The run started out FAST. Everyone rabbited up the hill and it was very hard not to follow. I need 1/2 - 1 mile to warm up. Still, I was WAY ahead of my usual pace, so I kept to my strategy and ignored the people that passed.

Train more for running. I need to work on speed. Otherwise, the pace I could hold was really good. I was happy with it.

Slow transition. I really should practice these. I had a good position on the racks too.

At this point, I screwed up my garmin time. I think I hit stop instead of lap, and then start again. Anyway, I think T1 includes all transition and bike. Not sure.

I should have started stripping off my vest that I didn't need while running to the rack. I'll remember that next time.

The course is two loops around the lake. After running a bit faster than usual pace, I knew I better be careful to save a little on the first loop.

I got passed by guys with tri-bikes and race wheels. That ZIPP sound is definitely distinctive. One chick passed me, but I got her later. I passed mostly people on mtn bikes and a few others on road bikes.

The best pass was on Loop #2. I passed this guy wearing an aero helmet riding a Cervelo with zipps. I passed him on a hill, he zoomed by me on the way down. I passed him on the next hill, he zoomed me on the down. The third time I passed him, a hill or two later, I smiled and suggested that I do his hills for him and he could do the flats for me. He laughed and agreed. But he didn't catch me after that. :)

My low back started hurting at the end of loop #1.By the out and back turn (about half way into loop #2) it was really aching. Standing up to pedal helped, so I spent the rest of the bike leg looking for the next hill, and hoping it was steep enough to pedal standing for a bit. That wears out my quads though, so it's definitely a balance. By the end I was REALLY hurting, so it was good to get off the bike.


Nothing. I saved just the right amount on Loop 1 and Loop 2 went great.

I thought this went well, but clearly I need to work on this. I don't think I'll be jumping off a moving bike though. Jello legs do not make a sturdy landing.

Try to think about unclipping helmet while running. Different gloves? Mine have little pull loops, but they were hard to get off. Tired fingers are clumsy fingers.
Also, I wasn't thinking and in T1 I tossed my running hat and shoes in my bag where they were harder to get to. Doh!

This was tough. The hill climbing out of transition is steep. At the top, the changeover from hill to flattish started my calves cramping. Mind over matter must work somehow though as I focused hard on relaxing and just moving/running, and the calf cramps went away. Whew!

Once that was out of the way, I focused on moving just a little faster. I was hoping to make this run leg a negative split on the first one, but just couldn't do it. 27 seconds slower.

It turns out that a lower back ache does not get any better while running. It's just as bad, and possibly worse in a different way. Ugh!

Maybe train more on hard hills right after the bike. I didn't really do that much. I'm pretty happy with the result though. It was an all-out effort and my legs were shaking so bad when I crossed the finish that I had to hold on to the chick who cut off my chip.

Walked around a bit and got some water and food. Stretched a little. They had peanut butter on really good bread! And thank heaven for bananas. With these stoopid braces, I can't deal with apples or orange slices.


Friday morning I discovered I had a UTI by peeing blood. Yikes! Off to urgent care, then the pharmacy, and once fully dosed up, by that afternoon I felt pretty good, but I can't have performed at 100% while fighting a raging infection. Or really fully rested or efficiently fueled prior to the race. I still won my AG though, got 2nd Master's women, and beat 2/3 of the field. Woot! :)

Other than that, I could have trained more, and I could stand to lose about 10#. 6.5% more energy put toward speed would have really helped. I'm happy with the overall result though. My hill-climbing stamina has increased hugely over the summer, and I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was.


I really liked this race. The only part that didn't seem to flow was the last run where people were coming back in and we were supposed to stay left (not right like driving). That didn't really work all that well. At that point in the race, it was too much rational thinking required of tired people trying to get to the finish.