Desert's Edge Triathlon - Olympic Course - TriathlonOlympic

Once the wave before me took off I tenderfooted in to the water and got use to the temp. Once the horn sounded I was face down and moving. I stayed with a bunch pretty well for a while but fell back. I could see a person on either side of me until the first left turn buoy. At the buoy I realized there was someone behind me too. I inhaled water a couple times on the back stretch. I think it was a bit choppy. Sighting was good, every 12 strokes.

There was a time on the back stretch when I thought I was cooking along pretty good. I also thought about when my DH told me before the race that after I rounded the first left turn it was all downhill.

After I rounded the second left hand buoy it wasn't a strait shot back to the finish. The course went out a bit more to another buoy, like a dog-leg i guess. We were now swimming in to the sun and the next buoy was lime green and very difficult to see. Once I got past that one the finish line was a dark blue archway which was also difficult to spot against the trees on the beach. I think I did ok though. I dropped to sighting every 8 and stayed on course pretty well.

When I got out of the water DH was yelling for me <3 I asked him if i was last out of the water and he said NO! in an incredulous voice.

The run up to transition was a smooth carpet/grassy one.

Need to keep swimming and getting my time better.

I did not stop for a cup of coffee in T1, but it might have helped if I had. My hands and feet were numb. It took some doing to get my wetsuit off then I rolled my socks on with whatever nubs were working. Fortunately my shoes are velcro so they don't require much dexterity.

I even had trouble getting my cap off! I couldn't feel it! DH was watching from the side and was afraid I was going to leave it on and wear the helmet over it. If I'd thought of it I might have!

I also rolled on my sleeves with the afore mentioned nubs, then pulled on full-finger gloves, also difficult.

Then I grabed my bike and headed to the mount line.

Don't know what I could have done, maybe stop for that cup of coffee

I was uncomfortably cold for the first 10 miles, but I kept at it. We left the state park immediately and headed out on back roads. Not a mile in to the bike we hit our first big hill. I was glad to have it though because I'm finding I am pretty good on hills and I was hoping it would help get my temp up.

There were a couple good size hills in the early part of the course then a couple scattered in the middle and some doozies at the end. I tried to push on the flats and passed people on the hills (woohoo). I didn't want to cook the legs but I had to get up the hills right?

The roads were mostly pretty good but there were a couple rougher ones.

I really didn't feel like eating the waffle I brought. Between the cold and swallowing water it just wasn't happening. I had a gel with me so I thought I'd give that a try and dropped it with my still thawing fingers. No nutrition didn't seem to affect me much. I didn't finish the water in my aero bottle either.

DH was waiting and yelling as I approached the dismount line. The voice of a loved one brings you back to reality when you are lost in the pain cave.

Keep working on hills, keep working on flats, not drop my gel.

Fingers were working again, mostly. Fumbled a bit with the weird laces on my Solomons. I usually wear my number belt on the bike but didn't today so I put that on grabbed my hat and headed to the exit.

Figure out a different plan for my laces

Started off on a paved path across the beach then a parking lot then off on to the dirt trail. Feet were still numb for the first mile or so then I got in to a groove and started feeling normal.

I walked the big hills and walked the aid stations (2 per lap). The second lap I started feeling lightheaded so I went to a 5:1 run/walk ratio.

As I finished the first lap and headed out accross the beach for the second lap DH was there taking pix/yelling for me. He was also giving updates on FB for my friends and family. What a rockstar.

The seccond lap actually seemed to go faster/shorter. The mile countdown was nice. Only 2 to go, only one to go. It was nice to run across the dam one last time and head up the grass to the finish.

As soon as I crossed the line they had a display with finishing time/rank so I knew immediately that I was 4th :-( Then I was greeted with my finishers pint glass and cheers from DH.

Maybe let myself walk less. More training. Was hoping for 10 minute miles. Probably a lot to ask given my current fitness and during an OLY.

Walked a bit. Couldn't find water. DH went to get one from the car. Had some food (Famous Daves). Listened to the awards then left.

DH had picked up a chocolate milk for me at the store the day before and gave it to me to enjoy after the race <3


Need more training, need to push myself more in training


Great race, well orgainized. At the last minute they offered a no-swim, no awards option. Lots of volunteers on all 3 segments.

Seeing results immediately was a nice feature.

Only complaint was that the only food offered was Famous Daves, no fruit or lighter options. And no WATER!?!?!?!?!?!!?!

Would recommend this race and would do it again.