Portage Lakes Triathlon - Akron International Sports Festival - TriathlonSprint

Started in the middle of the pack of the first wave and got caught up with everyone. Got kicked in the face and then in the chest. Couldn't catch my breath so I swung out really wide. Nose bleed and wind knocked out of me made the swim miserable. Did not bi-lateral breath because of the bloody nose. Ate too much and felt like I was sinking.

Work on open water swimming and swimming overall. Area of most needed improvement

Had my new road bike and was pumped to use it. After the long swim and I felt wiped. Couldn't move fast enough to get out on to the course. Feet and body were still wet and I had to put on shirt, socks and shoes.

Better transition area set up. Maybe even practice it. Get pedals and shoes for bike.

Course started fine... Toe clips worked pretty well suprisingly and my nose was done bleeding. I knew what was coming and started out easy... shouldn't have. After the first big down hill I down shifted to take the uphill... found out I had no lower gears on my second ring, absolutely nothing on first. Upshifted and no middle gears on big ring. So the dilemma is pound a big gear or spin a small. So after a horrible swim, the bike was going to be bad with all the rollers. Once I found my gears I got great speed and felt like I was flying after my first tri experience on a mountain bike. Passed some people... just couldn't get all I wanted out of the ride. Very tiring fortunately I had some gels and hydration to cool myself down and keep energy up.

Get shift lines tightened before the race. Loss of most of your gears suck when you are going up and down rollers. Get pedals and shoes to improve power.

Bike fell out of the rack... had to run back and put it up again.

Rack bike better and work on energy conservation

Had been running low 7min miles in bricks. Too much extra work throughout the course and I was completely wiped. Legs were jello and I just kept on pushing myself harder and harder knowing that at least nothing went wrong on the run. Sprinted the finish to cheers from my wife, mother and father-in-law.

Work on stride and speed

Walking, streching and recovery ice... Was hydrated just completely spent.


Swim and bike.


Will do it again in September 2006