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 Swim
Comments: First off, I did not have any fears going into this swim or during it. I felt as comfortable as if I were in a pool. However, I couldn't sight worth a darm for some reason. I guess I can only focus on fixing one problem at a time and this time it was not panicking in the open water, which I definately accomplished. So next time it will be focusing on sighting. I could see the pack but I kept drifting off to the right, way way to the right. Funny thing is, I was bi-lateral breathing! Who'd a thunk? So I spent a great deal of time trying to get back on course, but at least I felt comfy! I didn't get scared when the men from the later waves got up on me, which really wasn't too many since it was only the ones that were off course too. Made it to the end and felt like I had conquered my worst tri demon, even if my time was on the slow side. What would you do differently?: I'm going to put more time into sighting. Also, now that I know I can handle the OW just fine I'll push myself to go faster and less like a Sunday swim.  Transition 1
Comments: It was a long uphill to T1 and I tried to shuffle up the hill as best as I could after the swim. I got to my bike and got into bike mode just fine, but when I got on my bike I just couldn't get the cleats and pedals to jive so I fiddled a bit. What would you do differently?: Not sure, I was just a bit weery from the heat of the moment.  Bike
Comments: This was a very beautiful bike course that kept you on your toes. There were some sharp turns, but the great volunteers were waiving their flags to warn you ahead of time and really helped to make it safe. I felt a bit weak on those hills. I need more time in the saddle, not only to improve climbing hills, but to also be more comfortable going downhill fast. The speed is frightning to me so I hold back a bit and don't take advantage of the downhill as I should. But, in due time. My sensor for my bike computer was cockeyed so I had no reading the entire ride, which made it hard to tell how I was really doing. Not that it would have mattered judging by all the people passing me should have clued me in to push harder! Silly me. At around mile 11 was THE HILL. Big Wave Dave had some colorful names for this hill when I described the bike course and when I saw it coming I braced myself for some hurting. I took it one foot at a time just gearing down and trying to stay in the saddle as long as possible, then up to try to climb it. Even the super cyclist were haulted by it. It was like the equalizer for everyone with no one going faster than anyone else. Some roadies were on the side of the rode cheering us which was nice. At the top I didn't hold back my enthusiasm and yelled "YEAH!!!" and got some snickers. OK people, I know you all were relieved too! The rest of the ride I played leapfrog with the same guy. It was weird because he would blow past me and then on a hill I would somehow be on his tail again. And then we were back to T2. What would you do differently?: Really learn the gears on my bike. Work on seat height settings to see if it helps with power. Transition 2
Comments: Changing to running shoes went very well, race belt on, hat on and downed a Gu while running out of T2. What would you do differently?: Nothing.  Run
Comments: I was happy to finally get to my strongest leg of the race. I felt pretty good at the start and the guy I leap-froged on the bike with came running up behind me and as he passed he said "I don't know how you passed me but you did." Hum, what did he mean by that? He must have been slow in transistion, but the way he said it made me wonder if there was sportsman like chit chat or was he surprised because slow poke me couldn't have passed this guy. It kinda consumed my thoughts for the first two miles, which was a good thing because otherwise I would have been focusing on my calves feeling tight which was a sensation new to me in a race. I felt so strong, and just kept steady. One by one I was picking off women and men in my sights and passing them. I passed a women from the Kain race team which made me feel pretty good because they were part of that "serious looking triathlete" scene in transistion. I hit the turn around point and got excited because it came faster than I had anticipated and I new I was going to be able to finish strong. I while after the turn around I ran past that guy, and I was so tempted to say "I don't know how I past you but I did!", but quiet little me just thought it to myself and smiled. Hee Hee Hee! I had the aid stations down; grab two waters, one for pouring over my head and the other I squeezed into a manageable shape to drink out of while running. Hey, I felt like an old pro! About a mile and a half from the finish I ran past Shellee and it was nice to know another competitor for the first time! Down the stretch I reved up to a good strong kick and down the chute to the finish line, and wouldn't you know, miss Kain racer lady flew past me! What a champ! What would you do differently?: Not much. Maybe have a rear view mirror to see tri team peeps closing in on me so I could hit the gas a little harder! Snerk. Post race
Warm down: I got a super cool finisher's medal and then cleaned up my transistion area. Chatted with some other folks at the finish line waiting to see Shellee finish. I also thanked the teacher who had her students do the volunteering because they were great. I got hungry and wandered over to the grub tents and to my delight they had the best food! Fresh, I mean fresh salad. And gourmet salad too, not thet iceburg crap. Then the chicken, oh so good and so much of it so you could really eat as much as you wanted and didn't have to worry about there not being enough left. I didn't grab everything, I was happy with the salad and chicken. Then, get this, there were enough chairs for every person to sit on! How great is that! I walked past the race announcer as he was entertaining the crowd and doing his thing and I just waved to him and went back to wait at the finish line. He then came up to me and wanted to know what I thought about race. Wow, they really make you feel special here. Anywho, Shellee came running in strong and she got to enjoy the post race too and then off we went. What limited your ability to perform faster: Spending too much of the last few months in the gym on the stationary bike instead of out on the road where I would be getting stronger and better at shifting. Event comments: J&A Productions are the cream of the crop. This event takes the cake on everything being great for the racers. They make you feel so welcome and special and safe because they are so organized and on top of things. I really look forward to doing another race of theirs. The BEST! Last updated: 2007-05-21 12:00 AM
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United States
J&A Productions
Overall Rank = 182/222
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 21/28
This weekend I had a couple milestones that I'm happy with. The first one was stepping outside my shy, timid box and ask a stranger to go to the race with me. I'm telling you, triathlon has done wonders for my shyness! Anyway, my hubby really needed to get the electrical done on our new house and he didn't want me to travel by myself so I PM'd BT'er cadreamer (Shellee) to see if she would be the Thelma to my Louise and she said yes! So we drove down to Morgan Hill Saturday afternoon, checked into the Quality Inn and then off to check out the race site. When we got there the crew was setting up and Shellee and I poked around the place. The race announcer (don't remember name but a cutie) was there and introducing people to us and offered to give us directions for the bike course and then asked us if we wanted to eat. Hum, seriously? I couldn't believe the incredible hospitality. We went across the street to "Big Wave Dave's" house where a great bar-b-que was underway for the crew, and they welcomed us. We couldn't believe our luck since our next thing on the agenda would have been to find a decent restaurant to have dinner. Big Wave Dave was a very eccentric and entertaining red-neck who kept muttering about his future exwife and the race announcer was so friendly. They kept offering us beer too which was not on our pre-race diet so we didn't partake. Then they offered us VIP parking for race morning in Dave's yard, which was a total score since in the morning we'd only have to park and walk across the street to transition! Yeah! After recieving very detailed and colorful bike course directions from our new red-neck friend we bid our farewells to our new friends and off we went to drive the bike course.
Got to the race site appr. 6:15, found a spot in transistion with Shellee next to me and I quickly noticed the field of athletes were way more "serious triathlete" looking than at my previous races! Lots of tri clubs too. But hey, I'm here to have a good time and test the limits of my mental toughness so who cares. I kinda tinkered around and set up my gear. Then headed to the body marking station. These guys were pro, many body markers and they had those stamped numbers that look real nice too. I was cold and I tried to hold off putting on my close to let it dry but after a while I went ahead and smeared my numbers, rats! Did my final porta break and got suited up in my nifty new wetsuit and went down to the swim start. Hardly anyone was warming up in the water, and it seemed strange to me but I went ahead and proceded with my planned warm up swim to get the OW jitters out of my system. Back up to the beach and waited for my wave to start, shivering. Burrrr.