New York City Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

The current was amazing. Once we started, I got into a very fast, comfortable rhythm very quickly. The group thinned out, and the current was so strong that I didn't even bother drafting very much. I had intended to stay way to the right, where the current is strongest, but somehow I ended up drifting way to the left. I hadn't been sighting as much as I usually do, figuring that, since it's a straight-line swim, there was no need, but that was a mistake.
At about the 2/3 mark, just as I started passing people from the previous wave (which is always fun), I got NAILED by one or more jellyfish. It hit me in the face, just below my goggles, and swept around the right side of my neck and down into my wetsuit to about the base of my neck. And it hurt like a motherf*cker. I'e never been stung before, and It was incredibly painful, and since it was IN MY SUIT, it wouldn't go away. But, there I was in the middle of the Hudson, so not much to do but keep going. Once I hit the ramp, I couldn't get out of my suit fast enough. Overall, it was a good swim, despite the problems.

Sight better. Not get stung. Not run under the stupid shower, which apparently reactivates the jellyfish toxins.

We had a 400y run to transition, and, since I was barefoot, I didn't want to push it and tax the calf, plus I was busy dealing with jellyfish tentacles.

Once I got to transition, everything went ok. I took 2 Enduralytes and got on the bike. Long run from the swim entrance, but I was close to bike out.

Not having to baby my calf would have allowed me to run faster to transition. Other than that it was ok.

This was pretty good ride all in all. I got passed by lots of people, but mostly on tri bikes with race wheels, which I don't worry about. I was confident in the aerobars on all the descents. I have to check my Garmin, but I was well above 30mph on several of them, and I'm pretty sure I cracked 40mph at one point. That was fun. I didn't have any of the problems with the highway joints that some people have had, flatting or losing waterbottles and whatever. I really enjoyed this course.

Nothing. This was not an easy course, and I managed a pretty good split. A year ago, I was averaging 18mph on flat sprint courses, so to be able to average 18.6 over a hilly 25m course is progress I'm proud of.

A decent transition. I took another enduralyte, grabbed my little bottle of water (since there are no stops for the first mile+), shoved 2 gels in my pocket, and took off. I had a long run from my rack to run out.

I can't think of anything specific. It was ok. I fumbled with my race belt and all my crap, and that slowed me down a little.

Right as I passed the Brooklyn Tri Club cheering section, followed almost immediately by my wife at about the 1 mile mark, my calf grabbed me. Same tight, painful crampiness that I've been dealing with for weeks. I tried adjusting my stride, adjusting my pace, I took a couple of short walk breaks, even stopped at one point to massage it, and nothing helped. So I just decided to gut it out. It never got better. At various times I thought a lot about Lucy, and that really helped. It didn't make the pain go away, but it was a distraction (a couple of times, I got pretty emotional, which has never happened in a race), and it definitely inspired me to keep going. Mile after mile ticked by slowly, as seemingly my entire age group ran past me. I developed a blister on my foot from the water I poured on my head to keep cool. Every corner seemed to reveal another hill, and I started to feel hot and dehydrated and light-headed, despite taking in water at every stop. Finally, I realized that we must be getting close, and that, miraculously, my goal of 3 hours was still in reach, despite the slow pace I was grinding along at. I had a little left for a kick when I hit the chute, but honestly, for the first time, I was really happy a race was over.

Not get hurt. Not let water get in my shoes.

I went through the chute, got my towel and my medal, and managed a couple of bottles of water and vitamin water. Got my finisher photo taken, and found my family. Getting back to transition and then home on the subway with all my gear was a pain. Finally, made it home after a long day, and my son and I passed out together on his bed and slept for 2 hours.


This freakin' injury. I never really believed that it was 100%, and I suspected that it would bother me at some point, but I didn't expect it to be Mile 1. That was disappointing, because up to that point, I was feeling really strong, fitness-wise. No question in my mind that I could have run a lot faster but for the injury.
Oh, and the jellyfish sting didn't help much.

I think it's funny that I finished 205 out of 409. Literally, MOP.


This race isn't perfect, by any means, but they do an amazing job, considering the magnitude of it. It's a great course, there are zillions of super-helpful volunteers, the expo and the post-race stuff is fantastic. It's expensive, and it has other flaws, but it's not for nothing that it's one of the premier events in the country. I'll definitely do this race again, but I'll probably volunteer next year so that I can do it again in '10 for free.