Lined up on the inside and was in the second row. I was in the second wave of men 30-34. The horn sounded and the school of fish were off. I had a great start, I was quickly was a 1/2 a body length ahead of the first row swimmers, unfortunetly I took a hand across the face which filled my left eye with water, two breat strokes and the goggles were back on. I approached the first buoy on the inside and had a handfull of swimmers ahead of me. At the second turn I was in third overtaking the second swimmer quickly after the second buoy. I found the feet of the lead swimmer and just drafted until the third buoy, we took a left hand turn back to the beach and I blew past him over the last 100 yds. I came out of the water first, which was kinda cool. The swim time doesn't really mean much since we then have a 150-200 yd run to T1. I don't think the distance was all that accurate either.

Sighting still needs some work.

Here are the lowlights. I forgot my watch at the house and my bike computer didn't work. I had no idea where I was during the course. Basically Galena is in a Valley. There were maybe 2-3 miles total of flats the rest were up and down massive hills. I have no idea what I'm doing on the bike and stayed in the small ring the entire time. I was going to fast down the hills to let go of my handle bars and shift to the bid ring to peddle down the hills (shifters are on aero bars) I lost a ton of time because of my inexperience. I would pass someone up a hill only to be blown away on the downhill. I took it easy on the bike basically cause I had no idea how to ride the hills. The good news NO FLATS. That was my main concern, I didn't drink on the bike either cause I would tobble over on the uphill and was zooming to fast on the down hill. The one good thing about no computer we came around a turn and there was T2...nice little surpise. Clipped out (didn't leave shoes on the bike)....

Big chain ring on the downhills and actually work a little bit on the hills instead of a stroll through the valley.

Not sure how I took 4 mins.

I came flying out on T2 like a bat of hell, cause my legs didn't even feel like I'd be biking. 300 yds in the run, you see it. The mother of all hills. Anyone looking to open a ski resport, I would seriously inquire about this stretch. You look up the hill, and its a wall of people walking. I ran up the hill but wasn't going fast at all, the hill spiked my heart rate (no watch or hr monitor). The second hill wasn't as bad and I was passing people that had destroyed me on the bike. At the turn around it was all downhill from here. I basically ran the downhills almost sideways to keep from falling on my face..

Run harder on the gradual uphills and downhills.

BBQ


My inexperience with Triathlon and biking. I was happy but overall disappointed with myself. I held back on the bike and run and I don't really know why. I wasn't out of breath at the end, never stiffened up, and woke up the next morning without stiffness or being sore at all.


A well organized event and very challening course. If you don't like hills avoid this one at all cost. If they figure out how to make you swim uphill I'm sure they will. So outside of me coming out of the water first, I was destoryed on the bike and couldn't really recovery from that damage. A lot of rookie lessons learned. 1. Fix Bike Computer. 2. Wear a watch. 3. Wear sunscreen. I will not be holding back in a month in Indiana that is for sure....I know what to expect now and it's on...