Pittsburgh Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

The swim was a lot harder than I anticipated. The current was pretty strong, so the first 1/2 was pretty slow. Got a nice clean start though, not much bumping/punching. I couldn't see worth a damn because we were swimming into the sun. I did notice that people were taking the buoys the WRONG WAY, and swimming in the wrong side of the river. Don't know what the deal was. Didn't see any lifeguards on kayaks, but that could have been because I didn't need one. Got an elbow to the head that knocked my goggles off, and then the girl tried to push me under! I panicked and I think I punched her. but I made a fuss, got my goggles back on, and took off again..downstream, thankfully.

On the downstream side, my sighting was awful and there's no excuse for it. I couldnt' get myself swimming close enough to the nav buoys. Finally got under the bridge (weird feeling to be swimming under a double decker 8 lane major highwa!), started to angle into shore. Got to the turn buoys, and the current made it really difficult to get into the exit ramp. Cut my foot on the way out of the water, but I was out and had beat some of the boys out too!

Sight better, turn better, be prepared for current.

Good transition, but MAN does it suck to have to run uphill to get there. Looonnng run. Glad I found my bike because we entered the reverse way I had planned to entre (hadn't been covered in race meeting or I am just an idiot). Had a good mount.

Pay attention to T1 entry...get new shoes.

Got my arse handed to me on this ride. If you ever think riding the HOV lane is a good idea...its not. There's no way to train for this course because it is a major highway and bikes aren't allowed (normally). Was nice to have a closed course. But the entire outbound loop is uphill. Slow, grinding uphill. And its sandwhiched between a major highway, about 3 lanes on each side, so there's some serious wind. Good part is that it is DOWNHILL on the way back and you can get some serious speed...if you can dodge the potholes.

But something must be said about the serious violation of drafting rules. The way the course is set up, it was very difficult to pass, be passed, or to be draft legal. People were passing on the right (in the rumble strips), on the other side of the cones, going 4 wide, packs..the whole 9. But there is one jerk, and if I fidn him, I'm going to give him a big piece of my mind. We kept leapfrogging, but he was in the MIDDLE of the return leg, blocking big time. I couldn't pass on the left. He kept putting himself beside this girl I was trying to pass, blocking my pass. Finally, I did something really wrong, pulled out 3 wide, took off, and passed both. Then captain bike nazi pulls up beside me and I say to him, "Not to be peckish lad, but are you passing?" and then he lets loose with, "IVE PASSED YOU 3 F##%King times if you'd slow down 5 F**&ing miles an hour!".....silence ensues, Tracey's reply: "Firstly lad, Don't you DARE swear at me!, Secondly, if you'd ANNOUNCE your passing, I'd drop back. Thirdly, the onus of passing is on the PASSER, so BACK OFF!". AUUUUUUUUUGH.

And I checked, he didn't get a penalty, but man did he deserve it.

had to pull my insulin pump out of my tri top and take a bolus in loop 2, wasn't feeling so hot. My blood sugar had been SUPER HIGH last night...so wasn't quite sure how to handle it.

Not pass illegaly, not be harassed by Captain testosterone .

OK T2, was happy to get off that bike! Legs felt good. Decided to go sockless, wasn't sure how that was going to work out.

go faster

Felt pretty good on this run, no dead legs. This was DEFINITELY a better run then my run at Buckeye Lake. Felt a little low during, so I unhooked my pump and took gatorade at the aid stations. Was glad for the shaded trail, but I wish that the people on comfort bikes would have been more courteous to racers. I'm still a slow runner, but this wasn't so bad.

Run faster.

Saw mom+dad and BF, got food, got bike.


being fat, slow, and sucking at running.


I really hate that bike course. I think there are much better courses that could be run for this race but I digress. For 90 bucks, the swag could have been better. Nice shirts though. Nice volunteers at the aid stations, and I appreciated the bike aid at the bike turn around and the water bottles as well. I do like racing in my city!