Considering my horrible consistency at actually going to the pool the last few months, I have nothing to complain about. I was out of the water in under 10 minutes, which was very nice to see.

My first couple hundred meters were good and I felt nice and steady. Sighting was OK at first but once the wave broke up it got a bit sketchier. It's definitely tough to train for open water sighting in a pool. I'm pretty sure that I was all over the place coming in to the last buoy/exit but again, I can't complain. Considering this was my first ever open water swim I'm very happy with how things went.

One bit of strategy I picked up from watching the earlier waves was to walk the last few meters of the water rather than splash around and drag my feet through the knee high water. I think this saved a lot of strain on my back and helped me catch my breath before trotting up to transition. As my swim fitness improves I may push harder coming out of the water in the future, but for today it worked like a charm.

Swim more. Also, I'd like to do more OWS but it's tough to fit in with my schedule.

I was very purposeful to really take my time in transition today. I wanted to make sure I was deliberate with all the steps and So I wouldn't forget anything or slip up. My wetsuit caught a bit on my ankles, especially my left where the timing chip was (hmm... that Body Glide sure would have been nice). My helmet felt really tight getting it on too, so I had to monkey with that for a second. The shoes went on really smooth though (I don't have clipless pedals yet so I just wore my runners) and I got a nice running start on the bike. Overall, it went about as well as I'd hoped.

Practice more. I know that with time and experience, speed will follow.

I'm VERY pleased with how the bike went today. Again, it's been difficult to ride as much as I'd like with my schedule lately. Still, I successfully completed my running mount, got into my toe cages smoothly, and went up and over the little overpass at the beginning nice and smooth.

I was very conscious to take it easy at the start and settle into a rhythm leading into the long uphill. I didn't hammer the hill by any means but I was steady going up and felt pretty strong. I think I handled the rollers up on Cabrillo Drive pretty well and I FLEW down the big hill on the way back, hitting 40 mph for the first time ever. The flats on the way back went well and I downshifted the last quarter mile to get my cadence up and shake out my legs a bit. The dismount was pretty crowded so I couldn't do a flying dismount, but I got off nicely and make my way into T2 at a trot.

Just train more. Honestly, I am very surprised at how well I felt on the bike today and had a great time. I wish all my rides were like that!

I kept with the theme of being deliberate with transitions in T2 and did my little mental checklist to make sure everything went right. Put the bike in the right spot on the bar, check. Helmet off, check. Turn belt around, check. Rinse out the last of the salt water from my mouth, check. Grab a Gu and slurp it down on the way out, check.

I know I could have gone faster but I'm happy with how both transitions went today.

Again, just practice a bit more. I'd done a couple bricks, so I knew the motions. It's just a matter of applying it to race day.

The blood vessels in my legs felt like they were pumping liquid lead for the first mile or so. I started off nice and easy to shake them out a bit and once I hit my stride I felt like I did a good job of staying steady. Considering how my legs felt it was very difficult to get a gauge on what my pace was but by the half way point or so I could tell that I was going at a decent clip.

About a mile and a half from the finish line I got a funny surprise as Michellie Jones was running BACK along the course to the starting area, presumably to get her stuff from transition. Must be nice when a race isn't enough of a workout for you in one morning!

I had a nice kick for the last 100 meters and finished very strong. My back was starting to get a little tight towards the end of the race but I got through it just fine and felt very good at the finish.

Not much. My running was the one discipline that I felt like I came CLOSE to training enough for and I'm happy with how I did. I know I've got more speed in my legs and it'll be fun to find it in future races.

Walked through the finishing chute, got my chip off, and stayed on my feet for about 45 minutes to make sure I didn't cramp up. I grabbed some bananas, a bagel, an FRS drink, and a couple bottles of water. After cooling down I stretched out for about 10 minutes.


Lack of consistent training. Conditions today were PERFECT, and I loved the course. Can't wait to get some more races under my belt! Next year I would love to do the International course.


KOZ Enterprises did a fantastic job putting on this race. The expo was very good for the size of the race and the post race events were good as well. The volunteers were both plentiful and very helpful. It was a great first race experience!