Go Tri Sports Triathlon at Hilton Head Island - Spring - TriathlonSprint

Putting the wetsuit on backwards was the first sign that this would be an interesting day. OK, wetsuit off, turned around, and back on. Did not warm up and paid the price at the beginning. Water and waves soon became comfortable but I got lazy and decided to follow swim caps instaed of buoys. Turned at the wrong marker and was soon brought back to reality by a friendly swim marshall in a kayak who informed me of my mistake. Cost me about 100-150 meters. Came out of the water and faced the Bataan Death March to transition.

Warm up, not wear a wet suit, and sight carefully.

Long, long jog to transition. Wetsuit stuck for first time. Finally got it off and unbeknownst to me , my timing chip came off with it.

Never wear a wetsuit again except for the Arctic Polar Oly....and then maybe.

Ahhhh on the bike. Time to rock and roll. Well not quite. 1st lap 8:40 feeling good. I'm breathing, drinking, perspiring, smiling, and generally happy with life. Then....my bike comes to a sudden, screeching halt for no apparent reason. My spare tube has fallen from it's appointed perch and wound itself around my rear tire. As I'm unclipping and struggling not to fall a lady rides past and say's "your tube is wrapped around your tire". Hey, ya reckon. It was around the rear cog, inside the rear brake, etc. Got it out and stuffed it in my pocket. So much for a good bike split. Oh by the way as i'm getting back on my bike I notice something missing from my ankle. The chip is gone. So now I'm riding as fast as I can around the track looking for my chip. Come into an intersection at about 22 mph and tires start to skid on the white paint of those turn arrows that are painted on the road. I'm skidding, a little grey Honda is getting closer, I'm skidding, the car is real close, I put my left arm out and push off from the car. He speeds up..I curse....race continues. Seen SAG and she was looking "Marvelous baby, just marvelous".

Turned the alarm off and went back to sleep.

Wetsuit was laying on my running shoes. When I moved it my chip fell out. So...I put it on.

Faked a seizure and took my tee shirt and went home.

Just took it easy and enjoyed the run. Ran some with SAG. Ran with this guy who was 70 and we were behind this young shapely blond. Told him that made us look like the lecherous perverts we were so I sped up and passed them by. I was #188 and for the last half of the run this very tall lady who was #189 was right behind me step for step. Being the gentleman I am I gave way at the end and let her finish ahead of me and I didn't even look at her butt. Really. OK maybe a little.

Traveled out of state that day.

Stood around and talked about bikes and bikes and bikes. Had a pic with SAG. Another Beaufort lady was there with her new Griffen. I showed her my "Crab Naked...it's harder than it looks" decal and she had put Kona flowers all over hers. She has raced Kona...twice.


Same as PI race. Too much socializing. I swear I will have my game face for St. A's. Swim warm ups and NO DAMN WETSUIT. Spare tube taped up properly, pre race preps per SOP.


Got lost on swim, lost chip when removing wetsuit so had to calc bike times and Tran times, spare tube fell off X-Lab and wrapped around rear tire bringing me to a surprising stop, unraveled that crap, hit a car in an intersection it didn't stop and neither did I, found chip in T-2, otherwise an uneventful race. Will write report later.
SAG was smokin' today. She was lookin' good on the new bike and she just keeps getting better. The tatts looked so cool.