MedExpress Mountaineer Triathlon - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

1st time wearing my wetsuit in a race, so it took a couple hundred yards to get my balance right, but after that I was happy with how effortless it was. I only wore it once before.

Wave started off not too bad, only a little bumping and grinding, but then we rounded the first set of buoys, right into the path of the swimmers doing the Half, so it got more congested. I'm sure there's no perfect way to time the wave start times, but it seems to me that the Olympic could have waited just a little longer to stop that congestion there.

Stayed fairly straight, but drifted somewhat. I was happy when I finally sighted the dock, but it seemed to take forever to get there! Now I was really drifting too close to shore, so I finally had the brilliant idea to breathe on my right so I could keep my eye on where I was, and that took care of that.

My only main issue was needing to take a leak! The wetsuit was pushing on my bladder, so I tried a couple times and couldn't do it. I guess I'll need to practice that! :)

My foot cramped up as I pulled myself up on the dock, but that didn't last too long.

Swim more. Lack of dedication to this really shows. I'm much slower than last year, so it's time to get the finger out!

Long 1/4 mile run from the dock into the garage for T1. I was worn out, so I walked some going up the ramp, then finally got into a jog. This time was included in the swim.

Didn't want to run too much with my bike shoes on because this was in a parking garage, and I didn't want to slip.

Practice getting the wetsuit off better, but otherwise no issues other than me being slow!

This was my best event, obviously aided by my new bike. Speaking of that, I would highly recommend riding a bike more than once before a race! LOL!

Started off fine, but almost immediately my aerodrink went crooked, and the rubber bands popped the lid off, so I was getting showered with Accelerade! Eventually between what dumped out on the bumps, and what I drank, it quit pouring out on me. But during the whole race, I had to keep fidgeting with the lid to keep putting it back on, and tilting the bottle to get a drink. Extremely annoying.

Used a couple guys doing the Half to pace me out of transition for the first few miles. As I turned onto the 40k course, the first long hill started. I knew it was coming, so I was fine. Since it was only the 2nd time using bar end shifters, I had to keep thinking which way would make it easier or harder - what a dolt!

Went by a good number of people throughout the whole ride, and probably got passed by a couple. Got a little congested with bikers and cars at the top of the 5 mile hill, then again at the turn around. The course went into Pennsylvania, so that was cool!

Just after I crested the hill on the back half, the rain came down pretty hard. I was now on a downhill, and feeling very uncomfortable in aero, so I sat up and crouched, with a hand easing the brake on and off, just as if I was on my mountain bike. At the bottom I went back into aero, and that's where my bike suddenly sprouted propellers! Just like that I was whizzing by all these other guys, and I didn't even feel like I was pushing too hard. Very cool!

Ended up getting caught up behind about 4 others bikes for the last couple miles. We were back on the rough stuff, on the small road, and the bikers going back out for the Half were coming the other way, so there was no opportunity to pass, so I eased back and had a gel here.

Overall happy with how the bike went, and I'm looking forward to getting to ride it more now.

Ride a bike more than once before a race.
Learn to use the aerodrink and set up ahead of time!
Get more comfortable in the aero position in all conditions so I can stay down longer.

No times listed for T2, but based on the bike and run times, it must be included in the run.

Just practice more, not too bad here. Took it easy on the slick concrete.

This is where the wheels fell off. I came out fine and on the pace I wanted of about 8:45-9:00/mi. Somewhere between 2 and 3 miles, Akustix was going the other way and yelled out Go BT! Very cool and that cheered me up!

Eventually my pace went up to around 9:20 by the 5 mile mark. But then you make a turn, and the hills hit for the last 1 1/2 miles. I wasn't ready for that at all. I made a bad mistake in virtually all my training by training on a flat trail, instead of hills. So I got about halfway up the first, to just past the guy in the Devil costume and had to walk the rest of the way up that one.

That became the pattern for the rest of the run. I had nothing left for the hills at all, and ended up walking up most of the way up each one. I was real disappointed in that.

The only time I got a chuckle was on a downhill, I was ready to turn right to keep going down hill, until a policeman pointed me left up the hill. I said, "I'll give you a five if you let me go down!"

Finally the last 0.2 miles were downhill, so I was able to finish with a bit of kick.

Train more!

Run has really been off this year, just like the swim, so I need to work harder overall.

Walked around a bit and stretched - finally hit the port-o-potty. Had some food and met Akustix and his wife and boys.

Stayed for a while and cheered on the other Olympic and Half finishers.


Overall lack of training this year. I lost momentum last fall, and it took a while to get it back late winter. Since then it's been pretty sporadic, and it really showed for this first race of the year.

My goal was 3:00 hours, which I just missed. It was also my first Olympic, 2nd time on my new bike, and 2nd time wearing a wetsuit, so with some work, this will be the low point, and I'll improve moving forward.


Good time overall. Excellent parking in the garage - right above transition, but then it was a 1/4 mile or so walk back from the finish.

Didn't like the road they put us on for the start and finish of the bike. I thought it was too rough and narrow since bikes were going in both directions there.