Finger Lakes Triathlon - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

Up until 1 minute before the start of the race, my plan had been start out swimming side stroke for the first few minutes, switch over to freestyle once I was warmed up, then alternate as needed for my side. But standing in the water with about 70 of my closest friends (wave 3), I said "screw that, I'm swimming freestyle from the start!"

I lined up fairly wide and near the front. The wave started and I started swimming. Guys on both sides of me, we all were about the same speed. I felt someone tickling my feet on a regular basis for the first minute or two.

During my warmup, I noticed the location of the sun, relative to my swim stroke. But by the time my wave went off, the sun went behind some clouds. Fairly thick clouds so that it wasnt readily apparent exactly where the sun was. I lost my navigation key as a result. And boy did that have an effect on my swim.

After a few minutes of going along with my neighbors, I looked up and realized we were all going way, way wide of the buoys. I stopped, stood up actually, and re-aligned. A couple of other guys did the same.

So I started up again on a better line. A few minutes later I realized that I was cutting too much to the left. Argh! Ok, a little wider.

I tried to keep a closer eye on my target, the farthest buoy. And I was able to settle in to my stroke and get my breathing under control. Its always tough to get under control the first few minutes. I just told myself to relax, breath, take it easy.

I would have taken it more easy if I didnt find myself about 50 yards wide of the freaking buoy. ARGH!!!!!!! Ok, now I'm around it. Where's the next one? Can I avoid going off line for that one? Nope, zigzag over to it. At least I cut right by the side of this one before turning back to home.

I tried to sight on a large building on the east shore when I turned to breathe on my right side. But I soon realized that it should have been at 4 o'clock, not 3 o'clock. So I was again, very, very wide. Ok, a better line now.

For the first time in perhaps any tri, I really relaxed on the swim. I tried to lengthen my stroke, feel my body slide through the water, and just glide. Comfortable. Relaxed. Easy.

Except for continuing to drift to the right. I had to correct my line numerous times on the way in.

I ultimately swam almost the entire way in. Many were wading and I was still swimming. Until I could not take a real swim stroke did I get up and wade.

As I exited the water, I noticed on my watch it was 27:15. My swim time at Keuka was about 2 minutes faster. I also heard over the PA that so and so was the 5th woman out of the water. I'd use this information later.

The run to transition went fairly well. I head Mike call me and that was great seeing a cheering, familiar face! I got the top of my wetsuit off well.

As I was crossing the timing mat, I tried taking off my cap and goggles. They got stuck. I could not get my fingers under the edge. So I just pulled up. And, of course, it stretched. I probably looked a bit like a Conehead before it finally went POP! It came off and my goggles shot up into the air. A woman gasped. Fortunately, the goggles landed in front of me, so I just scooped them up and kept running.

The biggest problem was my horrendous navigation. I think I covered every square inch of the north end of Canandaigua Lake. Obviously a lack of OWS was a factor. I'll have to work on this next summer. Not having the sun to help me keep my line definitely hurt. But I need a better Plan B.

On the other hand, I was able to really relax on the swim for the first time ever in a race. That had to help down the line during the race.

That said, my swim time exactly equalled my pre-race guess of 0:28. I'm just dissappointed being 2 minutes slower than I know I'm capable of.

Ranked 81st overall.

I found my bike with ease. I was surprised to find that my bag had been moved. Fortunately, whoever moved it left my shoes, drinks and towels. I would have been in trouble if I lost my contacts in the water, because my glasses were in the bag in case of emergency.

But all was well and the bag was not needed. I got my wetsuit off just fine. I sat down, toweled off my feet, put on my socks and put on my bike shoes. Stood up, sun glasses and helmet on. Grabbed bike and realized that my sock on one foot was not on right. Reached down and fixed it. Ran to the exit with the bike.

Unlike Keuka where I had a lot of trouble getting clicked in, I just started peddling, getting some speed going. Then I clicked in.

Nothing. Lost a few seconds on the sock issue, but nothing I could reasonably control.

A longtime goal has been to reach 20mph in a race. I got it in this race.

I had ridden this exact course a couple of times in the last month or so, so it was very familiar. I knew what to expect, were to push, were to coast, etc.

I felt a touch slow the first mile out to 5 & 20. I took the opportunity to draw hard on my gatorade. I wanted to get that in on the ride, for 150 calories. I was successful in this.

We turned off 5&20 and I was able to increase my pace. A lot of time spent in aero. We turned off for the stretch out to Gorham. There is a beautiful long downhill where you can just fly. I got in aero and just cranked, pushing well over 30mph for this stretch. I seemed to be going with a 3 other people, 2 guys and a girl.

We turned back towrards the lake. A few hills and the woman stood up to climb. I didnt want to push that hard and let her go. I cruised along for awhile, occassionally passing people and getting passed by some. I passed 2 women and another passed me.

During this stretch I felt some fatigue for the first time. We were about 1:10 into the race. A few minutes later we reach the turn and go up the steep hill.

I put the bike in the 30 tooth front ring and spun up. I rode next to a guy up the hill and we chatted the whole way. A highschool kid who did the swim in about 20 minutes he said. 2nd out of the water according to him.

