Clear Lake International Triathlon - Sprint Course - TriathlonSprint

First of all, the water was disgusting. The smell of diesel and sulfur was so strong while we were treading water as to be almost overpowering.

The swim was just OK. I never felt like I could get my breathing under control and get into a good groove.

Based on the leaders times, if you eliminate a few seconds for the ladder climb at the end and adjust the distance to 600 meters, my pace was probably closer to 2:30 which isn't terrible compared to past results but still lots of room for improvement.

Continue to work on my swimming with more coaching sessions and OWS practice. Over the next year I expect to see some real improvement. This is definitely going to be a long term process.

Good transition and flying mount.

Nothing

Great bike leg, especially since this has been my focus for most of the summer.

Since the run had been shortened I knew that the bike leg was going to be the main event for the race so I started out much harder than I normally do. After the first 3 miles I actually felt like I was getting stronger, especially as I was passing people who had already passed me.

Around mile 6 I slowed a little as the course passed along the water and I picked up a little headwind but I picked it up again. Powered up the Kemah bridge and hit 34 mph on the other side. Miles 12-14 had a bit of headwind which slowed me down a little to 18-19 mph but I still felt good and really wanted to hammer.


Not much. I felt like I performed at 100% of my current ability.

Time is just an estimate as I appeared to have some chip issues.

Nothing

Run was pretty tough, especially when we left the shade provided by the condos in the first half mile. The latter 1.5 miles were almost entirely in the sun which took its toll. I had been expecting a water station at the exit of transition but there was not one which seemed unusual. So my first water wasn't until the turnaround. Once I hit the track I picked up the pace for the last quarter mile and had a strong finish.

Not much. Just a plain, hot run that I threw everything I had left into.

Walked along the marina hoping I would not vomit.


Really just the swim. 3 minutes faster would have put be in the middle of the pack and would have possibly put me in 8th place.


Not sure if I'll do this race again. I like the bike course a lot but having the run shortened due to an obnoxious homeowners association two weeks before the race is annoying. Hopefully that will get resolved by next year. The swim course was the most disgusting body of water I have ever swam in and would be enough to put me off doing it next year. Additionally, if you were in the transition/staging area, there was no way to hear the announcers at the end of the pier announcing the start of the swim - a few people missed their wave because they didn't know the race was even starting.

Also, if I decide to do it next year, I'm definitely doing the Olympic just so I don't have to wait around afterwards for transition to open. I had to hang out for 2 HOURS waiting for it to open - I actually spent more time waiting around afterward than I did actually racing.