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 Swim
Comments: Recapture Reservoir swim venue scale of 1-10 8 XTERRA Deuces Wild 8 XTERRA Buffalo Creek 7 XTERRA Four Corners 9 What would you do differently?: I have got to figure out how to swim. Everybody has suggestions, and I'm in a Masters class. It may be hopeless.  Transition 1
Comments: In the Hillman, you've got to be in a climbing gear immediately, because leaving the ramp you are right away pounding up a 7% or greater grade for a mile or so. It was nice not having a wetsuit to fight with, merely wiped the forehead so as to not fog the sunglasses, planted the helmet, slid the shoes on, and away we go. What would you do differently?: I just bought my new road shoes, and didn't think, beforehand, about the goofy clip on the side, as most triathlons I enter are XTERRAs, and I use my trusty mountain shoes.  Bike
Comments: I love biking. One of the saving graces of being a comically bad swimmer, at least it's fun passing all those hefty swimmers on the bike later on.I almost overdid it going up the first major climb, trying to catch up all at once, before settling into a routinely strong cadence. On the return, I had an overwhelming urge to urinate and had to make a quick pitstop, losing valuable seconds. Hate it when that happens. Hillman bike course rating, scale 1-10 9 XTERRA Deuces Wild 6 XTERRA Buffalo Creek 9 XTERRA FOUR Corners 10 What would you do differently?: Drink less preformance on the way to the event. Transition 2
Comments: Pretty swift transition, although the goofy shoe straps held me up, finally just yanked them off. What would you do differently?: Better planning when buying road shoes.  Run
Comments: I'm definately not a runner, but am improving, unlike my swimming. A gal passed me about midway, and I tried to match my pace with hers, to keep up, but she steadily pulled away. The Hillman run is pretty challenging for a mere 3.1 miles. Near the finish, the gal's daughter (!!) also passed me. I was duly impressed with both of them. Hillman Run venue rating, scale of 1-10 6 XTERRA Deuces Wild 9 XTERRA Buffalo Creek 7 XTERRA Four Corners 9 What would you do differently?: I'm not sure, maybe more intestinal fortitude, although intervals seem to be helping my pace. Post race
Warm down: Basically picked up my gear, chatted with my friends. What limited your ability to perform faster: As always, my swim Event comments: This is a race well worth doing. The course is challenging but fun, the atmosphere is low key and supportive.....perfect for a beginning triathlete. Last updated: 2008-07-26 12:00 AM
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United States
73F / 23C
Overcast
Overall Rank = 13??/25??
Age Group = 51-56
Age Group Rank = 2/3 or 4
I left Farmington for Blanding at 515am, excited to be attending The Hillman, one of the best kept secrets in the US. Steve Olsen has been hosting the Hillman for 15 years, and the triathlon is exceptionally laidback, low key, extremely scenic, and for a sprint tri, fairly demanding, due to the steep hills on both the bike and run. Plus, Steve's awards are beautiful southwestern pottery, and virtually everybody medals due to the small number of entrants. I've been to several area road triathlons, including the Durango Triathlon, Grady Williams Freedom Days, Black Canyon Sprint Triathlon, Los Alamos Triathlon, and the Ft Lewis Tri-the-Rim, but the Hillman remains a favorite because of the gorgeous challenging venue and the hospitality of the host. I assume the comparatively low turnout may have something to do with the fairly remote location of Blanding, situated in the canyon country of southeastern Utah, but that is merely a guess. I strayed from my superstitious prerace breakfast of sausage, rice, coffee and preformance, so THAT had me freaking a bit, but otherwise the ride over was quiet and peaceful.
I decided not to wear my wetsuit, as I'm entered in XTERRA Camp Eagle in a few weeks, and looking at the pictures from last year, hardly anyone wore one down there. Besides, my wetsuit merely keeps me from drowning, my swim is so horrendously pathetic and embarrassing that not even a terrific wetsuit seems to help. So, I hopped in the pleasant water, and floundered around a bit, warm up accomplished.