Cascade's Edge Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

My goal was to finish the swim in 32 minutes. I just didn’t feel like swimming the first 500 yards. Could have been the crowded nature of the start. Could have been the temperature of the water. Could have been jitters. I don’t really know. It probably took me 15 minutes to get around to the third buoy. Then I simply said to myself, “This is stupid.” And I started to finally swim. 20 minutes later I was climbing up the beach.

Relax, Dude.

T1 was simply awful. I couldn’t get my wet suit off. I couldn’t get my shirt on. I kind of felt stupid. Practicing the week before just so it wouldn’t happen is much different than doing it when your body is wet and your balance is bad from swimming face down for the last 30 minutes. I need to get it down to 2 minutes at the very most. I squeezed in a GU and headed out. Then I ran the wrong way out of transition for 50 feet like a doooofus. And I had surveyed everything beforehand too. I guess, my mind was not functioning after having spent all that time getting my damn clothes on.

I settled right down on the bike. I had gone out the weekend before and rode the course so I knew every twist and turn and every gear change I was going to make. I pounded every downhill and stood up on every hill. I passed dozens of people like they were standing still. I didn’t know if they were Tri or Du. I never got passed by anyone…not even close. But that’s not saying much because there weren’t all that many folks behind me. Someday, when I pull my head out on the swim, I may find myself among those can actually ride faster than I do. But today I was just having a lot of fun riding. I will ride a bit differently at Lake Stevens…a bit less standing…a bit less downhill peddling…but this was really fun. I came in around 1hr15min…a sad tale at the end though. A squirrel darted out in front of me as I was pounding the last mile before the entrance to the park. It had gone into the road and was already passed me but then at the last minute it turned around and went for the edge of the road again and I ran right over its back! Crunch. I looked back but it had disappeared into the brush. I am a murderer.

Not murder a squirrel.

With that heavy emotional burden I ran into T2 after stopping at the PortaJohns…no the “HoneyPots”. Now THERE’S a brand name for you. T2 was much better than T1. In and out. Still I could have been faster…I couldn’t find my hat, damn it.

Not have to stop to pee...and not murder the squirrel.

I was hoping to be able to bring home a run of 52 minutes. But that would not happen today. Well, could YOU run a 52 minute 10k if YOU had just murdered a squirrel? The fact is that I really am not fit enough. 10 pounds too heavy. Not enough miles. When I did step it up (And I did pass more people than passed me.) I began to realize I couldn’t get enough oxygen quickly enough. A sure sign of not being lung-fit. My legs were willing but my lungs could not answer the call. My PR for a 10k is 49 minutes to give you an idea of where my general fitness level is. I think I finished in just under an hour. Right around 3 hours for the race. I am going to step up the track work for the next month or so leading up to and after Lake Stevens and start to focus more on the run than I have been.

Lose weight. Run more. Run faster. And not murder the squirrel.

I went and stretched out on the ground for two minutes.


I am too heavy. And I am a murderer of squirrels


I gotta say a couple of things about the way the race was set up. For the most part it was great…the kids out there volunteering were very capable and the nice lady at the run turnaround…I want your NUMBER. But there were NO mile markers save the one on the run at 6 miles. And then, ok, you know what? Go ahead and make your money for putting on a race…but don’t slap me in the face at the end and tell me I have to pay 5 bucks for each kid to eat some oranges and a fruit cup. Give me a break. I said so too. I said a bit too loudly, “It’s oranges…not gasoline, fer chrissakes.” The poor volunteer relented and gave me two plates, even though I hadn’t asked her to break the rule…I was just whining…but then she came over to where I was sitting and took my race number without saying a word. Hmmmmm.