Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

The absolute worst swim of my life. I should have been able to swim this in 17 minutes.

Started out well back from the start line (end of the docks) but everyone else started even farther back. I figured it would give me more time drafting as they swam over and around me. The scrum was fine. I got swam over but it was okay. The problem was that I pushed too hard and was just wasting all that effort because I couldn't swim well in all those bodies.

I was still doing okay to the 1st buoy, but after the turn I struggled to stay close to the line and the group really pulled away. This is where I started overheating. Between the efoort, really warm water, and swim cap I was overheating and getting a head ache. Someone from the next wave (probably) tackled me and sseemed to stay on me, ripping off my garmin holder, so I had to stop and catch that. Hurt my back as I was trying to stick it in my jersey pocket. Going to the finish I was still too far right and just not making any progress. At this point my head was really hurting and I was desperated to take my goggles off. Through all this my goggles were too foggy to see my watch. I knew it had been a long time, but it wasn't until getting out of the water that I discovered just how long it really was. I was stunned.

Start in the back. I wish there was more, but that's the only clear mistake I can see. More open water swimming and checking out the water before the race to see where the current might push me.

Too dejected at this point to care. Not to mention needing to rest and cool off a bit.

Took a gel (chocalate powerbar is tough to eat). Stopped to dump some cold water on my head from my spare bottle.

Have a better swim. Not realize I'm out of Gu the night before a race.

Wiped out at the beginning and was thinking about quitting or just gearing down for an easy ride. Considered just quitting and turning around, but only breifly. Debated if I wanted to try for a good bike or run split (one or the other) and decided to just treat it like a brick workout.

Much of the 1st third was spent wondering if I should give up on triathlons. I also drank alot of G2, almost emptying my aero bottle in the 1st half.

Pretty much any climb was tough, never found a good rythem for long. I did enjoy some fast downhills. Took a tropical gel around 45 minutes on the bike, but I'm betting it had artificial orange flavoring because I almost threw up, not from taste, just a reaction my stomach has.

Hit the big climb better than some of the others because I was ready for it and wanted to do something well, but almost died at the top. Finished out okay, but my legs just felt weak for much of it.

Swim better. I might need to gear down less than I do. I'm a little better just under 90rpm instead of over.

Not focused. Trying to rest to see if I can pull it together and finish the run.

Swim better. Care.

Had a frozen flask, and it stayed mostly frozen in the insulated bag, that I carried in my jersey. It gave me enough G2 (6oz) for the run and it thawed throughout.

Felt terrible, but my speed was just over 9/mile starting out. Not the 8:30 I'd like, but not bad considering, so I just keep trudging along. I wanted to walk up the hill on the park road, but decided to hang on until the flat main road and then walk if I still needed to, but then I didn't need to.

The run was the most challenging not to just quit and finish walking, or even not finish. I considered these options all the way to the last trip down the park road hill. I really thought I would be puking and possible collapsing at the end, but I never walked. Kept cool dumping water on my head and sipping the G2 as it thawed.

Scottie gave me a lift at the end (that and the downhill) and I finished fairly well.

Swim better. Get over it if I don't.

Held myself up leaning on a table.


My swimming ability. Maybe a lack of strength in my legs and in my swim stroke.


The race was good. My performance had nothing to do with the race.