Lone Star Triathlon Festival - Quarter - TriathlonOlympic

I thought I swam faster than this. I didn't do poorly, but I didn't do what I wanted to do. I should've been b/w 1:50-1:55. We did catch some waves due to jet skis, but it wasn't bad. The water was totally murky though and I never saw anyone until I was on top of them. I tried to draft a few feet and did for a bit, but not as good I would've liked. I did do a good first turn, but felt like I lost the pack after that. But from looking at my AG, the F20-24 AG, and the Athena times (my wave, it looks like I was still in the top 25% of the swim. I think I probably sighted too often and took to long to correct what I was doing. I was right on from the start to first buoy and I did a great back turn on that one, but then for that long rest of the stretch I drifted too far right and needed to be tighter to the buoys. Definitely had some speedy ladies from the wave behind me pass me! But, once I got to the exit I was out and running, no stopping, got my wetsuit down to the waist, flopped on the ground for the wet suit strippers to go, whoosh, there went the suit, and I was up and headed out in a run and BAM--poor wet suit stripper got in the run path and I ran her over. I'm sorry. It wasn't personal...

More OWS and more practice in my wetsuit. I think my kick suffered greatly. I had only 1 OWS at Barton Springs prior to this. I also caught myself crossing my midline too much. So--more OWS, more long swims with maintaining form.

I can't believe I took this long!?! What the heck. I dropped my cap running to my spot and should've just left it there, but didn't want to "abandon equipment" (even though no refs were there...) so I turned around picked it up, could've saved probably 10 secs here. I think part of it was I put my glasses on and with the humidity and my wet body they immediately fogged up, I put the helmet on, turned on the Garmin to get it set, and couldn't see, had to take the glasses off, grabbed the towel and did a quick wipe inside the shorts and then grabbed the chamois butter but it wasn't in the end of the tube--this took too long, but still got some where it needed to go. Put my socks and shoes on, put the glasses back on, the Garmin on the wrist and for some reason took my watch off, why?? That wasn't planned. Feet were still pretty wet. Grabbed the bike, ran to the mount line, realized I was on the wrong side of the bike, had to get to the other side, trying to avoid all of us running into each other that were there, and finally got going.

Put glasses on last so my head could cool off first, not take watch off, make sure chamois butter was already in the END of the tube, and if the Garmin has a 10hr life and it's just an Oly, turn it on ahead of time. Learn how to jump on the bike at the mount line and put shoes on while on the bike.

I truly loved the bike on this race. It took me until I was probably 1/4 of a mile onto the Seawall to finally get set into pace and comfortable. I found a good gear and just started going and started passing people. From about mile 4-11 I did my best to keep one gal that passed me within legal draft or just ahead. If she passed someone, I determined to pass them too. There were a few moments where packs of us had to work to not get to close and that caused some slowing and going. I think I only had three women pass me that I didn't pass again. I had several guys on the 1/2 Iron pass me...I'm pretty sure they were the the elites and that was motivating to look at! :) I heard the "wheesh, wheesh" of their wheels before I saw them! I truly had a blast here and when I decided to pass someone and push harder, I kept that momentum. I ate a GU as soon as I got onto the seawall, ate another one right before the turn around, and another one at the 24 mile mark. This was the first time I had to use my other water bottles to fill up my aero bottle, but I did it without problem. I only had to get out of aero for nutrition reasons (reaching to get a GU or re-fill aero bottle). I didn't need any water hand-ups, I had just enough. It was somewhat foggy on the way out, and the wind was more of a cross than a headwind and it really didn't bother me. I was thrilled to see the speed I was pushing as 19mph was the top end of my goal for the bike. Did see lots of folks with flats and felt really bad for them. I also saw LOTS of "roadkill aerobottle sponges!"I just prayed it wouldn't happen to me. I took one of the two speed bumps on the way in TOO FAST and that was worrisome, but nothing happened from it As I came towards the dismount I saw my friend Joe as he cheered for me, and then had a bad dismount where I just have to slow down and stop completely and hop off. this needs practice too. I want to be able to get my feet out of my shoes on the bike and just hop right off and run to my spot.

Not too much...a couple of times I spinned in a lower gear to give the legs a little rest, and not sure that was necessary. Also, need to get better at the whole mount/dismount thing. But REALLY HAPPY with this bike!! I love flat, need to learn to love hills.

This was a much better transition for me, but still should be faster. Running in bike shoes isn't the fastest (thus why I need to learn to take them off!!). But, got my bike racked (by the seat cause it's so short), helmet off, shoes off, running shoes on, race belt on, grabbed my hand bottle and hat and took off for the run.

