I positioned myself in the front row, just to the right of center. It was still crazy at the start - I fell back before I moved up and finished second in my AG and the wave of 60+ . This was my first big running splashing into the water start, so yet another learning experience. I found room to swim after 100 meters or so. Ran into the back of the pink wave near the second turn so there was weaving to be done but there was room to maneuver. I even saw a white cap or two as I came up toward the beach. Run to transition was long - up a ramp right off the beach, then a path around to the end of transition. Kiddie pool to splash the sand off the feet if necessary. I actually slowed down my jog up the path to get my breathing under control.

I could have managed the immediate start a bit better but overall the swim was good.

I was pretty directed in T1, though the time seems a bit long - it was a big area to run out of. I have not even attempted to master mounting the bike with shoes already clipped in, so I ran the lengthy length of the transition area in my bike shoes. It wasn't so bad, actually. I had rationalized to myself that the pavement was so rough that I'd rather be running in my shoes than bare feet.

I forgot a gel I was going to stash in my jersey pocket, so not forget that, but in the end I wouldn't have eaten it.

Going into this race, the bike - specifically, the hills - were what had me the most worried. I rode most of the route the week before and the hills on the back-roads loop were momentum killers, and I wasn't feeling at all optimistic after that ride. But something about getting all warmed up and pumped during the swim puts me in the mindset to keep the pressure on during the bike. The highway sections were nice and fast for the most part, and I managed to hold my own on the hills. Unlike the last sprint where I knew the course would net me a fast (for me) bike split, going into this one I really wasn't sure.

Work hills more, just work on improving bike fitness. Also, aerobars - I have a fitting scheduled next week along with adding aerobars to my road bike so I can take advantage of the fast flats and downhills.

This was a good T2, not fumbley. The rack placement that made it a long run out in bike shoes made it a short run in, helmet off, bike shoes off, running shoes on, skip the visor, grab number belt and GO! And the long run out of T2 was in running shoes.

Nothing, this was good.

Felt good, got my legs under me right away. I just kept chugging, tried not to think too much about how much longer I'd have to run. I picked off one woman from my AG early on which was a good feeling. Passed a lot of people and wasn't passed by many. I took a gulp of Gatorade from the water station around mile 2 - probably too late to make a real difference, but it woke up my taste buds! Not long after that I realized that I had a bit more left and picked up the pace a little bit - that's the closest I've ever come to having a hammer to be able to drop. It may be a coincidence that it's also the first time I've used GenUCAN but it's a positive sign. If the course was accurate, this would be a 5K PR for me.

Nothing, it was good.

Walked around a bit gathering snacks and drinks.


The crazy thing is my bike and run are really similar in terms of placement in the field, even though I was running for two years before taking up the bike. In the end, aside from minor tweaks (e.g. aerobars), probably the thing holding me back at this point is an excess 10-15 pounds I should lose.


I am really impressed by the scale and organization of this race. The course is good for beginners - challenging but not hard. The bike is a good mix of flatter highway and rolling hills on country roads. The run is all on paved roads. Plenty of post-race food choices, lots of volunteers, ample parking. I'm so happy to have this race just a few miles from my home!