I had sent in my swim time and was seeded number 33. When we lined up it became a free for all and everyone lined up where they wanted to. We started on the side of the pool and started every 5 seconds. I caught the lady in front of me before the first wall. I passed her son by the next wall. I remember catching a guy right at the wall and he told me to go ahead of him. In all I passed 5 people on the swim.

Start sooner. I've been swimming 3:00 200's in practice so I seeded myself at about 3:15-3:30.

From the pool to my bike was a good 100 yards. Went very smoothly.

Nothing

I absolutely hammered this bike course. I wanted to catch my training partner so bad and I caught her just after the halfway point. The bike course was not marked very well and a lot of people took wrong turns and had to back track. I got lucky and hit all the turns flying. I was hoping I wouldn't pay for this later but I felt it was short enough I would be alright.

Not much, I only was 1:24 behind the fastest biker.

It was as smooth as silk.

nothing

Running is not my forte. The training partner I caught on the bike came out of T2 right behind me. She ran past me and I thought "I have to stay with her." We came up to a slight hill and she slowed up. I was just getting my legs under me and I took off. I could now see ahead of me a guy in my age group I always race against. He was walking at an aid station. Within a 1/2 mile I had passed him. The rest of the run I had a 12 year old boy running with me. He was on a relay team so he was fresh. He told me I was his inspiration but he was keeping me going. At the 2 mile mark we end up running in the grass for about 1/4 mile. We get back onto pavement and my training partner's mother is screaming at me "only 200 meters left." I knew it was a little further so held back 10 more seconds and then took off. I had another youngster try to catch me at the end but I held him off. It was hot by now and I was glad it was over. I don't think the run was a full 5k. It was probably a 2.6 mile by my time.

Not much. I need to do more bricks this off season and get my legs under me quicker.

Lots of water and a shower


It had gotten very warm out but this was the best I've ever done.


Waited around for awards. The age grouper that beat me won the Male Master so I took 1st in AG. My training partner took 1st in her AG and when the results came out she was 3rd OA Female. Gotta love Race Day Events. 2nd place in my AG went to the guy I race against all the time that I pased on the run. I ended up beating him by 5 mins. He couldn't believe I had improved that much. I talked to my training partner and her mother after the race. I asked her how she caught me coming out of T2. She said "after you passed me on the bike, I rode as fast and as hard as I could just to stay up with you." Overall I was very pleased with this race, just missed 9th place by 2 seconds and didn't realize I had raced this fast. I was very inspired by a young lady in a wheel chair that competed in the race and finished. I didn't get to see her swim but they said she was very strong in the water, I saw her on her hand crank 3 wheel bike, and I saw her getting into her running chair which was also 3 wheeled. I got to body mark her in registration and she had rock solid arms. I wish the race had been better organized but I really enjoyed myself racing this sprint.