So I am aware that swimming is my Achilles heal. Although I swim hard and my endurance does not leave me, I am just not fast enough to be with the front pack of swimmers. I had worked hard last winter and this spring to make this less of a liability but as I got closer to race season I cut back to three days a week in the pool. Back to the race, I set myself in a prime spot staring down the first buoy, horn sounded, I was immediately pinned between two guys right and left. We hung there for two hundred yds. before the guy on my right dropped. I hung with the guy on my left for quite a while longer maybe 500 yds before he dropped. It was clear water from there. I took perfect lines. All felt great Came out of the water and my lovely spotter gave me the great news, 4 min. 30 sec back from the lead swimmer UUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!

Learn to swim

A little clunky here but pretty quick. 3rd fastest in my AG

not much

So fortunately I am a better cyclist then swimmer I quickly went to work. This is a tough course to get into a rhythm due to the narrow roads, turns and a couple hills. I just passed people till maybe mile ten where I found a couple guys that decided they didn't want to get passed. We went back and fourth twice then we hit the biggest hill. I made my pass after we crested the hill and they never gave chase. On the way in I would pass one last guy. I noticed he was in my age group and wondered if I would see him on the run course?? (that question will be answered in the run comments)

The strap on my right shoe pulled out of the D ring so it never got fastened. My tool kit was falling off and making a bunch of racket

My best T2 ever.

lightning was jealous of that transition ;)

This is where the real race begins. I came flying out of T2 and get cut off by a biker not in the race, no big deal, put on my number belt on the run. So less than a mile in a guy catches me, I ask his age, 48. It's go time, with five miles to go I have my first real race for what I assume is a podium spot. I pick up the pace. I can hear this guy's breathing and footsteps but I manage to keep him off past the half way turn around. I have about 30ft. lead on this guy at this point. Within the next mile he made a move to pass again, he made it as far as to get along side me but at this point it was a bit of a down hill so I opened up my stride and put some distance. We only have about two miles to go and I know this guy is right there and going to make one last attempt to pass so I waited conserving all I could knowing this would be for all the marbles. With one mile to go I decided to try and break his spirit for good. I was not going to allow him close enough to make a pass at the very end. With about 50 yards to the entrance of the finish chute I looked back and had plenty of room to enjoy my finish and capture My first age group win in this large of a race.

It turns out I beat the second place guy by 5 seconds. I waited at the finish line and thanked him for a great race.

Met up with Gina, Dad and Joyce. Gave them the race details. I ate a little. We hung around for awards. I have won before, both age group and over all but standing on the top of the podium in that size a race in front of that many quality athletes with my family there to enjoy, is a special moment I will never forget. I also got a nice bottle of Zinfandel for my efforts.


Swimming