Life Time Tri Chicago - Olympic Course - Triathlon

Waves started every four minutes in groups of 100 - 150 people. I positioned myself in the back of my group close to buoys line. Plenty of room for swimming, but still some of the fastest guys swam over me. There was some banging and kicking involved from later waves participants, as I am still slow swimmer. Comfortable temperature and calm water.

Definitely sign up for fall or/and winter swimming class to improve my technique.It seems that I am treading water more loosing a lot of energy instead of actually moving forward fast.

The transition area is huge, as about 8,000 competitors in sprint and international distances race. It was well organized, but getting in and out is not easy. Setting my second running shoes close to swim exit, helped make the long run to transition faster and more comfortable. I mapped T1 out before the race, so I knew exactly the location of my bike and where to go.

Run faster out to bike exit.

I did not ride as planned in a steady pace. There were some over 22 per mile intervals as well as less than 14 per mile. I am pretty satisfied with the time - one of my best, but in the end of the ride I felt somewhat tired experiencing minor cramps in the left calf.

Practice and find the best gear combination to make a ride with less efforts.

I struggled a little with my race number belt not locking in place.

Lock the belt in front of me and then rotate the number to the front instead of trying to do it on the back. Place the belt with number while running.

This was a disaster for me. The heat and overall exhaustion from previous two events slowed me down considerably. In the first half of the distance I only walked near water stations, but towards the end I had to walk more. I just wonder why the organizers anticipating such a weather and experience from past races, did not schedule international race early in the morning before sprint distance?

Take it easy on the bike to conserve energy for run in a hot day.

Rest a while, walked down the post race party, drink water and Gatorade, ate some food, walked again back to transition, rode a bike to parking area.


Hot weather.


Good race, well organized but overcrowded. Not a good idea to schedule international distance before sprint, especially anticipating hot weather conditions during the day.I think that limiting the number of participants in order to complete the event around 9 to 10am as well as scheduling sprint on different day would be more rational.