The swim is what I am always most worried about and this one was the first one without a wetsuit and also my second one going counter clockwise. My first counter clockwise race didn't go so well since I mainly breathe on my right side but I didn't have too much trouble with that this time. I got tired on the way back in. Plus I had some person swimming on their back parallel to shore and perpendicular to me cross my path and cause me to hold up. I have no idea where they were going.

Obviously it is easy to say swim more but it really is more than that. I need to actually not worry so much about distance as speed. My pool swims are usually just doing the yards at an pretty easy pace. However in the race I am swimming faster, or trying too, and it just makes it hard. A little disappointed in the swim time. I say average because it is only a little quicker than I would do in a pool but I should practice like I race.

I have no idea what I did in transition for 2 min's. I didn't have a wetsuit, I already had on my shirt. It was grab the helmet, put on socks and shoes and go. It seemed quicker but these two minutes are very important.

Just be quicker, especially without a wetsuit.

Right after you get on the bike and on to the road you are met with a hill that just burns since you haven't really gotten your legs just yet. It is also at this time that I realize I have the large chainring only. Last night everything was fine, today no smaller ring. It was a tough course for sure and it was also very fun. Traded positions with a girl on a lightspeed bike throughout. She caught me on the straights and I passed her on the hills. It was fun to be pushed.

Hill training. Looking at the course beforehand if possible. Ride the course and maybe check the gears the day of the race. More miles on the bike. But for this day I feel very very good.

This is more like what my transitions should be. Still longer than I probably could of done but really maybe only 20 sec's quicker but the seconds do add in to total time.

Nothing really. Run faster with bike and out of transition area.

I thought I was going to die on the first hill. It was straight up and right after the bike. I felt good though after getting off the golf course and onto the school grounds. It seems like a lot of down hill running. I didn't feel as fast as my time but I did feel fast. I didn't get passed on the run and passed a few so that felt good. I knew my finish was going to be pretty decent since the course wound around and I could see people in front of me. It kept me going for sure.

Nothing. This is a new PB 5K time. My PB time also was just a 5K run so here I am feeling pretty good.

Water. Very thirsty at the end even though I had plenty of water on the course. It was getting hot and fast. Sat in the shade and waited for my buddies to finish. We waited around for the trophy presentation and to see the last guy finish. He happened to be 80 and a General so that was pretty cool. As we were standing around telling war stories I hear my name called. I knew I had finished 36th and that was very cool. Sharkey12 finished 2 places higher I think. But they actually were telling me I finished 3rd in my age group. I have hardware. I am completely shocked. I am also on cloud nine. It is a Gold horses shoe with a black plate inscription. Very very cool.


Training for sure, I have been so inconsistant to start the season but then to place in my first race of the season isn't so bad either. Lack of sleep the two nights before and basically no sleep last night....2 1/2 hours. Plus the slow T1. Why that is important is that the winner in my age group was 1 min faster....1 minute!


This was the first year for this race and they didn't expect the turnout to be what it was. They ran out of shirts and only had mediums and 2XL's. I took the bigger one since a medium would be handed down to my wife or son. It started 30 min's late waiting on finding 2 replacement lifeguards you didn't show but it was really no big deal. Although having an extra 30 min's sleep would of been nice and leaving at 5am instead of 4:30 would of been nice. Great fun and I will definately go back next year to improve upon my 3rd place. I do not know age group ranks yet and will edit when I get the results.