Riverwood Golf and Athletic Club Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Seeded myself too low. By the time I did a TT with the new tri shorts it was too late to change my time. I intended to draft off the 1st person I caught, but I passed 2 people in the 1st 100 yards. Luckily, I had a break after me so passing was easy with no one coming in the other direction. Cruised the rest of the way and still had a fairly good time for me.

Seed better. I tried to be too nice passing. Telling her not to worry about it and that I had plenty of room was a waste of energy. Especially as my face went back in the water. I also dove to the bottom and picked up a Gu someone else had dropped.

Remembered to take a Gu late in the run to T1. Slower than I should have been. I discovered blood on my hand after putting on the bike shoes and had to try to track that down. Somehow I, or my shoe, scratched my thumb while I was sliding them on. So it was nothing, just a short distraction. Having my helmet on the aero bars for the 1st time threw me a little. I like the idea, but I was worried about forgetting something. And I discovered I can't put a helmet on one handed, at least not fasten it while running with the bike.

Just go ahead and get the helmet on standing still.

Made a bone head mistake before the race started. I didn't remove one of the strips that covers the adhesive on the frame number. It was stuck together in the back, but not the front, so I had a nice little air catcher that also annoyed my legs as I pedaled.

Started out good but lost alot of speed exiting the neighborhood. Up to 10 miles I had an 18.5mph pace. I was really flying along Wendell and Lake Wendell Roads, like 22-26mph. The frame number was turning inside out. It was still annoying, but it was serving as a kind of metronome for my cadence.

I lost my speed on the last climb on Bissette, I was having trouble realing in a hybrid that I had been flying up on, but still got to Pritchard quicker than normal. Pritchard had a stiff headwind. the guy on the hybrid was running off the road and did even worse when I said' "On your left." I just never got the magic back on Pritchard and my average fell alot. I was like my old BOPer self. I drank alot of Gatorade as I was struggling up the last hills and started feeling too sloshy. When I downshifted for the hill I couldn't get back up into the big chainring for awhile; need to get a tune up.

Got some speed and felt a little better coming into T2, but I was worried about dismounting right after the turn. Smoothed out the turn and hit the dismount line at a 45* angle and it was fine.

Only one person passed me on the bike (and she was cute, too bad I couldn't keep up on the hill. ;)

Not screw up my number. Drink a little less. I have to get stronger and keep my momentum up on climbs.

I was whipped and took a second to find my running shoes! Grabbed the visor with my race belt deliberately tangled in it and worked those out on the run.

Practice transtion and figure out a new setup. I like to sit down to put my shoes on (better than falling), but my stuff always ends up behind me.

Almost forgot my Gu, took it right at the start, but it would do me more good if I could take it on the bike. Saw the family and remembered my Dad took a picture of me right there in 2007. A little sad moment, but a happy memory and Zack was cute wanting me to see him climbing.

I was really beat up at this point. I didn't drink the water coming out of T2, just dumped it on my head, but I was feeling too sloshy still. The steep downhill was too steep to take advantage of. I started feeling better as the run went along. I got passed at the turn around and once a little later.

The finish surprised me because the route use to tease you all around the block, but it went straight to the finishing chute with a guy yelling it was just 100 yards left. I sprinted and picked off a few more people including the guy that passed me at the turnaround. I had to stand still and gasp to get my breath back under control before getting my chip off.

I hear rumors the run might have been short. That makes sense, but I don't want to know how short. I think this would have been my fastest 5k, but I'm not counting it.

It's hard to tell in a TT start, but no one passed me in the pool, one lady passed me on the bike, and one guy passed and held onto the pass on the run. No one in my AG ever passed me. They must have all started in front of me. Still, it's nice to pass so many and be passed so little. :)

Maybe increase my pace a little sooner. I needed the rest at first, but I shouldn't be able to sprint at the end.

Race with Zack, walking, and stretching. My race with Zack actually works pretty well.


Mistakes setting up for the race. Drank too much on the bike and probably needed a Gu on the bike. Climbing weakness.


I love this race! The TT start makes it hard to know how you're doing during the race. It's a great bike course even though a couple hills kick my butt, the run course is nice mostly greenway, and the swim is short. :)