2014 Tuesday Night Time Trial Summary and Look Back at Previous Years (Started in 2006)

To begin with, I started doing TNT in 2006 and have done at least 2 a year since then.  Doing 7 of 8 races on 2 occasions and all 8 only one year, this year.  I have completed a total of 48 TNTs.  The first year I did them on my Lemond Sarthe, road bike with clip-on aero-bars, and in 2007 started using a tri-bike, my current 2006 QR Seduza.

Below are all my results for TNT starting in 2006.  I have done other TTs during this time, but I have not included those results.  In 2014, the course was totally different than the previous years.  This year it was longer, 13 miles instead of 11 miles, and a loop, instead of out and back.  I would argue that this course is much more challenging, not only because of the distance, but because it has more hills\climbs on it.

I think that the new course requires a little more patience at the beginning, because there are two climbs, one of them longer, on the beginning stretch that head north, before you turn east (ish).  If you go out too fast, I think you can really blow up.  The old out and back course, had 5, or 6, cannot remember, defined hills to climb, since it was out and back you went up and down the same hills.  On this course, since it is a loop, you don't go up and down the same hills.  The climbs on the new course seem more frequent, and there are a number of shorter, steeper, climbs.

I think that this is probably my best training ride during the triathlon season.  Almost all of the bike courses on triathlons in the area are at the same level, or easier, than the TT course.  It makes for a really good workout. Combined with the fact that I usually do a run immediately after the TT, it also makes for a really good brick workout. 

Most of the people who do this race are serious, very serious, cyclists.  Many of them race bikes and they are fast.  As you can tell by where I finish, I am not competitive.  For me, this is purely training, and lets me know where I am in my bike fitness.

2008 was my fastest year.  On the old course I was never able to get back to that speed after my stress fracture.  This year was my fastest year on the bike in triathlon, hard to say if it would have been my fastest year on the old course.  Considering that my average speed this year, was about the same as last year, and it was longer and more difficult, I would like to think I was faster this year :)

Hopefully, they keep the same course next year.  I would like to be able to evaluate my performance year after year.

2006 TNT Results (Lemond Sarthe)
Last place and almost last place, gotta start somewhere

2007 TNT Results (First Year on Tri Bike)

2008 TNT Results (Fastest Year)

2009 TNT Results (Reversed Course Year, Recovering from Stress Fracture)

2010 TNT Results

2011 TNT Results

2012 TNT Results (Reversed Course Year, I think)

2013 TNT Results

2014 TNT Results (New Course)



August 2014 Racing and Training Summary

August was probably one of the best\fastest months I have ever had in triathlon.  I did two Olympic distance races and one sprint.  The two Olympic races (USAT AG Nationals and Maple Grove) were my fastest Olympic distance races, ever, and the sprint I did (Lake Marion) was not one of my fastest, but I dropped my time from last year on the same course.  

August was also the last Tuesday Night Time Trial of the year.  I will have a separate post for an "analysis" of my TT results from this year, with comparisons to last year.
Also, I will do a separate posts of my triathlon results, and duathlon results, from this year and previous years.

I am done with triathlons for the year.  I am going to do one duathlon.  As always, for the 9th year in a row, 8th as an individual, I am going to do the Dousman Duathlon.  The race is late this year, Oct 4.  Usually it is middle of September.  I am trying to continue to train at a level that will allow me to race at a high level.  See how September goes. 

Also, I am doing the Salomon Autumn Trail Running Series this year.  I did all 4 races last year, and 2 the previous year.

As far as August goes, my bike and run were about the same as the last two years, but down from years prior.  Swim was down from previous years.  I would argue, as I have previously, that my intensity is up, and I am getting a little more recovery, which I think is helping me race faster.

I am very, very happy with how things went in August, and I am beyond happy with how my whole triathlon season has gone this year.  I am kind of sad to see it come to an end.



Year-to-Year August Comparison

Totals and Averages Since 2007

Year-to-Date Totals and Total Since 2007

 

2014 Maple Grove Triathlon Race Report

This is the 5th Anniversary of the Maple Grove Triathlon, and it was my 5th time at this race.  All 5 times completing the Olympic distance.
I went into this race with some of my fastest times I have ever raced.  I was hoping to continue the trend.

