Rocketman - TriathlonSprint

This went OK. I wish I had not been so cold to start...and for the 2 hours prior to starting. Made it to the first buoy quickly then seemed to take forever to make it to the dock. I have no idea how far it was. First it said 800 meters....yeah thats not right...then they said 440 yards but that isn't right either because the fastest swim time in the whole race was like 6:49. I guesssed 550. Nothing exciting. I passed lots of people and tried to be aggressive. Because there were only 2 ladders to exit the water I had to wait for the girl in front of me to climb up.... she was TERRIBLE at this...REALLY people it was less than 10 minutes prone you should not be woozy and it was only 3 steps up. She actually fell back in the water once. Geez o pete

1-wear wetsuit
2-swim faster to avoid idiots getting out of the water

Part of the pavement was OK but part was HORRIBLE. Like walking on needles. BAD BAD BAD. I had to gingerly walk across this part. No bueno. Had my swim skin to my waist and cap and goggles off by the time I got to my rack. Shoes were on the bike. Sweat band, helmet and glasses on, suit off, grab bike and go. Uneventful

Nothing I can do about bad pavement. I actually ran where I could. They should have had carpet over the nasty pavement tho

This was interesting. First of all HUGE kudos to the race staff for having an entire race course with NO motorized traffic and getting the ENTRIE causeway blocked off for us. And it was a BIG Bridge. Well there was a fuel truck driving around in the space center but really no cars. I have never had a race course with NO cars. That said the pavement in the space center is dreadful. Super bumpy and we went over railroad tracks I think 4 times and I saw 2 crashes because of them

ANYHOOO Got into my shoes easily and off I went. Almost right away you have to go up over the bridge and we were aided by a nice tailwind. I am the first to admit I am shyte at hills and I did well. Up and over and I got up to 30MPH being exceptionally careful and sitting up. My career is just not worth it. I can't afford to wreck.

I was just FLYING....effortlessly pulling between 21 and 23 MPH...NICE tailwind. I was passing lots of people, trying to enjoy the ride, letting my HR settle in and trying to pick out the smoothest bit of pavement. We went into the space center and was feeling pretty smug about life. I went thru 15 miles at 43 minutes which is nearly a 21 MPH average...and considering I took the bridge at 12-13 MPH and had to run shoeless over prickly pavement to the mount line AFTER the timing mat this is a fast pace for me.

Things were actually going very very well for me thru maybe 22 ish miles? then BAM head wind. People were slowed to a crawl. I was going anywhere between 14-16 MPH and I was passing people like crazy. At 1 hour I was at I think 20.53 mile so it took me 1:02 to go the remaining 15.47

Out and around the space center. It was cool but I am not a huge space geek so I didn't have a good concept of what I was looking at. We went by 2 launch pads and the big NASA building and some other big important looking concrete thing I have no idea what it is but it looked cool. Mostly I just kept my head down and pedalled hard into the wind. I passed Steve (Missy's husband) and his brother mile 22-23ish. He was NOT a happy camper. It was so windy the sticker on my helmet kept trying to blow off. At several points cross winds blew me and my bike sideways across the pavement. With my experience with Texas wind It was probably blowing sustained 20MPH with gusts to 25-30. At least we had more tailwind than head wind!

I had 40oz of accelerade with me and there was a bottle drop at the exit of the space center. A this point I was low on fluid but I THOUGHT I only had 3.5 miles left so I did not bother. Unfortunately I really had 6.5 miles left because apparently the RD can't properly figure that out. Out the gate and I knew it shouldn't be too much further. WHERE IS THE BRIDGE....There is a point you can see it in the distance and I was like OK..maybe its 34 not 33 miles.....yeah. Then they circled us around 34 miles 35 miles....geez o pete. FINALLY up over the bridge and home. WHEW.

