My time includes about a 40 second run to the timing mat at transition.

No one swam slower than me in the top 15 places. Most of the top 10 finishers finished 2 to 3 minutes faster than me. :(

I could feel my breathing being taxed at this elevation.

Once I learn to swim faster I will probably be too old to run and bike faster. So it goes.

The usual, learn to swim.

Fastest transition of the top 5 finishers, one guy was a second faster than me overall.

Nada. This was a good one for me!

Tough ride for a sprint course. The corners were dangerous especially during the crazy fast first 3 miles which were mostly downhill. I nearly bit it because as I approached a right hand turn at 30 plus miles per hour, a car came out (the volunteer didn't see me coming) and I had to swerve to avoid him and my bike hopped and skidded and I nearly crashed into the gravel and rocks on the side of the road!

Found a groove and as I approached the first hill, some dude was on my wheel and attempted to pass me. I was surprised that I was caught from behind on the mostly downhill opening miles cuz I thought that I was hauling! I mashed up the first hill and the guy dropped back just a bit leading me to believe that I could drop him once we turned back into the headwinds and then the uphill finish. Shortly after, I saw some dude sprawled out on the road with the ambulance and fire trucks there. I slowed down a bit and then prepared for the turn back. The guy that was challenging me was not letting up. Into the headwinds he was right there and he was doing his best not to draft off me. I dropped a gear, put my head down and just started pounding! When I looked back he was a good 50 meters back and I knew that there was no way that he could get me on the uphill. I was pleased but might have backed off just a bit too much cuz I finished 3rd on the bike, 1 minute off the first place guy and about 35 seconds off the second place guy.

Stay focused throughout the ride. A sprint is too short to rest.

2nd fastest transition of the top 5 and 3rd fastest overall. However, I ran out of transition with my helmet on... dropped my Garmin (I wanted it for the run) and was sort of lost in space on this one. I ended up tossing my helmet in the grass and someone found my Garmin and returned it to me after the race.

Take my helmet off before leaving T2

In a word: humbling

I had visions of going under 20 minutes, but the last 1.5 miles were uphill and I just didn't have it. Also, this was a trail run. Easily the hardest 5K that I have run in a tri or stand-alone.

I feel like I should of could of run better.

I don't kow

Hung out in the sun with Ramone and waited for awards.


ALTITUDE!


I will do this again! I hope that next year it is USAT sanctioned, but this is a great race in a beautiful setting. Great post race food and one of my favorite courses yet!