With the current going out to the left and away from bridge, our decision to start towards the left was good as the tide was pushing us to the right. I kept swimming towards the left in order to try and stay straight. I actually started in the front of my wave...the women were very spread out..I felt good swimming the whole way with no stops or nerves and this was the ocean, had a few folks bump me and was comfortable with it. Tried to catch Patty and draft off her but she pulled away.

When I crossed the timing mat they had a elapsed time clock....cool I saw I was 15:?? on the swim...found that highly motivating that I did well.

(ranked 16/28 in my 45-49 AG, placed 118/181 of all women, was only 1:36 off middle of the pack) They did rankings different way then normal...both in my AG and then all Athenas/Clydes together...I just considered Athenas in my AG placing statson side. PB for pace if distance was correct...just a little faster than Cranberry.

Work on swim technique in off season & have more of a race pace. This year I really gained confidence in tri swimming and enjoy the whole swim portion of the race....big positive change for me.

Transtion was up the beach and around the back of transition area..quite a long run...once I got to my transtion spot I was out very quickly and passed lots of folks in transtion. I saw Patty and yelled encouragement to her. We were supposed to put all our stuff in a bag and tie it, I didn't, but piled it all nice together. Come on this is a race...that would have wasted lots of time.

Of all the parts of triathlons, T1 I'm best at...nothing

We cross a wooden bridge to get back to mainland...started passing folks right away..by about .5 mile into the race, I'm already breathing hard...kept that pace whole way. Perhaps pushed to hard to soon, but I felt good.

This was a local race with lots of folks that don't do tris often and now more and more regular triathletes do it. Biking starting in the last wave is challenging, as I passed so many folks and they don't follow the rules of staying to the right or passing and then getting back to the right. I felt in a good place in both my body and mind riding and the course is beautiful and only rolling hills so aero the whole time other than a couple of hills and I was able to stay in the big chain ring all but 2 or 3 times. I don't think I've ever passed so many people...women, men, people from 3-4 waves before me and only one person passed me but we kept passing each other back and forth...not sure who finished first. It was fun, but at times hard to get around them due to folks not following the rules. My hard rule is never pass yellow line but I did pass some folks on the right as I'd yell need to move over and they'd wave me by on the right. I'm sure I passed more than 100 people in 13.7 miles...sweet!

I had fun out there...thanks volunteers, waved at the spectators...it was great and I felt super riding.

In my AG I was 4/28, I was 20/181 of all women...very happy with that...almost top 10% of women, and was 3:01 faster than MOP. They had a prize for fastest bike split in my AG...just under 3 minutes off fastest time very close to top 2 & 3rd fastest in my AG...goal for next year! PB for speed in a tri.

Noting

Came into transition felt super, ran down the long row of racks, and couldn't find my transtion area..oh drat. Racked my bike, and looked around for my shoes/towel...can't find them. Finally ran back a couple of racks and found them...put on socks and shoes, grabed hat and gatorade and was off...did I lose 16 or more seconds here..probably.

As I went over timing mat at exit of T2 it read 1:01 less 15 minutes, so I was excited as my bike pace was 19.? ish...now to finish strong on the run.

I need to find a landmark to know when to look for rack. Weird set up made it impossible to count racks. Figure it out better for next time...lesson learned...first time had this problem in like 15 tris....it was not good.

Goal was to settle in and then run as fast I could trying to push myself and be in the place in my mind when I ran my 5K this week. I also wanted to pass one person on the run.

Right away like normal, fast runners pass me...I see 3 in my AG women pass me in first 1 mile..I recognize them and think I did great on the swim/bike as you were behind me leaving T2. This is a thought I held onto this year as my bike speed as increased, I tend to be in front of lots of folks onto the run, and then many catch me on the run....so the longer it takes for them to catch me, I try to be proud of what I did on the swim/bike. It may sound weird, but when everyone passes you running I need a positive outlook to it.

