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 Swim
Comments: There was really only one entirely remarkable thing about this swim. As my wave was lined up and getting ready to start, a pair of geese, I assume the enforcers of the neighborhood, waddled down the beach right into the swim warmup area and swim start channel. They proceeded to harass and attempt to chase off any and all humans regardless of size, menacingly pecking away at and bravely charging any and all tresspassers. Hilarious in their futility but somehow simultaneously inspiring in their bravado. Ever seen that Aflac commercial where the duck chases the Chinese food delivery guy back into his car? The geese, They REALLY do that! This is a wonderful swim venue. I discovered about mid route that I was enjoying my morning swim much as I would enjoy a nice easy workout open water swim. Admittedly not a great race strategy, but what the helll-lll. I'm having a good time here, ya mind? Not a good swim, but not a bad swim for me either. I got passed by a bunch of people from the next wave, but I'm used to that. Oh yeah... and I think I started right behind Kate Major. She was there and I started behind the only woman in my wave. Pretty cool, eh? What would you do differently?: Learn how to swim. Same old six and seven.  Transition 1
Comments: The other thing you need to know if you plan to do a race at Bonelli. No transition splits. They are both lumped together with you bike time. What would you do differently?: I dunno. Take it more seriously, i guess.  Bike
Comments: This is a fun bike course. It's just challenging enough. I walked through transition as everyone else was walking and the rules said to walk, I took my time clipping in and getting up to speed and then I almost immediately shed what was left of my recalcitrance. I took to attacking some of the hills and really just sprinting down some of the downhills. I got my new bike up to 45 mph plus in aero..... wahoooo! I am engrossed in a sordid love affair with my new bike. It is my noble steed. Also, I'm starting to warm up to the notion of those time trial penis-head helmets too. I counted. There were a total of four men and two women who passed me on the bike. Each of them was wearing one of those helmets. Maybe I need to get one of those. What would you do differently?: I have some work to do on the bike. I need to get the tri bike out on my hill training routine. Transition 2
Comments: Again. No split. It felt okay. What would you do differently?: I need to train without socks. I always ride without socks but I get blisters every time when I run without them. This, socks, is the single biggest impediment to a stellar T2 time.  Run
Comments: Oh, how I LOATHE running. Its my absolute worst subject. I dread it in every race. In this race, my mind got the best of my run, for sure. My goal in every race of this distance is simply not to walk. For the most part I have suceeded so far. Having said that, i failed miserably here. About half way through the run, the "run" faction in my brain who had been somewhat half-heartedly armwrestling the thug-like, brutish "just-f*cking-walk-for a minute" faction since the beginning of the run, finally gave up the ghost. I walked-ran-walked-ran-walked the balance of the race. I even felt guilty passing people who had passed me while I was walking. I hope the tri-gods will forgive me. Don't hate me because I walked...... I'll bet I walked a mile or so of this thing. What would you do differently?: I think the training I did for the mid season iron distance Aquabike really killed my prospects for any kind of sucessful run for the balance of the season. My race schedule has been such that my training regimen is highly suspect to begin with..... My work regimen has been a real killer... I thinnk I nay have aggravated an old stress fracture.....Oh hell.... who am i trying to kid? I just need to man up and learn to like running. Post race
Warm down: Sprinted as best I could through the finish line. Grabbed a cup of water. Waited for my new friend to congratulate him on a great race and then got after my T3. A very impressive T3 for me. I was actually packed up and on the road within 14 minutes of crossing the finish line. What limited your ability to perform faster: Talent, skill, geneteics, discipline..... Whatever. I had fun. Event comments: This is a splendidly low-key race. Its a fantastic course. Its pretty well organized. Sure there are peculiar things about it, no pre race day packet pick up, no transition splits and, most irkingly, no body markings. (I love body markings) Minor tri infractions. I recommend this race venue to all. They have four or five races here annually and its a great way to measure your progress over or across the seasons. The people are great and all of the "big bones" aspects of this race are well tended to. Just watch out for killer geese. Last updated: 2007-08-09 12:00 AM
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United States
TriEvents
80F / 27C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 96/187
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 16/23
Feh. My second race at this place.
Late season duldrums.
No Peedra either. Something about she has to go to a baby shower or something. Okay. W. I'll go alone. The traditional pre-race night of little to no sleep and the little bit I managed being utterly listless. Up at 4:30 on a Sunday morning just seems unnatural. In my old, pre-triathlon twinkie eating and couch camping life, 4:30 only sounded good if i was still up at that time from the night before. Is this what late season burnout feels like? hmmmm. I dunno. Can't get excited about this race. Just can't.
The breakfast of middling triathlete non-champions. Starbucks drip coffee. Lotsa creme, lotsa sugar.
I arrive in enough time to navigate my way through the ridiculously unintuitive cacougraphy of roads that is Bonelli Park, half by memory and half by following my nose and still manage a decent parking place and a spot in the registration line before it gets too long. Lots of talkative and friendly people in line. This, as well as the energy of race day, watching all the race preparations and scamming on all the beautiful bikes... This makes me forget my prior lack of enthusiasm.
A forewarning for all who enter a race here. There is no pre raceday packet pick-up. It all happens on race morning.
I met a guy who was in my age group in transition, who also happened to run a lot of the same races with me this year and we set out to the swim area to get a quick few hundred yard warmup swim in. A good man.
I love lake swims. Compared to Long Beach last weekend, this is like swimming in a bottle of Evian water. I heard several people complain about the water quality.... HA! this is prime, sweet crystalline drinking water to those of us who were baptised in 151 proof prime urban first-flush, sewer-gutter-filthy LA River stew effluent last Sunday..