You swing 17 lengths with a counter on the end to keep track. You share a lane with someone sles too.
Swam in the same lane as one of the masters coaches. This was good in that I had someone in front of me to try to keep up with. I was steady with her for the first 150 but then messed up a flip turn and she pulled way away from me. I stopped doing flip turns after that. If I was smart I would have kept up for drafting.

Keep up to draft

Run from the pool, out the big gate (normally closed) and to T1 on the lawn infront of the swim center. Timing mat is in between the pool and T1 but I think they did math to subtract some time on the swim.

I had trouble getting my socks on. different socks

The course is a square around the high school and Albany Memorial Park. You do 11 laps on the 0.55 mile course with each "leg" of the square about .14 miles. Therefore, it is impractical to get into aero position and I don't see anyone in the aero position.

I passed a lot of slower bikes. The organizers try to get the faster bikers in the first heat and I was in the second heat so that is not his fault. One person passed me at the very end as I slowed to get out of my shoes.

Got caught up with another participant entering transition. My spot was right where the bike in goes. So we "danced" around each other. Then apologized to her so I was in transition longer than I should have been.

Not run over Innocent people in the transition area.

Part of the course is over grass/dirt. (You can run in the street but you are coming at bikes and a city van was also parked in the street.) I always checked my watch there so I felt really slow. Then got a time under 8 min/mile so I was happy.

I really wanted to try to run at 7 min mile but my mind refused to let my legs run that fast. I am happy with 7:41

got a massage


I'm going to say this is the best because this was my first triathlon 5 years ago. The race is for beginners and it is a great place to start. The race director has that in mind and tries to arrange the heats so that people of similar abilities are biking and swimming together. Distances are all short and manageable. I think Steve (the director) said that over half the people doing the race were doing their first triathlon. Also it is a super sprint so this is a good distance for those wanting to see what is like.

The experienced athletes are all friendly and helpful.

The money goes to benefit Albany sports so it goes for a good cause.

There is food after races (again, brazen racing has ruined me for any other post race spread) and lots of massage tables and not a long wait.