Maybe use my Nathan speedbelt instead of the hand bottle and put the number on there so I can just put that on the fly. Also, gotta learn the whole feet out ahead of time so I can get to my rack faster. The bright towel helped me find my spot pretty easily.

Wow, this was one of the hardest runs I've had in a while. My legs weren't talking to my head when I got started running. I was convinced I was going to slow, and had hit a wrong button initiatlly on my Garmin, so I had to hit another one so I could see my pace info. When I did (I got it fixed within the first 100m of the run) I was sub 7 and that was TOO FAST even though I felt like I was going slower. So, I slowed down. Miles 3,4,5 were really tough. I had some cramping that is typically due to not enough water, but I felt like I had taken enough in, but the salt water swim seemed to dry me out, and another uncontrollable factor played into it...but I was going to keep a sub 8 pace for this run. In 3,4,5 I went back and forth between 7:35-8:10, but in the last 1.5 miles I just tried to keep focused on quick turnover, and I was nearly done. I took in 2 Gus on the course, one at the start, one at the mid-way point. I drank mainly from my Gu2O bottle, but grabbed water and sponges to cool off--bad thing was this made my shoes wet (though they were still wet some from being wet when I got on the bike) but I don't think that affected my feet till I was done, and cooling off was more important cause I was hot out there. I understand more and more why some wear just a sports bra tri-top...not sure I'm brave enough for that yet. I did grab coke at the last aid table and it did help. I wasn't bonking, but I needed that little extra kick to finish hard. I saw several BT'ers out on the course with all the looping back and forth and they encouraged me and that was way appreciated. Saw Aaron with a camera in the last 1/2 mile, and that was motivating too. I liked how when I got to the timing mat just prior to the turn before you the finish chute I heard them announce my name and that was the cue to sprint it in to the end, and sprint I did! A lady helped me over to the timing chip take off, thank goodness for the bars there, and the cold water and cold towel were much appreciated.

Not start off as fast, put one of the sponges in back of my neck and keep it there to keep me cool and poor water onto it, maybe take in a few more calories or more water on the bike...I really don't know if I had too much or not enough, but with as much as I needed after the race, I probably needed more. I really think the salt water dried me out during the swim. I need to do more bricks so my legs get much more used to the run off the bike and can gauge the speed to go out. Still, I hit my estimated pace goal, but I think if a few factors (some controllable, some not) were different I can drop the pace by 10-15 secs.

Drank the water they gave me, used the towel, walked back and forth, cheered on some other finishers I knew, and just really walked back and forth. Eventually headed to the food tent, saw Blythe (who totally rocked and won the women's aquabike) and chit chatted, saw I got 4th in my AG and was very happy. Grabbed some food and ate with Erin, Chad, and Kelly. Saw my swim coach and chatted with her for a bit. Stayed around for the post race awards with a bunch of BT'ers.


The swim: need to get faster here...but also need more OWS.
Transitions: need to make these much faster and more methodical. Need to eliminate some unnecessary movements and incorporate in some time savers like shoes clipped into the bike already and taking them off prior to dismount, and of course getting on the bike faster.


Keith Jordan did an amazing job. This was so well organized that I know we were spoiled!! Things like individually numbered bike racks, the sponges, the wet suit strippers, the announcing, the post race activities, give aways, the sponsors, and overall atmosphere was absolutely top-notch. Makes me want to travel to NE for some of their races sometime, and VERY GLAD that Longhorn 70.3 is put on by them. I had a blast at this race, but it was probably one of the toughest total things I've ever done. Using different muscles made me feel more physically depleted and that weird pain we all somewhat savor was more than I felt after the marathon. My friend Joe told me that means I didn't run the marathon hard enough, haha! I jus think it means I have more work to do in the three sports all together, more bricks, longer swims. I realize how much I need to do in order to be in tip-top shape for the Longhorn HIM. Not sure if I'll do Lonestar next year--not that I don't want to--I just will be in Boston Mary training, so maybe the sprint or something, we'll see! ;)

I got to meet so many BT'ers at this event it was truly great! To all of you: Aaron, Dennis, Beth, David, Kelly, Erin, Chad, Sydney, Roger, Gary, Jeanette, Tag, Stephen, Chris, and anyone else I missed (sorry!)--great job this weekend, it was great to meet all of you and I look forward to seeing you at future races! BT really makes these events that much more comfortable when you race with friends! Your encouragement out there was great!