Auburn Sprint Triathlon - May 22, 2011

Last Sunday was the Auburn Triathlon.  I wasn't sure if I was going to race until Wednesday. I am sure glad that I did, because the event was a lot of fun. The event was produced by former pro triathlete Brad Kearn; and his team did an amazing job.  The volunteers were excellent. They ran traffic control on the streets during the bike leg and did a great job keeping the riders safe.  This was a two transition area event, which can be problematic; but the organizers did a super job with the logisitics involved with two transitions. T2 was nicely setup and my run gear was safe overnight. Likewise, after the event my swim gear arrived from T1 safe and sound. I was also impressed with the post race food - Chipotle taco and mini Jamba Juice for athletes. Very cool!

I did the sprint distance event, 1k swim, 30k bike, and 7k run. They also had a half-iron distance, a mini tri, and a duathlon at the same time.  It was great having an event like this close to home.  Since T1 and T2 were at separate locations, I rode my bike up to T2 and setup my run gear on Saturday evening.  On race morning I parked my car at T2/finish, packed my swim gear into a small bag and rode my bike 7 miles to the start/T1.  It was mostly downhill, but actually was a very nice warmup.  Unfortunately, I did manage to lose my sunglasses between my car and T1.


The swim venue was very scenic and felt very remote even though it was close to town. It was tucked away in a finger of Folsom Lake at Rattlesnake Bar with large canyon walls looming above us. I can't say much about the swim that I haven't said before.  Once again, I continue to see swimmers swimming well off course.  I can't overemphasize the importance of proper sighting and a picking a good line. A good line and proper sighting can save you MINUTES and LOTS of energy. I am absolutely amazed by how many people I see swimming 50 to 100 yards off course. We work so hard on getting faster in the pool, but its wasted if we are not taking the shortest distance between the buoys. If I had three swim tips that I would give to triathletes they would be all related to staying on course:


1. Wear goggles that allow you to see. This one is tough for me because of my inner swim snob. I have to confess that I used to wear "socket rocket" goggles and looked down on swimmers that wore goggles that looked more like masks. In open water swimming you have to be able to see where you are headed and what's around you.  If that means that you have to wear a bigger goggle that is more "masklike," then so be it. Also, think about the tint on your goggles. There are all different colors of lenses so make sure you pick one that allows you to see the most. I used to utilize smoke lenses for really sunny events and clear for more overcast days or early mornings. Now I find myself exclusively using clear. The smoke ones cut the glare but they didn't allow me to see more because they were so dark.  Experiment to see what works for you, but I recommend a lighter tint.


2. Know the course.  There are usually two types of buoys - line buoys and turning buoys. Make sure you know which are which and if you are supposed to keep the buoys on your left or right side. Your goal here is to swim in a straight line between the turning buoys - DO NOT rely on the line buoys. Walk the shore and locate all the buoys. Get in the water and check the sight lines starting and finishing.  Swim out a ways and identify objects on the far shore that can aid in sighting from the start to the first corner buoy.  Similarly, swim backwards on the course for a few hundred yards and check the sight line as you head towards the swim finish. Using this information plan the quickest route around the buoys and think about how sharp you need to turn at each buoy. 45 degrees? 90 degrees? Keep in mind that the shortest route may require you to start all the way to one side of the starting chute


3. Sight regularly. Do NOT follow the kyaks or support craft and do NOT rely solely on other swimmers. If you prepared as I described in tip 2 above, then trust yourself. Support craft are there to help distressed swimmers, not guide you. It is true that they often position themselves to keep people from swimming off course, but they are usually well off the optimum line. Also, do not blindly follow a pack of swimmers. I'm sure everyone has heard the saying about the blind leading the blind; the same goes for open water swimming. I've seen an entire pack of swimmers head off for a line buoy, not realizing that it wasn't in a straight line with the turning buoy. While they were heading way off course, myself and a few others took the shorter line and gained an easy 25 to 50 yard advantage.  The essence is to sight enough to make sure you are always heading in the shortest direction. Its hard to explain how to sight. You really need to practice in the open water or in a pool with no lane lines. My technique is to take a quick peek as my head comes out or back in when I breathe. There are other ways. My point is to practice whatever method you choose and remember to do it in the race. When its really hard to see the buoys because of glare, splashing, and/or other swimmers don't be afraid of doing breaststroke for a few strokes until you are sure that you've accurately sighted the next buoy and plotted your course.  Be careful not to make a habit of it, but once or twice during the swim probably won't hurt you too much. Bottom line is that you need to be able to see the buoy to know that you are headed in the right direction.

Getting back to my race report, my swim felt pretty good. I got a good position at the start, I drafted when I could, and I didn't work that hard.  I came out of the water feeling fresh for the run to T1 and in 2nd place in my age group and 9th overall.

No problems in T1 and I was off on the bike. The first third of the bike was a big climb from the lake up to Auburn with a couple really steep switchbacks (800 feet of climbing in 6 miles). I didn't go easy but I didn't go all out.  I tried to save some energy so I could really go hard after the course flattened a bit.  Consequently, I did get passed by two people in my age group on the first third of the course. I remember the second guy going past and I tried to stay with him. I must've forgotten my climbing legs because I could not hang on to him. I feel like I really crushed the last two thirds of the bike course.  I was bombing down hills and made a few passes.  I had the 4th fastest bike split in my age group and 38th overall.

I flew through T2 and was off on the run.  The run was on the same roads and trails that I usually use for my weekend run. The course knowledge really helped me to pace.  The course was very scenic and had a nice view of the American River Canyon. It was a nice mix of trails, gravel road, and paved roads - all closed to traffic. I felt really good and only got passed by a couple of people who weren't in my age group. My run split was 4th in my age group and 46th overall.  I was pleasantly surprised by my 8:17 min/mile pace for the 7k.


After the event I went home, ate lunch, and changed clothes - one of the benefits of attending an event so close to home.  I also checked the results from last year and realized that my time would have put me in third in my age group last year.  Feeling a bit excited at that prospect, the boys and I headed back to the finish to check results and pick up my swim gear that they trucked up from T1.  I was a little disappointed when I found that finished 4th in my age group, just 1:30 out of a podium spot.  It's tough to keep in perspective that this is still a great result for me.  Total time of 2:04:07, 4th in age group, 26th overall.  Results are here.  Some pictures at Facchino Photography.