Um, I suck at open water swimming! It was so dark. The lake was a mineral lake and kind of resembled swimming in a vat of coffee grounds. I knew swimming wasn't my strong suit and it went about as expected but something I didn't plan for is how emotionally degrading it was. It sorta stuck with me into the second loop of the bike.

One thing I did do well was sighting. No issues there.

Work on my open water swimming. I need to get more comfortable in the suit and with not being able to see. It threw everything off.

Oh, I need to not be such a baby as well. I should have put the bad swim behind me and been more positive on the bike.

Transition went really well. I was glad I practiced this! I think I may have lost my goggles though.

Not lost my goggles!

I know I negative split the bike although I don't have the garmin data to back it up. I am wondering if maybe a longer distance race will suit me better since it seems to take me a bit to get in my groove.

As I was biking I spotted a friend I hadn't seen in YEARS working the traffic intersection (she's a cop now.) I slowed down and said hello and don't regret this at all.

Some of the more advanced girls on their fancy aero bikes were very...standoffish. If I pass someone I always try to say something encouraging or at least say hello. Not these girls. They pass you then cut over early so that the water flung off their tires and into your face. I understand being competitive but geeze....

On the second loop of the course I saw several women who had passed me in the swim and early on the bike walking their bikes up the hill. Although I felt for them it just goes to show that it's not over 'til it's over! This gave me some renewed and much needed confidence!

Try to hammer it a little earlier!

This transition went pretty well too. I have got to figure out some speed laces that will fit in my shoes. My hands were so cold and trying to tie my shoes SUCKED

Different laces

My shoes came untied TWICE! Ahhhhhhhhhh! Pretty sure I dropped the 'F' bomb. I need to figure out a solution to this because double knots were not hacking it! This KILLED my time. I am certain I lost a good minute because of this.

The run went really well though, aside from the lace thing. I negative split this too. I prematurely kicked it in at the end (still had some juice left in me) but was able to hold the strong pace the whole last half mile (I had thought the finish line was in a different spot then it was in.) This is very clearly my strength and I felt great at the end.

NEW LACES

Demoralizing swim, horrible weather, first race. I know I might sound a bit negative but I do realize these things are all opportunities for me to work at.


It was just so rainy that the post race was not all that great. Plus the corn chips were soggy. Who likes soggy corn chips and salsa? Not me!