i could have worn my wetsuit, but i didn't because i couldn't imagine fighting my way into it. most people didn't wear theirs. everyone in the entire race started at once/mass start. it sucked and i got the crap kicked out of me. once the pack thinned out it got better. i breated every stroke and never settled into the swim like i have in other races. i really pushed it toward the end and realized that i could have done much better. i'm still out of practice for this season, and i think that will improve with time. the swim actually went very fast and i didn't find myself concentrating like i should have.

start further to the left corner and get my head together better.

i wear my running shoes for the bike because i haven't upgraded to nice pedals and shoes. so, when i got to t1 i briefly dried my feet, put on socks and shoes. a man and a woman (spectators) standing nearby chastised me for 1. drying my feet and 2. putting on socks. i know it sounds silly, but socks stick to wet feet. i thought i was being efficient, but the peanut gallery thought otherwise.

ask them to buy me pedals and shoes so this never comes up again.

oh. my. god. by the time the bike segment rolled around my gatorade/water mixture had been outside for about 2 1/2 hours and was at least 100 degrees, thus undrinkable! i grabbed water or cytomax at the stations, but i mostly spilled it on the volunteers. i knew i wasn't drinking enough, but i couldn't get enough fluids into myself. i did take some gu on two occasions thinking that may help.

this bike course was really hard! there was one hill that i was going up at 5mph and i thought my quads were going to rip themselves from my legs and roll back down the hill. i am quite proud of myself, though, because i didn't stop! i have not done a lot of biking yet this season, so it stands to reason that the hills killed me. i don't know whether to say this was a below average or bad ride, because i did well for the training that i've done.

bring a cooler for the drinks and train more.

the volunteers were handing out water and wet towels, so i did dawdle a bit because i was dying! i forgot to take a gu with me on the run, but i'm thinking it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

bring the gu.

i walked most of the run and it appeared that everyone else did too. about a half mile in i realized that i was severly dehydrated and tried to 'fix it' at the water station, but i think it was too late. i was hardly sweating at all and i was continually getting the chills and goosebumps. i decided not to push it and walked up the two big hills. i was able to open it up a little on the downhill and by that time i had about three cups of water and two cups of cytomax. i don't know if it helped, but i looked really good crossing the finish line. people told me i looked strong and i said thanks, omitting the fact that i took a walk and jogged a little!

i'm not sure what else i could have done.

i got my finishers medal and drank a few glasses of water. then i dragged my ass back down to the dock and went for a swim because i was SOOOO HOT!! after that, i just walked around and chatted some more with people that i met...one of whom was AmINuts, a fellow BT'er! he finished his first race today in a blaze of glory! i also met a girl named erin who's a lurker. she said she comes on here to read the articles!


THE HEAT!!!


the race started about fifteen minutes late and it was a little hectic. it was the promoter's first race and i think he did an okay job. he's doing a whole series, so we'll see how the next one goes. i already know that it starts in the morning, so that's an improvement right there. he said that he had researched the weather on this date for the last decade and that the average high was 87 degrees.

they had a local news anchorwoman announcing people as they came into t1, t2 and the finish. i announced to more than one person that "nina radetich said my name!!!!"