Horrible, horrible! Got out in good position but honestly have never had so much contact in a tri start. It felt like everyone in the wave (all women!) was trying to kill each other. I was completely dunked under and swum over at least six times. Convinced I would have drowned if I was a novice or not a confident swimmer. Didn't panic, but rather pissed off. Finally got in the clear after the first buoy. Good swim on the second side of the "triangle"-breathed to both sides and stayed on course near rope, then turned around the far buoy and.....

There was no rope marking the course. No visible buoys. I couldn't consistently see the shore due to offshore current. Couldn't see other swimmers. No idea if I was on or off course. It was very dark throughout the race (started at 7:15, just before sunrise, water very murky, sunrise into clouds), I have tinted goggles, and I honestly couldn't make out the buoys (quite small) from swimmers' caps. Just tried to head in the general direction of the shore. I'm sure I swam a lot more than 1500m. Midway ran into three women stopped out in the water, discussing if we were on course or not. We tried to signal a kayak to enlighten us but they never noticed us--too far away. For quite a while I could only sight by "jumping" out of the water (while treading), then pointing my fingers toward the finish and swimming blind. Not cool.

Get clear goggles for OWS, I suppose. But honestly, the course was very poorly marked and visibility conditions for the first wave awful. At one point I pushed my goggles up to sight and I still couldn't see the buoys. They were way too small and far apart, esp. on the last leg when there were no ropes to mark the "inbound" section of the course. Really needed boundary ropes and larger buoys, probably lighted ones for the first wave.

Slower than it needed to be; possibly cost me second place. To be honest, I was so pissed off about the swim I kind of blew it off. Also dithered about whether I should use my inhaler or not. I felt okay on the swim but breathing a little weird at the end.

Be more emotionally mature and remain calm! Just carry inhaler in race belt (I'd put it there already) and use it if needed during, not stand there in transition thinking about it.

Legs actually felt really good thru most of the run, breathing harder than normal but I kept going. I kept passing people (gradually) and moved up to third by 5 km; actually caught 2nd around 7 km but had to back off as I started coughing too hard. My time was actually 4 seconds faster than second place; and she was only 14 seconds ahead on the swim, so it was mainly my brain fade in transition!

Not run races when I'm sick? I'm not usually in such a cranky mood but it was hard to focus when my breathing didn't feel right. Maybe I should have used the inhaler in transition but I've never done it in a race and didn't want to unless I actually had an attack.

Walked around for a while; did a 20-minute warmdown jog through the park, got a quick (but brutal....OMG) massage.


Really wasn't feeling very good before the race. Asthma/allergy or cold or combo--sometimes I can't tell and this was one of them. (Still not sure after almost a week.) My breathing wasn't quite right throughout, though I didn't have an actual asthma attack, and I was coughing a lot on the run. Between being afraid of having an attack in open water and uncertainty about the side effects of the meds I was taking, I didn't push as hard as I could have.


This run is put on by the Singapore Navy so of course it's extremely organized with excellent aid stations and medical support. Fantastic prizes, esp. for master's.

The one glitch was the swim course--it simply wasn't clearly marked enough given the light and surf conditions at the time of the first wave. Last year my wave was at 7:30 and there was no such issue--I think the incoming "lane" was marked, though. They really need to start the wave a bit later when light conditions are better, esp. if overcast; otherwise use larger, lighted buoys or ropes to show the course.

Very family-oriented--kids' activities, a father and kid race, etc. A nice day in the park plus a race. Too bad I wasn't feeling that good! Only odd part were the prizes--no complaints about the $ and vouchers, but the masters' and overall women winners received large bags filled with men's shaving supplies and vitamins (?!) Kind of funny--I traded goodies with a competitor in the parking lot while waiting for the shuttle bus. I now have several months' supply of vitamin C tablets, and she has plenty of shaving cream for the men in her life!