andy reagan only the interesting stuff

3Sports Triathlon

I had an awesome weekend travelling to Richmond with Stefanie and Chad, and staying with Grayson to compete in the 3Sports Triathlon.  The course was flat and fast, allowing Stefanie and I to PR for a sprint placing 2nd and 3rd in our age groups, with Grayson taking the overall win!! Results: http://www.setupevents.com/files/3Sports_AGMen_2011.html

Swim

Again a pool swim, although much more hectic than Christiansburg. At a YMCA, the pool was 25 meters long, and we did a snake course through the whole pool.  The biggest difference was the width of the lanes, which was barely wide enough for two people (going opposite directions), which made passing in the open very difficult.  I didn't actually pass anyone at all.  Regardless, I survived this worst-of-leg of the triathlon, and headed for my bike.

Bike

Setting up for the triathlon the day before, I spent quite some time making sure that the mats lining the long jog to the bike were straight, and it was nice to not have to run like a drunk person to avoid hitting the gravel barefoot.  I put my biking shoes and helmet on, and took off running with my bike.  I also threw a spare tube and tire lever in my back pocket, just in case I had a flat I could still finish the race.

The third time is not the charm for getting on the bike correctly, as Chad graciously shouted whilst I attempted to hop on the bike directly in front of the mount line... but regardless I got going eventually.  It felt infinitely better to be on my own bike, although it would've been sweet to have bar end shifters again.  About a mile out, we crossed a torn up road, and I made sure to bunny hop the sharp edge on the other side.  You may wonder, did Andy leave his aero position for a mid-turn bunny hop? The answer is a resounding no.  I didn't leave my aero position the entire race except to shift and move my helmet up periodically with my right hand.  And once I got in the drops to power up a hill.  The course was very very gently rolling, and I felt like I was going fast, but struggling with having the power on the crests, too much running... Turns out my avg speed was a meager 22mph, but hey I'll take it.

Aero!

But not quite like this, I'd been looking at this picture on the way down to set up my bike ha.

Coming into transition, I was again way too fast, and coming up to 20ft from the dismount line at 20MPH after railing the corner wasn't ideal. As I performed a reverse (right side) cyclocross dismount, I locked my rear wheel and slid up the dismount line. Wish I had that on video, a locked disc wheel dismount!  I didn't realize until after the race that my disc wheel cover, which had been graciously loaned to me by Tyler Gorney, had come unclipped in two places.  I'm hoping it was during the skid, and not the race, but either way didn't matter much.

Getting ready for the run felt like it took me forever, and the second transistion was the part of my race that I am least happy with. We spend many hours training for the sports, I should've spent 30min practicing transition at some point. Grayson's transitions were together 1:36 faster than mine, and I would've been at exactly an hour. Chad apparently yelled at me to stop lighting a campfire or something haha.

Run

My legs were hurting on the bike, so I was worried about the run, especially considering my past two experiences with running in triathlons (both terrible).  But somehow, my legs felt strong as soon as I got going (which, took a long time).  I put down the first mile at sub-7 pace and was feeling great.  In fact, the only person who passed me was doing a relay (they didn't swim or bike, so doesn't count).  He was freakin hauling, and maybe I should've pushed myself to keep up. Being conservative, I held my comfortable barely sub-7 pace for the remainder, ramping it up for the finish.

Actually running

Across the line!

Overall

I finished 3rd place in my age category, with a first in my age category in the bike.  Overall, not as impressive, a 32nd overall with 20th overall bike.  I just looked at female results, and unfortunately, I got chicked as well (1 on the bike, 2 overall...).

I left my award in the Setup Events truck after tearing down, so Kevin should be mailing it to me soon! It's a picture frame, and I'm hoping that we get a picture from one of the photographers on course for free to put in it? Not sure, hope there's a good pic if there is.

As I was tearing down, two noteworthy things happened.  I could hear from the awards tent my number called, so I ran over there to see what was up.  They were giving out door prizes I think, but I went up the guy with the mic, and they gave me the mic, but I'm not sure what for.  I didn't know what was going on, so I was about to start thanking my friends and family for this great honor, but they realized I was working the event and gave the prize to someone else.  Idk what it was haha.  Also, Chad found a pair of white frame, black lense oakleys left in the transition area.  They were in pretty rough shape, but unless someone claims them, they're mine for now! Wore them to work today lol.

The ride back to BBurg was good (I drove the whole weekend) and Stefanie got the gas so a big thanks to her!

Here's a picture of Grayson laying down the fatest bike leg, and Stefanie out on the run course:

And now, back to work!

TriAdventure Summer Sprint: Race Report

I had an awesome time setting up for, and racing this triathlon two weeks ago. It was lots of fun, and I felt like I had days worth of activity accomplished by 8:30AM.

Second place in age group!

Part I: Finding a bicycle

After my best finish in Wednesday Worlds to date (second!), my SRAM Rival shifter broke as I crested Harding.  With the triathlon on Sunday, and not actually being sure that was shifter was broken until I took it to the shop on Friday, I had to scramble to find a bike.

