Big Lick - TriathlonOlympic

The beginning of this swim was not good. I kept running over the person in front of me, but I couldn't get around him because there was somebody on both sides of me. This went on for several hundred yards. Finally, things started to break up and I got into a good rhythm.

At first I was a little disappointed that my swim time was so slow compared to everyone else's, but then I remembered that most people had wet suits. I think wet suits should be illegal for anything over 70 degrees. ;)

At the start, I figured I might not want to be in the very front row of my wave, so I positioned myself where there was a row of people in front of me. I should have positioned myself at the front though.

There was a long run from the swim up to the TA, and the TA was long and narrow, so there was a lot of running within the TA. Plus, the bike mount line was actually on a short hill, so they suggested not actually getting on the bike until the top of the hill(about 10 or 20 yards past the mount line). I followed that advice, and my run and jump on the bike went well. I hadn't practiced putting my shoes on the bike since the last race though, and I had a hard time getting my feet in the shoes.

Remember to practice putting the shoes on the bike before the race.

I felt pretty good on this ride. The heat bothered me a little bit, but not as much as on the run.

Drink more. I drank about the same as my training ride last weekend, but with it being so hot, I should have drunk more.

I must have been brain dead at the end of the ride, cause I forgot to take my feet out of my shoes. As I saw the dismount line approaching, I remembered, and I took them out of the shoes really fast, and barely did it in time before I jumped off the bike at the dismount line.

Normally, the bike racks are staggered where one person racks on one side of the rack, and the next person racks on the opposite side, and so on. This is how the bikes were racked before the race, but when I got back to the rack, the man on the other side had racked his bike on my side of the rack. So, I had a little trouble racking my bike.

My time was a little slower because I had a gel in transition, but I think it was worth it. I guess I could have had the gel while I was running though. I'll have to find out if it's ok to throw down empty gel packets at the aid stations.

Remember to take my feet out of my shoes earlier.

This run was really hot. I think it was over 90 later that day, but I think it was already in the 80s during the race. The first mile or so was up hill and no shade. After that, it was a little better with some shade from the trees. Thankfully, I didn't get a side stitch, but I was a little disappointed that I was over 8 minute miles. I can't complain too much though, cause it was way better than the run in the last race. I think if I would have drank more on the bike, it would have helped.

Drink more on the bike, depending on the weather conditions.

Walked around a little bit. I should have walked and stretched a little more, but I always want to talk to my family after the race.


This was a really well run race, and I enjoyed the course. The free Outback Steakhouse dinner afterwards was great too. I'd like to do this one again next year.