Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Sprint - TriathlonSprint

I won't say much about the swim. When I checked the results on Saturday evening they had the distance posted at 480 and my pace was 3:41. When I checked it later they had increased the distance and my pace improved to 2:57. I can live with this. Everyone who reads my blog knows that the swim is difficult for me. My new lease is to enjoy triathlons. After all that is why we do this is it not. Obviously I was having trouble keeping my stroke. I had made a decision not to blow up and not to let it affect the rest of my race so I just did recovery strokes in between freestyle strokes. I just wanted to keep moving forward. I was not sighting well either cause I kept drifting out into the bay and I ran right into a surfer. She was sweet though and said, "you're almost done, you're doing good, just aim for the yellow flags." I did and everything was fine. Made my way to the strippers and was ready when I got there to have them rip off my wetsuit. Brad, Deborah and Dylan all cheering me on and taking pictures of me. That was nice to have some fans out there.

I'm starting DAM swim classes hopefully this month. If not then next month for sure.

T1 is always the worst isn't it. You are a little dizzy from the swim and you have to do the most to get ready for the bike. I need to work on these but like I said, I'm enjoying the triathlons so much I'm not too worried about it right now. Jogged in from swim. Had suit stripped off, without bearing any of my private parts like I heard people had done after the race. Glad I didn't give those girls a show. Into transition, glasses, halo, helmet, socks, shoes, sip some gatorade and off I go. Uneventful and I'm pleased with the results.

Maybe wait until I get on the bike to drink and skip socks? I don't know, I like having the socks on.

Course was great. The sea was rolling and the roads were blocked off for us. I was pacing pretty good I thought and keeping my cadence up. I had switched my computer to show me distance and cadence since I train by cadence and not speed. As I made the turn onto Seawall Blvd. I reached down for my endurance drink, since I had grabbed the top of the bottle I went to toss it up and grab the bottom. Damn thing flew right out of my hand, I tried to catch it but could not do it. It was clearly an accident and I was right there by the protected turn so I guess I didn't get a penalty because of that. I don't know, still trying to figure all this out. Felt like a slight tailwind going out cause you could barely hear the wind and the rides seemed pretty easy. Whoomp, whoomp, whoomp, that is pretty much what I heard the whole way as people with disc wheels continued to pass me. I passed several people but got passed by probably a dozen people all playing the same tune. Whoomp, whoomp, whoomp. I would move over to the right and let them pass as I heard them coming up from behind. Since my crash two weeks ago I have these sores on my left arm and getting aeros was pretty uncomfortable. Plus I was leaving remnants of my skab behind everytime I got up to get a drink. So I just spent most time on the hoods or in the drops. At the turn around the road was blocked off again. I continued to make good time (for me anyway) at the turn around and continued to hear the whoomp of disc wheels flying past me. I just made sure that I was dropping back as they passed so as not to break any rules. I could feel a slight headwind but it wouldn't be obvious as to how stiff it was until I finally came up on the seawall. I was stuck behind this guy and couldn't get up the speed to pass him so I just turned it down a little and made sure I stayed my 3 lengths back and enjoyed the ride. All I had to do was turn my head and see that ocean and know that it didn't matter. This was a great course and I was loving every minute of it. Made the turn down toward Moody Gardens making sure know one needed to pass before I made the turn. Someone was back there so I turned wide and allowed them the inside. Onward to the transition. Beautiful ride. I want to go back and just ride along that seawall.

Push a little harder. I could have posted higher speeds if I had. I also had it in me when the ride was over to have pushed harder. I need to ride the big ring more.

Into transition running in my shoes and I went down the wrong side of my isle. I should have gone to the outside instead I went to the inside and had to crawl under the bar to get my shoes on. Bike racked, helmet off, halo off, shoes off, running shoes on and hat on and off I went. Oh yeah, I forgot. I had two gels on the bike. One at the beginning and one at the end. I had cramped up in Athens and wanted to make sure that didn't happen this time.

Go on the right side of my transition area.

BT woohoo! I said that to every jersey I saw on the run. Got responses at the aid station and from a couple of runners on the course. I went out and wanted to make sure that I didn't blow up too soon. I was having such a good time with this race and I wanted to finish strong. G-O-O-D..J-O-B...Good Job! That would be the thing that stood with me most through out this run. The cheerleaders were just awsome and I laughed when I heard this cheer. It really was uplifting. The volunteers were great and I was joking with them at the one mile mark. I was like "that's one mile left to go right?" They just started laughing and I thanked them for being there and making the race enjoyable. I was pacing pretty good and didn't get passed until the last mile. I did however pass several people on the way out. One guy kept coming right up beside me real fast and would just pull ahead a little and then fade back. He did this about three times and I just stayed steady the whole way. It must have been frustrating for him because he gave this sound like he was about to collapse and faded back even further. I never saw him again. I was chatting with everyone that I was running with and laughing and just having a good time. Had I known what my pace was I probably would have shut up and ran. I realize now that I probably could have made better time with my pace if I had done so, but it was just too good the way it was. The bad cover band singing ACDC on the back side was awsome. I applauded them after their cover of that song "You shook me all night long" sorry can't remember the name. The cheerleaders, the guy that I chatted with as he passed me. I tried to make him feel good by letting him know that he was passing number 10 (he was 306 I believe). I don't think it worked but it got a laugh out of him. Hopefully it gave him that push to finish hard. The mom that passed me by the paddle boats, her little girl was so proud of mom. I just let her go by and said. Mom's doing good huh sweety. She giggled and dad laughed. As I rounded the corner by the expo tent I hit it hard and sprinted through the line. Brad, Deborah, Dylan, Hector (who finished earlier) and Bianca were all there cheering me on. It was awsome. I was done. This was my best run to date and I couldn't be happier with my performance.

Shut up and run when I am pacing like that. I can't believe I was running that fast. Nahh. I won't shut up. All the chatting and laughing just makes that time that much sweeter.

Now that's what I'm talking about. That is what I got from Brad with my sprint finish. Apparently I hadn't sprinted hard enough at Athens so I made sure to do it this time. Grabbed my bottle and towel and drank and chatted and loved finishing that race the way I did. Considered getting everything out of transition and then the skies just opened up and let it rip. Stood under the Mavic tent and chatted with some folks. Felt sorry for the folks just starting out on their run. Went and got my stuff out of transition and thanked the volunteers who where keeping up the enthusiasm even though they didn't have shelter to go to. Two in particular I told were just awsome for their enthusiasm. They thanked me and asked me how my race went. Racked the bike next to the expo tent and then went in to grab some food and check results.


Swimming.


I love this race and will be back next year. Next year I would like to get one of those finisher medals and race the quarter. I also want to hang out with the BT folk. I didn't get a chance to meet any of them and that is my greatest regret from this race. Next time guys. Thanks for reading my report.