The swim is where I get a leg up on everyone so that they can pass me on the bike and run. I can't complain too much at how I faired coming out of the water except the folks climbing the stairs were walking up them and I wanted to run...hello, I know it's slippery, but this IS a race. =p I need to work on moving through the water faster still, so I'm going to incorporate hand paddles in practice more.

More OWS before my first race. Use a wetsuit that gives me more range of motion. I felt pretty restricted in my arms.

My mom was just outside the TA and asking me how the water was. Ha. I kind of had to yell to her that I was too busy to talk. =) Put on socks, and a fuel belt and a water fell out when that happened. I didn't think much of it because I had 20 oz of COLD gatorade on my bike and the other bottle had 8 oz water.

Overall I was decent in T1. 4th in age group and 58 overall.

Practice transitions a few more times. Check my feet for pebbles before putting on socks.

This is where I REALLY get passed. Badly. Part of it is that I don't have good quad strength. Part of it is because I have a $175 road bike from Target online, so we're not talking about stellar quality here. I also have armadillo tires which may slow me down a touch and I don't have bike shoes. Just cages for my feet.

Upgrade my bike. By ALOT. Get more rides in working hills a lot harder.

I was nervous getting ready for this. I always think I'm forgetting something.

Practice more. I should have packed more small waters for the run, too.

5th in age group, 55th overall.

This was awful. I tried to drink up on the bike, but I dropped my gatorade after the first turn around on the bike, so I wasn't as hydrated as I had planned. The heat was almost overwhelming AND the people who lived in the cottages on the bike course would drive by and the temperature of the exhaust of the cars would drive the air temp up. I never really got more than a shuffle out of my legs until I saw the finish line. But, man, did it hurt to finish strong.

Bring fuel belt with water. I'd like to experiment with caffeinated gels, too. I needed a little mental pick me up for most of the run.

Walked myself right to the lake and sat in the water for about 20 minutes. My legs hurt something fierce so the cool water was amazing.


The heat and lack of hydration. I tried to sodium load by drinking a lot of gatorade the day before and day of and it may have helped. I was prepared for the distance by not the heat, that's for sure.


A previous race greeted the finishers with an ice cold wet towel. I'd trade in the hat they gave us for a cold wet towel at the finish line any day. I think they needed a lot more water stations, too. Partly, us athletes were to blame if we didn't have enough to drink (we all knew in advance it'd be in the 90s that day), but I think the race directors should have planned on putting more water out there. Or, maybe have water at one of the turn arounds on the bike course.

Other than that, I thought the DJ could have pumped the music louder. I was ready to rock and roll in warm ups and needed something to get going. I also thought the post race meal was kind of lame. It was nice to have that much variety, but I couldn't find anything that looked good to a vegetarian.