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 Swim
Comments: It would have been nice to have a little more time to get my face used to the cold water beforehand, as I found myself struggling some to get to the first buoy. I'm still not 100% comfortable in the so-called "washing machine" of an OWS race. I stayed toward the middle/back for the start, and had an ok time getting around folks. Drafting was non-existent. After the first buoy, I was able to get in some of a rhythm, once I was somewhat alone and used to the water temperature. I'm glad to report that my sighting has improved. Though I guess that means I no longer have any excuse for my lousy swim splits :) What would you do differently?: Start closer to the front, try to draft, spend more time in the water beforehand.  Transition 1
Comments: It was nice having a spot right near the bike exit. I struggled a bit with my wetsuit and ultimately had to sit down to remove it. Getting into bike shoes with numb feet was tricky and required a few attempts. Overall, a quick transition that gave me sufficient time to recuperate from the swim. What would you do differently?: Run faster to my bike, remove the wetsuit quicker.  Bike
Comments: Left my bike in the highest gear, so ended up having to power through the first hill more than I would have liked. Ended up staying in the same gear the entire race, which was fine as it was a pretty flat course with no wind. I had read beforehand about the race getting tight in some areas, which turned out to be true- 1,000+ participants doing three ~3-mile laps in one lane with some sharp turns. Saw a few close calls and heard about a few minor spills. Still a fun course. The first lap was very, very cold. What would you do differently?: Remember to start in an appropriate gear. Drink during the ride- something I don't seem to ever remember to do. Transition 2
Comments: Again- nice to be so close to the bike exit/entrance. Despite not having mastered the flying dismount, was able to stop, dismount, and start running pretty fluidly. Felt like a quick T2- I was pleased. What would you do differently?: Once again, master the flying dismount.  Run
Comments: Seems I may have the side stitch issue licked- some minor abdominal pain, but nowhere near as bad as it has been and I was able to run through it. It seemed to go away completely a mile or so into the run. Tried to focus on staying upright and controlling my breathing. Picked up the pace after 2 miles, earlier than usual. Passed some folks in my wave (always nice) and a couple in my age group (very nice). Drank at one aid station about a mile in, and that was it. Definitely feel like I left it all out there. What would you do differently?: Nothing. Post race
Warm down: Banana and lots of water. Found my girlfriend, parents, girlfriend's parents, and buddy from work (I had a pretty massive cheering squad, which was nice). Took a few photos, reveled briefly in the post-race glow, and then off to pack my stuff and grab a delicious breakfast with the posse. What limited your ability to perform faster: As usual, the swim was my weakest event. I think I just need more practice swimming through the "washing machine". That, and swimming faster in general. Event comments: The pre-race meeting ended 5 minutes before my start time, which made getting used to the water more difficult than it needed to be. The bike course was congested at times. Otherwise, this was a solid, well-run, very fun race. I'll be back next year. Last updated: 2008-04-25 12:00 AM
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United States
65F / 18C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 183/697
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 23/72
Got my race packet, packed, labeled bike and helmet, and loaded as much as possible the night before. Woke up at 5:10, (7 hours of sleep), grabbed a peanut butter and honey sandwich and headed out. Picked up a McDonalds coffee (aka happy juice, or liquid crack) en route. Arrived with enough time to grab a spot in transition right near the bike exit. It was still pretty dark and cold at this point, but that would change by the time the race started. At least the dark part. I guess I'm just a warm-blooded Southern Californian and a wuss when it comes to low temps.
Little to none- the mandatory pre-race meeting ended 5 minutes before my wave started, so I had enough time for a quick dip in the ocean. From the time I got out of the water and went to the starting line until about 2 miles into the run, I couldn't feel the front half of either foot.