The buoy placement was different for this race than for the Splash & Dash, but the course looked OK. I think they put the buoys out the night before and during the night we had a short, but very windy storm blow through. As I was walking from my van earlier I had noticed one of the buoys on the shore and a boat was out in the dark trying to get the buoys set. I was in Wave 1 with all the people who were 50+, men and women. It was a beach start and I got off to a good start without any bumping. Shortly I was in with a small group a short distance behind the leaders. The faster swimmers gradually pulled away, but this group stayed pretty close. The swim seemed to go pretty fast. When I got out of the water I looked at my watch and I was slower than I was expecting. A later check of swim times in past years revealed the swim was long - again. This is like the fourth race in a row where the swim has been too long. That puts the weaker swimmers at a disadvantage right off the bat.


More swim training.

The mat was on the beach at the swim exit. The transition area was a long, narrow rectangle. I had to enter at one end and run all the way to the other. I noticed as I was approaching that Woody had left his wetsuit and stuff in my spot. I had my wetsuit pulled down to my waist by the time I got to my bike, quickly out of it, helmet and sunglasses on and go! At least Woody hadn't knocked my bike around or my helmet.


Nothing

I've always disliked this course. After leaving transition and getting my feet in my shoes on a short street, the course enters a loop course. Four times around the loop. The loop had two hills and three 90 degree turns. One of the turns is at the bottom of a hill meaning speed has to be reduced to make the turn, Then a short bit more downhill before the first uphill, just over the top of that hill is the next turn and the longest stretch of down, but the road surface is not great in this part. Then the road curves around to the right and goes uphill, makes the final turn, more uphill, then back to the beginning of the loop. I've always found it difficult to carry speed since the downs are short, the up are longer, and the turns.

The first loop was OK. I had come out of the water with another club member and beat him out of T1. I stayed ahead of him throughout the bike. I passed a couple of the 50+ people in the first loop and by then people from other waves were on the course. I passed some and was passed by some of the young speed demons. On the second loop a 35 year old guy went by on a down, I passed him on the next up, and we went back and forth like that the rest of my time on the course.

Overall the bike was OK and I did about as I expected.


Train more for hills and turns.

As I approached the dismount line I was out of my shoes and hit the ground running. Again I had to run through to the other end. Rack bike, helmet off, hat on, shoes on, grabbed number belt and go.


Nothing

The run is mostly on a concrete path around the lake with a short section on a park road. Out and back, almost entirely flat with only a couple minor inclines. I was feeling good as soon as I left transition and was running strong. I had no idea how fast I was going, but it felt good. I knew the fast guys were already in front of me and I was working to keep anyone in my age group from catching me, as has happened all too often in other races. As I went along a few of the young fast guys went by, but very few. I don't really recall passing anyone, but I could see where I was in comparison to the people in front and back as the course doubled back. The guys in front were too far ahead and I felt I had a good lead on those behind and I was going to run hard to keep it that way. As I crossed the finish line and saw the clock I knew I had a good PR on this course. My run was by far the fastest I ever run in a triathlon.


Nothing

Walk around, drink some water.


Not putting in the time for good swim and bike training.


Decent event and the only open water tri in the city.