Bandits Challenge Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

I didn't get my rhythm or breathing right until the first turn buoy. I felt like everyone was leaving me in the dust. I tried to catch some feet and they would depart. I was so in my own head that it didn't help. It started to rain again as I turned the 2nd buoy. It's a weird feeling getting rained on while swimming.

The last couple of races, I've started out slow and picked it up. I generally catch the people that shot out and fade. During the swim, I felt like I was the one that was left in the dust. I only got touched on my feet a couple of times and wasn't hit in the head this time. I used the breath every stroke thing and it kept my HR down.

I need to stop being so negative about my swim. I need to realize that it's only the first thing and to trust myself and my abilities. I have issues with that.

I would be confident with myself.

I also need to practice the breathing on every stroke thing more. I realized that when you're sighting, it's different than just breathing to one side in the pool. Good thing I'm bilateral like that.

GOOD LORD!!! Knowing that I wasn't going to push this race, I decided to transition out of my back pack. I put everything inside and covered that with a towel in a vain attempt to keep it dry. I threw it open, put on my glasses, put on my helmet (left side of bag empty). Oh look...there is my HR monitor strap...put it on...oh look now...my JERSEY!!! Damit! So I take my helmet off and put my jersey on. Then...it gets stuck...fix it and put my helmet back on. NOW, I decide to sit down and put my socks on. I put my shoes on too because it was a 50 yrd run through mud before the mount line.

I am really glad that the guy next to me had some Mayo for me to put on the Ham sandwich I made during T1. I wasn't pushing...but man!! And in my slight defense...the fastest T1 time I saw was 1:15. Damn Domino's not delivering in the rain...

Nothing other than remember the order for putting on my clothes. HR monitor...Jersey...then helmet.

The rain was coming down so hard that it actually hurt to go downhill. Hell, it hurt to go uphill. Imagine driving your car in the pouring rain and not useing your windshield wipers. That's what I was dealing with looking out of my glasses. But at least they didn't fog up that often.

At about the 4 mile mark, after the big climb, I settled into a comfortable pace. I was NOT going to push this race and get hurt 27 days before IM MOO! After I passed some people on the climbs, I saw no one except for one guy that passed me and another that I played cat and mouse with. He and his aero wheels passed me on the downhills and I passed him on the up hills. We would say Hi every time we passed each other. Other than that, there was NO one around. I figured I was just too far back to see anyone.

There were some scary moments. Like when approaching a stop sign with a right turn ahead and having both brakes on...but not slowing down! Not good...I feel bad for those with carbon wheels. At least I have a clincher rim for friction. I did not push the down hills as was evident by my max speed only being 37.2 mph.

Guy moment: I was very proud of myself. With about 5 miles left in the bike, I really had to use the bathroom. I told myself that I would not pee on myself because I'm not that good yet that it matters. So I remember someone telling me that they pull their shorts up and hang it out over their leg and do their business. I looked behind me, and saw a car kinda far off. So I pulled my left leg shorts up and aimed over and around my left quad. I didn't get a single drop on myself. My only concern was that the car coming up behind me would get there before I was done. I was very proud of myself. AND...none on the newly cleaned bike!!!

Nothing. I was comfortable on the bike and remained vertical. That was my only goal for the bike. It stopped raining with about 2 miles left in the bike leg.

It was a muddy 50 meter run from the dismount line to the racks, so I kept my shoes on. I still did my Cyclocross dismount, but I was a bit nervous about it because my left foot was still clipped in. It could have been a disaster, but it went off well.

I had my standard good T2. Opened the bag, took off my bike shoes, put on my running shoes and remembered to grab my hat w/ race belt on. I even had the number on right side up this time!!

Nothing. Good T2

My plan was to chase down the guy that I had been trading spots with on the bike. I thought I had a chance until he got to the top of the dam and shot out of a cannon. My plan was to let my body do what it wanted to for the first 3 miles and then I would push it a bit for the last 3 miles. There were a total of 5 turnarounds, so I could keep tabs on my marker guy. I saw a guy with an IM visor on and noticed that around mile 4, my marker guy passed him. I then decided that I might be able to pass him too. I had to make up about 300 meters. Just as I decided to call it quits, my TP was coming the other way and knocked some sense into me. He said, "Open your stride and GO". I decided I can do this. You're suppose to push for 3 miles Dan...not 1 mile...let's go.

I was realing him in and as we approached the nasty climb, I decided I'd see where he was at the top. At the top, I took about 10 sec to drop my HR and then I saw him about 50 meters ahead. We had less than 1/2 mile to go. I picked up the pace and was reeling him in. We had to go back down the dam and I didn't want to fall, so I worked it, but not aggressively. As we entered the chute, I was about 15 meters behind him. I thought I was going to sneak up on him but he picked it up. I think I could have taken him, but I just relaxed and cruised in 3 seconds behind him. I later found out that he was in my A/G and I placed 4th!!! Damn it with my non killer instinct. They gave awards out 3 deep. I'm not saying that I could have passed him, he might have had a tough sprint...I'm just saying that I should have tried. BUT...he is doing IM MOO as well...Dan will get his revenge...maybe. ;P

A bit about that Dam hill. It as a BITCH. Luckily, I remembered to not look into the hill because that closes your lungs. But rather to look slightly up it and shorten my stride. I kept a good pace going up it and I was pleased.

Nothing really. I had a good race, never felt uncomfortable at any time, other than going up that Dam hill. I was amazed that I could put that 10K time down and run comfortably.

I think it was short. :P Just kidding

Stopped and talked to David Sass who came in right before me. Neither of us were extremely dead. We chatted about IM MOO and my TP came in 1.5 minutes after I did. I was shocked that I beat him. He's an awesome Triathlete. But then again, he got married, moved and has a baby on the way, so training hasn't been priority one.


My desire to push the race. Plus my negative attitude towards how I was doing. I just need to learn that my body has an auto pilot and let it go.


I met Spot right at the beginning of the race! Super nice guy. I think I was rude to him because when he came up, I was trying to decide if I should try and transition out of my back pack or not. I tried to find him later, but couldn't. I really wan't trying to be rude. I'm generally a nice guy. I thought it was awesome that he looked up my number and took the time out of his race to say Hi. That's the world of BT in a nutshell.

I took this race in stride. I was very vocal to the other racers. I wanted to make sure that everyone else was having a good time. If I passed people with cowbells, I encouraged them to ring them. On the second loop, I passed some people and I encouraged them with all my might. I think it helped them. I actually had one guy come up to me after the race and say Thank You for giving him a Thumbs up going up the hill. I was so out of breath that that's all I could give him. He said it motivated him to finish running up the hill. I was pleased that I could do that for him.

I had a couple of funnies this race: Going down the Dam hill, an elite female was coming up. I said, "Dammit...I forgot my roller skates!". She actually stopped and laughed. Then I used my, "Am I still winning?" line at an Aid station, but I don't think they got it.

But the best moment of all was my Comet Tribute: At the top of the Dam before you go down into T2, there was a photographer. I looked right into the camera and threw a huge Shocker! The camera guys said, "Nice". Can't wait for that picture.

Oh...did I mention that it was raining?!