Went into this race telling myself that it wasn't important and I was not gonna push it in the swim or bike. Got a nice warmup in and waited for the start. I was in WAVE 1. Lined up dead center behind the first row of swimmers. Thought it would give me some decent options to draft off of. Once the gun went off it seemed as if everybody went left or right - nobody stayed in the the middle. No matter whom I attempted to draft off of it seemed it was a bad choice. If I swam left to draft - it seemed as if they would start swimming right into me. The same as if I looked for someone off my right. Anyway...even though this was one of my worst swims, I actually had a pretty good time sighting, breathing and my stroke didn't get screwed up.

Train more the month before and push a little bit harder during the race.

Got out of the water and got the goggles and cap off without a problem. The zipper on the suit is apparently shot because it is really difficult to zip up and even pull up enough so the break-away feature works. Once I got to my transition spot ( a fairly far run from the beach since I set up so close to the BIKE OUT) I had a little issue with getting the suit off my feet - but nothing too major. I got all the way to the BIKE MOUNT LINE and had forgotten to buckle my helmet strap. Couple seconds - nothing more.

Buckle helmet.

Went into the race with NJ State in my head. I thought I pushed too hard at NJ State on the bike and that was the reason why I walked the entire run. Well the end result of today's bike portion (although almost 2 miles shorter because of a Hurricane Irene induced sinkhole on the course) was that I had essentially the same pace and still was able to have one of my better runs.

Starting out - I had my usual trouble keeping my speed while I slipped my feet into my shoes. Seems that everyone has a lot more success at it than I do. I also took some time in the beginning to get settled in. I swallowed a 5 Hour Energy Drink almost immediately crossing my fingers that it would aid my run time and my chain slipped off when I switched from my small ring to my big ring. It took some finegling and some pedaling backwards for the chain to slip back on but I did not have to stop and get off the bike. While this was happening 10 or 12 people passed me. One of them was in my tri club (Philly Tri Club). This always pisses me off getting passed by so many people. So I switched into my 52/13 and got comfortable and started picking people off one-by-one. Once I reached the guy from my club we both settled in taking turns pulling lead for almost the next 7 miles or so. It really was a nice pace. I wasn't huffing and puffing or out of breath. I was comfortable and I really wouldn't have thought I was close to 23mph. Once we got about 1 mile from the BIKE IN the course starts to head uphill slightly - this is where I lost it and slowed down considerably. The pack of riders I had been switching on and off with left me in their dust. By the time they made the turn to head back into Marlton Lakes they were approximately 30 seconds ahead of me and I couldn't catch up.

Nothing. For not feeling like I pushed myself and not even having my ass touch a bike saddle since July 23rd - I was pleasantly pleased with my performance. Almost ZERO hours spent to bike training in six weeks.

God - where would my time fall if I put in the time that so many other people put into their bike training?

Nada.

One of my better runs. Maybe it was the increased training volume since I decided I am going to attempt my first marathon in November. Maybe it was the 5 Hour Energy Drink I gulped down 30 minutes earlier during the bike. Maybe it was the fact that it was 72 degrees out as opposed to the almost 90 degrees that it was during NJ State...whatever. I felt pretty good out there and this time is roughly my 1st or 2nd best run time in a Sprint distance course. My time at King's Grant doesn't feel justified because everyone I know that did that one felt their times were faster than usual as well - thus the course was actually shorter than 3.1 miles.

I was pleased nonetheless.

Same thing I post every year. Lose more weight (20 lbs would have me at 200lbs). Or just lose 40 lbs or more.

More speedwork leading up to NJ State in June & July.

Stretched and chatted with some guys from the tri club.


weight and lack of swim/bike training.


I just love the point to point swim and the shaded run course. Although the roads on the bike course are not always the smoothest - it seems that this bike course is always a fast ride. The size of the field is perfect and DQ does a really nice job pulling these events together. I really wish I had enough cash and time to do all their races.