Columbus International Triathlon - Olympic Distance - TriathlonOlympic

This was a TT start by bib number. I was number 124. We were released every three seconds. When it came my turn I shot into the water and immediately passed the person in front of me. I dove into the water and started swimming. Sighting was easy, the water was calm and I had a pretty good swim. A few times I ran into another athlete, or more correctly, she kept running into me. I think she was using me to keep her in a straight line because after the first 3-4 times of her running into me I moved to the far left and she followed me. A few times I tried to drop her but she kept up. We exited the water together. I was about 42 seconds faster than last year’s swim.

Swim faster

Ok T1. I ran past my bike a few yards, I really wasn’t paying attention. I forgot to dry my feet before putting on my socks and biked and ran with plenty of grass stuck to my feet. Other than that everything went well. I was 46 seconds faster then my T1 last year (2:26).
Note: there was close to a ¼ mile run from the water to the transition area. Last year it counted as part of your swim. This year they timed it separately, it took me 1:49 to get from the water to the transition area. When I figured the time for the swim I figured to took me 1:49 last year as well.


Nothing, I'm not ever going race without socks. I might start putting my shoes on the bike next year.

The bike was 5 five mile loops. With the distance getting out of and into the park the bike was probably closer to 25 miles. When I was leaving transition I had to run past Alice’s spot and I saw that she was already gone (She was in the water 3 minutes before me). Something in my competitive nature took over and I decided I needed to catch her on the bike. I hammered the first three loops of the bike, I didn’t see her. I took the fourth loop easy. Going into the fifth loop I spotted our friend Judith who had come to take pictures of us and cheer us on. She was facing away from me snapping photos. I figured Alice had to be close so I decided to pick up the pace. I caught her in about 1 ½ miles. Unfortunately she was on the side of the road putting her chain back on her chain ring. Not the way I wanted to catch her. She told me later that she only lost about 15 seconds. I finished the bike and headed into T2. I finished the bike 4:24 faster than last year (1:18:12).

Nothing

Good T2. Did everything right, I knew where to exit (not like last year when I couldn’t find the exit) racked my bike quickly, shoes on and grabbed my hat and race belt and put them on while running. It made for a much faster time than last year’s time of 2:16. I don’t know what I was doing last year, making a sandwich probably.

Nothing

I didn’t have any goals for this race per-se, I just wanted to have a good time. I’m more focused on my HIM coming up next month. I just ran my race, cheered for other athletes, thanked all the police officers and volunteers and even cheered for some of them. I just cruised the first half of the run. Alice saw me at one point and said she was coming for me. I told her to come, she wouldn’t catch me. On the way out I saw JCristoff coming the other way, he gave me a high 5.
When I made the turnaround I decided to pick it up a bit. I saw Alice again at a part of the course that kind of loops back on itself and told her again that she couldn’t catch me. (Is it bad to talk smack to your wife?) Coming into the last mile I saw a lady who was walking. I said come on #19 (her number) and she said OK and started running again. Then she pulled away from me. I never did catch her. Last time I cheer for a competitor, ok, not really.
I sprinted in the last 100 yards of the run and crossed the finish line in 56:48. Not a PR, but also not a bad time for me either. My run was 3:41 faster than last year.


Nothing.

I got some water to drink and got back into the water to cool down. Then ate a burger and a banana. Alice thought she might place in her AG so we stuck around for the awards. She didn’t. We packed up our stuff and went home.


Not really caring about this race. Not that in this case that is a bad thing.


Another great Fat Rabbit race. Thanks to Judith, Nathan and my cousin Emma who came out and cheered for me. I took 11:07 off my total time from last year (2:56:28).