This was a tough swim because of the conditions. I started out at the front of my wave, running into the surf, and took my time a bit getting through the breakers - big waves were breaking pretty far out into the course. The water was also quite cold for my regular old bathing suit - on the way out, I was not sure I'd be able to finish the swim because I could barely handle it, but I did get somewhat used to it as I got going. (The race director told us the water was 68 degrees, but others (and the surfing report) said 64 - the RD also told us that the water would be calm once we passed the breakers, so his reliability is questionable.) As I rounded the first buoy to swim down the beach, I know there were a few people in my wave around me. Getting to the second buoy was a challenge because it was really far off (they really needed another one to help with sighting) and couldn't be seen unless you were on top of a wave. Every 10-15 strokes I found myself doing breaststroke and sculling until I got on top of a swell and could figure out where I was. Even then, it was very difficult to navigate - I'd set myself on a course and when I looked up I'd still be way to one side. Even trying to overcorrect for the current didn't work well. Only on the way back, when I was halfway to the third buoy, was I navigating with any accuracy, and that was only because I could finally see the buoy and the current was with me. The swells and current also made swimming tough - I felt like a cork being tossed around on the water. While all of these conditions meant a less than ideal swim for me, though, I finished really well. Jeff says I was second out of the water in my wave, and the first woman seems to have been the one who accidentally left 5 minutes early with the men's wave. As a stronger swimmer, I think that rough conditions, however unpleasant for me to swim through, are actually an asset because they slow everyone else down. For a first ever ocean mile (and only second ever ocean swim), I'm pretty pleased with it.

Conditions were rough. I think I did a pretty good job of the swim despite them. The only things I would change are how I started and finished. At the start, I wasn't sure how to position myself among athletes doing this distance. I normally put myself at the front of the pack and sprint out ahead to get out of traffic. I wasn't sure, however, if athletes at this distance would be stronger swimmers. I didn't know if I would be right at the front, so I decided to take it a bit easier. I still ended up out in front pretty quickly, but now I know that in the future, I should attack the first 200 much harder. At the finish, I was so worried about those breakers behind me that I really slowed down at the end and tried to wade through water that was way too deep for me. I should have kept swimming until my hand touched (and, in most conditions, I would have).

A little slow. Because I was just racing in a swimsuit, I had to put on my bike jersey and shorts as well as socks and bike shoes. Since my new road bike seat is kinda hard, I decided to wear my padded bike shorts, but didn't want to run in them, so I put running shorts on underneath. Adding to my wardrobe complications was the realization from last year that I need a sports bra over my suit, especially for a 10K run. I also needed to remember to stuff my Clif shot bloks in my pockets. All of that meant there was a lot to throw on while wet in transition. I also was distracted because I was discussing the rough swim conditions with a few people who were around me.

I don't practice transitions and I went into this one planning on taking my time. It was my first time at this distance, I've changed a lot of my equipment, and I decided to privilege comfort over speed here. It still wasn't terrible - it felt like I was dawdling in there for much longer. This can easily be improved in the future if I want to put in the effort.

The bike went really well. It was a pretty flat course, though I noticed definite rises and drops (and it felt faster on the way back than on the way out). It took me a good 15 minutes to get acclimated after the swim, but I was able to maintain a pretty nice, even pace the entire time. My lap splits were nearly identical (29:30, 29:20, 30:50). The last one was only slower because I had to dismount and run into transition. Overall, I was able to keep a good, even cadence for my best bike performance ever.

This is the fastest I've ever gone, and over twice the distance I usually race. Not much to complain about. I would say, though, that my road bike has more speed in it than this. I went almost this fast on my hybrid at a race a few years back.

There was a big learning curve for me at this race, since it was the first time I was racing on my road bike with clipless pedals, so it's the first time I ever had to change shoes. This took a little time. I also took off my bike shorts so I could run in the lighter running shorts underneath (although I forgot this until just after leaving transition - I had to throw them to Jeff). Not bad, considering I still had a lot of gear to think about.

The biggest problem I had was running in my bike shoes all the way over to my rack. I placed myself at the end next to the run out, which was at the opposite end from the bike in. I did it on purpose, hoping to gain some extra transition room, but once I tried to run in those shoes, I saw why everyone else flocked to the other end.

The first two legs of this race were phenomenal - far better than I had ever expected. While I didn't feel totally beat when I was biking, once I started running I just didn't have the energy to push it. I spent most of the first mile or so just putting one foot in front of the other, hoping I would get my legs under me. I ran-walked most of the course. It was also getting pretty hot at this point (64 when the race began, but in the 80s by the time I finished), so that increased my fatigue. I tried to walk in the shade, and to run for longer and longer each time, but really only managed 2-4 minute spurts. On the second lap, as I started around the lake, I managed to keep running for almost 6 minutes, but on the way back, my calves were feeling tight and I was so tired I was having trouble even walking. I slowed it down for a while again, running only in 60-90 second spurts, until I got back onto the boardwalk. I made it from the last water station to the end of the race without walking (about 4 min), and found just a little bit at the end to sprint to the finish (thank you, fartlek runs).

I need to figure out how to train so that I have something left for the run. I'm currently planning to add in some strength training, especially for my legs, which might help. Maybe some longer bricks, too. My

Walked around a bit with Jeff. Got a little nauseous from my sprint at the end, but tried to walk it off. Then had some food and got my results (they had laptops with instant individual results available, which was awesome). Then we went over to Purple Haze for donuts for the ride home!


Experience. I think I did a pretty good job for my first time at this distance.


Nice race. I liked the flat courses for the bike and run. They should have had at least one more buoy on the swim because it was pretty tough to navigate through the swells.