Manchester STAR Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

There was quite a bit of congestion in the pool, particularly at the turns. People seemed to not know how to get under the lane line and get going in the next lane. I just pushed past and continued on my way, sorry if that seems rude...but hey, its a race! I had difficulty getting my breathing regulated. Usually a pre-race warmup helps that, not sure how to address it with a race format like this.

I usually take my wedding ring off when swimming b/c its kinda loose. I forgot to remove it today and therefore was worried that it would fall off in the pool. That was a minor distraction.

T1: Run to Bike.
I thought I transitioned pretty well, except I was breathing rather hard. However, when I watched my husband's video of it afterwards, I looked really slow. On a positive note, I was able to get on my bike and clip in quickly...a good start to my ride.

I had neglected to put my elastic shoelaces in my shoes, and so had to untie them in transition. Also, I took some Endurolytes which I could have stashed in my bento bag and taken while riding.

Good ride, I enjoyed it! The run-to-bike adjustment was interesting, at first I felt great...then it caught up with me at about the 1 mile mark. I powered through that "yucky legs" feeling and was in my groove by 2.5 miles. I was able to stay down in my aero bars for a good deal of the ride.

Nothing!

T2: Bike to Swim
This transition was pretty good. I smushed my finger while racking my bike, but it was minor. Had to try twice to get my swim cap on due to my sweaty head, but did manage to get it on while jogging to the pool. I often seem to have leaky goggle issues at swim practice, but they stayed tight today thankfully!

I had decided to carry my own water bottle this time, which was new for me. I'm glad I did, it was nice to sip at it all along the way.

I wasn't sure how hard to push myself on the run, given that I had to bike and swim still. In hindsight, I could have moved it a little faster and been alright.

The swim at the end was very refreshing! After crossing the finish line, I talked to some friends, had some grapes and took my kids to the bathroom. No big cooldown really needed, obviously!


Run: The fear that I would run out of steam later in the race. Next time I know I can push myself harder at the run and will still be able to finish strongly. There was someone I knew maybe 20 ft ahead of me, I should have pushed to pass her, would have felt better about myself.
Bike: Good!
Swim: Lots of people in the way in the pool, swimming breaststroke down the middle of the lane, for example, and congergating at the turns. I also felt it was hard to get my breathing where I wanted it, but that is normal for me in a sprint, just way too short of a swim.


The "backwards" concept was a refreshing change of pace! Everything was organized and well run. I would do this race again and recommend it to friends.