So HOW WINDY WAS IT? Well in addition to my helmet sticker threatening to blow off my helmet, several times I got blown to the side across the road a few inches. Also when I went over the bridge onto the course I was cruising over 30MPH, not pedaling sitting up occasionally riding my brakes. Going the other way down the bridge INTO the wind I was sitting up but pedaling and I was going 16MPH

The race course originally was supposed to be 34 miles then and I was hoping to go under 2 hours.....then when I got to the race site they said it was 33 miles and I thought I definitely could go sub 2. I should have been able to go sub 2 on 36 miles but with the headwind, my lousy training and the fact only 21 women in the entire field went under 2 hours I am OK with it

1-Train more wind.
2-Take a bottle of water
3-Presume the course is not the correct length

Because the pavement was so sharp and awful I did not leave my shoes on the bike like I normally would. Unfortunately that meant I was running/ walking in bike shoes which I never do. AWKWARD. Plus there was some guy on a mountain bike in front of me taking his sweet time ambling into tranistion. Um DUDE its a RACE. I have never had to say on your left in transition before.

Because mountain bike dude was going so slow I had my helmet, sweat band and glasses off by the time I made it to my rack. Rack bike, get shoes off. I sat down because I biked without socks and had a lot of debris on my feet. Cleaned my feet and put socks and shoes on. I know you all studs who can actually run would just not put socks on and run the 5K in like 15 minutes with pebbles and shards of glass in your feet, but running is enough of a challenge for me and I need the socks or I will blister in the first mile. Hat, race belt and glasses off I go.

I wish I could have cleaned my feet faster. I often bring a small bottle of water for that which would have been helpful. I should have left my bike shoes on the bike.

I know it will surprise you but I actually ran this. Yeah I know I suck at running I don't need to hear it. This is actually GOOD for me. I started out and did 2:1 taking some water at the first aide station. Then I was actually feeling good running.....This is completely unprecedented. I went to a 3:1 then even a 4:1....I told myself I could run as much as I wanted after the turn around. Unfortunately I never got beyond the 3:1 and 4:1 but I will take it and I was pleased given my running issues recently.

I took water at the first aide station then a cup of ice at the second one which I carried the rest of the run. Honestly, despite the fact I was sweating, got dry and was incredibly crusty with salt I was never hot. The run was along the water and we had that nice WIND we suffered with on the bike.

There was another racer wearing team RWB gear who was doing the half but we were all on the same course and he was coming in on his first lap and we high fived. When I was coming in he was going out on his second lap and we high fived again. I was well inside 1 mile left when I saw Steve and Tom going out. They were moving but Steve didn't look happy about it.

Finally I saw the park where the finish was. I took a walk break and then kept going. I REALLY wanted to break 3 hours and I was cutting it close so I pretty much sprinted in..........I made it by the skin of my teeth and I was the last one to come in under 3 hours.

For the current state of my running this was spectacular for me. I have been struggling with a WAY WAY too high heart rate for months (mostly due to stress) I didn't wear my HR monitor for the race but I know it was not in the stratosphere like usual so that was a WIN. I wanted to be under 40 minutes on the run which was also a WIN. I am hoping this is the beginning of getting my HR issue under control so I can begin training more than 2 miles at a time and more than a 2:1 run walk.

Got some water and I found Missy and Steves friends. I thought Missy would be done as she started 1:40 before me even tho she was doing a slightly longer race. I saw Missy come in and brought her back to the sitting place we had on the course. I wasn't feeling well and I got a regular coke..which I NEVER drink and that helped. Then we were watching for Steve and Tom.....we were starting to think we missed them. I checked medical and the finish....nope....Then they came by. Missy ran in with them and I met them at the finish. We were waiting on a few more people and could not get into transition anyway.

The line to get our gear was even longer than the line to get checked into the race. After we stood for a bit they finally loosened up and let people in. Everyone got their gear and Missy graciously let us all grab a shower at their place so we didn't have to drive home all nasty.


Wind, lack of swim and run training..well really bike too but I am gaining on it.


This is a first year race and there were some glitches for sure. They need carpets over the pokey pavement and the railroad tracks in the NASA part. The registration line was stupid. The start was stupid. Would be great to take into account some people might be there ALONE and not have any one to hold things that otherwise would need to be left in transition. Waiting 3 hours for my wave to go off was just ridiculous. AND COLD.

They did not get the permits for this race until last week....in my opinion they should have had these in place before taking peoples money. They actually announced that this may be the one and only year for this race due to the issues they had with the game and wildlife people.

For my current state of fitness I am pleased as can be with how I placed in my age group and even against all the women. I wanted to go under 3 hours and I did, under 40 minutes on the run and I did. I am very pleased with my bike, 5/30 AG and 33/238 women......I'll take it.