No splits yet.
I really need to swim a little, especially when the water is cold to get relaxed and get my breathing going. I let the folks in a real hurry go, then fell right in behind. I waded in a ways watching for the front swimmers to kind of pick their lanes, and I was walking as fast as they were swimming - so, no loss. I dove in and followed the group in a lane that no one was in. I was having trouble relaxing and breathing in the cold water. Navagation was good coming out of the cove and past the first bouy. Right turn to head toward the next bouy. Still in a fairly large pack, there was some jostling and bumping. The water was quite murky and you couldn't see people's feet even if you were touching them. Several times I swam up on someone's back without even seeing them. I pulled myself a little to the right to get just outside the pack and that worked well for a while, then I found myself way far to the right, and way out of the pack. I was still having trouble settling into my breathing rythm and was breathing every stroke. Try to relax, try not to fight it. Breathing is never a problem for me, and usually sighting is not either. I just was fighting it. Thankfully the bouys they use are the huge orange balls which are usually very visible. After a while I settled in a bit and sighting got a little easier. Around the third bouy, and I couldn't find the next one. The rest of the swimmers were quite spread out and so following the pack was not a great option either. I followed the trend. The problem was there were some closer bouys, but they were for the sprint course, and I wasn't sure where our next one was. I finally settled on one that was quite far away (the whole back leg). After probably 700 yards I finally was able to get into a bit more of my breathing rythm, and glide more. The swim just seemed really long. Today my delts are very sore, so I expect I swam much harder that I usually do. I know I was fighting both the sighting and breathing. Also using a wetsuit for the first time in a long swim may have taken a bit more muscle. I tried to draft several times, the water was just so murky I couldn't pull it off, even though across the back I was swimming with someone who was swimming just my pace.

Get there early enough to at least look at the course and find sighting targets and know where the bouys are. Swim at least 200 yds before the race to get used to the cold water. clear my goggles more often if they are fogging. The one time I did, it really helped.

I forgot to unzip the legs on my wetsuit before pulling it down, and it stuck a bit. Not too bad. I was also a little dizzy after getting out of the water so I took just a bit more time. overall not too bad for the first race. I just wasn't in much of a hurry.

Swim in just a bit easier (I know to do this). unzip the calfs. Have a bit more determination. I should practice transition with wetsuit.

The first two hills out of T1 are killers. I tried to spin easy out of T1 because I knew the hills were big, having ridden them last year in training. But by 1/2 way up it was just the battle of keeping going without killing myself. 1st gear and slow. after that I took it easy to catch my breath. took a gel as soon as I could breath normally - before leaving the park. In the next 7 or 8 miles the riding was very easy and I was averaging 20 to 22 mph and worrying that I was pushing it too hard. I usually do better if I go out easy and come back hard. I neglected to realize that there was wind, and it was at my back. I think I should have taken a little more advantage of that. I did keep repeating Don't eat the paste as lots of folks passed me. I loved the big valley which you drop into at about mile 9, but then have to climb back out of - cadence good and effort was just about right. Max speed ~ 31mph. The turn around supprised me because it was at an intersection and there were no riders directly in front of me. I was asking the guys - which way? Turn around dummy. I was also focusing on enjoying the ride and the scenery. It was really a beautiful day - sunny and mild. after the turn around the wind was in my face. A lot fewer people were passing me now, and occasionally I could get a little leagal draft, although the wind was not strong. generally my pace coming back was in the 12 to 15mph range. I was wishing that I had pushed it more on the downwind leg. had a gel just past turn around, and one just before entering the park. I was thinking about the last two big hills, and the run, so paced myself - but perhaps still a bit too slow. Whatever RPE I was doing I think I could have upped it a notch. I really enjoyed the downhills onto the dam and into T1. Overall a pretty good ride, but I didn't feel frisky - I think I was considering the 1/2 IM and pacing according to it and not the oly.

Ease up in the last couple hundred yards of the swim for a better hill climb out of T1. Let the pace pick up a bit more - especially with the wind.

I had just a bit more fire on this transition. but I stopped for a pee break which slowed things down a bit, then I tried to run out of T2 the wrong way and had to back track. But I did actually run out of T2 which felt pretty good. either I've trained better, or I really took it way too easy on the bike.

Pee when I get in the water before the start.

I ran (easy) out of T2, which felt good. I kept it up for about three minutes, then settled into my 4 min run 1 min walk routine. the running did not hurt my achillies, but walking did. Something new every day. the walk portion ended up being more like 30 second walks. Again I think I was thinking about the 1/2 IM and paced myself way too slow. I really forced myself to walk much more than I needed to. I did pass several people after the turn around. for most of the course I ran by myself, although it was fun to visit with the folks who were on the 'other side' of the turn as we passed. Everyone was pretty friendly and usually either waved, gave thumbs up, or said something. At the end of my last walk a young lady ran up beside me and said, "come on and run with me." I did and really enjoyed her company. I usually try to pick up the pace for the last mile, but with no mile markers I didn't realize where we were untill there was only about a 1/2 mile left. I asked her if we could pick it up just a little, and she asked if I was sure - so we did. At about 100yds out from the finish she said, "ok, lets go". I figured I was doing ok running a fairly good clip, but what the heck, so we sprinted to the finish, and what fun! she did beat me to the finish by about a second. but I had a ball. She told me that it was the best part of her race too. Big grins all around.

Inspect the course before hand. Pay attention to the race director as he describes the course. - I was messing with my wetsuit. run faster. In this distance and with my current training I should pick up the pace at the turn around. for sprints I should probably go tempo right after wu.

Stood around and talked with my daughter and her BF a little. walked around a bit, went and stood in the lake - good move. Awards then walk to camp and break camp. did some stretching as well.


Swim practice in cold water with wetsuit. sighting. Hill practice on bike. No drafting in swim. I've got to figure this out


The course is good as well as challenging. The race director got us out of the water a good 10 minutes before the start of the swim - there was a delay with the sprint swimmers finishing or something. this hurt my swim warm up and I stood around cold for 10 minutes before starting, but my face was then not used to the cold water.