White Lake Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

The water felt great, it didn't feel like I needed a wetsuit. I arranged myself with no one behind me, but we were only 2 deep so I started off with the leaders. I couldn't help but draft well. They were enough faster that I wasn't hitting their feet. I did get a light kick to the face by someone to the side. As the group started to strech out I was still near, but not at the back.

I heard someone yell for help. He didn't sound really paniced. Another guy told him to raise his arm and he said he couldn't. I think we were all doubting that someone was really calling for help, I thought I must be misunderstanding because I don't see anyone struggling. But to be safe I raised my arm and motioned to the BOP making it clear I was pointing not calling for me. I yelled for the guy to call out again and one relaxed looking guy did and indicated someone else needed help, too. The pontoon boat was now there and could communicate with the first guy so I felt my duty was done and I continued on. This was a longer explaination than it was a delay in the water, but I did lose my draft until closer to the end.

Along the back stretch I drifted out too far and for the 2nd time I heard a muffled voice while swimming. This was a volunteer on a surfboard who was suddenly right next to me, alerting me that I was going off course.

Rounding the last buoy I was mixing with the next wave, but I also got the new experience of catching up to some of my wave and passing them. This time I was catching someone's draft, but gained too much and ended up catching his foot and then his thigh so I pulled up and redirected. I'm just not competitive enough to swim over someone.

I waited behind two people on the 1st ladder because I figured the time and energy to swim or wade to the next ladder wouldn't be worth it. I might have been wrong because the first guy had a lot of trouble.

I beat last years time significantly and that was my main goal for this race.

Warmup a little more. I did have a little trouble getting my breathing to feel good. Maybe swim to the 2nd ladder.

I felt much better running after the swim than last year and was not nearly as faint, but I still got dizzy and had to hold onto the bike after taking the wetsuit off. I also lost my gel that was in my jersey pocket.

This transition area seemed cramped anyway and I'm too cheap to just throw the wetsuit anywhere, so I took time to hang it out of the way. I probably spent too much time rinsing and drying my feet, too. Not being able to stand on one foot after the swim was my biggest problem in T1.

I couldn't decide before the race if I wanted Gatorade on the bike so I stashed it in a little insulated lunch bag. I grabbed that for a little drink.

I'm not ready to be a balls to the wall triathlete in transition, but I need to practice more to make the steps smoother. I should just drink the Gatorade warm.

Just the aero bottle with water, no spare or Gatorade.

I was immediately surprised by what felt to be a comfortable speed, somewhere in the 18-20mph range. Turns out, even though it felt like there was a slight headwind, there was probably a tailwind, because going around the other side of the lake I slipped to more like 17-18, and then down to 15-17 around the bumpy side. Tri bikes are not good on bumps. Considered a pit stop after the 1st lap.

Second lap I knew the start was favorable for higher speed so I kept it a little faster than the 1st. I only saw one pack that might have been drafting and one couple that seemed to be riding together. Saw one guy with an aero helmet get really angry with someone who was passing another person, but not fast enough or close enough. The 1st person being passed was already too far out, the 2nd passed close to the center line, leaving the fast guy the option of passing between them, waiting, or crossing the center line. After losing his momentum he finally went between. I was frustrated here too, I almost passed on her right on the wide shoulder.

I considered the rest stop again around 40 minutes, but I had a 17.5mph average going and didn't want to give it up. And besides, what's the worst that could happen? A little pee down my leg? Okay, that would suck, but it didn't happen and it wasn't nearly as bad as my worries last year.

I dismounted before the turn in because of my mishap dismounting after the turn last year. The guy still put his hand out for me to dismount at the line so I checked up for a second. I guess it was just habit.

Nothing. If I had pushed much harder my run would have suffered. I wish I hadn't lost my gel, I did feel like I was bonking after 40 minutes.

This should be easier or faster. I missed my rack and I started to run the wrong way. Zipper bag for another swallow of Gatorade.

Run through the transition ahead of time and drink the Gatorade warm.

I felt wiped out and thought I was bonking at the start. Grabbed the spare sport beans I leave in transition at every race and slowly ate them over the 1st mile. Choked on part of one, but coughed it up... Fun.

According to the first mile marker I must have run a 6 or 7 minute mile when I was worried I would be reduced to walking, obviously not true. At the turn around I thought I was cooked, but I toughed it out and aprroaching the last water stop I was feeling a little better, even though my watch claimed my HR was at 230. After a minute or 2 it dropped back to 182 and then 177, possible, and then on down to 167, more likely.

I saw I was going to make my goal of beating last year's total time easily so, while I didn't let up, I didn't accelerate like I normally would here. After all, this is just part of training for me, no need to bury the needle.

As it turns out, I was closer to last year's run split than I thought. If I had pushed at the end I could have beat every split from last year.

Push it at the end and slow down less for water stops.

Just walked around. Deperately needed calories. I have one picture of me right after the finish that says maybe I couldn't have pushed much harder at the end.


Training, losing my gel, nerves, and being a little late.


This is a great race. The only reason I don't plan to do it every year is the bumpy section on the bike.