Danskin Webster Lake - TriathlonSprint

Started in the water, which was nice. Definitely made for my calmest (and least panic-inducing) swim start yet. Took my time getting started -- didn't try to go too fast in the crowd at the beginning and eventually found my place and pace. Did have a somewhat annoying moment when two girls swam into each other directly in front of me. Enjoyed catching up to the stragglers in the previous wave with their fluorescent yellow caps. Started really pushing on the last leg of the swim.

Could have started pushing the pace earlier.

Very rocky and long path from lake to transition area -- took a long time to run and couldn't go too fast because of all the sharp stones. Took the time to eat a Gu and drink some Gatorade before the bike. Before I left the transition area, some of my other teammates were getting back from the swim.

Probably worth having my flip flops waiting for me.

Glad I knew the big hill was coming -- it really helped mentally. However, for some reason, I thought it was a two-tiered hill, not three. It would have been easier if people weren't stopping and walking their bikes up the MIDDLE and LEFT side of the road. In general, there were a lot of slow people that didn't stay right, which made it really hard to pass. Passed Jamie and Deidre and caught up to Heather, and we passed each other back and forth for most of the ride -- until I got stuck behind a gaggle of slowpokes on an uphill turn and couldn't quite catch up.

Not much I could do to get the slowpokes to move to the right. I guess I could have yelled ON YOUR LEFT louder, but I don't know that that would have helped.

Nice quick transition -- quicker than the time suggests (most of it was spent running to and from the rack). Drank a little Gatorade.

Grabbed some water from the first water stop, and the guy handing it out actually said, "The next person who spills on me..." Good luck with that, dude.

Also grabbed some Sports Beans early in the run, only to have them fall out of my shirt back pocket. Some girl behind me actually asked if I wanted them (I looked back to see what I'd dropped). I didn't, of course, but that was awfully nice of her.

Along the main road, had to run in narrow chutes like cattle, which made passing difficult. Unfortunately, there were a lot of people walking the run -- some of them two across!! I have no problem with people walking if they have to, but I do have a problem with people being utterly clueless.

Still, I enjoyed the run, since the out-and-back loop made it possible to pass and high-five almost all of my teammates. Of course, Kate B. managed to pass me right and the end and (despite claiming to have no more energy left) speed right on past me to the finish.

Put the Sports Beans deeper in my pocket.

Wandered around in the crowd with my parents and teammates. Drank a lot of water.


Slow people in front of me. Also, I didn't push myself particularly hard in the swim.


I think it's great that the Danskin triathlons encourage a lot of people who've never done triathlons before to train and compete. And I know it's really hard to wrangle 3300 people in any situation. However, I really wish there had been more done, in addition to optional seminars, to get people to keep to the right if they were walking their bikes or walking in the run. In addition to being annoying, it's also dangerous. Maybe having volunteers on the hill on the bike route and on the run route telling people to stay to the right would have helped.