About this time, Jackie passed me! I knew she would catch me at some point, but I did not know when. She pulled ahead as the hill went up. A few more guys caught up and we all kind of formed a group of about 5 or 6. Passing back and forth, not drafting though. During this time, I caught back up to Jackie and told her that she was either in 5th or 6th overall for women.

We all ebbed and flowed until we went down the steep downhill to Lake Road. There, I lost them. The ride along Lake Road was pleasnt. I cruised along at a reasonable pace. Not going too hard, but not too easy either. I think my HR was in the 130 range.

I was a touch fatigued I went up the hill to FLCC. That part was fine. Turned back to the road to the TA. The last mile was very tight between the cones and the shoulder. Barely room for 2 across. I hugged the cones and got passed a couple times despite going about 23mph. One guy had to back off passing as there wasa debris on the shoulder.

We turned into transition and I got off the bike. OH MY GOD I thought my hamstring were going to explode. Holy Moses! I could barely walk. I grunted pretty loudly and a guy asked if I was ok.

Nothing. When you reach a longtime goal pace, you celebrate!

In my prerace estimate, I pegged a bike time of 1:15. I beat that by 3 minutes.

83rd overall.

I looked at my watch and saw that I was about 1:42. Hot Damn! I'm going to break 3 hours. And if I can run at all, I can beat 2:40! That would be freaking sweet!!!!

Despite feeling like a cripple, I was able to get my bike racked well. Shoe swap was fine too. Then I started moving to the run exit. I came so, so close to stopping and try to stretch out my hamstrings. But I just kept moving.

Nothing.

I cannot imagine what I looked like leaving transition. I was in pain and I'm sure my stride looked like an old man's with a hemeroid problem. But I kept moving. And by the time I entered the trail portion, my stride was about normal.

The run is always my relatively slowest leg. Its a bit disconcerting to see person after person blow past me like I'm standing still. I've done enough tris, however, to kind of be used to it. It just part of my races.

I ran my own race. I executed my plan as well as I could. The first lap I wanted to keep it easy and under control. Pick it up in the second lap. I walked through all the water stations the first leg. Making sure I was adequately hydrated. Also took a few deep cleansing breaths.

I passed the 1 mile mark and said to myself, "That was easy, lets keep going!". When I passed the 3 mile mark, I looked at my watch. 2:11. "Go buddy, run! You can make 2:40!!!!!"

It occurred to me that the distance from the 3 mile mark to the finish line seemed really long. It had to be way more than 0.1 miles. Not sure exactly what it was, but it was fairly long.

Anyway, I tried to pick it up on the second loop. On the trial portion, I started singing a song to myself from the folk band, the Waifs. "People who think they can, I want to be just like those who think they can. I'm going to pick my head up and keep my back up straight. What matters most is to find yourself hanging around with people who think they can. I want to be just like those who think they can."

I can do this.

My mind drifted back to a year ago when I did the sprint race. I had been overcoming injuries and was just so, so happy to be out competing. I realized how powerful that emotion was. "PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE!"

So I put a smile on my face and picked up the pace.

Somewhere in the trail area, I passed someone. The first person on the entire run that I passed after getting passed by literally dozens. I looked at the results and was amszed to find someone with a faster swim and bike splits and slower run split than me. I didnt think that was possble! :)

I passed up the water this lap. Out to close to 5&20. "RUN!" Out the pier and back. "PICK IT UP!"

2:34. "You've got 6 minutes, you can do it!!!!!!!!!"

I passed the 6 mile mark at 2:38. "GOOOOO!!!!! You can do 0.2 miles in 2 minutes!!!!!!!!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was giving it all I could. But I think it was a lot more than 0.2 miles to go. I was turning off the road to the finish shute when my watch passed the 2:40 mark. I continued to run hard to the end, even passing just my second person right before crossing the line.

I gave it all I had. Nothing more to give or do.

I had nothing left to give. I forced myself to keep walking. A few minutes went by before I got my breathing under control. I found some familiar faces and sat down to chat. But I knew I couldnt sit long or I would not be able to get up.

I strolled over to transition and found my bag on the grass island with a street light on it. I guess they moved many bags there. I took the opportunity to stretch out, call the family, and change my shirt. Jackie came by and I got the rundown of her FANTASTIC results!

I cleared out of transition and walked my stuff back to the car. A good thing, because it starting misting rain shortly thereafter. I did go back and chatted with people for an hour or two post race. I did get a quick massage for my hamstring by the ART guys there.


I had the best race that I could given my training level. I would do nothing differently. Yes, I'll learn from the navigation issues, but going in, I would not have expected that problem.

This race was the best I could do. I also beat my prerace goal by 2 minutes, all from the bike. The other splits were dead on my guesses.

These events are so much fun. I'm glad I had the opportunity to do it. My 2:41 time may not be surpassed by me for some time. Many, many things broke right for me this race. I am really pleased.


A very good race. Well run, well attended, well organized. Better sign up early, because it will sell out quick!