This race is challenging.  Mostly because of the run course.  The bike course is not easy, but there are more challenging bike courses around.  The run is hilly and doesn't have a lot of shade, in the past it has been sunny, hot, and humid.   I was expecting the same.  Turned out this was the best weather yet.  It was cloudy the whole time, it was humid, not terrible, but still could feel it.  No sun out really helped.  There was some wind, and it was a relief.  At times it made the bike more challenging.  Again, there had been wind out that was worse.

This year they got the swim distance fixed.  Last year they went extra long.  This year, back to correct distance, or at least close enough. It was foggy on the swim.  The swim is a basically a rectangle.  When you were going parallel to the shore, out far, you could not see the shore due to the fog.  Also, could not see the markers.  Not bad enough to cause problems on the swim, just a little strange. 
Due to construction, the bike course was shortened to a more normal Olympic distance, a little under 25 miles, as opposed to the usual 26 miles.  No fog on the bike course. 
I came out of the swim feeling pretty good.  Went out on the bike at a pretty good clip, trying to be a little aggressive.  I have a co-worker who does triathlons, Tim, and he was doing this race.  We went back and forth on the bike a couple times.  It was nice to have someone out there that I know and that we were challenging each other a little bit.  The only issue on the bike course were 2-3 idiots who were drafting, riding side-by-side, and just riding dumb.  They were blocking and all kinds of stuff, really irritating.  Tim commented on them after the race, he was equally annoyed with them.
Coming off the bike, I was doing really well, but this run can be a killer.  I felt ok coming off the bike.  The run out of transition is up a decent hill.  Long, steep at first, flattens a little, then steepens again.  One of many inclines on this two loop course.  I decide to come out a little slower and try to go up the hill slightly slower and steadier than previous.  I tried to concentrate on my stride and cadence.  It seemed to work.  I saw a number of people on the course that I know, which was nice.  The run seemed to go by faster, because it did go by faster.  It was my fastest run ever on this course.  It was my fastest overall time on this course.

Also, I got to meet a someone I am Facebook friends with, but had never met in person.  His name is Brian and he seems like a pretty good guy.  He recognized me first.  It is always nice to meet new people at a race.

Distance\Time correction for each year, to match 2014 time. 2013 swim and bike corrected, all other years corrected for bike only.
2014 = 1:26:55
2013 = 1:38:00
2012 = 1:33:45
2011 = 1:31:25
2010 = 1:33:29

Time corrected, it was my fastest time by over four and a half minutes and eleven minutes faster than 2013.

2014 Maple Grove Triathlon Results
Swim (1640yards) = 25:28 (1:33/100 yards, fastest swim)
T1 = 3:22
Bike (24.8mi) = 1:07:34 (22 MPH, fastest bike split at this race)
T2 = 1:27
Run (6.2mi) = 49:05 (7:55/mi, fastest run split at this race)
Total = 1:26:55
Overall = 74/392
AG = 19/58
Overall Pace = 4:36/mi

2013 Maple Grove Triathlon Results
Swim (1640yards?) = 32:27 (2:03/100 yards)  - This was NOT 1.5Km (~0.9mi)!
Corrected to 1968 yards = 1:40/100 yards
T1 = 3:39
Bike (26mi) = 1:16:01 (20.6MPH, slowest bike split at this race)
T2 = 1:10
Run (6.2mi) = 54:05 (8:43/mi, slowest run split at this race)
Total = 1:47:47
Overall = 120/438
AG = 23/62
Overall Pace = 4:45/mi

2012 Maple Grove Triathlon Results
Swim (1640yards) = 28:26 (1:48/100 yards)
T1 = 1:57
Bike (26mi) = 1:13:14 (21.2MPH)
T2 = 0:54
Run (6.2mi) = 52:12 (8:25/mi)
Total = 1:37:09
Overall = 103/367
AG = 18/47
Overall Pace = 4:45/mi

2011 Maple Grove Triathlon Results
Swim (1640yards) = 27:29 (1:44/100 yards)
T1 = 2:26
Bike (26mi) = 1:13:32 (21.2MPH)
T2 = 1:12
Run (6.2mi) = 50:15 (8:06/mi)
Total = 1:34:49
Overall = 44/216
AG = 9/33
Overall Pace = 4:41/mi

2010 Maple Grove Triathlon Results
Swim (1640yards) = 27:23 (1:43/100 yards)
T1 = 2:27
Bike (26mi) = 1:13:12 (21.3MPH)
T2 = 1:03
Run (6.2mi) = 52:49 (8:32/mi)
Total = 1:36:54
Overall = 31/167
AG = 3/22
Overall Pace = 4:44/mi