Bonelli Olympic Distance Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

Not a bad swim for me - still need to work on getting faster and perhaps do more sighting at the beginning but felt like I did work hard in last 1/3 of course and seemed like there were a lot of fast swimmers out there today.

More sighting at the beginning of the swim, try to pick it up a little earlier so I have people to draft from.

Uggghhh almost fell over myself in transition - suit got stucked but I dealt with it and moved on.

Nothing really - sometime you just don't have the best transition.

Out of transition straight into a headwind - that plus the gusts of wind at other parts of the course made it harder than normal. However, what was really hard was that the weather had turned hotter than I was expecting and the winds were blowing hot, dry air. Everytime I drank it felt like all the moisture just got sucked straight back out of me. Tried my best on the bike course and passed a lot of people - I think I only got passed by one girl and there was no way I could catch her she was totally moving.

Did all I could on this bike portion - I did even drink more than normal but it just wasn't enough.

I racked my bike, grabbed my hat, put on my shoes (and garmin since I had decided to see if wearing it would make a difference to my run) and a also took a gel. Not a bad T2 - moving as fast as I could.

I actually would have been well served to take a drink during transition - or actually considering the heat it would have been nice to have a fuel belt with me. (Not something I normally carry for triathlons but it would I think have made a difference).

Oh my god - within 1/2 a mile I knew I was in trouble - I never want to walk or quit but today that was what I wanted. My legs felt so flat and close to cramping but my main problem was I was starting to seriously overheat. Totally dry mouth, felt hot and was obsessing re. coca cola. My pace slowed from an 8:30 min mile to a 11 min mile at the second 1/2 mile - and the uphills were killing me! BUT I don't quit and I don't walk. So I kept going - took a gel (gross and warm) with some water, dumped water over myself at each aid station and drank some. And plodded away at the course. By mile 4 things were getting a little better with my pace - I found a zone where I could keep going and just stuck in there. A bit heartbreaking to see 8 girls that I had comfortably passed on the bike run past me on the run but I just said "good job" to them (when I could talk) and kept going. Last 1/2 mile my friends Jim and Carol tried their best to get me moving faster (since I was being caught by two girls) - one passed me but I managed to sprint (on very wobbly legs) and beat the other girl in.

Hydrate more and to be honest this was just not a good run day - I have raced 3 triathlons (including Bonelli) this month - 2 OLY and 1 sprint and also did a 8 mile up hill trail run - so I think my legs had just had enough.
Proud though that I stuck in there and didn't walk or quit - and what is funny is that I still managed to come 5th in my age group! Felt real bad for the girls who were still finishing and hour and a half behind me - but again they stuck with it so kudos to them.

Sat on the grass being attended to by Jim, Deena and Carol - water, pepsi and banana. Then walked around to make sure the legs were OK.


Unexpected heat and wind. Not hydrating enough prior to the race. Too much racing in one month.


I love Bonelli - no it isn't ever really on time, yes there was a problem where we had to wait to get into the park. Perhaps there could be moe aid stations etc but I don't know there is something just quite downhome about Bonelli - it is not a slick production race but more of a passion - put on by people who love the sport.