Slid down the big waterslide which was a ton of fun and hit the water. My intial thoughts were "man this is pretty cold but not so bad".

As I am swimming I feel like my form is just terrible and then it dawns on me that I am swimming with my face out of the water.

I think to myself "hey dumb@$$ quit being a wimp and put your face in the water, its not that cold" so I do.

But then I go for my next breath only to realize that I hadn't exhaled under water because of the shock and now I'm trying to exhale and inhale in one breathing motion which leads me to suck up some water.

Again I think "hey idiot calm yourself down, you're letting the cold get to you and ruin your form. Slow smooth strokes and adjust."

Eventually I settle in and get into a zone but it took about 50 meters or so to regain all my faculties. Definitely a learning moment. I had to practice some sighting for the first time as there were bouys to be rounded in this pool and that went well for me.

I hit the end of the spring fed pool and get out and jog/walk (no running allowed) probably another 100 meters to the olympic pool which is much warmer and a welcome sight.

The last 250 meters went pretty well. I got passed once and passed about 6 or 7 people here. Overall I am pretty happy with the swim performance other than the freak out at the beginning. I'm still a newbie swimmer so I have a lot of room for improvement.

Practice swimming so that my stroke technique is more natural and doesn't fall apart when something goes awry.

Off with the cap and goggles on with the helmet and shoes and out the gate I go. All things considered it was pretty good.

I'm gonna practice the whole flying mount shoes on the bike thing over the off season for next year.

Grabbed the bike and slapped on the shoes and headed out of transition click clacking on my cleats. Go to mount up on the bike only to realize I've thrown the chain. Had to do a quick wrench on my bike and then I'm ready.

About a quarter mile out of transition is a right turn up a killer hill on California street. This thing is pretty steep and really long. I find my spinning gear and settle in for the long pedal up the slope and pass several people walking their bikes up the hill. Thankful to not be one of them I hit the top of the hill and away I went.

The course itself was a pretty challenging one consisting of some roads I had ridden a few times. A lot of rolling hills which many of my competitors were finding to be a big challenge. Saw a lot of people walking bikes up hill before the turn around which is bad because you are going to be facing those same hills on the way back.

Coming back in down that final hill that was such a killer, they had implemented a 25 mph speed limit and outlawed passing on that hill for safety reasons. I can see the need but it still kind of sucked because as a bigger guy thats where I make up a lot of gaps on the little guys who just fly up the hills.

Ride went pretty well for me although I wasn't happy with the overall speed, but I really didn't train as well as I should have for this one so its my own fault.

Don't take training for granted.

Got back to find my transition area trashed by a bike that was not the one next to me when I left. P!ssed me off, but I gotta get out of here. Had trouble getting my running shoes on, second time with these shoes, maybe its the elastic laces are too tight. Just can't get into running shoes very easy.

Get some new laces to try out.

Started out fast again. Too fast AGAIN. Kept trying to slow myself down on purpose before the laws of muscular physics did it for me. Wasn't working and by mile 1 I was really starting to feel it.

Finally able to settle into a zone where I was comfortable, but I was off the pace I was looking for thanks to the fast start. Alas I will have to live and learn and try again the next time out. Passed more than passed me so I guess overall its a net gain.

Force myself to go SLOWER!!!!

Not much of a post race, I had my little girls game to get to. Grabbed up all my stuff and out the gate I went. Loving this new sub culture I have found.


Everything that limited me was my own fault, except the chain, so I only need to work harder and improve.


Very well run race. I'd do it again just to go down the slide.....yeeehaww