Rage in the Sage - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

I am a back of the pack swimmer, so let the aggressive swimmers go - and then found the other back of the packers swimming stupidly - why swim over my legs? Where are you going? The lake is big enough for everybody, so quit hitting me and swim toward the huge buoy.

Wear my HRM/watch because the numbskulls saved a few bucks on getting rid of timing chips.

Unknown if T1 is included in swim or bike leg.
Because Lake Mead is sucked dry by Las Vegans, the water is real low and we had a long run up to the bike. I took advantage of this to try something new - strip right away as soon as I got out of the water. This allowed me to sit down during my normal "dizzy" time, get out of my suit, and into my powdered jogging shoes for the long run up the ramp - while doing so I must have passed 10 people struggling with their suits while running barefoot. Worked real well.
I got to my bike quick and made it out of T1 in good time - again, no wet suit changing there, I already had my Zoot tri suit on. I set my bike down, threw off my joggers and put on my bike shoes. Some know-it-alls tried to put on their shoes while pedaling, but that does not work where there is a hill climb out of T1 like most boat ramp zones, and I passed another 5 on the way to the highway while they struggled to get their damp and dirty feet in the shoes.

Wear my HRM/watch because the numbskulls saved a few bucks on getting rid of timing chips.

40k of pretty dull biking on a rolling desert highway, playing hopscotch with a few, letting a few go, and passing many (by now the relayers, sprinters and even some half irons were in the mix and so there were many to pass). Spent way too much time in the little ring, but averaged about 21 mph even with the hills (20 mph with transitions). I ate two cliff blocks and drank 24 oz. of gatorade.
I took the bike easier than normal due to a severe calf cramp and stiffness that I suffered in a time trial race the Tuesday prior with my Reno bike club (www.renowheelmen.com). Three days of rest, self-massage, bananas, rolaids and tonic water got me well enough in time.

Wear my HRM/watch because the numbskulls saved a few bucks on getting rid of timing chips.

Unknown if T2 is included in bike or run leg.
Eased into a quick T2 and my powdered Brooks T5 racers with my large duct tape heel and tongue flaps for grabbing. My race belt and sunglasses were in my sun hat so I grabbed that and got out in good time, putting it all on in the first quarter mile.

Wear my HRM/watch because the numbskulls saved a few bucks on getting rid of timing chips.

It is hot now at near 9 am, with bright sun and no trees or shade. Very rocky gravel road made me tread lightly so as not to bruise my tender feet - I brought road race shoes, not hiking boots. Every water table I took two waters, pinched one closed and threw the other down my neck. Then sipped from the pinched cup for a bit and tossed that on me too.
The 10k run took about 6 minutes longer than expected due to the rough Xterra-like conditions - we turned up a wash and ran up a dried up creek bed for a bit - very bad footing, rocky and sandy and uphill. Then back down. We had a view of the finish tent for about the last mile - not as scenic as other races.

Wear my HRM/watch because the numbskulls saved a few bucks on getting rid of timing chips.

Drank tons of water, light one mile run, short swim in cool lake to wash off salt sweat and to do a simulated ice bath on the legs.
Short massage in tent about 2 hours later.


Terrain and running surface/appropriate shoes.


I think it is lousy to advertise a race as chip timed, then not even tell people it is hand timed unless asked, then not time the transition zones, then not offer rebates on the cost saved to the for-profit organizer.
No one at run turn-around, who knows who turned around short; and one biker told me he passed a woman on the way up the big hill, then passed her again on the way down! No policing.
Nice short sleeved tech t-shirt.
Won't be back.