Colonial Beach Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

We had to wait on the beach for quite some time as the race directors were trying to get in touch with the local authories to get some spill removed from the bike course.
We were wetsuit legal (even though it was one degree too warm) because of all the jellyfish - most in 18 years of the 22 year event.
I think I placed myself pretty well, and actually passed a couple people right away - and was in the clear for a bit. The swim was clockwise and the current was pushing us to the right, so at first I thought I was navigating pretty well, but ended up having to make a couple medium to hard lefts to keep the buoys on my right. As I haven't swum that much since my accident, and this was my first swim with a current, I was getting a little tired and scared. The right turn for the straight downstream portion was pretty tough - I got a little tangled on the buoy's anchor line. But as I went down stream, to slowed my strokes down and calmed down. Coming down the final stretch, one of the faster swimmers from the following wave basically punched me in the nose - luckily, it was after I took my breath and was so square, it didn't knock my goggles off.

I didn't want to get off course, so I breathed strickly to my right - I probably should have breathed to the left some, esp. when the current was pushing us right, I may have "veared straight".

This is my first race I tried with the shoes already on the pedals - I had been practicing and it went pretty well, although the left velco strap came out of the loop so it took a little to get it threaded and strapped.
I pretty much jogged all the way to the bike and getting the wetsuit past my ankle was not a problem (thanks to the ibuprofin?).

Nothing - it went pretty well. Actually, I forgot to hit my lap button when I left the transition area, but that's quite minor!

I think I had a pretty good bike leg. I raced pretty hard, and I forgot to grab my gel packets, but I enjoyed it!!

Remember my gel packets and bring some gatoraid. I had one bottle of water with hammer gel mixed in.

I took a little longer in T2 than I had hoped, but I think the time lost was spent making sure the tongue of my shoe was wedged away from my ankle - time well spent!

Nothing

Boy do I have room for improvement on the run!!
:)
I passed, nor kept up with anyone!
Mile splits:
1 - 8:36.4
2 - 8:40.94
3 - 8:54.76
4 - 9:25.75 - I could feel a hammy cramp coming on, so I slowed down
5 - 9:10.99
6 - 8:56.18 - hammy just about cramped at the line, I'm interested in seeing the look on my face on the finishing picture.

I was hoping for / counting on gatoraid at the "water" stations, but alas, all they had was water. I had one gel packet while leaving T2 and one more after the turn-around.

I don't know - I've got to figure something out...

Stretched for some time just on the other side of the finishing shoot. Then I went to the end aid station and ate a bannana and two cups of gatoraid.

I wandered around looking for Doug, Cindy, and Bill, but only found Bill (who did quite well, I must say: 2nd in his age group and 8th overall). My stomache didn't feel like it could handle the pizza, so I just enjoyed the awards ceremony - quite impressive athletes out there today.


Slow run - which is unfortunately my "average" performance in my three tri's to date...

I probably shouldn't have gone on the mountain bike ride on Friday, but I don't think I felt any ill effects from it...


I forgot that there wasn't a water bottle exchange on the bike course, and was disappointed that there wasn't gatoraid available on the run. Also, I forgot that they don't give out "Finisher" awards at this race... but other than that, I do plan to do this race again (since it's only ~15 minutes away).