Danskin Women's Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I learned my lesson from the Long Branch Tri and started at the front of my wave. I'd rather get swam over than boxed in by breast strokers. This turned out to be a good move as I managed to find my own space and keep up my pace without running into too many people. After I rounded the 3rd buoy, and headed for the beach, I stopped sighting (guess I figured I coudn't really go wrong with a big beach in front of me). That was a misake. A lifeguard eventually got my attention as I headed diagonally across the "no swim zone" in the middle of the rectangle. I had to back-track quite a bit to get back on course.

Sight during the last leg! Train more!

There was a long run from the swim area to T1. I also hadn't really had time to set up my transition area due to space issues and having helped my cousin with her flat. So I was a bit unprepared for T1.

Not run past my flip flops coming up from the water and have to back-track and get them...(you needed shoes, the ground between the swim & T1 was rough and rocky). Get there earlier to grab some space in which to set up my transition area.

I felt like I was having a great ride until the turn-around when the headwinds hit....this is my strongest sport but my lack of serious training this summer really showed. Three years ago when I did this race, I trained a lot more and was able to maintain a 20 mph pace. My 2006 bike was 32:59 (same course) and I was 117/1281 and this bike was 35:29 which made me 507/1551...clearly, the other participants were better bikers yesterday than they were in 2006!

Train more, push harder, prepare for headwinds on the way back.

Same issues with not having everything set up in advance. But I don't make myself crazy in transition. I'd rather be prepared and not forget anything.

Move more quickly?

I am lucky I wasn't dead last! When you think about how many older women (60s and 70s) do this race, and when you see how many people walk the entire run (me included), it's pitiful that I can't walk faster than this. I need to start running again - as much as I hate it, I can't keep walking every bit of these races.

Run! Not walk! Or learn to walk fast :)

Meagan, Heather and Alle met me at the finish line. We had an official picture taken. Can't wait to see it! Is it me or is Danskin kind of skimpy with the finish line treats? They only had one place to get water (right at the finish) and the food tent had apples, bannanas and plain bagels. No water in the food tent (you had to fight your way through the gates back to the actual finish line to get water). Nothing else...I haven't done a lot of triathlons but I've done loads of long bike rides and I go see my friends run and lots of rest stops and finish lines have ice cream, power bars, gatorade etc. What's Danksin's deal?


Lack of training!


Comparing this race to the one in 2006, it definitely changed and not for the better. I saw someone ask about the camaraderie and I didn't think it was as warm & friendly as it has been in the past. They got rid of the swim angels altogether! They had lifeguards, on surf boards, and the lifeguards had noodles but there was no one in the water swimming with the participants. While I understand this from a liability standpoint, and that this is a USAT-sanctioned event, it really made it seem more competitive and less like everyone was helping each other out. I talked a friend of mine into doing this by telling her about the swim angels and when they didn't have them at all, I got worried for my friend. She did fine (hung onto a surfboard once or twice) but I won't recommend it to my non-swimming friends in the future. I think the Long Branch triathlons, with their super-short swim course (1/4 mile) are more beginner-friendly than this race was....and I missed Sally Edwards!!!