New Brighton Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I let alot of people run into the water, as I have a tendency to freak in open water. I got out there, and started tapping people on the feet, eventually I found a good line to the inside, and stayed calm for a while. About 300 yards into the swim my head realized I was out in the middle of a lake with no wall in place. Panic ensued, and I found a guard for a quick breather. Then I took my head out of my A$$, and started swimming doing about a third of the swim on my back. Wetsuit came off pretty good at the beach.

Learn how to swim without panicing in open water. I think I will try to go out faster in my next race, and not wait fo catch people. I know I can swim at a decent pace in the pool, I just have to figure out what to do in open water. Now saying this, it is better than my only other 1/2 mile swim in a tri.

I was so ticked at myself for panicing that I took my time, and washed my feet, and then put on my socks, shoes, sunglasses(perscription), and helmet. Then ran out, and got spinning quickly.

Don't worry about the swim performance, just try to get on with the next phase of the race.

The road out of the park had potholes. I tried to stay on the middle yellow lines, as that was the safe route. It then got rough across 96 & down Hamline. Then it was a dream along Lake Johanna. I came around a corner that had one of those speed limit signs with the radar that read 28 when I went past. When I brought my bike out of the transition area after the Tri, my back tire was going flat. I would guess that I hit something coming back across 96. I saw quite a few flats at the end of the race.

I took a few slow breaks because I thought I was tired. I just have to go, and I also have to get one of those Aero drink containers for my bike. I probably didn't drink enough, but it was a new PR for average speed.

I didn't take my feet out of my shoes on the bike. I just haven't practiced it, but I was right at the entry for bike location. After I had grabbed everything, and was ready to go, a girl was trying to get her bike off the rack, and pulled the bar from the support. I ran over, and grabbed it, and put it back without any bikes dropping, and she got going on her way. It was her first Tri.

I might try to practice the feet out of the shoes, but my cleats are tucked up in my shoes so I can run on them without damaging the cleats. Which in my next race is a good thing.

My freaking Calves locked up off the bike. I stopped about 300 yards from the start, and stretched for a minute. Got going again, and started to loosen up. I stopped twice where bikes were crossing the run to let riders go through. I didn't need an accident. I kept a nice pace, but kept thinking about my horrible swim. Side note, my best run last year was 9:54 per mile, so a new PR on the run.

Stop thinking about the horrible swim. I need to do some bricks before my next race. I took over this entry from a guy whose girlfriend backed out on the race. I wasn't planning on doing a tri until the end of June.

Walked around, and talked to people as I was walking. If I stopped, I mixed in some light stretching as I was talking to them.


The constant need to get my head out of my A$$, and forget about the swim, and remember this is a race.


This was my first time doing one of Vacation Sports races. I thought it was alright. I had heard about the lack of volenteers at some of their races. They could have used more people at some of the intersections, and a second water station. You did cross the one that they had at the start of the run, and a little over a mile into the run. They could have used another one down near the turn around. I am doing the St. Paul Tri - Olympic length with them in August. Hopefully that will go well. I thought the race was good, but could have used a good sweeping over the freeway, and the park should have patched the road into the park, but otherwise the race was fine.