The Austin Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

So the open wave was close to 70 folks so i started to the far left on the outside. When the gun went off i took my time finding open space and when a gap would open i would move up. I slowly worked my way over to the right as we approached the turnaround but a few times i had to move back to the left to get around someone. Near the turn around I started to pick up the pace and i felt really good. I found some feet moving at a nice pace and stayed behind them as we rounded 2 big bouys to head back to the swim exit. Once on the way back i moved around the feet i was on (it turned out to be Lon Breitenbach who is a strong swimmer) and i gased it by him. He and what turned out to be a posse of 10 or so folks (including ficker, Paul Terranova, Richard Freer and Derek Yorek) were all in tow. Over the next 700m or so I continued to pull away from the pack and swim alone. Once I rounded the last buoy some little youngster had attached himself to me and followed me to the exit while the others were 15+ seconds back. This was a great swim for me!

Nothing. I started slow and built up the pace and was able to apply the pressure in the 2nd half of the swim to drop some folks.

I ran hard from the swim exit to my bike and was off in a flash with my bike. Noticed my T1 time was faster or as fast as most of the open wave!

nothing.

The goal was to beat a few folks out of the swim so I could pace off of them on the bike. I tend to get beat out of the swim and play catchup the rest of the race which sucks. This time I was the one leading and it wasnt until midway on the first lap that a pack of five strong bikers (Lon, Paul T, Yorek, Freer and Derrick Williamson) caught me. For the first 2 laps we traded spots until Yorek and Freer and Paul T pulled away. I stuck with Lon and will trailed Derrick until near the end of the 3rd lap where they both put about 15-30 secs on me. Happy with my bike as I held a strong, steady pace thru out. Biked about 2min faster than previous year.

nothing

Quick dismount and ran with the bike well. got my shoes and socks on quickly and ran hard out of th T2.

nothing.

Ran hard right from the start. Legs were tired but I had a nice stride working. took about a mile to catch freer and then by mile 2 i was on top of Lon. I passed him my mile 3 and put a good 10-15 secs on him. By that time I went for a gel that tasted like absolute chit. It was so thick and stale tasting I nearly puked. It was about that time I started getting sick feeling and at the mile 4 aid station I felt like dropping out. Lon then zoomed by as i stopped for a cold sponge and some gatorade. After a quick drink of calories I started running again and the legs quickly came back. Lon was a good 15secs ahead of me but I kept pace. Near mile 5 i passed todd gerlach. I was now about .5miles away from the finish and saw the guy i couldnt catch a few weeks back at jack generic (frank sadosky). i immediately floored the gas and closed a gap of 15secs in now time. I continued to push and pulled even with him at a 1/4 mile. I tried to make small talk but he only mustered up the words "you will have to out sprint me". frank then pulled slightly ahead. at this point I was trying not to loss control of my bowels and i figured I burned all my fuel catching him. but then I surged again and pull even and then just hammered another 20yards to the finish chute. frank later told me he about collapsed and couldnt run with me anymore. I finished 10th but the 8th place guy got a drafting penalty so he dropped to 10th and i moved up to 9th!

have a better gel handy.

lots of food and drinks.


nothing. This was a great race for me and I learned that swimming really is the key to me getting better race results. I think the better position I am in after the swim the harder i will push on the bike and run. when you are in the thick of things on the bike and run its alot easier to push yourself to stay with others.


this is a first class tri on a major holiday in downtown austin. it doesnt get any better. the price is high to enter but it is so worth it!