Tri del Sol - TriathlonSprint

Wow, the water was choppy and it seemed like I was in the "washing machine" for the entire swim. About 300 yds into the swim I got kicked in the stomach by a guy doing the breaststroke --ugh! From the point on all I wanted to do was burp --but it wouldn't come (until on the bike); I think I could have been a little faster on the swim --often wound up breathing on the same side repeatedly, when I usually breath bilaterally --kinda felt out of my groove in those instances. I think it is owing to the number of guys swimming in the heat --it was all guys 30-39, a pretty large group --there was just no clear water at any point throughout the swim. BTW, the swim was wetsuit legal, but I didn't use mine.

Do OWS with more people. I have done a significant number of OWSs this year --but with two training buddies and we spread out a bit; need to find more people to swim with who can kick, hit, and swim over me (and I can swim over)

Out of the water it is a run up a smallish hill on asphalt; then alongside the transition area (which is also asphalt). The longish run accounts for the T1 time because once I entered T1, I was out in maybe :45 (bike was right near the bike out/in)

Remember to pick up the GU gel sitting on my towel in T1 (since I forgot to put it on my bike top tube)

Headwind for the out portion of the out and back course. My bike computer had me at 18.7 mph. I really need to work on this to get it up to 19 mph+
Course is hilly, nothing killer, but little rollers. One bigger hill heading west toward Wayland, MI to the half-way point turn-around and then a nice descent into Wayland. Coming out of the turn-around there is a gradual incline that always takes it out of me. ARRGH!

I forgot to tape my gel to my top tube --only drank about 3/4 my powerade/H2O mix and 1/2 my water.


Remember the gel; work on hills

I stopped wearing socks for the bike last year --it works; wish I could run without socks, but likely blistering makes that unlikely. So, T2 could be really really awesome if I did not have to put on socks. In any event, got the socks on, shoes on, race belt, visor, and off.

Had a little trouble getting the feet into the socks (even though I rolled the socks up). Opening on the socks is tight and a little constricting --maybe look for new socks.

I hate running; I suck at it. Gotta do more bricks as my legs never seem to get out of the steel-leg feeling after just getting off the bike. It was very humid and felt hard to breath sometimes, like there was no real oxygen, only water vapor! My time is better than I thought it was going to be when I was out on the course and actually doing the run. I think if I had remembered to have the gel on the bike I may have performed just a little bit better, if only for the psychological boost it would have given me. I had side stitches for most of the run too --not debilitating, but just annoying --I'd get 'em, get rid of 'em, and they would come back shortly thereafter.

more bricks, more speed work (just started that)

walked around; drank mixture of water, gatorade; ate watermelon, grapes; talked with family and friends


My overall time would be so much better if I ran more, did more brick and speed work. I know this is where I can shave minutes off my time. The humidity was also a factor, I think. Thankfully, the sun did not come out from the overcast skies until the race was over.


This is a great race --done it 3 out of the last 4 years and highly recommend it. Well organized, good size, tons of volunteers and locals cheering you on. The water in the swim is clean, generally wetsuit legal, and the bike and run courses are challenging without being impossible.