The novices started with a 4 minute break after the age groupers, but several of us still passed a few of the last from the previous group. I felt pretty good - the girl who started with me was also strong, and I let her take the lead at the turn. I was also passed by a guy who started right behind me, but the three of us stuck together pretty much the whole way. I think I managed to benefit a little from drafting off those two. I ended up doing a few flip turns, and mostly open turns, depending on the situation at the wall. The end of the swim included a short run through the halls out of the rec center and through the bouldering area to transition.

Not much. I might have managed my turns better, but we were too close together at the walls to ensure good flip turns.

Because it was so cold and windy, T1 included donning more clothing than I would have hoped. Still, I think I managed it pretty fast - quick towel off, LS shirt on, vest on. Bandana to control my hair, then helmet, and sunglasses. Socks and bike shoes. I had put some foot-warming insoles in my shoes before the swim, and they were still warm, though not hot. Gloves.

I'd say not wear so many clothes, but it was cold and I liked my clothes!

The bike is my weakest leg so I was not expecting a lot going in. I discovered that one of the benefits of going off near the end with the novices is that I actually passed a few people (they were from the end of the age group folks), going up a hill no less! This was actually a huge confidence booster. Even when I was passed later, it was rarely someone blowing by me - I was usually able to keep them in my sights for a while. There were some pretty big uphills near the start, and I was looking forward to going down them near the end. There was one intersection that wasn't policed (or even volunteered) - the off ramp coming from Loop 10. On the way out, the light was red and I was like, do I stop? There was no traffic at that point but no one to wave me through. I slowed down but this other racer blew past me so I just went through after him.

I was feeling pretty good for the first half, then once I turned onto Whit Davis and then Old Lexington Road I was like - Oh! There is a wind! It was with me, and now it is against me! And on the first part I had been like, I could have gone with the arm-warmers/tri-top option, it's so sunny and not that cold - but once I felt that headwind with the gusts I was really happy I had gone with the long-sleeved shirt instead. There was this one guy who passed me and then sort of slowed down, but not so much that I could confidently pass him back. Later he pulled away and I didn't have to deal with him anymore.

On the way back, I was approaching the same unmanned intersection - it was a little uphill at that point and I was working, and then I looked to my right and I realized that there were cars coming off the ramp and nobody to tell them not to hit me and I had to stop right then. I couldn't get unclipped in time and had no momentum and gracefully tipped over to my right side and fell to the ground. An expletive may have escaped my lips. I had to retighten my shoes and I got myself righted and went through when the light turned. This had to be less than a mile from the bike finish (unfortunately I must have bumped the stop button on my Garmin somewhere around mile 9 so I spent a couple of miles wondering when I was going to get closer to the end, then I figured it out). My right palm (the fleshy part near the thumb) took the brunt of it and really hurts, but I didn't even notice it during the run, just after.

Not fall. Be more decisive when faced with unmanned intersections (I wasn't expecting them, though I should have the second time through). Get better with shifting, an ongoing thing.

Came in and there was another bike over my stuff, not blocking it but where my bike would have been. That's ok - a kickstand comes in really handy and I just put it in next to it as best I could. I remembered to take my helmet off, yay! A little slow to get my bike shoes off, but running shoes on and number belt on were good. Also, vest off.

Not fumble with my bike shoes so much.

It seems I have a complete inability to regulate my speed coming off my bike into the run. I took off pretty fast (no Garmin, just a sports watch, so I didn't have instant pace info) and was breathing pretty hard when I saw my family at a turn in the path. When I didn't see them during transition I thought maybe they hadn't made it to the site in time, and when I saw them just after the start of the run I started to get choked up, which on top of my ragged breathing made me quite the sight. I got past them and then started to get it together and fell into a good hard 5K pace. I had no idea how fast I was going but it felt right.

I got caught up behind another runner about 2/3 of the way in, I probably followed her for a minute or two before the path gave me a good chance to pass. In retrospect I doubt I lost much time hanging behind her - as a devotee of run/walk for longer distances the easier pace here probably served the same recovery function as a walk break and let me finish strong. My family was by the finish line (I was ready for them this time!) and I pushed through to the end. My run time was just about 8 seconds slower than my 5K PR, which is a little amazing to me. I actually ended up winning the women's novice division and got a cool pint glass!

I need to work on my pace coming out of transition - it was ok today for a sprint/5K and I got it under control, but my next tri is an Olympic and I don't want to blow up during a 10K. At the time I wished I had found a way to pass that runner sooner, but I think now I probably didn't lose much if any by waiting. I couldn't have asked for a better time.

Umm, nothing. Usually I try to walk for a few minutes, but I just got a water and found my family. I did end up walking back and forth a few times between the transition area and where my family was hanging out, but not my usual warm-down.


I could shave some time off in transition, but mainly my thing to work on is the bike, bike, bike. It's a slow process but I do think I'm improving. At some point I'll get a new bike, but I think I'm going to make myself earn it.


This was the perfect race for me as my first tri - close to home, pool swim. My stress level beforehand was elevated just due to the newness factor, and my feeling of accomplishment afterward was high. The organization was good, the course well-manned (except for one ill-fated intersection on my part) and well-marked. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I look forward to doing this one again!