This was my first time ever swimming in "open water" even if it was a narrow canal. I way underestimated how hard this would be go straight. I thought at first if I just stayed in the back of my group I could just go and relax and swim. I was faster than most of my group so I kept catching them and since I can't spot very well and I could not see more than a few inches in front. I kept running into them and getting kicked. At one point I was swimming up on someones left not realizing it and enhaled all of the water from their wake on the kick. ughh.

I drift left pretty bad in a pool and I tried to manage it in the canal but I just kept going that way and hitting my hand on the bottom or running into the side. My family, god bless them, were walking with me the whole way and trying to guide me but I could not hear anything in the water. I tried once to correct it and ended up swimming perpendicular to the course and ran into the opposite wall. I eventually just gave up on my 10 minute swim goal and just did whatever stroke I felt like until I got to the finish. Once I decided I would not make 10 and relaxed I had a pretty good time. Ended up at 14 minutes for the swim so not nearly as bad as I had thought.

I am not sure why I put cycling gloves on and this probably cost me about 30 seconds or more. Seemed to make sense at the time but I won't do that again. I put my sock on upside down so that the heel was on top. Had to remove and put on again but now it was wet and this took what seemed like forever.

Not wear cycling gloves and check socks position in shoe.

The out was smooth with very few road bumps or imperfections. After the turnaround and coming down the opposite side of the waterway it was terrible. 2 sets of rough railroad tracks and lots of bumps, potholes and just overall rough roads.

Passed lots of people and got passed by lots of people on decked out tri bikes.

I kept a pretty good cadence and did not push too hard. I should have upped it one gear and tried to keep the same cadence. This would have maybe added 1 MPH to my speed. I don't really know but I just felt a little guilty at the end of the bike like I had not pushed hard enough.

This was pretty uneventful. Dismount was good and I was able to run back to the rack without much trouble. Bike was racked and shoes on with pretty good time.

The first mile was pleasent and I was feeling pretty good. Somewhere around that first mile marker the sun came out and it got hot. My face felt like it was inside a toaster oven. I grabbed 2 waters at this station and dumped one on my head and tried to drink the other. I suck at running and drinking. I just end up spilling it everywhere and get frustrated and throw it out.

Once I got to the turnaround and began heading back I got some much needed relief from the sun as it was at my back. Passed several people on the way back which felt pretty good since I rarely ever pass anyone.

Nothing...I am am going to be working on distance and speed over the winter. I felt pretty good about this run being that it was the only the second time I have run an event of any type.

My brother started about 20 minutes or so behind me so I met my family at the finish and then hung out with them for a bit and waited for him to cross. Used that time to get a good stretch and cool down.


The volunteers did a great job on the bike course warning of sharp turns and dangerous railroad crossings.

I can't wait for this event next year and hopefully by then I will have figured out how to swim in a straight line.

Goals
Swim: 10 Minutes -- 4 Minutes Off
T1: 4 Minutes -- 2:59 Picked up a minute
Bike: 43 Minutes -- 43:59 Goal Met!!!
T2: 2 Minutes -- 1:39 Goal Met!!!
Run: 33 Minutes -- 34:13 Will work on it.

Total time goal 1:32
Actual: 1:36 This is mostly because of I underestimated the swim navigation. I can work on that and fix it. Next year I am hoping to hit around 1:20.