So it was a very warm pool! I now know why everyone says a warm swim is hard. I felt like I was in a sauna by then end. So to start I went for a jump in like everyone in front of me and I am the idiot that dove in. Well the goggles come down my face and I have to readjust those. Not a great start. My heart rate strap falls down but I wasn't really worried about that. The first 100m was pretty good I ended up getting passed by a few folks in the second 100 which slows you down and can throw of any rythym built up but I finished strong and even passed a couple myself. The swim times on the site are longer because you had to run up a steap hill to T1 and that is when your swim time stopped. So by that time it took me 9:24 for the whole "swim"

I am still winded in the first 200 meters just like in master's swimming. I don't know what I can really do about that. It is just the nature of the beast. I did have to stop to allow people to pass so maybe a better estimated swim time.

T1 was pretty good. I had my stuff laid out much better this time and have been practicing my flying mount. It is a little downhill mount which helps get you started. I conducted my flying mount like a champ and was starting to pedal nicely to get strapped in and then a sharp turn on to the street slows you down. Almost did a sliding stop like we all used to do on our BMX's but caught it and kept going.

Not much except run up the steap hill out of the pool a little faster. I shouldn't have been flustered about the heart rate monitor and the goggles falling off.

I started to strap my shoes on when out pops the strap! Ugh! Couldn't get the first one threaded back in so stopped to fix. Second shoe did the same but threaded it back in no problem. Actually felt strong and the downhill to get started was a good for me. Then the hills came and came and came. Whew. Nothing could prepare me for that except riding that course. It was considered rolling hills. I guess for that area it was. I just got no rest I felt like. I did start to feel good around mile 4-6 before the turn around because it was more of the rolling hills I am used to and was slightly downhill. Coming back was brutal with the hills and the bike ends going up hill into T2 which just killed my legs.

Hills and more hills. Just got to get stronger and ride the bike more.

The uphill into transition killed me for the flying dismount. I did complete a very slow one but then the uphill to my spot just about killed me. Legs where really burning after that uphill finish. Looking back I could have moved a little faster especially

Not much I think I could do with the sharp turn into the finish right before transition and it being uphill.

After that hill finish you start a uphill run and my legs just didn't want to move as fast as I wanted them to. My heart rate never came down and really wiped me out. I am sure the heat had something to do with it as well. I finally go moving and then hit a large uphill before the first aid station. I walked through it and took two waters, one to drink and one to pour over my head. Then came a little more hills before the large decent down the gravel road. Mile two was a little better and I was feelling ok. I came up to aid station 2 and walked through it. I got a water and sport drink this time and drink half the water and then poured it over my head again. Last part of race was good and flattened out and I was able to finish pretty strong. Overall it was a minute slower on pace but with the grueling hills of the bike and run on top of the heat I will take it.

It is hard to acclimate to the weather we had today but that is about the only thing I could have possible done different is do some training runs during the heat of the day.

The had cool towels and cold water. I did a little stretching and then just stayed in the shade.


Heat was a little factor but I think the hills on the bike is what really did me in.


It was overall a great race. Everyone was nice and helpful. Transition from pool to swim was differnt than my last one but I am sure to experience many differences as I do this more. For my second triathlon ever I am pretty happy and enjoyed myself