New Jersey State Triathlon - Sprint Distance - TriathlonSprint

Due to my own ignorance when I registered, I was registered with my age group rather than with first-timers, or with clydesdales. The plan was to stay outside and back to stay out of people's way because of my lack of experience - and the bad mishaps I had in training. Turns out that was not the right move. There were people in the wave that had trouble, and I ended up swimming into them. After I realized this, I took a more inside route, turned the buoy tight, and swam as hard as I could. When I reached the final buoy I started kicking to get the blood flow into my legs. The best feeling was passing people from the wave before mine.

Aside from getting better with breathing and improving overall speed, nothing. I think that was my best time swimming. Was pleased with performance.

Thought I did better than this. Not used to running on pavement in bare feet and ended up having to quickly walk to my transition zone, which was at the far end of where we entered from the swim. Had problems getting into my socks, even thought I dried my feet. Should have brought a bucket to sit on. Took a big swallow of 1/2 and 1/2 water and gatorade and took in a GU as I was jogging the bike out of transition and to the mount line.

Bring a bucket, try to be a little smoother with everything. Maybe put less stuff in my transition area so I'm not looking for specific things.

Again, overall I'd have to say I was pretty pleased with this. Fastest time I've done so far. Being a novice, when people said the course was flat I honestly assumed flat - like, Nebraska flat. There were obviously hills - nothing crazy, but short inclines. Having trained on totally flat Nebraska-like surfaces, wasn't really ready for that. Towards the end, someone that passed me told me we were inside two miles, and I popped it up a gear and started mashing hard. My lower back started bothering me towards the end of the ride, which was a first - I'm going to have to get a more comfortable seat.

Train on more hilly surfaces, and train a little harder. Again, the goal this time was to finish (and my bigger goal was to finish sub 1:50), so it's more of a live-and-learn thing.

So I get back to my area and someone racked their bike ON TOP OF all of my gear. Not too happy about it, and although I wouldn't have, part of me wanted to throw this pinhead's bike off the rack. Yanked my shoes out from under his front tire and felt a cramp in my stomach that was like a corkscrew that caused me to go back a step and take a minute to catch my breath. I knew I was in trouble for the run at this point.

In the area, nothing - before the race and during T1 and the bike, hydrate a heck of a lot more.

This is where the wheels fell off during my race. I was able to get out of T2 running (thank you bricks), but after about a half mile I was having serious problems. My calves were cramping up, and my left foot went numb (that was a totally new one), so I couldn't tell what I was doing with my foot striking, almost like trying to walk when your foot goes to sleep. Tried to take in water and HEED, but not having practiced taking in fluids while breathing heavily, almost choked myself (funny headline - man drowns in run portion of triathlon). Ended up walking a fair amount, if I had to guess, close to a third of the run - much more than I wanted to, or would have been even satisfied with. The one good thing I could take from the run is that my cardiovascular system wasn't what gave out on me, which is what I figured would have been the problem, not my legs. Was able to press harder on the last half mile and aired it out for the last quarter, gave everything else I had down the chute.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Need to train more on hills, and do some running exercises so I can run faster. I should have pushed harder, I think.

Walked around with Heather, Jay and his family. Should have definitely stretched more than I did. Ate some of the phenominal tomato pie available to the racers.


Not enough hard training and not really knowing what to expect. Also the lack of hydration during the race. I didn't expect the cramping at all, and when it hit me, I let it control me rather than controlling it.

I know I'm being hard on myself with the run and the physical problems, considering it was my first triathlon, but based on how well the swim and bike went, I'm pretty bummed about the run being so difficult.


I liked the race, and I think it was a great one to pick as my first tri. I would definitely do it again next year.