Salem YMCA Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I came to swim six minutes and failed. However, the traffic made it impossible. Last year, I had clean water and swam a time more than 30 seconds faster than my registration time. This year I had traffic and was stuck. The woman in front of me was doing her first tri. I was not going to swim over her. I had her caught in the first 50 yards easily. When she finally let me go at 100, I smoked it for 100, then got caught in traffic again. I actually had to stand up in the shallows at 250. Sigh.

I have no regrets other than setting my time a shade faster in registration.

T1 failure: Tried to put on helmet before my shirt. I was not quite as focused as I needed to be. Just spaced a bit. You can have it in your mind generally, but when it comes time to actually do it, it is a bit more difficult.

Let's see ... not put my helmet on before my shirt.

It felt like a struggle, but I was a full two minutes faster than last year. Thompson Memorial is tough, no two ways about it. I actually hit 36.7MPH (my max for the ride) just before Billy's Barn. I cruised Kesler Mill again and thought I did a better job on East Main Street. I didn't think I'd have anything left for the run.

If you want to get better on the bike, do more biking.

T2 failure: I left the cardboard forms in my shoes.

I was hurting coming out of transition. One foot in front of the other. I hit the first mile just before the major climb at 10:48. The first pass of Boulevard-Idaho was very hard. Somewhere starting the second loop I got my run groove going and started to stride. Still, I checked my watch at mile two (bottom of Illinois) and my pace had slipped. Somehow, I really started to kick it up a notch even through the climbs. My pace over the closing mile and change was 8:53. So pleased with that.

Given, my left Achilles, left knee, and right foot ailments, who am I to complain about anything.

Quick visit with family before making my way to transition to clear out. Having my personal bike caddie is very cute.


I trained more than last year, but sporadically because of injuries. That's always going to be the difference.


I came back to defeat last year. I did. The run course was a significant improvement. It was far from easy, but you could run it. Having eight family members there will make any race special. And of course, being in Salem is home. I am glad I came back.