the glasses, On with the helmet, unrack the bike gently so you don't dump the 5 other bikes on the same rack,  Run for your life to the mounting area. At the mounting area I witnessed a 4 bike pile up because, if you put your shoes on during the transition you must look down to click in to the peddles.  If you have 4 bikes riders all doing this at the same time no one is looking forward for other bikes. One of the rider was an Italian guy that I met at the last tri and he went down hard. I thought to myself I hope this does not end his race.  I navigated this mess and decide not to get into my shoes until I was well clear of transition and on a straight road. I was so happy to get out of this without a problem that I just rode and sucked on my bottle for a good 1/4 mile before looking around and then reaching down and pulling my shoes on. Riding on the top of your shoes is much better than having the pavement for breakfast.  I will never go back to putting my shoes on in transition. 

The sea of Bikes. Which one is mine...

T1 time was 1.44 (Only 7 people in my age group did it faster) I need to have someone film the number one guy next time.  His T1 time was 1:15.  I don't even think I can run from beginning of transition to the mounting area in that time. Forget getting the bike and helmet....