Good swim. Crowded in several areas as usual. Every time I got into a good rythym I would hit a pack of swimmers. It was hard to see.

Start swimming faster sooner. It takes me a while before I speed up.

My bike was in a bad position on the rack, right behind a big tree with lots of mulch on the ground. It was a pain getting the bike off the rack and trying to keep my feet out of the mulch.

Cut the tree down.

Started out in lower gear trying to spin and get my legs warmed up. It takes me a long time to get comfortable. Usually I go out to hard and tire quickly. I felt that my time should have been better.

Push harder once I get into the rythym. Concentrate more on spinning.

Used the tree for support while putting on socks!!

Nothing.

Great run! I was trying to average 9 min per mile and beat it. My last mile was 8:43.

Nothing during the race. Need some more speed training and time to improve the run.

Walked around trying to find the kids who had gone back to our room.


More speed training.


At the start of the season I set 3 goals - finish in the top 50% of my age group, finish St. Anthony's in 2:45 and finish feeling good. I was 42/118, 2:45:47 (close enough) and had a great finish, feeling great. Not bad!! I was really proud of my mental concentration. In the past I always worried about saving energy for the run and that I couldn't do very well. This time all I thought about was what needed to be done in the transition area. At mile 2 of the run the negative thoughts started to creep into my head but I quickly turned them positive knowing how hard I trained and that it was only 4 miles to go. Thanks to the folks playing the Rocky theme at around mile 3. That always gets my blood pumping. At mile 5 I realized that I needed to do the last 1.2 miles in 10 minutes to make 2:45 and had enough to kick it into a higher gear. I didn't quite make it but what a high coming into that chute, especially when no one else was around me.