TRIATHLON WAS A STUNNING SUCCESS

SUCCESS -- I REALLY AM FASTER WHEN I WEIGH LESS.

Today's triathlon confirms dramatic increase of success is possible when weight loss is achieved. I weighed 228 pounds this morning. I also ran a triathlon.

Numbers from today, roughly:

Swim: 14.52 (146th of 537; 27.2%);
t1: 3:43;
bike: 33:19 (147th of 537; 27.4%) [assertedly 20.0 mph]*;
t2: 1:26
run: (22:53; 243 of 537; 45.3%) [assertedly 7:22 mpm?]**;

OVERALL: 185th of 537 -- top 34.4%
* [if 11.1 mile course, then 20 mph; if the course is 12 miles (and it's not) then I rode 21.6 mph; my fastest bike split ever -- much more likely that I rode approaching 20 mph, as this matches my training times on CT lately. Also, course was completely flat (maybe two 100' rises) -- so it is certainly possible to be at 20 mph. BTW, bike was supposed to be 12 miles, but inexplicably it was something less than 11.33 miles (note: bike computer contains course miles, plus walk to truck, plus walk back up to my apartment; likely disance like 11.1).

** The run course is almost surely short too. It was supposed to be a 5k; if it is than I ran faster than I've run in probably a decade (7:22 min / mile over a 5k); it is probably closer to 2.8 to 3.0 miles, which at 2.8 gives my time at 8:09 mpm, which is probably still seemingly generous. I really wish I had worn my gps unit on the run, it would have made things much easier to see how short it was. I suppose in the next tri I can do it. However, I checked the leading times and 15 minute 5ks appear to be in the apparent range (5 minutes per mile, roughly). I talked to the race director about it and he said he checked the run distance using “his bike and his car.” So, I highly doubt the accuracy of the course unfortunately.

MY PERFORMANCE WITHIN MY AGE GROUP:
I was 24 of 52 in my age group (top 46%). This is pretty good considering prior numbers.

THIS PERFORMANCE COMPARED AGAINST PRIOR PERFORMANCES

In a prior performance of 2 years ago (with identical distances, though over a different course), my numbers were surprisingly slower.

590 of 806 men (top 73.2%) (1808 men and women total);

swim 346/806(top 40.7%);
bike: 488/806; (top 60.5%);
run: 675/806 (top 83.7%).

(Calculation is skewed against me; the results immediately above only describe my performance measured against MEN in the race – and exclude women; while the above numbers are my compared against the ENTIRE field of BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

Nonetheless, the performance increase as measured against my peers has increased for the better: I have increased from top 73% to top 34%. Basically from bottom third to top-third. This is par excellence. I’d like to increase the ascent.

RUNNING

Clearly what helped the most was the ability to instead of being outrun by more than half the crowd, I’m now outrunning more than half of the crowd.

The critical factor in increasing my running speed: Power to weight ratio, i.e., give the same power, and less weight, you will necessarily run faster. That’s precisely what happened here: my weight dropped and, consequently, so did my run times – SIGNIFICANTLY.

It’s exciting to think what kind of age grouper I can become if I can drop more weight and become super competitive, via low body fat. I’m ready to give it a shot.

OVERALL, it is a tremendous effort and culminates weeks of hard work. It just shows what you are capable of doing – and how much further you can go if you can get yourself into that “ab” shape you desire. It seems like, given these results, I could reform myself into a top-10% triathlete. . . which would make me just entirely stoked. .