Stonebridge Ranch Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I was really hoping for a fast swim. I knew that they were givign an award to the fastest female swimmer. I looked up lasy years fastest time and I knew that I might have a chance, but I knew I had to win my wave. I started out the swim pretty fast and did not sight very much the first 150. I knew which direction I had to go and just used the first 150 to pull ahead of the crowd. After the first 150 I settled into my open water rhythm (which is slower but allows me to sight well). When I had reached the first bouy I could not understand where the previous wave had gone too. Not one was in sight, but after I rounded the bouy the first wave spread out out infront of me! I tried to move throught the crowd as quickly as possible, but the water became pretty rough in the mix of all the swimmers. By the tiem I rounded the last bouy, I knew that some of the other swimmers from my wave were reeling me back in. I took a second to defog the googles and look around to sight the finish and anyother yellow caps. Not to my surprise, there was a yellow cap directly to my left and about a half body link behind me. I knew that I was better in line witht he finish, so I broke my rhythm and moved back in to my faster pace. I could not sight anyway because of the blinding sun, so I figured I had better swim faster. There was a monument that i could make out in the shadow of the sun and it guessed it was probably where the finish was so I swam towards it. When I was about 10 feet from the finish, I accidently veered off to my right, but luckliy people were yelling and wavign so I was able to make it onto the ramp. I knew that the deviation from course would meant that the other yellow cap would be finshing soon. I stepped on the ramp and looked to my left, and the other girl was abotu 2 steps behind me. The nice volunteer was trying to help me so that I would not fall, but I new I had to run up the ramp to the timing mat before the other yellow cap and she was only a few feet behind me. I ran past the volunteer using his arm to push off of, but he did not let go! I jerked my arm out of his hand and crossed the mat just seconds before the other yellow cap. She was 15. In the end, it did nto matter, a lady from the wave in front of me finish 30 sec faster than I did- still I am pretty pleased. I set my self up to be in a good position, and I can not control how someone in another wave swims!

I would not veer off course at the end, and I would try to swim through the wave infront of me a little better. I dont think I was aggresive enough moving through the pack. I was trying not to swim over anyone, next time I should just not worry about that.

It was a pretty slow transition. It took me a long time to make it into the transition area, I was a little concerned about slipping and falling down the steep hill we had to run down to get to transtion. After I made it down the hill I was able to pick up my pace a little. I had some trouble getting my sock on my feet. They stuck a little more than usually. Overall it was not too bad, but it was a little slow.

Ideally there are a lot of things I can do differently in this transition. First, I would not fear fallign down the hill. Next, I would not need to wear socks and I would know how to race with my shoes already clipped in. These are all things I am hoping to learn in the off season.

The ride is usually my "make or break" portion of the race, not because it is the hardest part for me (the run is my most challenging leg) but for some reason when I have a good ride, I have a good race- regardless of the run time. After I made it up the first hill, I knew that it was a while until my first turn. I remembered from my practice ride that the first full street of the course was the longest. I really tried to push the down hills and not to loose too much speed on the uphills. It was nice having the guys start behind us with a 20 min space because the course was relatively uncrowded and guys were not barreling over me like they usually are. I think only a about 5 guys pasted me. I had 2 different bike course marshals ride by me; once towards the end of my first lap, and the second right after the second turn on my last lap. Since they were only in the lane next to me is seemed like they were very close. It is like when you see a cop in your rearview mirror and you wonder how long they have been there and you start to think the last couple miles and if you might get a ticket. Riding on the right...check, passing with in 15 seconds...I think so... three bike lengths back...Sure. What is 3 bike lengths anyway? Does it work like car lengths where you can count seconds from when you pass a stationary object?
When I made it to the dreaded hill for the second time, I thought it would be easier, since I had a downhill which I thought would carry me part of the way back up, but it didn't. The big hill at the start of the course is much harder the second time around! My second loop around the course went by very quickly after the big hill and before I knew it I was back to transition.

There is not much I would do differently here. I tried not to look at my pace, but I think if I would have looked I would have pushed a little harder.

Transition was pretty good. My bike went on the rack easily and the shoe switch was fast.

I need to learn how to remove my feet and jump off the bike instead of stopping and dismounting. Something to work on in the off season. :)

My run felt pretty good, but it was not fast at all! It was very slow. I think I was caught off gard by the hills at the beginning of the run. I first half mile was very hard and I remembered that the race advertised the run as "challenging". I was afraid that the entire run would be that challenging, but luckliy it flattened out a little after that. I felt like I ran forever before I made it to the first mile, but after that the run went by pretty quickly. I forgot to start my watch at the beginning of the race, so I really was not sure of my pace until after mile 2 (I looked at the time at mile 1 and then again at mile 2). I was able to see a lot of BTer's on the run! It was so much fun and very encouraging! I walked through both aid stations and drank a cup of water. I swear that the first cup at mile 1 was the best water I have ever tasted! The last mile was mostly down hill and the finish appeared as if from out of no where. If I had known how close I was at the end I would have picked up my speed (I would say "sprint" but I think that is just wishful thinking!)
While it was a slower run than I would have liked, it was very comfortable and a lot of fun. Usuaully for me the run is agonizing, so this was a very nice change.

If I could do something differently on my run I would have just run faster. I am not sure that I could have run much faster in mile 1, but I know that mile 2 and 3 could have been a lot faster if I had tried just a little harder! Somethimg to improve on for next year :)

Waited and worried about Luke since I had not seen him since I exited the swim, and watched other friends and racers finish. Admittedly, I was a little distracted until I found Luke. At first I was afraid that he drown, but a friend who was volunteering told me that his bike left transition, so I knew that he had made it through the swim. Then I though, what if he wrecked on the bike? While I was thinking about this, he ran by me out of transition. He didnt appear to be bleeding or hurt, so I was then able to focus finding other BTer's and watching the end of races. When I met up with Laurie she told me that Luke was smiling when she passed him and I knew that he was having fun.


No outside circumstances limited my performace. There are things that I need to work on that are limiting my performance, like runnign and transition speed.


This was a very fun race and a great way to end the 2006 season. I feel like I accomplished some goals, but still ahve plenty to work on to acheive my remaining goals. It was so much fun getting to meet and race with all the BTer's we met this weekend! A special thanks to Laurie and Derek! Great racing everyone!