Council Bluffs Black Squirrel Triathlon - Triathlon

I was really surprise as to just how bad I am swimming.

More pool/training time

Didn't start with shoes on the bike, hadn't practiced and it was a friends bike.

Nothing, I rocked the transitions,,,,,, abou the only thing, but ya gotta take it where ya can.

Was using a friends bike, I know it wasn't dialed in for me. I felt a little un-comfortable but was able to push it.

I think if I do this again and borrow his bike I will bring a saddle that's more similar to the one on my bike.

Possibly add a bottle cage since I just had one or at least move the cage to the front tube instead of the back one.

probably could have been a little smoother getting the bike racked and helmet off. On both transitions I was planning on drinking some water & or gatorage in the Transation area since I only had one bottle cage on the bike

set my stuff up so i was on the non chain side of the bike.

When the run started I was experiencing a lot of pain on my left shin every time my foot landed. I started out very slow, stopped a couple of times and even moved the chip strap from my left ankle to my right, a spot on the trail had a gravel path running next to it and I moved over to that and it seemed to help, then I noticed a chain link fence between the gravel trail I was on and the race trail,,,,, I looked ahead and it didn't appear there was a crossover coming up, I had to double back about 50 yards to get back on the "true trail", my ankle did start feeling better and eventually no pain at all. I can only guess that it had something to do with the bike fit, I've been doing some bricks and have been very pleased how I've felt ,,,,,,,,, except for today. :( The good news is I got stronger and stronger as the run progressed and had a great race/sprint finsih with the guy who started Team Owen in Omaha, he beat me just a yard after 100 to 150 yards of hard back and forth.

Not had the ankle pain? Moved back over to the race path before the chain link fence.

Taken some more time to try to dial the bike in a little bit better, I know the seat could have been a little farther back and maybe just a tad higher. I put good down for two reasons, I was expecting to go 1:10 and the way i started out i would have been happy with 1:20.

Best warm down of my life, just after I finished I heard my little grandson say Grandpa Cruse and was very excited. Had a bottle of water a melted protein bar changed and watched him and his sister play in the park for a while.


Training, isn't that always the case, I don't think the bike was a limited on the bike course but I think it was a factor in the sharp pain in the front of my shin. oh, yeah, my swimming sucks.


Best race for the $$$$ I've ever done. I do think a name change is in order, The Big Mosquito is my vote.

I was very unhappy with my swim, I can't say I was pleased with the bike based on passes/passed for being so far back out of the water. One guy passes me on the first lap and asks if this is my first triathlon???????? really I even look like I suck as much as I feel at this particular moment? I did pass him twice on the run, once just before the chain link fence then shortly after my lil detour, that was all I really needed. :).

This was a bit of test to see how my knee and body for that matter felt/held up before signing up for SilvermAn 1/2 and when my ankle was hurting as much as it was the first two miles I was ready to say it wasn't going to happen. As the pain left and my running legs came back and not only came back but felt I was getting stronger the longer I ran. I feel I'm on the road back, knee didn't bother me at all, didn't hurt after the race and as I'm typing this at home after spending 5+ hours in a plane getting home it still feels fine. I think I'll be good to go if I train smart.

I strongly recommend this race, it's a great value, just make sure you bring mosquito repellent!