Tri Arkansas - TriathlonOlympic

bumped into a few people at the start, then got into some open water, one guy drafted me and kept touching my toes until the first buoy, I rounded the first buoy too wide and ended up swimming probably an extra 50 yards as a result. Additionally, my left goggle filled with water and I didn't stop to drain it. Stayed at an easy/comfortable pace

better navigation, affix goggles correctly, good swim, 3:30 faster than number 2 in age group

ran up a hill, eye a little watery from goggles being full of water the entire swim

not much fastest T1 in age group

due to hills was in the small ring 5 or 6 times and out of the saddle 2 or 3 times, was a little cold at times as well, realized when I started that I had a speedometer malfunction, so rode entire race not knowing how fast I was going which was difficult, kept it comfortable, and when in doubt on a hill, switched to the small ring to keep comfortable pace

check speedometer prior to race

T2 OK, no socks, grabbed hat out of ice cold water in cooler which was helpful to cool off thought it was not nearly as hot as I was afraid it was going to be, 4th in age group in T2, had to affix the makeshift racebelt/gymbag strap

the first uphill was tough, but since I kept the speed comfortable on the bike and the weather was cool, handled it OK, keeping pace comfortable, stopped to walk at 2 aid stations for a couple of seconds, and started to feel a cramp in my right quad but went away after I slowed down,

not much, kept the pace comfortable the entire time, last mile though, was a little painful, did not sprint for the finish

went to the lake for a little swim to cool down


water in goggles, malfunctioning speedometer, and make-shift race belt, however the weather was absolutely perfect


despite 3 issues: water in goggles, no speedo, no racebelt, actually won my agegroup (out of 9), due to the swim, which was a first for me. Most of the faster triathletes ran the half-iron, so it was not a fast age group at all. But for me, considering it was a longer than regulation Olympic course, due to the cool weather, was probably close to my best ever time. Pretty motivating to win an age-group, may never be able to repeat that again.