Swim
Comments: This was my best tri swim yet! I was feeling all the pre-race nerves as our wave lined up. I'd already watched about 5 go. After the horn went off it took a bit for people to start swimming since its so shallow for a while. I got in and noticed my breathing was a little shallow so i took some time to count strokes and calm myself down. It was fairly wavy but I found it quite rythmic and not to be the kind that would break in my face when I would turn to breathe. Before I knew it was I rounding the first bouy. I was next to a girl who I heard complain about the waves as I came up to sight but it was awesome that it didn't bother me at all. I got a little off-course on the straight away but right side is so much stronger than the left. I righted myself and carried on. Before I knew it i passed a couple of people and kept swimming until it was absolutely necessary to get up. What would you do differently?: Not a darn thing! This was awesome for me and my biggest hurdle in tris. I did tell D that i would do a little dance on the beach if it all went well and I should have but I was too busy running into transition which is a hike from the beach. Though, the pictures are up and I have the happiest and dorkiest swim exit photo ever! Transition 1
Comments: This was fine. I am not fast but I got out of there. Bike
Comments: This bike course is fun! It's very flat and they spread out the waves so it's not too congested. I got to the mount line and had a little trouble clipping in. Duh but anyway got going and fun out there. Really, the island is so lovely. I did have one very annoying encounter on my second loop: at the far end of the Island there's a lollypop to turn around and I am slowly turning because I am pretty cautious and no one was really behind me. As I am coming around this older guy is suddenly right behind me and says 'Geez, turn much' obviously being rude (though I kind of think he meant it under his breath) and then he passed me on the right as we were coming out of the turn! That made me so mad!! I wanted there to be an OAT official to disqualify him right there. I squinted my eyes as he biked off thinking 'Oooh, I'll get you on the run' not really sure whether or not I would since he was a guy and started at least two waves ahead of me. See the run section for that. Anyway, not much else to say. I wasn't good at the turnarounds but kept a pretty steady pace and enjoyed myself and sipped on gatorade. What would you do differently?: Get better at the turns - the one end doesn't have a lollypop and i ended up on the grass every time! Transition 2
Comments: Again. I am slow but I am not too worried about it. I popped the garmin off the quick realease, shoes, hat, and a quick drink. What would you do differently?: I really really have to put the zip laces on my shoes! Run
Comments: I really wasn't sure how this would go. I've had a sore heel that's been nagging me and I have only run a small amount in the last couple of weeks. As usual I took off way too fast. I had told myself today was all about the swim and the rest was gravy. I tried to reign it in and took water at the first aid station. I starting chatting to one girl who was eager to pass a girl in her age group and just as i was about to slow she encouraged me to stay with her. So i did for a bit (she ended up first in her AG). I took water at each station and ticked off the kilometers trying to encourage people as we went. It was pretty humid out so I was dumping water on myself as well. On my second loop I saw jerky biker guy coming back. He was limping pretty badly so i felt a little guilty for wishing him ill. I figured I wouldn't see him again. By this point my heel is a little achy but i only have like 2.5k to go. No point in slowing down right? I am smiling and having a good time but getting tired. I finally came to the finishing chute and I see jerky biker guy heading to the finish. All guilt went away and I gunned it to pass him. He's actually in the background of my finishing pictures! HA! What would you do differently?: I should have gone slower but I don't think I would have done it any differently. I probably should have brought my own water bottle so i could get fluid in more regularly. Post race
Warm down: Not too much. I headed over to get food What limited your ability to perform faster: hrm. Not too much. My heel has been doing much better and this race was commensurate with my abilities. Event comments: This is a fun race. Being a ferry ride away makes the logistics a bit challenging but once there it's super fun and a great race venue. I could definitely do this one over and over again! Last updated: 2010-06-27 12:00 AM
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Canada
Multisport Canada
25C / 77F
Overcast
Overall Rank = 256/424
Age Group = F30-34
Age Group Rank = 22/40
I am going to preface this report with the fact that I did this race last year. I ended up not finishing the swim. I panicked very early, held on to a kayak, collected my thoughts and decided that it just wasn't going to happen. The race organizers were lovely and let me do the bike and run with which I had a great time but I felt terrible about my very first ever DNF/DQ, whatever it was. So, some stupidity in me made me sign up for a HIM this year but I included this race as the one I have to conquer to prove to myself that I really can do this.
We got up really early for my 9:20 start because we were getting a ride with a friend who was doing the Duathlon. Had a bowl of cereal and packed up my bag. I almost forgot my bike shoes!
Since I was there early and I panicked on the swim last year and didn't finish it I was in my wetsuit early and in the water. Didn't do too many strokes just a couple of short out and backs to get a sense of the waves. We had been OWS just yesterday and I was feeling pretty confident. I knew I could swim it and if anything went wrong it would be completely irrational fear.