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 Swim
Comments: Downriver swim...what's not to like? This was a great, easy swim for me. Caught just a few people and was at the end before I knew it. Swam over some of the healthiest looking river weeds I've ever seen! Luckily, they were all below me where I couldn't touch them. Felt great getting out of the water. Turned around to make sure my brother was there - he was - then walked up to my bike. What would you do differently?: Be earlier so I would have actually made the start...  Transition 1
Comments: Just took this really easy. Looked for my brother - he used to have a really unique stroke that was easy to spot. Then walked up the hill struggling with my suit. Not only did it stick to my ankles, but it also stuck to my arms so I felt like I was trying to get out of a straightjacket. Bike stuff went on easy, carried my bike over the grass and goatshead (or whatever those flat-inducing pricklies are called) and got on. What would you do differently?: Nothing. It was slow, but I wasn't hurrying.  Bike
Comments: I really like this ride. It is always challenging with some good climbs and some nice downhills. I haven't ridden this far very many times this year - maybe twice - so I was a bit worried. I went into it knowing I was not in my best condition so I just rode comfortably. I rode a little harder in places, and took it easy in others. Twice my back cramped all up - owie owie owie - but as always, it eventually went away. Stood up slowly at the end, but was fine. One of my favorite things was getting passed by a 12-year-old on his MTB on the first few uphills. He was doing great! What would you do differently?: Nothing on this day - had a great ride. Transition 2
Comments: This is a great transition. Bike catchers are there elbowing each other out of the way to take your bike, they take it to rack it while another volunteer hands you your run bag. They have chairs to sit in to change shoes and yet another volunteer to help you and repack your bike stuff, which then goes with your bike. What would you do differently?: Nothing - again, easy does it was the mantra of the day. I was happy with this Transition too.  Run
Comments: Well, just trotted along. Passed a few people and got passed by a few (or a lot) more. Had a better-than-expected run. Walked at all three aid stations, and only once more when my foot said to. Everything hung together pretty well - hips, foot, breathing. I was a bit surprised. Got hot and thirsty the last mile or so - seemed like a long way from the last aid station to the finish. Uphill finish is always a killer, but I made it. What would you do differently?: Nothing, I ran within my abilities today and finished feeling good. Can't ask for more than that. Post race
Warm down: Walked up the stairs to get a bottle of cold water, and walked back down the course a little way to run in with my brother. Walked around a bit, talked with some TeamBlaze people - some I knew and some I got to meet at this race - packed up and drove home. Had had a brainstorm after how many years of racing? Put my transition pack in the bag that my wetsuit went in after the swim. Got to pack all my stuff in a backpack to ride back to the car instead of trying to balance two big heavy plastic bags on my bike...WAY easier! What limited your ability to perform faster: Not much training, extra weight. I was thrilled with my time given the state of my training. I've been trying to fix my run gait and my foot for several months, so have been doing run/walk and shorter runs. Event comments: I will definitely do this race again. It has a fairly low entry fee, and as such doesn't have a lot of frills. Nothing but water on the run course, nothing but water at the finish. The volunteers and traffic control wereGREAT this year, better than other times I've done it. I had a great time. Last updated: 2013-09-01 12:00 AM
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United States
3 Rivers Road Runners
85F / 29C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 142/172
Age Group = F 45-49
Age Group Rank = 4/4
Started the day before when I spent the day trying to save my feet and back at the local theme park. Got to bed about 10:30, up at 4:00 to grab my (mostly) pre-packed stuff, have a quick cup of coffee, mix up my drinks, and head out the door by 5:00 to pick up my favorite training partner for the drive. Drank a soy latte (hooray for Starbuck's being open!) a bottle of perpetuem and ate half a PB bagel on the way.
This race is point to point to point... sign in at the swim start, drive down the road to drop off bike and T1 gear, drive back up the road past the swim start to drop run gear, then back to swim start and find a parking spot. I know what kind of day it was going to be when the guy handed me my packet and told me to verify my age... my age wasn't on there. I stared and stared at my name, t-shirt size and BIRTHDAY, but couldn't find my age. Sigh. yup, it's going to be THAT kind of day. Ah well, good for some chuckles. Was running a bit late and cutting it a bit close (thank heavens we'd done this before and kind of knew what to do!) After a quick POP stop, my watch said 5 minutes to start when the gun went off. THEN I put on my wetsuit, waded into the water and got started about 2 minutes behind everyone else... except my brother, of course, who was right with me... The guy who was officiating was more worried about us being late than we were I think. That was all just a long way of saying "no warmup." Reading the results, the official start time was 8:57, so I really would have made it if it had started at 9.