Tugaloo Olympic Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

The lines looked long, but they were moving fast. Quickly, our line was lining up to start. I was in the 100-200 line. There was a 2-3 second delay between each set of racers being sent off. Now, it was our time. Official had his arms up, then dropped them with a GO and we were off! I ran to the water, and remembered to start my watch as I heard the mat beep.

I got about knee deep, then dove in. I remember thinking perhaps my dive was a bit early, since it was very shallow right there. Luckly, I did not hit the bottom, and started working into my rhythum. Found my rhythum quickly, and found feet to draft off of. I had a great rhythum, and was sighting well off the bouys, and others. The first few bouys came quickly, then the yellow turn bouy. I was feeling strong in the water at the yellow bouy. This is about the time where I started to drift off. I knew the bouys along the bottom of the triangle were fall apart. So I just started swimming my race. I was following feet, etc. but the bouys were too far apart to see the next one, so I just went.

As always I started drifting left. Well, drifting left was away from the bouy line, and the other swimmers. DOH! I readjusted towards the line, and found more feet to follow for a while. Passed a bouy or two, then started to drift off in my own world. I just zoned out. I found myself all alone, and then I saw the final yellow turn bouy. Then I got aggressive and headed right towards it. I was spot on with sighting at that point (about time). I made my turn, roughly 180 degress. I had a little laugh at that point thinking of the Captin doing his fancy pants turn (FS, backstroke, FS), wishing I could do the same. :(

After making the turn, the glare was tough. I could not see anything. I could not see the shore, I could not see the bouys, but I could see another swimmer right to my right. I decided to follow him, and hope they could see better than I. I followed them for a couple hunderd meters, then I could see the finish area. I headed right towards it.

There was some yellow line for the swimmers area, that I thought was soft. WRONG, it was rock hard PVC. I lifted myself up and over, and face planted back into the water. Nice, I lost all my forward progess in that fany move. I took a few more strokes, and my hand hit the bottom. I popped up and ran to the mat.

Checked my watch, and saw 28:11. An extra 13 seconds to the mat, and I was off to T1.

Stay focused on swimming and not zone out. As zoned out as I became during this swim, I am still happy with it. My target time was 26 minutes, and I was only two minutes off. Not bad considering I probably swam 2K out there with my zig-zag skillz. :) No telling how fast I could swim if I swam straight.

Decent run up to T1. Up the beach until you hit the cement path. They had a kidy pool to wash your feet off along the way. A quick step in, carefully not to bust my azz in front of everyone, then on to T1.

I had a great spot. The other side of transition stopped right at my rack, plus someone on my rack had tied a red scarf on the end. That made my rack easy to spot.

Ran in, dropped goggles/cap, sunglasses on, helment on, grabbed bike as was off.

Nothing, fastest T1 in my AG, and one of the fastest of the day.

The bike segment will be a bit detailed (e.g. long)

After mounting, there was about 50 feet before you kick a 180 degree turn and climbed a short hill. I got my feet in, then made the turn and climbed the hill. I strapped my feet in at the top, then started to get aero heading out of the park. Heading out of the park was rollers. One after another. Nothing bad, but it definitely set the tempo for the day.

About 1.5 miles in you hit the "speed bump" which causes you to slow a tad. You exit the park at the 2.5 mile marker, and make a left. Another roller or two, then you hit a nice down hill right pass the 3 mile marker. I knew to get as much speed as possible, as at the bottom you cross a bridge, then the next mile is a climb. Not all the steep, but definitely a long grind out which knocks down the avg. I would say that climb is between 3.5-4.5 mile marker.

Afterwards there are more rollers, shorter climbs that you can power over, but slows you about mid way up. Right pass the 6 mile marker is the contector where the course feeds back in. The course gets fast between mile 6-10. First a decent, some flat areas, and then a few small rollers. Around mile 10 there is a nice set of "S" curves which was cool, then back to rollers. At mile marker 13, roughly, they have the water aid station at the top of a climb right before you hang a left.

It was funny, after the 13 mile marker there was a fog on the course. You would climb a hill, and then the next hill would be covered in fog. Just enough for you to semi see it, but not really. It made each approaching hill seem much larger than it was. As I topped one hill, I could see the what looked like the next one and it looked BAD. Long, long climb, and steep. As I topped it I was like THANK YOU! The road took a turn at the bottom, and did not go up it. Just the course playing with my head.

Miles 13-20 were pretty uneventful, just more of the same rollers and a few very fast spots. At mile 20, roughly, you turn right back onto the main drag. I knew I had a few rollers before hitting a large decent that we climbed going out (hill at mile 3.5-4.5). I hit that decent flying, topped out at 40 mph, across the bridge (be careful as hill turns right at the bottom before hitting bridge). Gathered my speed as I knew there was a large hill afterwards, and started my climb. I had been passing people throughout the entire day, but there were these two guys that I just could not seem to drop. The three of us played leap frog the entire time. We came upon a large group of people all lined up climbing that hill. I knew I could take them, as I am a climber. I moved to the left, and just started passing people. One after another I passed. There was about 10 people in the group, I got to the last biker then the hill flatten out. I dropped the hammer and made the final pass. I could see the next group of people ahead. I hammered my way to them right as we hung a right into the park.

