Whaletown Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

cannon went off and i started swimming. i sometimes have problems going out too fast since i have no reference point to see how fast i am going. the goal of this swim was to stretch it out and keep it nice and easy. no wetsuits, but that's okay with me.
had a couple people hang with me. one decided to take off while the other decided to swim just in front of me. that is just fine with me.

the way back seemed to take forever, but i just kept trying to keep it long and strong. got out in third i figured with a couple people right behind me (including one of my friends who is training for IMWI, he had an awesome swim!!!!)
06 = 16:45
08 = -1:24 - yippie!


this was a good swim. i think i could have gone faster if i had put in more yardage in the pool this year, but i was pretty happy with it.

i forgot rubber bands at home, luckly some people at casey's had some ;)
06 = 02:23
08 = -0:58

nothing, almost shaved a minute from last time!

this course will make you appericate other courses you considered "hilly".

rocketed out of the park after climbing up the wall and then began one climb after another. i wanted to pick up the pace from last effort but with a hilly run i didn't want to explode on the bike and have nothing later. i was trying to keep my IMWI friend in view. he was injured this race, but he FLEW past me at the pigman half last summer. the plan was not to get too crazy on the first half and then kick it up a notch on the second. did a good job resisting the urge to climb out of the saddle and crank over the hills.

got to the turn around feeling pretty good. oh, the turn around is half way down a hill. you have to ride the brakes, do a 180°, then climb back up the hill you just came down. not fun.

then it was back over the hills to the park. i did start going a little harder including allowance out of the saddle. plus, this took some pressure off my back and it was hurting a little bit.
06 = 1:17:35
08 = -:05:37




race-wise? nothing. plan went pretty well and i didn't cook my legs. preparation-wise, bike more, maybe i should get up at 4 am....

decided to keep the shoes on since i had a short walk to the rack and there is a hill right before transistion. almost killed myself dismounting.

got back and my run gel flask leaked everywhere!!! NOOOOO!!! on my hat, race belt, and my shoes. wonderful. i had a spare on my bike so i grabbed that and became all stick putting on my other things.
06 = 1:27
08 = -:45


set my gel flask upright.

this race is runner biased. yeah, i said it. short swim and evil, evil hills everywhere.

the plan was to take it easy for the first two miles and see how it goes from there. got up the wall (hill #1) and started on the south side of the course. got over hill#2, then #3 and then..#4?? i don't remember this one! and it's the biggest one of all! i swore out loud, so much for positive thinking. it had turned to positive swearing. i didn't see a dam on the other side of that hill, i think it is where people say "damn, that was a huge $%&@ing hill!!"

that hill completely took my mind out of the game. i don't have a very aggressive run to begin with and that hill just completely kicked me over to "just survive."

so i kept moving, a couple guys caught and passed me including the 3rd place in my ag (which i had no idea until the end). pulled myself up the wall one last time and started into the finish. didn't see anyone else close to me so i started high fiving people starting up the wall on the run. hammed it up for the crowd waiting and finished a lack-luster run.
06 = 46:50
08 = -2:34


attack! go! run faster! you can do it, just put on your big girl panties and go!!

walked back to see ironmitch finish. rode back to the campsite but then had to immeditely book it back because they were starting awards early. got a free bag in the raffle!



lack of training time, lack of hills. but i did pretty well, smoked my time from two years ago. got some stuff to work on for next year.


this race is a challenge for many. lots and lots of hills. but the community is great, the pre-race pasta dinner is excellent, and everyone is in good spirits. completing this race will give you confidence for any other race that you do.