I decided to swim in the fourth (last) wave since this was only my second race. I wanted to come out strong so I didn't get beat up like the race two weeks ago. After the first 50 yards I knew I was going to do better than most of the people in my wave. There was really noone near me and I was able to swim pretty much on the inside. As I rounded the first bouy I could see swimmers from the previous wave and only 2 purple caps ahead of me. At the 2/3 point it was just me and the guy I talked to before hand who said he would do well on the swim. I finished about 5 seconds behind him but #2 out of the water for our wave so I felt great about that. I looked at the timer and it said 10:10something so I knew I did well. After the 30 second run up the grass to T1 I was happy.

nothing. I started outside and hard and did exactly what I wanted to do.

I don't know how my transition times are so bad. Maybe I need to swim with my shirt on or something. I really thought I was quicker than this sigh.

????

2 weeks ago I broke 18 MPH for the first time so I figured there was no way I would do better on the bike...WRONG!!! 18.4 woo hoo!!! I was riding very smooth considering when I got on the bike I felt a little winded because I really went hard at the begining of the swim. It took much longer to get my breath under control but I didn't feel tired. It's hard to explain....I could hear myself breathing hard but it didn't effect how fast I was able to go. Weird. At the halfway point I saw that purple cap that beat me on the swim and made it my mission to catch him before we got back. Talking to him pre-race he said he was agood biker, for a beginner, so I thought there was no way I would catch him. About 2/3 of the way back I could tell he was having problems on the hills so on the next big uphill I stood up and rode hard all the way up the hill. I passed him at the top and didn't see him again until the end!! That was probably the funnest part of the race. I am really liking the bike because there is always that mind set of catch the guy/gal in front of you. I think my biking is going to get better and better. As I finished the bike I noticed my calves startin to hurt, more on that in a minute....

After what happened on the run, maybe drink more or have some salt????

I really don't know how this was over a minute. I had a little problem with my gloves but hey I don't have tri shoes so the biking shoes take longer to get out of right?????

??????

Here is where the trouble began. After I exited T2 and hit the trail both calves started hurting. Uh oh, not a cramp please!!! Nope not 1 but both calves cramped up big time. I tried to run through it but it was really bad. I stopped and tried to rub them out, hit them, massage them, nothing worked. I started walking/limping and tried to run for about an 1/8 of a mile. During that stretch I had one runner go by me and say "just take it easy, it aint worth it". It must have been pretty obvious how much it was hurting. After about an 1/8 of a mile I was able to jog very slowly and then a little faster each minute. Finally I started feeling better and I started running pretty hard for me. I passed a few people and got water at the first mile marker. Once again I was able to just get a swallow in, gotta work on that run and drink thing. I started to actually feel really good and was wondering if the walking actually helped lol. As I hit the last water station these kids were handing out cups and said "water mister?" I just laughed and said"nah, I'd probably just throw it up!!" At least I made them all laugh!!! As I was coming up on the finish line I was catching the guy ahead of me so I yelled at him not to let me catch him in the last 100 yards....he didn't, me and my big mouth lol!!! Over all I have to be happy with my run because it was a minute and a half faster than 2 weeks ago and I walked for the first 1/8 mile or so. I figure I must have been doing pretty good on the rest of the run.

Figure out a way to not cramp up on the run.

I grabbed an orange, a muffin and a powerade and started asking people why would I cramp up. The responses most common were not enough hydration and not enough salt. The thing is I don't think it was hydration because I have been much thirstier after runs and bikes and never had that happen like that. Even now 2 days later both of my calves are REALLY sore. Whatever I did I did it good :)


The cramps and my transition times.


On a personal note I felt this race was really good. If you take away the cramp issue I had a good swim and a really good bike for me, and the rest of the run was good. I am mad because I the guy right above me in my age group beat me by 10 seconds and I lost way more than that on the run, but I will get that figured out. If anyone has any good ideas about what I could take on the bike to stop the cramps at the end I am all ears. 2 races and 2 cramps at the end of the bike make me worried.