Mudwater Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Last year at this race I waited for everybody to go off then I jumped in the back. Not this year, I started in the primo spot. Front pack, first bouy straight ahead! Confidence in my swim has increased by a whole crap load this year.

I love all the comotion that is "the washing machine". I'm not a violent person by nature but these swim starts are a blast! Getting hit and swimming over people. First 50 yards to the first bouy were a battle. Right turn at the bouy and a long 250 yrd straight shot to farthest bouy. After the turn I tried latching on to some feet but nobody seemed to be swimming my pace. Was rubbed and banged, hit and grabbed up until about the turn around. I was actually elbowed hard enough in the right eye that I thought my goggle was going to fill with blood.

After the turn headed back home I felt awesome in the water. Was gliding effortlessly, expending little energy. The only bad thing was that I know I was pulling somebody because I could feel him touch my feet every couple of strokes. He wasn't bothering me, but he was drafting! Swam up on a few people on the way back in. Had no trouble getting around them. It made me feel good to be passing people. Swimming used to be my weekest link, and it was HORRIBLE. I worked hard two winters ago and it has made alot of difference. I need to get remotivated and spend much more time in the pool.

Made it back to the bouy where we turned to go to shore and I could see people walking in waist deep water. I continued to swim until I was in water less than knee deep. I had to modify my swim stroke as not to hit the bottom of the lake. I know swimming in water is much faster than walking/running in it!

Train more in the water. Last year I swam 13:03. I thought I had a good swim this year.....

This is whereI lost first place in my AG. 71st fastest T1. Think I need to work on that alittle? Didn't feel like I did any thing wrong. Afterwards two guys that were volunteering said they thought that it looked like I was in T1 a long time. This is an easy fix. I'm going to start working on leaving my shoes on my bike and doing the whole "flying mount/dismount" thing. It sad to say you lost the race in transition.

Hurry the H&LL UP!

With the ran that moved through right before the start the pavement was a tad damp. Carefull on the left out of the park. Half mile down the road the pavement was totally dry. Very nice!

Came out of T1 just ahead of my old rivals. I know he is capable of beating me. I mean he has a $4000 bike, how could he not beat me. He passed me right about the time we creasted the first hill. I wasn't about to let him go with out a fight. I LEGALLY drafted off of him. Four bike lenghts behind him, and matching his cadence exactly! One the long flat leading to the turn around he managed to gap me enough that I knew I wouldn't be able to catch him!

After the turn I was riding by myself. This is much harder to do in a race than it is on a training ride! With about 2 miles to go another one of my training partners rode up on me and said "Let's Go!". Once again I feel inferior because his wheels cost more than my whole tri wardrobe. I probably did some illegal things in the last two miles just to stay attached to him. He is a really cool guy and probably wouldn't have a problem pulling me the whole way.

Return trip on the bike I could feel myself start to back off. I need to get it into my head that in a sprint you have to hurt the whole time! That is probably the best single piece of advice I have ever gotten. Thank You, Trusdale!

Stay focused! Could feel my mind start to wonder on the last couple of hills on the way back in!

This transition was better than T1. 27 best out of all athletes. Not blazing but it felt OK.

Everything was going good until I tried putting on my left shoe. Why in the world do the sides of the shoe curl under when you are trying to put them on?

Grabbed number belt and glasses and was on my way! Just behind guy who pulled me in on the bike. He knows I can run fairly well.

Lossen shoes a little. I like the tight feel while running but at times it makes the shoes hard to get into.

This is where I rise to the top......usually. Not today. Out of T2 fairly fast and on my way. John, aforementioned guy, had about 100yrds on me. Another guy who I train with, Joe, had about 100yrds on him. And yet another club member, Chris, was 250 yards ahead of him. So three guys to run down! About 1/10 of a mile I tried to put on my glasses and noticed that I had spilt water on them coming out of transition. I couldn't see a thing. Saw the three mile cone and decided to stop and put my glasses under it. OK here we go again, time to run. Next I tried to put on my number belt and noticed I had picked up my swimm goggles. As not to infringe on 2goggs, I gave them a heave to a tree along the road.

Each step I could tell I was closing in on John. He would occasionally throw in a quick turn to see if I was gaining. At about the 1 mile mark John, Joe, a 19yr old kid, and myself all came together. All I said was "Let's catch 'em all, guys!". Broke free of Joe and John easily but the kid thought he had something for me! Only the kid and 1 other competitor ran between me and Chris. I want to catch Chris!

At the lake entrance you have a turn around and you double back on the course for 100 yards or so. When Chris went by I gave him the whole "I'm watching you" gesture. Right at the turn around the kid said "I need to catch the guy in front of us. He is in my AG." I replied "I'll pull you up to him if you pull me up to the next guy(Chris)." We both put in a hard surge and caught up with his competition. He promptly slowed enough to just hold a small gap on the poor fellow. I glanced back just to see if he was going to help me. No he wasn't. Hey, thanks for the help.

I keep a hard pace and was pushing trying to catch Chris. About 300-400 yards out the kid ran up beside me and said "I've got a kick and I'm gonna use it!" I told him to go after it and catch somebody. He managed to get about 10 feet on me then promptly slowed. As I passed I said "Come on fella' we are done!" He said "I'm gonna puke!". I told him to turn his head and to keep running, keep the legs turning. I instantly thought about the Ironman video where the pro is spewing street pizza all over the place. I could hear the liquid hit the pavement. And that moment I decided I didn't want my shoe to get dirty. I threw down my own kick and pushed hard to the finish line.

Didn't catch Chris. He said after the race that me gesturing to him really motivated him and he wasn't going to let me catch up. Damn, I need to stop motivating people.

Not spill on "The Rudy Projects". And not grab my swim goggles for the run! The only place I feel like I could have pushed more would be at the beginning of the run. I wasn't lollygagging but I let my heart rate come down. Breathing was very heavy but I wasn't in oxygen debt. It was just hard due to lack of run fitness. This is one of the few runs where I noticed my breathing rate the whole way. I have scared myself before in a race when my heart and breath rate were through the roof. I didn't feel that way today I just feel like it was labored. As it should be, It's a race right?

Slapt hands with a couple of club members. Decided I better get out there and get the glasses before I forget them. Picked up glass and noticed Lisa was on the inside loop so I went over to cheer her on. She was packed with three other girls and she looked like she had the most whoop @ss ready to use.


Testicular Fortitude. Lack of training due to recent illness.


Of course I'm going to rate this race a 5. It is put on by the club and I train and race with all of these guys. This race doubled in size in one year and it will only continue to grow. The club is really excited and there are already talks of adding another distance! Keep that on the dl because those talks are only preliminary.

Special thanks to: Rudy Project, Nuun, First Gear, Donovan Auto and Truck Center, Eclipse Auto Glass, Bicycle X-change, Clif Bar, Gu, Hector Rios O.D., G2 and Sobe Life Water, Greater Wichita Area YMCA, Jabara Carpet Outlet, Road Id, Panera Bread, and Bodyworx Physical Therapy