CB&I Tri - The Woodlands - TriathlonSprint

My swim was not as fast as I was hoping. It was actually one of my worst swims. I felt pretty good so I really don't have a good reason for it other than the crowded course. My first 100 was pretty slow for me because I did not start on the first row. I was pushed back to the second row and was blocked behind 3 slower swimmers for about a 50-75. I finally had to swim over them- If any of you 3 are reading this I am sorry I swam over you. After that, I caught the wave in front of me by the 200. With only 3 minutes between waves the course was very crowded and I had to stop and swim around people several time. Swiming into the finish, I was blocked again, this time by swimmers from the first 2 waves and they were stopped between me and the finish. I swam over them too. I think I heard one of them say something ugly to me- again I apologize for swimming over you if you are reading this. I think I was between 2nd-4th in my wave to finish and probably the same in my age group if my race would have ended up counting.

I would start to the outside so that I could make a clean break and then I would cut over when rounding the bouy to avoid gettign stuck behind someone.

no idea on time here- maybe 2-3 minutes? Pretty good transition except that I ran past my stuff by 5 feet and had to go back- I don't think it cost me too much time.

Probably not anything.

The first 2 miles are always difficult for me because my legs take a few minutes to warm up. They usually burn for the couple miles and then they settle into pace. I was riding pretty well. I know that I was holding at least an 18mph pace during the my ride. I was a little surprised that it was as windy as it was in places, but it was not too bad. It sprinked on us a little at the start of the ride. I made it to mile 5 under my goal pace and I was feeling pretty good. I was passing a few people and a few people were passing me, but I was having a nice time. As I rounded the corner to hit mile 6 I heard my back tire go Psssss! I knew that I had just blow out my tire and that my race was done. Luckliy, at the turn that I was at there were 2 police and a volunteer. I used the volunteers phone and called Luke to see if he could meet me and I started walking back. I was only about a mile and a quarter from tranistion. I really was not very upset, even though I was racing well. This race was really just a training race and I knew that I had been doing pretty well, and this was something completely out of my control. When I made the turn on to the road back to transition, I met a lady out on a walk. She walked with me all the way to transition, found someone she knew with a phone so that I could tell Luke I had made it back to transition. I had a very nice conversation with this lady for the half mile we walked together. I wish I had caught her name... Anyway, I made it to transition and found my friend who is an official and told her my story. She said, "Give me your chip, go put your bike up and do the run. You can make today a training day." -So thats what I did.

try not to get a flat...I guess I ran over something b/c when I got home and changed my flat (which I did for the first time by myself and I bent my rim in the process and now have to take my bike to the shop- this is why I don't care to change my tire. If I were a race car driver I would not fix my own flat in a race, my mechanic would- I feel the same should apply to bikes.) it had a puncture in it.

I did not have a transition 2

I ran the the run portion even though it didn't count for training reasons. It actually felt pretty good and I probably could have gone a little faster. I am pretty pleased with my run time, even though i did it on a short ride and with some rest. I knew that it didn't count, but I still enjoyed it. I saw a lot of people that i know on the course!

Stood around and talked to people. Congrats to Houston Tri-mama (Kathleen) on her first tri! I saw her after her finish and she was under her goal time! We saw a few other BT'ers too!


Jockstrapping points to Luke who drove all over The woodlands trying to find me when I flatted and then was not mad when I had made it to transition and started the run while he was out looking for me! (I did call him to tell him that I was running so that he was not worried.)

Also, I found out after the race that I could have waited and someone would have picked me up and taken me back to transition where they could have repaired my flat and sent me back out on my way. I am pretty glad I just walked back- I think in the end that was faster eventhough it gave me my first DNF.

Race review- 5ooM swim; 6 mile ride; 1.25 mile Hike-a-bike; 5K run= Total time ~1:45 I think.