Luckily, the triathlon team has a bike that was donated to them that I was cool to use.  So, I went over to their house and grabbed it Friday night, and cleaned it up real nice (it was gross, took four rags to get the grease off).  It wasn't until Saturday, however, that I went to put my own pedals and seat on it.  And that's where the trouble was.  One of the pedals was stripped out, and I couldn't get it off.  So, I took it to East Coasters to see if they could.  And they couldn't.  Ran into Christian at the bike shop and we gave it another shot at his house, to no avail.  By this point, it was completely stripped.  I called Chrissy and she said the pedals on it were no ones, so I went to Lowes and bought some cobalt drill bits to drill out the pedal axle.  They're supposed to go through hardened steel, but after an hour of drilling and little progress, I gave that up.  Lucky again, Alex Brown had his triathlon bike that I could use.  So I went on got that, and he even had Zipp 404 wheels! Sweet.  After switching the pedals, and raising the seat, I had a bike that would work.  Alex is tall, but not 6'4", so the bike was too small but with racing wheels, it was a nice bike to borrow.

Part II: Working PPU

SetUp Events puts on this triathlon series, and VT Tri Team has connections with them get "comp entry." Basically, you work packet pick up (PPU), set up for the race, or tear down and you get to race for free. Sweet!  So Saturday I spent five or so hours handing out race packets (goodie bags and numbers for the race).

Part III: Waking up at 4:30AM

Quite possibly the most difficult part of a sprint triathlon that starts at 7AM.  I stumbled over to the race as early as I could:

Part IV: Pre-race jitters

Not that I ever get nervous before racing, but the VT Tri Team instilled fear in hearts of our collegiate competition.  Everyone was in the pool with five minutes until the swim, and the VT team got together and chanted:

"Hoki, Hoki, Hoki, Hy.
Techs, Techs, V.P.I.
Sola-Rex, Sola-Rah.
Polytechs - Vir-gin-ia.
Rae, Ri, V.P.I."

Followed by a "let's go!!" then "hokies!!" a few times right up until the race started.

Part V: The swim

Perhaps the least enjoyable part of any triathlon race, I surprised myself by starting near the front and actually passing a few people.  We all lined up on two sides of this huge pool, and were to swim 8 down and backs of the 50 meter length.  The starts were every 10 seconds, so as soon the person in front of you goes, you hop in the water and you're off before your goggles are adjusted.  At least in my case.

Part VI: T1

Coming out of the water disoriented from a 400m swim, I stumbled to into the transition area right behind Chrissy, who had started at the same time as me on the other side of the pool.  She's right on my left:

After I had my shoes and helmet on, I grabbed my bike off the rack.  Since this is what I have been doing every single day for a year now before class, my natural instinct was to hop on and ride away.  And that's what I tried to do! It wasn't until I reached the chip timing pad at the end of the area that I remember you aren't allowed to ride in transistion, so I hopped off over the mat.

After the mat, I hopped back on and started to sprint away again.  But, again I was before the mount line, which is the red line spraypainted directly in front of me in the picture below.  Also, take a chance to notice the size of the bike:

Part VII: Cycling

More specifically, time trialing on a tiny bike.  It took me a long time, 2 miles or so, to catch my breath from the swim.  It also had taken me a really long time to pass Chrissy, but I got her.  I was able to pass quite a few people ( including Cortney ), but without any indication of my speed, I felt like I was going pretty slow the whole time.

Part VIII: T2

Only slightly less eventful than my first transition, it begins with a steep downhill into a sharp corner between the cones leading into transition.  As I performed a cyclocross dismount while front braking, the rear wheel hopped off the ground naturally, but as it came back down, there was a nasty metal clank.  After the race, I realized that clank was from the wheel going back into the dropouts, because it was loose!!

Part IX: Running

Coming out of transition into the run involved a large set of stairs, and with No Speak Americano blasting I had no choice but to bound by those smarter races jogging up the stairs.  Announcer Cole Harden from East Coasters said it right: "and it's Andy Reagan flying up the stairs with those long legs, let's see if he can hold that pace." It wasn't until I crossed the hill out of sight that it was apparent I could not hold that pace.

I cramped up worse than I ever had.  I tried running with my hands behind my head to stretch it out and take deep breaths, but it was really really painful.  It got so bad, that I actually had to walk a little.

Cortney passed me, then Chrissy.  They were both encouraging, and I was actually shocked to hear that I'd made it a mile when Chrissy went by.  I started to feel better and picked it up, and after she was 200m in front of me, I was running again.  I spent the rest of the race chasing her, and with the last hill approaching, I had her in my sights.  She knew I was coming, and sprinted up the hill.  It was a long-ish little hill, and I didn't see her again until the top, clasping her knees.  As soon as I saw her I was shouting GOOO CHRISSY GOOOOO and she took off again.  Apparently she had run up so fast, she had to throw up.  Nothing like pushing your body that hard.

After the downhill and through the finish, I was close behind her and was glad I was done running, I needed water.  Here I am trying to get Chrissy before the last hill on the way back:

Part X: Post-race

Mary Kate and her husband Chris came out to support me at a 7AM race which was great, although I was in no condition for hugs.  Being such a local race, it was also cool to be able to watch the finish as people that I know came across.

Even wikipedia made note of my radical facial hair, definitely read this: