Gator Bait at Eagle Lake - TriathlonOlympic

I knew I wasn't going to be fast on this course, and I didn't want to get swam over, so I started in the back of the wave. I was literally the last triathlete to start swimming, I guess it foreshadowed the day in a way. I found my comfortable pace and within the first 50 yards I passed someone who was breast stroking... wow, already? I started swimming in the general direction of the bouys, but with the chop and small bouys I really had no idea where I was going. I'm usually really good at sighting and navigating but I swam all over the place on this course. I tried to find some feet and draft but the wind coming from my right side would push me off course, then I'd have to pop up for a second and look for the orange caps to correct. I couldn't see the bouys until I was within 50-75 yards of them, and they were probably placed close to 300 yards apart with no intermediate bouys. I had to just stop and tread water a few times to look for the next bouy. Other than sighting issues I felt great on the swim, slow, but great. I passed some people and found a nice rhythm. The ramp out was very, very, slick so they had volunteers down there helping people out. I would recommend they either put down more carpet or scrub the concrete under the water, that was dangerous.

Swim faster. I have swam that distance many times in the lake, but never during a triathlon so I really didn't want to push myself, and it showed because I felt too great coming out of the water. Also my sighting and navigation was terrible. I need to work on that in choppy water with smaller bouys.

I actually really took my time on this transition and I'm surprised it was this fast. I stopped for a few seconds to talk to my friends, then leisurely got my bike stuff together. I just wasn't in a huge hurry. It was uphill from the swim out so I walked it while taking off my cap and goggles. They gave me a bottle of water that I sipped on while getting ready. I put my shoes on, jogged the 25 feet to the mount line, jumped on and clipped in, then got going.

Um... little more urgency. I don't think my friends understood that transitions are supposed to be fast, but apparently I didn't either at that moment cause I was just taking my sweet time. Geez... should have just stopped for some tea and biscuits.

I was actually really glad to be out on the bike. I got into the aerobars as soon as I hit the main road and just settled in for the ride. About 2 miles in I took my first gel and started drinking. I wasn't pushing hard at all, I knew that I had a 6.2 mile run coming up and running is my bad discipline so I did NOT want to blow up my legs on the bike. I passed 2 people and were passed by many more, that's ok though, I know I'm slow, this is my first olympic. I drank every 5 miles on the way out and about every 2.5 miles on the way back. I didn't want to get dehydrated but didn't take big gulps so I didn't end up with too much water sloshing in my stomach. The last 2-2.5 miles were into what felt like a decent headwind so I just kept my head low and my cadence high. I was actually really pleased with my bike because I stayed aero about 98% of the ride. At around mile 14 my bottom decided it was tired of the bike seat, so I did squirm on the seat a good bit the last 10 miles. I took another gel about 3 miles from transition and washed it down with a big gulp of water. I was started to get a little lightheaded.

Train, train, train. I know all 3 disciplines need work, and I can make a lot of gains on my bike if I just put my head down and pedal. Being my first longer distance and already feeling a bit flat I didn't push myself. I'm still pleased with 17mph though, that's on the high side of my average speed.

Now this is the one part of the race that I am really happy about. That is a smoking transition for me. I pulled my feet out of the shoes heading into transition, jumped off and jogged to my rack. I think at this point I was in a daze and everything just happened. I ignored my friends yelling at me, I'm not sure it registered at the time that they were there. My head was floating and I knew a long death march was ahead of me. The body was willing, but the mind had cracked.

Not be dazed out. I don't know what happened, but I just shut down. Although being shut down made for a fast transition, so I guess I'm happy with this. Losing the socks would make it a few seconds faster, but really... not blowing up on the run would make a bigger difference.

The tiny little cracked plastic wheels I was running on completely crumbled under me. Coming out of transition I was already lightheaded and fading fast.

At the first aid station I grabbed a cold sponge and a bottle of water, hoping it would shock me back to life... no luck. I had to run past the finish line at .1 mile and look at all the people chilling in the shade... while I had 6.1 miles of suffering ahead. Not cool race directors, not cool. I passed another aid station, thinking... wow... one mile already? Sweet. Shortly after that I stopped to walk the first time... and the small mental crack became the grand canyon. It was over, I was a broken woman. I couldn't even walk fast. I would try to jog, make it 50 feet and be walking again. Then I passed a sign facing the other direction... as I passed it I noticed it said 5 miles. So... that aid station way back that I thought was the 1 mile mark? It was the half mile mark, and I had just now completed 1.2 miles. BOOM... headshot. I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to lay down right there in the ditch and take a nap, but I knew I had to keep going. I could not DNF.

All of my run training had gone out the window, it didn't matter anymore if I had run 15 miles a week or 2 miles a week, it did me no good when my determination died. So I walked, and walked, and walked. When I started feeling good I would jog, trying not to trip over my own feet. At each aid station I would grab water, take two big gulps and dump the rest over my head, it was a welcome shock. There were many points where I considered walking to the aid station and telling them to take me back to the finish, I was done. But I didn't. I couldn't. I had put all of this time and effort into training, and I had told so many people I was competing, I'm too stubborn and proud to have to go back and tell everyone I quit. It's not like having an injury, it's QUITTING, and I wasn't going to.

At long last I saw it... the lone guy sitting in his truck by the cones that marked the turn around. 3 miles to go, the only way to get back to the finish is to walk or jog there. I had come too far to stop now. So I turned around, and started the long march home. I would jog as much as I could, then slow and walk. Anthony, if you are reading this... thank you SO MUCH for trying to get me to run with you, I'm sorry I couldn't, but you remained my carrot for the rest of the race, I wouldn't let you out of my site.
I slowed at each aid station and made sure I graciously thanked the volunteers. They had been out there a long time in the sun handing out water, I know this because I was one of the last 4 people to come through. They did awesome and were a great encouragement.

With 2 miles to go I decided that I would jog from one powerpole to the next, then walk from that powerpole to the next, then jog, and repeat. The poles were spaced about 75-100 feet apart and at times I wasn't sure I could make the jog. I was so thirsty but I was getting a side stitch from drinking so much water, and was feeling the urge to pee. Slowly I see the 5 mile sign appear. The sign that had crushed any flicker of life I had left an hour and 15 minutes ago was now a welcome sight. I continued my jog/walk/jog until just after the last aid station. A half mile to go, I could do this. I picked up the pace of my jog, my eyes straining to see the turn to the finish, but I didn't see it. Around the corner, still I didn't see it, but I saw Anthony's white shirt ahead. I anxiously waited for him to turn. Finally he did, and I knew I was close. But there were no volunteers at the finish, I didn't see anyone. As I got closer I saw a small group walk to the end of the street where the turn was. I picked up my pace. I saw one of the people in the small group was holding something, it was a sign... it said "Tiffany". My cheering section was waiting for me. I jogged toward them, made the turn and jogged the 20 feet up the driveway and across the mat. That was it, no blow up finish arch, no group of people. A boy handed me a water and cold sponge, then took my timing chip. I was finished.


Um... train my mind and my body. Not crack when the going gets tough, make myself keep running even when my mind doesn't think I can.

Considering I had just doused myself with cold water no one wanted a hug, I don't blame them. I don't think I smelled very nice either. I stood in the shade talking to them and trying to gather my thoughts. I downed two little bottles of water then we went over to the ten where they were announcing the giveaway winners. I ate a small orange slice, but despite my stomach telling me it was starving I didn't want to eat. We hung around for a few more minutes then walked back to transition where I loaded my stuff in the truck. We went back to the house, I showered, ate and collapsed on the couch. After a long nap I felt much better and even took a set on the wakeboard later that evening.


Myself. I know what I need to do to get faster, I just haven't been doing it. Being tired and weak before the even started didn't help, and it put the final nail in the mental coffin for the day. I am glad I held out and didn't quit.


This was the first year for this race and I must say it was an awesome little race. There were tons of volunteers and they were all super nice, helpful and encouraging. Everything was well organized and planned. My only gripe is with the swim. They either need bigger turn bouys or some intermediate bouys between the turn bouys. I couldn't see the bouys and I've read some other race reports where other people had the same problem. Other than that the race was just awesome. If you like flat and fast this is the race for you. Goodie bag was nice and the tech shirts were awesome.