My breathing was labored and I pushed as much as I could. I knew a couple of the Athenas and had not seen them. One guy who was 37 I'd catch up to him, then he'd speed up, back and forth it went...fun to be paced with someone. Legs felt good before first mile. It was a scenic run along the shore, gorgeous houses and folks out in their yards cheering you on. As I went farther I was a bit sad that my season was over and thought Kathy go hard, you only have a short bit more to go. I pass one guy...whoo hooo!!! 9th person passed all season...so I met a run goal today.

Just before turn into the twisting neighborhood, another Athena catches me about .75 mile left...I pick up the pace and try to stay with her..never really did this before..know others in my AG. I was able to keep her close, she gained a bit on me, slowed for water at mile 3 and I was about 3 yards behind her. Mentally this was tough....I had a strong desire to stay with her and try to pass her at the end...but just couldn't do it. She pulled away a bit more around the school and I went all out to the finish....wow I was fast for me but she beat me by 16 seconds. I'm sure chasing here down and trying to stick with her helped my last mile be faster than it would have been.

I know I will think about that pass and trying to stick with or catch her will be great motivation for me during the off season as I rewind that portion of the race in my mind to continue to work on my run speed. Her run pace was about 60 seconds faster than mine, so sticking close to her for me was good.

A person I know that has been unfriendly to me over the years finished after me for the first time which I found very satisfying..not very kind of me I know.

I placed 20/28 in my AG, 148/181 of all women and was 6:07 slower than MOP

I finish and shortly check the stats as I know my time with the elapsed time clocks at every timing mat....I want to know how those 16 seconds and not keeping up with that women effected placement. Ended up 4th...just 16 seconds out of 3rd...grumbled a lot about that.

I was a bit disappointed on my pace...I want to get better at having my tri running pace closer to my stand alone running pace for similar distance. I was just a few seconds over 10:00 m/m...some how 9:59 sounds lots better....really we are talking total of 25 seconds here.

I need to continue to work hard at my running and become mentally stronger in pushing myself and being okay with a challenging effort. On the run is where I have the potential to gain the most time next season. It is frustrating to me why the gains here are the hardest for me...I did improve about 2 minute/mile this year in my races, but still very much towards the back....there is always next year.

Tried to find something to eat and drink...out of cups and no bottled water left. Picked up some seltzer for Patty and I but missed her finish.

Visited with Joe (BODonuts)who turns out to be the brother of someone I play soccer with, met Chuckwagon, and hung out with Glen & Patty.

Overall in my AG placed 11/28 just 33 seconds from 8th...4/7 of Athenas, 85/181 for all women and just over 3 minutes slower than MOP.

We stay for the awards as Patty shared they had some good raffles...Glen stayed as well since he entered the fireman/police category and he placed 2nd WTG Glen!! They do Clydes, Athenas and then Master Clydes...oh I get annoyed how come they are doing Master Clydes but not Athenas...more grumbling.

Then they did gave out awards for Master Athena and I ended up 3rd. Obviously the women was wrong at check in, it was sweet to end up 3rd, but strange to be conflicted about it all. I think I'm just weird...not that I do this to win, but I have this competitive part of me. Now I look and see I can get 3 minutes faster on the run..x on the bike, y on the run...do some math and come up for a goal for next year...just the way I'm wired I guess.

I look back over the season and think of all the positive things that have occured for me.
1. I enjoy racing and have fun the whole race day.
2. I no longer get upset GI system that puts a fear into me prerace mornings.
3. I am not longer BOP in races and at times are at the cusp of being almost competitive.
4. I like the swim portion of tris...even when in the ocean.
5. I've moved up from average to placing high on the bike portion at most tris.
6. I've learned to race better and try to stay focused on the moment.
7. I've given up gadgets in racing and found it freeing and allows me to be like a kid out there.

This is fun and I look forward to next season when I tackle a longer race...HIM in 2007!


Run speed


Well organized in parts...registration, bike drop off, but ran out of water bottle and cups at finish, lack of food after race. Beautiful course, for MA pretty flat bike & run. I'd do this race again. Fun to see fun BT folks which makes all races better!