Good first run. I did my usual and lined up on the far left in the front and went out fairly hard to get ahead of the mess. I didn't really recognize any of the other competitors before the start but I did note two guys who I thought might be gunning for 1st overall (they took 1st and 5th so I'm pretty proud of my ability to pick the click). One of those guys took off in a sprint and so I just told myself he was part of a relay team even though I was fairly certain he wasn't because he had a tri suit on. Anyhow, the other guy I made a mental note of before the race (he had a Cervelo tri bike as well and some Zipps) passed me just before the half mile point on the way out so I decided to hang with him as much as I could. He finished in 12:20 so I felt I was in good position only being 7 seconds behind him. My splits were 5:59 and 6:29. I felt good throughout this run and the slow down wasn't because I was tired necessarily but rather because I wanted to make sure that I didn't burn myself out on the first run. I finished the first run in 10th place and I figured I would pass a few guys in transition and hopefully a lot more on the bike and then try and hold them off on run #2 so I felt I was in a good spot. This run was 54 seconds faster than run #1 for me last year on the same course.


Probably could have pushed just a little harder on mile 2.

Good first transition. It was 8 seconds slower than last year's T1 but that's because last year I had my shoes clipped in. I didn't do that at the Papio Tri last year nor today because almost right away you are climbing a hill on the trails so it makes it difficult to get in your shoes and up to speed. I'd say comparing this year's bike split to last year's it was the right decision. This turned out to be the only area that I was slower in today compared to last year's race.


Nothing.

Like usual, I rode nearly as hard as I could. I knew I finished the run in 10th place but I didn't know if I had passed anyone in transition (I didn't) so I just assumed I was still in 10th and started counting up from there as I began picking guys off. I moved up rather quickly and shortly after turning off of 370 I worked my way into fifth place. Then shortly before the end of the first lap, I passed two guys going up the hill to move into third (one of which was the guy with the Cervelo and the Zipps so I felt good about that). I downed a gel at that point and told myself the usual that "This is a race damn it, go" and started to push even harder to try and get more separation from these guys since obviously they beat me on the first run and therefore I was worried they might be able to catch me on the second run if I didn't have enough of a cushion. At some point on lap number two (I think) I passed the second place guy but I didn't realize it since there was so much traffic. Splits were 12:05 and 11:59 roughly. This was the second fastest bike split of the day and was 1:16 faster than my bike split last year.


I sometimes loose focus while biking. Could improve in that.

Good second transition as well. I got my feet out of the shoes at the end of the bike and went hard. However, just like last year, a woman who is part of a relay team with her husband was standing right in the way of my rack. She did this last year and I yelled at her then and today. You'd think maybe she'd learn her lesson about standing in the front of the racks. Maybe next year. Anyhow, I still thought I was in third place at this point until I was exiting T2 and a teacher I work with who was volunteering with her son told me I was in second. Also, for what it's worth, this was 1 second faster than last year.


Ask the woman who continues to stand in front of my rack year after year to not do so.

Knowing that I was in second really made me push that much harder at the start of the run. My legs were tired but not shot. Again, I was hoping that the guy in front of me was part of a relay but I knew that probably wasn't the case. My left calf started to cramp up a little just before the 1/4 mile point but I was able to run through that. Then just before the half mile mark a guy caught me and passed me for second place. I really thought he was part of a relay team because he didn't look the part but it turns out I was wrong about that. Anyhow, I was moving along pretty well and hit the halfway point in 6:47. At this point I could see the guy in fourth was beginning to close the gap on me. I came across him at 18 seconds into the second mile so I figured I had about 36 seconds on him. I told myself that if the two guys ahead of me were indeed part of relay teams that I needed to dig deep and pick up the pace or else I was going to regret getting passed in the last half of a mile when I could have won the race. I really began to push at this point. Finally with about a 1/4 mile to go I couldn't even see the guy behind me because of the curves in the trail so I knew I had my position locked up. I still pushed hard, but I didn't sprint like I thought maybe I would need to which was nice. I managed a negative split as mile #2 was 6:43. The second run was a whopping 1:27 faster than last year and was the 10th fastest on the day just like run #1.

Push a little harder after getting my legs back under me even though it wouldn't have meant a higher finish.

Sat down for a few minutes, drank a couple bottles of water and ate a banana. Took bike and gear to the car then watched others finish until the awards ceremony.


Nothing...this was a very good race for me.


Very good first multi-sport race of the season for me. Hoping this is the start of a solid season.