Gary Kirby Triathlon for Cancer Research - TriathlonSprint

Had a missing person before me, so plenty of room ahead. Pushed fairly hard the 1st 100. I was slow changing lanes, really slow. Never got passed. I did ram into a girl swimming on the wrong side, maybe she was passing someone, but I kept getting crowded over to the rope. The collision lost my momentum and probably hurt my time some. I found myself out of breath late, but only to the point of needing an extra breath at the wall, no real stopping. Passed one guy who was resting at the wall and I know he had to have started more than a minute ahead.

Work on turning between lanes.

Really sucking wind and already feeling tired. I think I was stalling for rest.

Move it!

Started out fairly well, but right from the start I was stuck behind other people. Cars parked on both sides of the road and racers blocking the rest. Lots of clumps of racers, some drafting, most riding side by side blocking. Took one gel near the beginning.

On the 3rd lap, just as I got up to a good speed, I came up on a jeep struggling to pick it's way through the crowded streets. I wanted to just go ahead and pass on the right, but we were entering a traffic circle and it just didn't seem safe. I actually talked to the kid in the back seat for fun (no windows in the jeep). We were rocking along at 22mph, but it was still mostly downhill and I wanted to go faster. I set up to his side a bit, but I was still getting some draft. Fianlly he moved extra left so I made the pass on the right and never saw him again.

Held 19mph to 9 miles and made a stupid mistake. I looked at my watch and saw 37:XX and thought I was done with the bike, but that was my total race time! Figured that out quickly and turned around to head back out for a final lap. That was demoralizing because my 20mph goal was already a long shot. Pushed as hard as I could up the big climb, sprinted down the hill, through the traffic circle around other racers, and stood on every little hill to the finish. This felt great at the time! ...Probably didn't help me on the run.



Count better, not bury myself for a goal I just wasn't ready for yet, especially on such a hot day.

Couldn't think clearly. I was seriously struggling. Grabbed the Gatorade I had stashed in my 'just in case' bag and sucked down some before walking out of transition taking my last gel. Seeing some of you guys (Doug and Alan) I felt the peer pressure and picked it up to a slow jog. Thanks for the encouragement!

Is air conditioning an option?

I was beat right from the start. I have no idea how many people were passing me or if I passed anyone. Someone coming the other way or just watching said, "Forward motion, just keep going forward," and I held onto that. I kept making jokes and putting one foot in front of the other.

I told the little girl at the 1st stop that she was an angel and the little boy at the 2nd was my hero. Kids make great volunteers, you can't help but smile.

I walked a lot, but picked my spots so I was in the shade for longer. Zack was able to run in with me and of course beat me to the finish line (not sure how much of that was really me letting him win).

Better bike pacing. I also need a little more toughness. I only missed my goal of top half by 5 or 6 seconds; that easily could have been one of my whiney moments when I slowed to a walk.

Shade, I need shade... and water.

Then beer 10 or 20 minutes later. :)


HEAT! Training. Crowded course. In that order.


As this race gets more and more crowded, it's not quite the purely enjoyable race it has been in the past. Maybe I'm just out growing it or it's out growing the venue. Great for 1st timers and a lot of fun for a casual training race.