SGTRI - TriathlonOlympic

Being my first open-water swim since last Fall, it took me a couple of hundred meters to relax. Once I did - all went well.

Try and get more open water swims in prior to my first event.

I'm not sure what constitutes a good transition - but everything felt fine.

I saw some people with the shoes already clipped in - and not wearing socks - maybe thats my next hurdle.

I've ridden "The Hill" before at the St George Century Ride in February so really no surprises. Had some lower back pain - I think cause by a bad night sleep the night before I left for St. George, along with a 5-hr drive - nothing I couldn't push through however. From the start I had to pee, which, considering all the ensure, water & powerade, I shouldn't have been too surprised when it hit - the dilemma? Push through or lose time. I decided to push through it and address it on the run.

Hit the potty room right before the race-start. Also, I did not ride as well as I would have liked. I think it's time invest in aerobars and a new seatpost/seat or break down and get a Tri bike.

Invested in $6 pair of Yankz right before the race. It was a gutsy move considering I'd never ran with them before, and since it was race day I was just sure that something would go wrong or they'd be too tight. . . . or something. Now I can report, I wish I had these last year. No more fumbling around w/shoe laces. Transition seemed good, other than I forgot to put on my HR monitor. Decided to push off with a full bladder and figure it out later.

Goes back to getting used to riding and running w/no socks to cut down a little time.

I felt so good during the run - My plan was to start out at around a 9mm and then speed up as the bricks under my legs began to feel normal again. I started out at around a 7:50mm and I kept thinking "This is way too fast for me to be running" but I actually felt like I was holding myself back in spite of my pace. As I approached some of the hills I moved back to above an 8 mm, but not for lack of energy - I just felt that I could not sustain that pace and at some point I'd run out of gas. By the time I hit the turn-around I actually had more energy than my start but I was still worried about hitting the wall. Between mile 4-5 I was on a downhill stretch but I still held back because I knew there was a decent climb to the finish line. Once I hit the turn up to the finish I picked up the Pace - Even running up hill and a sub 7:30mm I felt great. Then once I had the finish line in sight, and the help of the crowd I did a sprint to the finish. When I crossed, the only thing I kept thinking was that I have never felt this good after a run and I had tried to hard to pace myself - I didn't "leave it all out on the field". Within the first 100 yds I had forgotten about my full bladder until the finish. Not sure why but it helped not having to deal with that issue.

I think I was too afraid of losing it - so my plan was to Pace - I just think I could have paced a little faster.

I walked from the finish line to the other end of the parking and back (hit the potty along the way) - some stretching, though not as much as I should have. I got side tracked and forgot to get back to it.


My own fear of hitting a wall.


Being my first Olympic-Distance it was just the kind of race I needed. I think "leaving some out on the field" has invigorated me for the next event. I'm excited for the Cache Valley Classic in June to see if I can build on some of things that were haunting me on this race.