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 Swim
Comments: The water temp was 76°F so I decided to skip the wetsuit and lined up mid-pack and to the right. The swim was a 3-leg clockwise rectangle, out, parallel to the beach, and then back to the beach. I hadn’t swam in a year, so this was simply a “survive the swim” strategy. They sound the horn and I start swimming just after a swell. I stay relaxed and swim through the surf and I’m thinking “I’m not making much progress” but I’m staying near the pack. A couple times I catch a mouthful of seawater instead of air, but nothing I can’t overcome. A few minutes later, I’m closing in on the first buoy on my right. There is a little congestion, but nothing too bad as I make the turn and start swimming parallel to the beach. It feels good to no longer be fighting the surf and before long, I’m rounding the second buoy and turn towards the beach. I feel sand and stand up only to realize I’m on a sandbar, so I start swimming again to avoid the submerged rocks. In another minute, I touch sand again and I start wading in. The timing mat is in the middle of the street, so I have to run up the beach, across the dune, and a half-block before the “swim” ends. I feel good, but I have no idea of my time because I didn’t start my watch (I figure they will keep my splits for me). What would you do differently?: Swim at least a few times in the year prior to the race?  Transition 1
Comments: I step through the wading pool to wash the sand off my feet and jog over to the bike. I put on my bike shoes and fumble with he strap to my helmet for a second. I grab my sunglasses and start trotting with my bike to the exit with the taste of salt water still on my lips. What would you do differently?: Not too much. Fastest transitions were around 50 seconds.  Bike
Comments: I get on and quickly shift into the big ring. I’m cruising and passing people (one of the advantages of a slow swim). We have a couple of turns and then an overpass which is the biggest “climb” of the course. I stay in the big ring all the way over the bridge. I’m cruising along over 20 mph and feeling good. I hit the turn around and still nobody has passed me. I come back over the overpass and one guy passes me about ¼ mile from a right turn. I follow him through the turn and overtake him. It was strange to not have anyone pass me on the bike, and as it turns out, my 22 mph split is fastest in my age group and 16th overall. I cruise back towards transition and unclip. I don’t race a lot of sprints, so I don’t have much experience taking off my shoes while riding, so I run in my bike shoes (plus…I don’t go barefoot, and I don’t want to burn my feet running on hot asphalt barefooted…) What would you do differently?: Can't think of anything. Happy with having a 22 mph split, especially given the amount of riding I've done this year. Transition 2
Comments: I rack my bike and hang my helmet on the aerobars. I slip off my bike shoes and pull on socks and my running shoes. I tie my shoes (I don’t use yankz). I grab my race belt and head for the run chute. Not overly fast, but not a bad transition either. What would you do differently?: Not a lot given I race the occasional sprint.  Run
Comments: By now, the sun is high in the sky and it is getting hot. I knew I’d pushed on the bike so the run was going to be “hang on for dear life.” I was hoping to keep the pace at or below 8 minutes/mile. About a half mile into the run, I get passed by a guy in my age group. He is running well so I let him go and wonder if he’s taking a podium spot from me. I take a water at the 1-mile aid station and continue running along the road next to the beach. The turn around is out on the pier and we have to negotiate a narrow boardwalk and gate to get onto and off the pier. I continue running and get another drink at the aid station. I get passed by another guy in my age group and I again wonder whether either of them is taking a podium spot from me. I didn’t realize how close we were to the finish when I let him go. I suppose I could have challenged him or tried to hold him off and as it turns out, he finished 7 seconds ahead of me and one spot off the podium. I smile big as they announce my name in the finish chute. What would you do differently?: Challenge the guy who passed me near the end? Post race
Warm down: Volunteers hand me a bottle of propel and take my timing chip. I open the bottle and take a swig and wish it were water instead of propel. I get a cup of cold water and go find some shade to stretch out my legs. I hang out for the awards and the first guy that passed me on the run finished 2 ½ minutes faster than I did. What limited your ability to perform faster: Lack of training. Event comments: This was the first year for this race, but the organizers did a good job putting it together. Last updated: 2013-05-19 12:00 AM
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United States
Without Limits Productions
70F / 21C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 40/235
Age Group = M45-49
Age Group Rank = 5/16
My day started at 3:30 when my alarm went off. I started the coffee pot and made some breakfast for the 2 ½ hour drive to the race. I hit the road about 3:50 and drove through the cool, dark streets following my GPS. About 5, the Eastern sky started to turn grey and I’m driving through lowlands with heavy fog. I get to the town about 6:05 and pull over to look at the directions for getting to the park (since I didn’t have an address for Lola, my GPS). I drive around and get to the parking lot around 6:15 (they didn’t open transition until 6AM, so I didn’t need to get there too much earlier). I get my bike and gear and go to check in. I’m wearing my new Triwarriors t-shirt and the guy across the rack from me asks me if I know his brother who is in the club. I don’t, but that is why I got the shirt and 10 minutes later, his brother comes by and introduces himself. We chat for a few minutes as we finish setting up. This will be an interesting day since I haven’t swam AT ALL in over a year. I finish setting up, eat a peanut-butter sandwich and a banana, and change into my tri shorts and a tri top. I walk over and scope out the swim as they are setting the buoys.
: I swim out about 100 yards at the start of the swim and back. The surf is fairly heavy with 2’ swells, but it feels pretty good. I walk down the beach and do the same at the end of the swim so I can check out the beach terrain under the water. I decide I’ll swim all the way until my hands touch sand so I can skip the rocks. We line up and they start the waves 3 minutes apart. I watch the first few waves.