Back at my sprint race in July I went out way too fast on the swim. I can swim that pace but it throws the rest of my day so I decided to take it as easy as I can to control my breathing and feel good out of the water. Especially since this is twice the sprint distance I did. Handled the first leg well by going pretty far to the left (probably farther than race people wanted) but found some good open water. Sighting was good at this point and hit the first turn strong. Turned into the sun then which was brutal. I could not see a thing so I just tried to follow where everyone was going. I was catching some of my wave that went out fast and some of the prior waves which slowed me down a bit. Fought the temptation to go faster, almost went head on into a platform (hangloose) and just kept going. For future attempts at this race, I figured out on the long stretch leg that even though I couldn't see where the turn was that it seemed if I just kept swimming towards the smoke stacks of the power plant that I would be OK. Wish I would have figured that out earlier. Make the last turn, kept bumping into people who seemed to be crossing the path I wanted to take and got out of the water feeling good and not breathing real hard. First strategy accomplished! Not a strong swim for me but one that set up my day better.

Shadded goggles would have helped. Sighting off the power plant earlier and maybe using Schmize's strategy of jumping ahead earlier and going hard the first 200m to get clear and settle into a pace.

I have some issues with my running shoes. They are irritating the back of my heels so my left foot I decided to wear 3 sox. Also I still deal with a badly sprained ankle from back in february so getting my ankle brace on takes time. No wetsuit so I don't have to spend time taking it off but then it takes extra time getting HRM strap on.

Not much. Maybe run through transition area a little bit more.

Again, I wanted to start slow and comfortable. Get HR down and settle in. Almost crashed after 100 yards because I was putzing with something and pretty much went right into the curb but didn't fall. I love to bike but I knew I would be ticked off at this point in the race since I was in the third wave and my swim is OK, I just get passed constantly. I tell myself to not get discouraged and just do my own race on my trusty MTB/hybrid bike with no toe clips (I want to use that as an excuse but it's still the engine that drives the car). Saw Markk and hangloose go by me, they looked very strong and fast! I ate two protein bars and I think two or three gels during the bike along with drinking about 2 1/2 bottles of water and gatoraide. I had four bottles along so I could have drunk more but I felt like I might have to stop for the bathroom so I backed off some.

Something strange happened at about mile 10. There was this person that I could see a ways off ahead of me on a bike. As I got closer I realised that they have a number on their leg too. This person was a racer in this OLY race. As I kept biking I pulled on the left and went by them. This is amazing. I finally passed somebody! OK enough of that!

This speed is actually pretty good for me if you look at prior races. I usually settle at about 16 mph so I am pretty happy. I fought the temptation again to go stronger. My legs didn't feel quite as strong as normal so I really didn't know what to expect for the run.

Rack bike, helmet off, drink water and off I went.

Not much.

I may not be much of a biker but I am really not a runner.
The thought of averaging anything close to 10 minute miles at the end of an OLY was beyond my dreams even 7 mos ago. I felt pretty good right at the beginning. Just wanted to get legs moving, short stride and high cadence. I was surprised how quickly I settled in and actually felt very good. Again I fought the temptation to go faster then so I kept track of my splits at each mile and wanted to really keep close to 10 minutes.

This was going really well through mile 3. At mile 3 1/2 is when I really started to tire. I was not going to walk though and started a tremendous mental battle with myself. Suck it up buttercup! Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever (Lance Armstrong). I thought about Amber, a child who finished last at the kids race yesterday because she had I believe MD and how she would probably give anything to even be where any of us are right now. There were times I got through some of the difficulties and felt better but the last 1 1/2 miles was hard but I just tried to keep fighting. Got to the 6 mile mark and the crowd and encouragement picked me up and tried to finish looking strong.

I don't even want to bring this up since it is so embarrasing but this website is all about people sharing their highs and lows. I had a bit of a chaffing situation going on. Nipple chaffing that is. As I started my run I looked down and saw that the bleeding was starting. Just brilliant move wearing a white shirt today Mark! This was fine on the first leg since there was no oncoming traffic but then as we make the turn you face all the other oncoming runners. Oh this is just great! I tried to forget about it but when I looked at runners coming the other way the look of horror on their faces looking at my shirt! I couldn't decide what to do so I just thought screw it! I am a nipple chaffer! Anybody got a problem with that! At about mile 6 there was I believe a Brightroom photographer sitting there so I tried the run with my arms and hands up real high but this probably was not going to make a difference. Bitter-sweet feeling coming down the chute finishing as people are looking at the nipple-chaffer. Just shoot me! As I finished I got my medal/water bottle and started walking off the race. My friend Pete comes up to me and we talk about the race. I had my shirt off at this point trying to hide the humiliation but right before Pete walks off he says, "By the way, what's with the red elevens". I said, "What?". I was mildly relieved that there was a name for this condition (suggests it was happened to at least one other person in the worlds population) but still didn't feel much better about it.

What would I do differently? Vaseline and black shirts at all races for me in the future.

Walking - eating a little


For more details, read the first part of my Sprint RR ( http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... ). Two years ago I started in this sport and got hooked. After training last winter and into the spring last year I walked around for a week with what they thought was pneumonia but instead was numerous blood clots in both lungs coming from a clot in my leg I didn't know I had. Once clots get in your lungs about 1 out of every 2 to 3 people just fall over dead with not chance of recessitating them and I walked around that way for a week. I was very fortunate to get through that but initially my doctor in the hospital said you will have to be on blood thinners the rest of your life which demands a very less-than-active lifestyle. I went from thinking I would never ride a bike again to now being back doing triathlons and this is my first OLY. In the last 9 months or so I have lost about 50 pounds and accomplishing stuff I don't think I really though possible. Do I have a great time in this race compared to others? Not really but as I sat down after this race on my own and just reflected, I felt very accomplished and satisfied to be one of the luckiest people alive as a triathlete.

By the way P3, it looke like I brought up the rear in our little challenge but watch out next year - losing another 40 lbs with a new bike and wetsuit I want to be a force!!


My only suggestion for the future is I was surprised that food at the end of the race wasn't a little better unless I missed it.