My Way or the Tri Way - Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Not sure exactly what went wrong, just think I wasn't fully recovered. Couldn't really get comfortable with my breathing. This is strange because the breath itself felt comfortable once it was in and I was exhaling again, but there was a little hitch in my giddy up for the final part of the exhale and rotation phase. I tried to switch side, and alternate sides to maybe allow muscle memory to take over. That never happened so I struggled the whole way. Swim seemed like 1600 instead of 800. Looking at others times that isn't possible. Fastest swim of day was 9:17 by a 60 yr AG Female. Awesome to see, you go girl.

not sure, recovered better. More like specific areas of nutrition, plyometrics, stretching, and massage. I only half way watched nutrition specific to recovery and ignored the others almost entirely. I am pretty good about stretching each day, but I should have stepped that up for a back to back race. Aside from these factors, I should have just put my head down and dealt with the little hitch. As was, I would swim 100-150, then try and recover for a few. Mainly trying to figure out how to fix my timing. that is really almost what it seemed like, my timing was off. Not this bad, but almost like my nose was starting the inhale slightly early. Thinking about it, I don't think it was a mechanics issue, but a timing issue. Although I am not certain it wasn't a later than normal exhale instead of an early inhale. I will just have to do some group swims for some observation opportunities.

46th fastest T1 in the race. My goal was 1:30. The difference was a tactic change at last minute. The parking lot where transition was setup had a lot of small rocks. I decided to put my shoes on and avoid the flying mount. Only due to potential for a bad bone bruise ruining my run. Hind sight, I should have just done the flying mount. I also should find a parking lot to run around, barefoot, at least once a week.

flying mount all the way. Learn to suck up the pain of jogging on small rocks barefoot;learn to focus on full foot strike instead of what I think may have been heal strike for that segment. Funny: I really concentrate on forefoot to full foot strike on the run segments, and it has almost become instinctive now. Guess it doesn't transfer very easily. If I can get this below a minute, I can be a top 10 T1 finisher in most races. That would show the building of good fundamentals. I have to keep telling myself the same for the swim and run. Concentrate on form and fundamentals, speed will come later.

This is the portion of the race that makes me think I wasn't fully recovered. My legs felt flat from the fist good climb. Each climb was probably between 100-200ft. Nice, easy, medium sized, roller coaster hills dotting the eastern prairie.

have the legs to push harder. I say I drank too much, but that likely didn't happen by the end of the bike. Consumed 2 GU, and 1-16oz bottle of water. 1 GU almost from start of bike, and another just before turnaround. If it hadn't been for eating during the bike and run, I think I would have bonked today. As is, I was able to slowly roll on. :-) If I just keep thinking clear, it may all come together some day.

88th fastest. Goal was 1:30, This allowed me to hit my average goal of having 3 minutes total for both T1 and T2. Overall total transition time:3:01
This transition area seemed quite long, and my spot was dead middle of the cage. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that my area was exactly 3row x 3rack from all 4 event exits. The 4th was a 200 or so run to an official finish line. Running back through T2 I felt bad for fast people. The certainly had to slow their roll here, as T2 was still full of people.

crowded at dismount, so I didn't get to jump off the bike. Congested in transition area, so you really had to be observant and at 75% speed. Learn to put on hat and #belt on the way out of T2. I seem to be developing a habit of having two water bottles in T2. One to drink as much as possible, and the other for dumping over my head. 16oz drink, 28oz over head. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Drink needs to be smaller, or I need to learn to run with a small bottle in my hand. Dumping a bottle over my head my be a good thing. I seems to really help keep me cool till the first aid station.

Had to bio-break at mile 2.75 or so. I had built a lead on this one lady by a 100 or so. After bio-break I was trailing. By mile 3 we were chatting. Finished at least a quarter mile in front of her. I don't know about injuries, but she was able to easily outpace me in the beginning. It is a shame to find that as a motivator, but during race time, whatever it takes to get me across that line. This week I was the one that made a push after the chat. I really wanted her to go with me, to negate that push and make me have to do a second push. Not sure I was really ready for it, but I knew it would have been the best thing for my racing experience. This was a really long run course. Almost 4 miles with the extra pass through T2 and another quarter mile to the official finish line. Consumed one GU just before the first aid station.

I'm not sure I could have pushed any harder. The fatigue/lack of recovery, was really starting to add up by this point. I think I was doing well to muster a kick for the last 300 or so before T2 came along again. Then I kicked super hard to the finish line. That is really thanks to a fellow BT athlete cheering me on at just the right moment. My mind was trying to get the better of me just then. Thanks Matt. Officially the race distance was 3.5, but I show it was 3.87 with the finish line run included. In all a great run for so long, so fatigued, and having had to stop and pee.

Cold water to drink, +1 drink mix: I so should have gone back to the lake, but collected my goodie back, packed up my transition stuff and went to the car to change clothes before lunch.


only 80% recovered from last weeks race. In all I did great today. A much harder course this week, still fatigued from last week, and I was only 8-9 minutes slower than last week. I think that is pretty awesome. Right at 1000 foot of climbing in this race, and absolutely no flat at all. I think I would have had close to a 1:45,even fatigued, had it been on the same course as last week. That sounds like a pretty good performance to me. I just know there was more potential, I just wasn't physically timed for peak today. Lesson learned.


A little cramped in the transition area, almost the perfect toughness to really challenge yourself over the entire course. Fun little race, perfect weather, perfect water temp for such a sunny day. I should have gone back for a cool down dip after the race. Good BBQ lunch. Nice supportive, fun, medium sized event. I think next year I want to end with the swim. Maybe run bike swim order. I am disappointing that they didn't look at all tri finishes together. They consider swim bike run a different race than the run bike swim. Run, my weakest sport, first when I am strongest, bike middle as usual, and swim when I am the hottest and can enjoy it a little more. Overall great fun with multiple two and three sport options.