Tune Up Tri - TriathlonMini Sprint

Got into the pool as we were supposed to and got some water ino the goggles as they were foggy. Mediocre swim as I had no oomph. Caught a few people, got passed by one (who started in the wave 5 minutes ahead of me so not a "position" pass). My touch/turns under the lane lines were slow and I just wasn't into it mentally in the swim.

Swim more in the last two months?? Not be complacent? I basically lost the race in the swim ......

Reversed, so it was from bike to the pool. Thought it went well, but you had to run into the pool center and then walk to the water, sit and get in. They included T2 time into the swim so together they were 6:34.

It went well, not much to complain about and don't think I could have gone much faster.

Okay, I did find out I set the fastest bike split. But to me this ride was crap. I should have been a hell of a lot faster than this. But with so many turns, starting in the 2nd wave, catching the majority of the 1st wave in one of the umpteen billion corners and the fact that it was wet and drizzly made for a pretty sketchy ride.

Came out of transition solid, got into the pedals okay and tried to get to business. Since I ran a portion of the bike course as my warm up I had an idea of what was coming, but the constant "accelrate/break/corner/accelerate" really was more of criterium racing style. Should have probably brought my road bike - which I actually contemplated the day before - since that would have suited braking and accelerating better.

Never got into a rhythm. On the few stretches where I could air it out I was flying. No one even close to my speeds. But I was pussy-footing around the corners which cost me time. I didn't want to be a jerk though and scare the newer racers, so I was respectful of everyone on the course. As a result, I lost time by my own choice.

Bring my road bike. Not be such a wuss in the corners with the other riders. Should have been a lot faster than this (even though I did have the fastest bike split out of the entire field by over 30 seconds).

Reverse, so this was run to bike. Right into transition, helmet on, running shoes off, bike shoes on, out of transition. The run split included T1 time, so :37-ish for the transition and 7:45 for the run.

Nothing, pretty text book and don't think it could have gone faster.

They did three waves with the first being 18-34 men and women then 35 - 44 men and women and then everyone else. So I was in the second wave starting 5 minutes behind the other one. And since this was a reverse tri, the run was first.

Started in the front of the corral with every intent of destroying the field in my wave on the run. Joked around with a few people while we waited. I didn't like the idea of racing the clock and unknowns from the wave ahead, but what was I going to do .....

At the whistle we're off and I immediately go out hard and am in the front. By the 1/4 mile mark I already had a few seconds on the next guy and by the 1/2 I started catching stragglers from the 1st wave. Just pushed a good pace and glanced back at some of the corners. Closest guy was about :15 behind or more. Snaked through people and the course. Funniest part of the day was at about 1-1/4 miles a lady said "Did we just get lapped???" I said "Yup" and gave the thumbs up and kept going.

Into the final portion of the run just pushed and tried to mentally get ready to transition and to the bike.

Get them to start all the fast people together. I had no frame of reference and so nobody to pace off of once I was in front of my wave. But good solid effort and right where I was expecting to be for my split.

Sat around the pool in the bleachers and watched the other participants.


No swim training (well, hardly any) in the last two months. Nobody to gage my effort and pace off of on the run or bike. Complacency.


The race was well run, fairly organized and started basically on time. It is a very short event designed around the true beginner and was very racer and spectator friendly. So big props for that! I just didn't have the race that I wanted and feel that I threw away the win with a mediocre bike and swim. The race was mine for the taking and I didn't put up. With that said, I really did lose it in the swim. And not to be a stickler but the top runner ran a 6:58 for the run .... which includes their transition???? Ummmm yeah, something is a little odd with that. But it could easily be the timing of where they took the splits. Their overall times for 1st and 2nd seem feasible, just not so much the run split. I know for sure I came into the transition right around 7:45 and there was no one even close from my wave. Ah well, well run race just not what I was hoping for. I would definitely recommend the race organization and the event for newer athletes.