Course probably somewhat long. Others in swim club also had very slow times. (One guy who does 22 in the pool was 15 seconds slower than I was??) Also very crowded, which probably didn't help. My wave (women over 40) started last and it was a 2-loop course. Spent the entire time working my way through the waves that started before mine.

?? Be male, or under 40?

As efficient as I could make it with longer run to my bike (old ladies got shafted, once again, with a sucky position in transition) and full wetsuit to get off.

??

Very hilly course with very rough surface for about 2/3 of the race. Hard to keep a steady effort/ power due to hills, wind, and road surface.

Not sure. Andreas did not seem to be the best tool for the job. Maybe different gearing? Road bike? Race wheels would make him faster, but probably not a great idea on this particular course, for most of the way.

I completely forgot to get my feet out of my shoes, so I had to run through transition in my bike shoes! It's been a while since I last raced!

Remember to get my feet out of my shoes in time. My bike shoes suck to run in!

Not a fast time, but I passed a lot of people and very few people passed me. I am sort of inured to hills, since I live in an extremely hilly neighborhood, and every brick run starts out up a very steep incline.

Not get stuck behind the 10K run crowd? For some reason, they released them to start their run about 5 seconds before I exited T2. Mostly not fast runners, on a very narrow forest path up to the road. Ugh.

???? Walking around, I guess. Got some excellent BBQ and other Hawaiian food and a beer and enjoyed them. Eventually I collected my award and my crap from transition, and headed back to the parking shuttle with Mom.


Bike issues (not sure exactly what, but Andreas could be faster), poor road surface, bad position on the swim. Some allergy/asthma issues on the bike (breathing felt tight on the part through the farmland and for a while after, itchy/painful eyes). I'm allergic to grass pollen, and it was in the "Extreme" range here today. Didn't seem to be an issue on the latter part of the bike, or the run (which was below the level of the fields and close to the lake, sheltered by woods).


As always, the events were very well-organized. The course is tough and slow, but it is what it is. Rural Oregon roads are like that. My only issue is the swim start--OMG, STOP making older women go last, especially with a 2-lap course. So unfair. Please, please, let us self-seed by pace. This is Oregon, for goodness sake. If you're so politically correct that there isn't even a Men's category anymore (it's "Open"), then stop being sexist and ageist with your swim starts!!