These people could freaking move!!! We were flying over the rollers, and came to the speed bump. A guy next to me asked if I saw the speed bump sign so I did not mess up my nice wheels. There was a little area next to the speed bump and told him I was going there. He went up and over, and I took the side route. A few more rollers with this blazing group, then we saw the turn to head to T2. I swear, the race was on to reach T2 first! ZOOOOOOOOM!

Nothing really. During the ride, I remember thinking my shifting was spot on with the rollers. I down shifted when needed, and up shifted as I topped the hills. I think I could have pushed a bigger gear here or there, but all in all a smooth ride.

I think my split should have been faster. My bike computer said 21.2 after the race, and normally it is up to .5 off since it drops after dismounting and running with the bike to the rack. No worries, I will take a 21.2 mph avg on that course.

Came to the line right behind two or three people (they were stopped at the line, and dismounting). I found a opening on the inside (between a woman and the judge) and dismounted right at the line. I needed it to be prefect since the judge was right there watching. It was. Passed the entire group heading into T2.

Nothing, my time was about 10 seconds longer than normal. However, that was caused by having to run around the horse-shoe to exit transition.

Came out of T2 feeling ok, and quickly caught a group of two as I made the turn for the first uphill. The pair slowed as I rounded the cones and I felt bottled up. I made my move to pass on the outside and realized the lead was The Captin. As I passed I cheered him on! Topped the hill and realized my legs felt blown up. After that first hill it was flat until the .75 mile, then it turned down hill until the 1 mile marker. I knew it was an out & back at this point and everything to the 1.5 mark was downhill. As I passed one guy, I told him I did NOT want to climb backout of this hole. We laughed and ran on.

Made the turn at the 1.5 mark, and started heading back uphill. Not as bad as I thought, but the legs were not happy. They just could not find there rhythum. Hit the final hill back to the main drag, then hung a left. Came to the next loop through the first campground, and started to decend a hill. At first glance it looked like the back side, climbing out, was going to be tough. The road split and there was a volunteer directing you on down. I told her that I wanted to go that way (e.g. the short cut), she laughed and said nope. Came around the bottom side and the climb out was not as bad a it looked.

Hung another right and headed for a loop in the second campground. Entering the second loop I saw the 3 mile marker. finally, my legs started to rebound and find their rhythum, so I started pushing the pace. I was a bit put out, since I was half way done with the run at this point. Nonetheless, I pushed on. Down and around the campground. The path was a bit jacked up, and I was trying to be careful not to take a wrong step. At this point I had someone running behind me. I could hear their breathing and steps. I caught another guy at the bottom of the loop and started closing the gap. Right as I caught him, the road split and he headed left. The arrows pointed right, and I was like WTF? Well, I quikly realized that he was heading to a bathroom building, so I turned right and made the pass. There was a nice climb on the backside right before you come back to the main drag.

Hung another right and caught another guy. The three of us (new guy, and guy behind me) ran from about the 3.5 to 4.5 mile mark together. The course was rollers at this point heading to the final out and back. At the 4.5 mark I looked at the guy next to me, and asked "where the hell is the turn around?" He laughed and said no joke, I am dying here. Well, it was just over the hill. As I hit the 5 mile marker I did a time check. 2:22:XX, I had 1.2 miles left and less than 8 minutes to do so to go sub 2:30. So, I refocused and started to push. Made the turn, and FINALLY my leg were ready to run. I started hammering up the hills reeling people in, and dropped the two guys off the back. I found myself in "no man's land" for a hill or two, then my sights set on a guy in front of me. I wanted to pass him, damn it! I was closing the gap as I made the turn to head to the line. I dropped the hammer on the final hill and powered up and over. A volunteer said "its all downhill from here" which is not a good thing for me, since I can not run downhill that fast.

Topped the hill and I was wide open. Made the turn towards the chute, and almost clipped the chute rail. I came up five feet short from catching that guy. Oh well.

Stopped my watch as I heard the mat beep, and took a look 2:29:55. Of course, that was unofficial but I had five seconds to spare.

I will have to say, looking at the map this run course had all sorts of loops, out & backs, etc. but with the great support of the volunteers out there it was very easy to navigate. They did a GREAT job, and a GREAT job that the aid stations. I made sure to thank each one while out on the course.

I needed to HTFU, suck it up, and run. Finding my rhythum at the 3 mile marker is way too late in this distance race. I have to find it sooner than that. I presume more bricks will fix that issue.

Hit the line, and the volunteers helped take the chip and were handing out water. I threw some at my mouth, and then poured some over my head. Nice and cold. After I regained my breath, I walked back up with Steph & Carey to cheer on the other racers. They had a great spot right at the top of the finishing chute. Saw the Captin come in, Derek, and then Scott. ATLrunnr & Fewannabe finished while I was getting water (those two are freaking fast!).


I need to remain focused on the swim, and navigate better in the water. I was happy with my bike, so nothing there. The run, not be a sissy and start running from the start. Don't wait until I am half way done.


This is a great race! Fast group, and everyone seem to know what they were doing. Very solid overall, and a great race to test yourself (course wise and against other racers). The volunteers were wonderful, and very helpful. Plenty of aid stations, and support throughout the day.

It is definitely a race everyone in GA should put on their schedule.