Camp Whitcomb/Mason Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I was in wave 2 so the first wave went off and ours waded into the water. They had said it would be 3 minutes between waves. We were all standing there up to our knees and then without warning the beep goes off for our wave. There was a delay where we just looked around like "are we supposed to go"? There was no "start in 10 seconds" or "ready, set..." nothing, just the beep. So after the momentary pause we decided we should go and we did.
I started running about 10 feet when I was in just less than waist deep water when I sank up to my knee in muck. Without anything to push off of, I just decided then was the time to start swimming. After that, I got into a good rythm and just started moving pretty good. I was swimming straight and had great sight lines. There was no one around me so nothing to go around. Go to the bouy and I think I either saw some people from my wave about 20 feet in front of me or it was someone from the wave in front. About a third of the way back to shore I passed someone pretty quick and when I got out of the water there was one person just ahead of mme that I passed running to transition.

Nothing really. This was a pretty quick swim. The only thing might be to start swimming faster so I have a bottom to push off of.

This was a great transition. My time was 1st in my AG and the 4th fastest overall!!! Can't ask for much more than that. I felt strong out of the water and ran good to my transition spot. Since I didn't have a wetsuit to remove, I just put on the race belt, glasses, helmet and ran with the bike out of transition and up the big hill before mounting.
As I ran out of the water and towards my transition area, I heard KimK cheering for me but never saw her. That was great to hear.

Nothing. This was great.

Wow. Biking is usually my weakest area, but today my bike felt great!
Unfortunately the timimg chip did not record me going from the bike into T2 so I could only compute a total time for T2 and bike combined. Guessing at my T2 time gave me the time listed here. Even though it may be off a little, my estimated T2 time would have to be only 23 seconds to fall out of ranking 1st in my AG and only 52 seconds to fall a place in the overall rankings for the bike segment. Therefore, I'll keep these estimates even though the bike may be a little fast and the T2 a little slower than actual.
I really wanted to pound the bike segment. As I left transition, I ran up the steep 20 foot grade to the top of the hill right next to one other person before getting on the bike. Pedaled with feet on top of my shoes until I got up to speed and slipped into the shoes. The guy I left with (#69) got in front of me. I kept him in my sights. Passed him about 4 miles into the ride. About that time one other guy passed both of us going pretty fast. He was #16 - he comes back in later. A little while down the road #69 passed me again but when we turned off the long upgrade and into the hilly section, I passed him for the final time and left him far behind. Never saw him again. All this time I kept #16 in my sights but lost him after getting into Erin. Other than him, I was riding all by myself. Didn't see any other riders either passing or being passed all the way until the long downhill headed back to the camp. At that time, one rider came flying by me. I didn't want to be passed so I really hammered to keep up with him. Passed him about half way down the hill. He passed me again in the little town at the bottom of the hill but then he slowed down. As I passed him again and looked at him, he looked at me and said "have a good race" and turned off. He wasn't even part of the triathlon! He really made me hammer more so I was gald he was there.
Started passing some of the super sprint people whne getting back on the camp road. Took a gel packet on the S curves before getting to camp. This time I remembered to loosen my shoes and slipped out of them before the dismount line so I left them on the bike and ran barefoot to T2.
As I was heading to the dismount line, I heard KimKcheering for me again but again did not see her. I think she was trying to be stealth. :)

I could probably have gone a little harder on a couple of the hills and I am still braking pretty much going into turms due to my mental block from crashing in May but overall I was very happy with this bike. Never have I had as good of a bike as this one.

As explained above, I estimated this time. It may be a little slow. If it really was 1:20, it was 2nd in my AG and 38th overall. If it was 1:10 then I would have been 1st in AG and 20th overall.
Pretty happy with this. All I did was run to my spot, rack my bike, take off the helmet and slip into my shoes. Since I use the zip ties, I did not have to tie my shoes. Another reason I think my estimate may be slow.

I don't know what I could have done different except go faster. Everything was very smooth. My T2 spot was perfect - one spot off the end of the rack right next to the run out.

As I was exiting transition, there was one person in front of me. I looked and it was #16! (The only person to pass me on the bike.) I blew by him and was off. I didn't see any other runners until I got in the subdivision and saw some people going the other way. Looking back, I didn't see anyone behind me for probably a good quarter mile or more. I just kicked it in and gave all I had to the finish.

Just push harder. Very happy with this run.

Walked around to catch my breath and grabbed a Powerade at the finish. Walked some more. Talked to some people I knew and walked some more. Got some of the food (this race has some of the best food I have had at a post race spread) and saw the results. I had won my age group and was 15th overall!! (The unofficial results posted on site had me 15th, but the official results show me in 13th. I think the unofficial also had relay teams in it.) I have never won my age group in a triathlon before. I have done in once in a running race, and I have placed on the podium in a triathlon, but this is my first win!!! Could not be happier.


The day before this race I had a workout consisting of 1 1/2 hour swom, 1 hour bike and 1 1/2 hour run. That could not have helped.


I have never had a race where I saw so few people on the course. Other than the two guys I mentioned above, I nidn't pass anyone and was never passed. I guess that what happens when you are having a great race and you are near the front!