Full contact wave start for about 50 and then settled in. Not really anything wrong here...just slow and steady.

swim more often before the race

Tried feet on shoes / running in bare feet for the first time. Used the rubber band trick to hold the shoes flat. I put my Garmin on my wrist in T1 which hurt my T1 a bit - I didn't want to risk moving it from the bike to my wrist while on the bike. Power Tap gets sent off for repair soon to give me my bike data again. Other than being very winded after the swim and needing to get air immediately, T1 was ok - no drama with the shoes.

Use PT for bike data allowing me to put the Garmin on while running in T2.

Hammered the bike knowing full well the run was going to suffer in the heat. I figure I might as well get some headway on the one part of the race I love.

Get Power Tap working again

I did better in practice coming off the bike than I did today. It was uneventful but I didn't "fly" off the bike by any means. Had a bit of an issue getting in one of the two run shoes.

Nail the bike dismount, stick the landing
more lube in the shoes

The dreaded Bridgeland run.

I started slow and steady and picked it up just a bit towards the end. I dumped water on my head every aid station and drank a sip of water as well. I kept going but had no speed. I pushed it a bit at the end to run down one fellow AGer who I was shoulder to shoulder with for a couple of hundred feet. I was proud to squeeze out a spot at the line. YEAH ...38th in AG instead of 39th ...LOL It was the only fun I had on the run course though.

I didn't want to risk blowing up and walking so I stayed a bit conservative this time. Maybe I had a bit faster pace in me??

Pretty decent sprint. This is my only race I have been to twice. I beat my swim, bike and run from last year, didn't puke, walk, or get "chick'd". I managed to stay off YouTube with my bike mount/dismount 1st attempt. I completed most of the goals I had for this race. I wish the swim and run were just a bit faster, but I am what I am. The bar keeps getting higher in triathlon. I knocked a bit of time off every aspect of my race and didn't move up much in AG.


More swimming
heat



As usual, Aaron pulls a great race together. HUGE sprint for the race closest to where I live.

The speaker decided to die right before they were going to start the race. I guess they also held up the start a bit based on people struggling to get into transition. Things went plenty quick at 5:30am folks??? Maybe others should get there sooner? After the start time was missed the race was golden. Water was cold on the run (NICE). The best part was the ice bath after the incredible finish line. It really helped drop the body temp quickly.

Issues with timing, as usual. I think they used 14.5 miles for the bike course instead of 13.5 since I didn't bike 27.4mph like it showed. O well, at least I have times for swim, bike and run and all my transitions..the rest of the field can't say the same.

Great SWAG - HEAVY, SWEET finisher medal (not sure a finisher medal is needed for a sprint ..but it's very nice), nice technical shirt, towel and bottle. Food & drinks were great. GREAT RACE