Triangle Orthopaedic Sprint Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Overall this was a very good swim for me. Probably the best I've ever had in a triathlon (I still have <10 open water tris).
I liked the way they did the start. It was a combination time trial/wave. We submitted a 100 meter time and they seeded us by our times. Then they started 5 people every 15 seconds. It worked very nicely to keep people from getting real jammed up.
I did have two times when I had another swimmer just keep running into me. A guy at the beginning and then a girl when I was 3/4 of the way to the first bouy. Oddly they were both sans wet suit but neither one could swim a straight line.
There weren't any sighting bouys, only the two turn bouys and no squiggly man on shore to sight coming in. I felt like I did a very good job of swimming straight today, didn't have to sight real often and was never headed off course when I did.
The water temp was cool but not unbearable for me. I wasn't even shivering and purple when I got out. Did wear the squid cap under the race cap.
Stayed very calm the entire way and there may have even been a moment or two when I almost felt like I was enjoying this swim.
Doubling this distance in just three weeks to do a HIM is going to be a serious challenge. Especially since my normal pool is closed after next week.

Swim more. During the training for the Umstead 100, I tried to swim on Mondays as a recover from my long weekend runs. Then it was almost 100% pull bouy since I was resting my legs. Over the past three weeks since Umstead I've tried to swim twice a week and do some without the bouy. So considering the limited swim training and what a weak swimmer I have traditionally been. I am happy with this.

Could not get that wetsuit off. I told Lisa that my goal was to get into T1 before she got out. I made it just barely. She was ready to go and removing the bike from the rack when I came in. Wish I had a snapshot of her face. Talk about Game On! That girl is serious in transition.

It has been suggested to me that I should cut my wetsuit cuz I always have a problem with it. However, I have a bigger problem with cutting this wetsuit. So I just loose time in T1. Oh well.

Felt like I was pushing too hard at the beginning of the ride. Wasn't wearing a HR monitor but the HR was definately up there and I was sucking some air. Realized that I didn't have my bike computer set to show me the mileage and it's been so long since I've ridden my bike that I wasn't sure how to switch it so I just left it. I could see mph but with a rolling course it all over the place. I figured I'd be 35-40 minutes (hoping for 38) so I just went by that. Course maps might as well be latin to me and I'm not familiar with this part of town so I just rode hard. I knew Lisa was ahead of me somewhere. I pretty much matched her in the swim (which was a surprise), she beat me in transition, and I expected her to beat me on the bike but didn't want to give too much. I'd have to wait and see if my legs would respond with any speed after all the months of slow run training for the Umstead 100. Normally, I'd be able to catch her on the run if I didn't let her get too big of a lead on the bike.
Took one gel during the ride and probably should have drank a little more water than I did.

I wrote the above prior to the official results being posted. I actually beat Lisa on the bike by 50 seconds. Wow, I knew I was pushing the envelope.

Need to ride more. But I've done even less cycling than I have swimming, so again I was very pleased with this ride.

A bit disorganized here. Didn't do any tris last year and my rustiness in transition showed here. Had trouble getting my bike shoes off. Didn't wear socks and my wet feet wanted to stick to the shoes.

Did a run last week that consisted of 3 mile repeats that indicated that I might be able to hit an 8:00 pace today. I used to run very well off the bike and I was hoping that would still be the case. As I was coming in to T2 I seen Lisa as she ran the perimeter of the transition area starting the run course so I knew she wasn't all that much ahead of me. I was worried that I took too much time in T2 and made harder on myself than I wanted it to be. If she is running well she can do 8 min miles. Catching her was possible but certainly not a given.

Started the run with the same high HR and breathing that I started the bike with. The legs were doing OK but was having some difficulty getting a rhythm. The course was mostly greenway paths with some sidewalk. All of it a harder surface than I have run in the past 18 months. Was worried how the legs would respond to that but the legs weren't really the problem it was finding a rhythm. Never did find that place where all systems were in synch. Hit the 1 mile mark and looked at my watch which was right at 8:00, figured I'd never make up 30sec on Lisa by running 8min miles so I had to push harder. About a quarter mile later I got her in my sights and it didn't take too long to catch her. I was breathing like a steam locomotive as I caught her, said Hello, and ran on by. I would end up beating her by a minute. Shortly after passing her there was a long downhill and passed the 2 mile marker. I knew I could hold on for one more mile. I remembered passing this spot during the end of my ride and seeing the people running and wishing that I was one of those people 2 miles into my run rather than still on the bike with the whole run ahead of me. As I watched people riding by, I knew they must be thinking the same thing now about me.

I used to run a sub 22 min 5K at the end of a sprint tri, but considering the training I've done for the past two years, I am happy with this run and very happy with the whole day.

Waited for Lisa to come in, got something to eat, chatted with Alex for a few minutes. Lisa had to leave. I hung around for the awards and picked up both of ours. I was second and she was right behind me in third.

Turns out that Lisa is the perfect little rabbit for me. Thank you.


Running my first 100 mile race three weeks ago. Body has recovered OK from that but my recent training has included very little swimming and very very little riding.


Very good day for me. I needed to have a day like this. I kept thinking 'I have no idea why I signed up for this race' I just needed to get back into the triathlon mindset and figured doing a sprint might be the best way to get there. Good Idea and Well Done! The visualization of the swim and having Lisa there to start with made a huge difference for me. I was ready for the water when the time came.

26 out of 73 women overall
Swim 49 of 73
Bike 19 of 73
Run 17 of 73