Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Quarter - TriathlonOlympic

I felt really good for most of the swim. I started in the mid/back/left. After the first fast swimmers took off, I was able to stay with the same pack for most of the swim. Once we took a left at the first buoy, it was a long straight swim to the next. This is were i had problems. Unless there is a black line on the bottom for me to follow, I am swimmimg in a zig zag. Well, there was a current pushing to the left, so I went to the left. There were 4 of us drafting each other and we all went left. A canoe finally got us back on course, but I was about 250 yrds away from the race. If i had kept going, I might have gone in front of the paddle boat!
Once back on course, I put my head down and hammered to the finish.

Follow the correct crowd.

Once out of the water, we had a short jog to the wetsuit strippers. I had my arms out and suit to my waist. A young girl pulled one time and off it came! Took about 15 seconds.
I love having a wetsuit stripper!!!

I put my helmet on, then sat to put socks and shoes.

I grabbed my bike and fast jogged out to the bike corse.

I saw Bill and Hannah ner the start line.

Not much.
Maybe ride without socks.
Maybe learn to have shoes on bike and do the way cool flying leap on seat and put feet in shoes thing.
Otherwise, I am happy with my T1 time.

I started with a great bike leg!
I was going 18-19mph in the strong head wind!! I felt on top of the world! All my bike training had paid off. I was passing everyone, even the guys (and girls) with the disk and othe way better than my race wheels. I saw Luke and gave him a quick salute and kept hammering.
There was a section of chip seal that slowed me down, but not too much, until.....I found my front tire was flat!!!!
OK, so I cursed a few times, pulled over and started to do what was to be the fastest tire change ever. I pulled the tire from the wheel with out using a lever, felt the inside of the tire, put my only tube in, assembled my CO2...but wait...I didnt hear the PSSST when the cartridge punctured. AND IT WAS NOT INFLATING!!!! I had a defective CO2, or so I thought. I tried a second one, still nothing!!! ARRGG!!!!
I was now just sitting there when another rider asked what I needed, he threw me a CO2 and rode off, thanks! But it was a 12, I needed a 16...
I took my inflator apart and saw that the pin was missing, so it would not open the CO2!!!

A minute later, Luke rode by, asked what I needed, I told him I was done, he said "NO, what do you need?" I told him my inflator was broken, he GAVE ME HIS!! WOW, this was very, VERY cool!!!
I got my tire aired up and took off!
A few mins later, I heard that sound: pssst,pssst,pssst,pssst....
I had just flatted again!!!!
This time I did not have another tube. Kiley road by, asked If I was OK, I told her my race was over. I was just about to start walking back when the Mavic support car pulled up. They very quickly took my front wheel, gave me a new one and I was ready to go, again!!!!
The support guy told me to get on and he would get me back to speed. I got on, he grabbed my seat and ran me about 100yrds, how cool was that!!!

I passed Kiley, chatted with her for a few seconds and took off. I then passed Luke and chatted with him for a few seconds too and took off fast.

I got a new gatoraide from the hand up (mine spilled when I laid my bike down). I found the turn around and was thankful.

There was now a wonderful tailwind! I was able to push speeds as high as 30, but maintained 26-28 MPH for the return trip. I was not passed once on the bike (except when I was stopped).

Carry 2 tubes
Verify my equipment before a race (CO2 inflator)
Not flat (twice)

T2 was very fast for me. dropped my shoes/helmit, put run shoes on. Grabbed a gel for the run.

Maybe learn to take feet out of shoes on bike and do the way cool looking jump from moving bike thing...

Since i knew my race was no longer a "race" (because of the flats), I decided to just make it a good finish. I ran out at first at a sub 8 pace, hit 1st mile (per Garmin) at 7min 5sec, (way too fast). I slowed it down to a 8-9 min per mile pace and held it there. Mike (Marmadaddy) ran up and stayed with me for about 1/2 mile. I told him to NOT run with me, coz I was just jogging alaon and for him to go do his race, so he did.

I STOPPED at the BT water station and chatted for a few seconds, I also STOPPED at a porta can and then I STOPPED again at the BT aid staion for more water.
At one of the turn, I saw Bonnie coming, so I STOPPED and waited for her for about 45 seconds to come by. I gave her a high five and got a kiss!

I kept running but thought about stopping, not because I couldnt run, but because I was mentally not in this race anymore, but I kept on.
I STOPPED again athe HRTC water station and chatted with a few of the club members I knew. Kenny looked way to comfortable in that toga!!!
I STOPPED 2 more times, one for water and again for a porta can.

This made for a total of 6 times during the run that I STOPPED. Even though I was not having a good run, I did try to enjoy as much as I could. I still finished with a 9 min per mile pace.
This could of been a great run, if I had not STOPPED so many times to visit and use the porta cans.

Not let the 2 flat tires get me down and still race the run.

No cool down.
I waited at the finish line for Bonnie with Lisa and Randy. Then we all waited for Luke, Kiley and all the others.
Bonnie and I went to the food tent, got some grub and sat down with a bunch of BT friends (old and new).
After about an hour or so, we went back to Casa BT, showered, chatted with Whizz and Coredump a bit and left.
We stopped at Mario's on 61st st (the good one), had a wonderful pizza and desert then drove home.


The only thing was the 2 flat tires. This was the first time I have flatted in a race.....


With all the support at this race, I rate it one of, if not the best organized races I have done. A top notch event!!!