Vancouver BG World Cup - Triathlon

First open water, first wet-suit swim. As a swim-clubber I just wasnt really prepared and didnt gain as much time on the field as I would have liked. I managed to come second out of the water, first guy was 2:30 minutes ahead (swum faster than all the Elites...Potts included) and then there was me, followed by the main pack 1minute back. I was panicking a bit in the water because I was all alone and had to do all the sighting myself and I couldnt for the life of me see the next Buoy. I ripped my goggles off and had them around my neck and just swum it bare face. Not such a good idea but I was gaining time on the rest of the people, so I knew I had to just endure the pain. I will be looking to gain experience in open water and hopefully gain even more time on the rest of the field.

Got on my bike and hammered away, trying to eat into the advantage of the first place person. I managed to come out with the 3rd fastest bike split of the day and stay right in contention for a second/third place overall, if my run would come together. I managed to break an hour, so I thought I would be breaking 2hrs for sure.

Slipped my runners on and for some reason the insoles folded under my feet but I didnt want to take the time to fix them. It was supposed to be a 4lap, out and back course...so I figured I would take the discomfort and save the time. Running is my weak spot and I knew I needed every second in order to keep my 2nd overall (which I was in at the moment). I took off and ran and ran and ran. With 1.5 laps to go, I got caught by one guy and with just under a lap to go, 2 others passed me. I kept trying to push myself...to the extent that I started getting tunnel vision but I couldnt lose my placing, I just didnt want to! I managed to hold on to whatever I had and barely made it to the finish line, about to pass out. My feet were so blistered and sore that I could not walk.

Interesting thing is, the run course was way too long, between 14-15k...as opposed to the standard 10k. I have to blame myself for not dedicating more time to running but if the race-directors had measured the course properly I know I would have been able to hold on to my 3rd place overall. Obviously, my lack of run training cost me a lost of spots and it didnt help that it was closing in on a half-marathon distance run course!

I managed to come is as 6th overall and 3rd in my Age-Category but first Canadian in my age-category. Over the next year, I will be training very specifically to improve my run and with hopes that they fix the long course, I really hope to earn my home-country, in my home-city the gold for my age-category.