The race starts late - Ugh! It is cold and it starts to drizzle. At the starting gun I cram into the cold lake with about 60 other women in my division. I'm doing pretty good, only bumping into a few people. Looking up alot to see where I"m going. Make the first buoy and pass some of the slower men in the division that started before. Although its cold, but I'm doing okay. Then Wham! ... I slam into something hard. Looking up I see long surf board with one of the lifeguards nearby trying to help some pooped-out swimmer. I swim under the surf board and continue, feeling that I am going at a good pace. Swim Time - 11:00 compared to 8:15 last year

Look up less. Concentrate on technique - reach and pull better.

I run up the beach and find by bike. I take a while to towel off and brush the sand off my feet. I probably took too long here. (Next time, I'll try to skip the toweling off and just put socks on sandy feet.) Change into bike shirt , shoes, helmet, and gloves.

Don't worry about sandy feet so much. Just put socks on over sand.

Also, Make sure race number is attached better

Feeling pretty good, still a bit cold (and now wet) but I'm sure I'll warm up. Take the tight turn made more difficult by having to go from zooming down the hill, turn sharply, and then start climbing up a steep slope. Drinking gulps of gatorade. Passing slower people. Annoyed that my race number was not attached to my shirt very well and is now flapping around in the wind and making noise. Up another hill.

Got a shock as I passed a down and mangled racer. He apparently had crashed and was now lying twisted and unconcious around his bike. As I whizzed by a park ranger and another racer were crouching over him - one asking "Hey can you hear me? Are you there?" It made me cringe and say a silent thank you that it wasn't me. The second lap around there were two fire engines, several police cars, and an ambulance at the scene.

Towards the end of the second lap my thighs start to ache and my feet feel numb. I regret not wearing a warmer top. Try to finish off my bottle of gatorade before the run. Bike Time 57:50 compared to 59:26 last year.

Did pretty well. Wear warmer shirt if that cold.

Get off the bike. Take off helmet, gloves and bike shoes (consider not wearing gloves for shorter races - but then again it was cold and I wouldn't want my hands going numb). Feet are pretty cold and as I shove my feet into my running shoes (new "no tie" laces speed things up).

be more smooth

Eventhough I'm slightly worried that I cannot feel certain parts of my feet, I assure myself that my shoes and legs will work even if my feet feel weird. I pass up all the water stations since it would only slow me down and it is still pretty cool weather. Pass a few people on the run. The hills are tough but I manage to run up all of them. As one guy who passes me yells encouragingly "only one mile to go." I joke back "oh no, they make you circle the lake another time." The last few yards on on grass which makes me nervous as I don't want to slip. I cross the finish line - feeling that I hadn't totally drained myself, but still ready to be done. Run time 28:39 compared to last year 26:14.

keep warm more.

Focus


I cross the finish line - feeling that I hadn't totally drained myself, but still ready to be done. Run time 28:39 compared to last year 26:14.

Overall I did not meet my time goal coming in at 1:37:29. Perhaps the cold and akward transitions slowed me down. But I did not get ill afterwards - which is probably more important.