AAAAAAA the swim. This is only my third TRI. My other two had swims that say they were the same length as this one and this race looked long. Standing there waiting to go I completely psyched myself out. I knew I had not swam this length yet so I was completely off my game at this point. I stood in the water and waited to go.

I started in the back of my wave knowing I would only get in the way of others. Then it happened. I swam hard and way to hard. I for some reason did not put my head down and kept it up while pounding my arms as fast and hard as I could. That was my doooooooom. I was wore out by the first turn and had to turn over and float/swim the rest of the way. I was short of breath and began to doubt my swim ability. I did make it and was ok feeling just short of breath and unable to calm down.


Swim more. I swim in a lake for training but can not pull my practice stroke into a race just yet. Mental toughness on this one will be my key. Just have to get in my own rhythm and do my swim, be calm and stay in my zone. I think then I will be ok.

The art of the transition. Get swim gear off, and bike shoes on and ready to go. Not to hard right? Well in mud it can be hard. Also I have not mastered the art of putting shoes on while I ride. I am not sure this was the race to try that on with the giant mud pit in transition.
I feel I did ok. While swimming I noticed some folks begin to stand so I did to and tried to jog out of the water. I am getting better at jogging while taking stuff off so that felt good. Found my spot rather easy. I have a bright Sponge Bob towel I use so I can see my spot with out problems. Did the stomp on wet suit and get out of it while getting my helmet, the slid new shoes on. I wanted to try and tighten them up while on the ride to get use to that but this was not the course for that. Too much mud and very narrow. I tightened the shoes and off I went.


Next race I will try to tighten shoes while on the ride and remember to pull swim cap and goggles through wet suit sleeve. Other than that I think I was ok for this race. I was a bit slow due to trying to get some mud off my foot before sticking in my shoe.

I did not like this bike ride. The narrow cone lanes made it hard, the what was no passing zone was slow and not many people seemed to care it was no passing. I got off to a ok start and then hit the no passing zone. I was running into the back of the duathon folks who were doing their best but just not going to fast. I tried to obey unless and then was getting passed but guys who decided to use the other lane and pass folks. I did the same a couple times and then tried to get going when the ride opened up. One guy instead of being polite and passing people he decided to scream and yell while going by us all as fast has he could. It seemed rude and unsportsmanlike as he yelled and laughed while passing people..
The rest of the bike was ok. I could not get into a good ride for some reason. I got going at about the turn around and then hit the round about then on to the no passing zone, sooo momentum lost. Right before the turn to go into the no passing zone a car had merged into the course and had stopped. Me and a few other riders had to stop. I had just passed some folks and was about to pass another to have a nice ride back with not many people around me, so it was disappointing to have to stop for a car. That caused a big group in the no passing zone that now had bikes in each lane and at times runners in another lane. I was now stuck behind a rider who was trying but just did not have good speed. She knew we were behind her and wanted to go faster, but not much she can do. I just sat up and took in the rest of the ride. A couple people decided to do the daredevil passing, which to me at that point why, not like any of us were going to win, and not like those few seconds are going to make or break you. All it did was scare the poor rider half to death. I was just happy by the time to ride was done.

I did see my wife on her bike. She was powering up the hill while I was going down the hill. I yelled at her but she was working hard and could care less about me while trying to get up the hill. I then saw her again while I was on my way to T2. She was running and I again yelled at her she waved and kept the eye of the tiger look going as she rounded the corner.


Not much I could do differently. The narrow no passing zone was tough and my own ability to get up to a hard pace faster was what held me back. Over all I think I did ok with how things went this day.

T2 was ok. I got through the mud and to my spot. Got bike gear off and running shoes on. I had not used these shoes in a race for a while since they are not the most comfortable. I however knew I did not want to use my favorite shoes on this muddy course. I had a small problem putting the shoes on but nothing to bad. The heal was smashed and I had a small lump back there rubbing for a few until it worked its way out.

Not much. The conditions were not the best and I feel with the shoes problem I had this was ok.

The run was fun. It felt like high school cross country all over again. This was with the twist of crossing paths with people on way back and bikes going in some directions, also with some sweet floating planks. I ran has hard as I could. I am not sure I believe this was 3 miles but no big, we all ran same distance. If it was 3 miles then sweet I ran quick. I understand the run was diverted from the original run due to the rain we had. The whole place was wet and muddy. The run felt good.
While I was running and was getting close to the end I heard my wife’s name announced over the speakers that she had just finished. That brought a smile to my face and I knew it would not be hard to find her when I was done.


Run harder. I knew after the bike I had a lot of gas left and could push on the run but I hit my stride and just did not run as hard as I could.

walk around


swimming or lack of ability, mud and crazy course