This was a beach start, and I was way in the back, so I just walked into the water and got going. There was a fairly strong cross current as we headed out for the first buoy (which also appeared to be moving) and I had to work hard to round it properly. Then it was a sweet current for the first section, a squarish u-turn, and into the current as we headed to swim out. I got stuck behind someone who was breast stroking occasionally, but when she was free styling she was just the tiniest bit faster. Kind of tricky because that meant I was drafting....until I was avoiding getting whip kicked in the face!
All in all, the swim was uneventful. I swam in as far as I could, and gingerly made my way up the pebbly beach.

Maybe start more toward the middle so I can catch some faster feet? I think my nerves tell me to start in the back, but I'm just sort of slow rather than super slow. More courage!

Trotted along to my bike, got situated, and headed toward bike out. It was kind of a long way! I started lightly jogging with my bike through the grass toward the mount line. Then there was a fair amount of congestion at the line. I got clipped in fairly quickly, but then waited for some faster people to get going so I didn't interfere.

Nothing. In and out, no fuss, no muss.

Unfortunately I did not have a good time on the bike course. It was an out and back, with some little teeny rollers for the beginning and end portions, and a big whopper of a hill as you approach the turnaround. Did not enjoy, especially since I had been expecting "flat."
So then the other stuff....
I think it was around mile 3 there were a bunch of police cars and volunteers, and there was an ambulance trying to get through. I heard after the fact there was a hit and run. I was confused as to whether the volunteer was waving their flag to tell me to go, or to stop. I slowed down, but didn't clip out in time and took a tumble...landed with my right knee into my front wheel. Jen was right behind me at that point, and she asked if I was okay. No sweat, I though...just get going.
As we continued on, there were several more ambulances that passed by. As we reach mile 5ish (maybe?) there was a long line of cars backed up. There was no police presence or volunteer to tell anyone where to go or what was happening. Eventually there were about six of us stopped, and one guy said, "let's all stay in a group and pass on the left." So we did. When we got to the intersection, there was a firetruck doing a multipoint turn. Obviously not a good day for people out on the bike.
So then came the right hand turn, and as I'm plugging along I'm wondering why everything feels so hard. I was pushing like I should be flying, and instead everyone in front of me just kept getting further and further away. Jen and I are about the same speed, but I soon lost sight of her as she vanished into the distance. I climbed the hill and Allison passed me, giving cheers, which were much appreciated. That hill was brutal...it felt so hard!
Once we got to the top, there was quite a bit of stopped traffic, and a volunteer telling sprint athletes to turnaround and international to go straight. That also means cresting the hill from the other direction were the super fast international folks....blocked from view by all the stopped cars. The volunteer also barked some orders of "slow down" or "go go go!" which was rather disconcerting after climbing the hill of death. I went into the gravel as I tried to U-turn, and tried to stay out of the way of the passing fasties.
Pedaling as hard as I could downhill, I still couldn't catch anyone. There was a girl coasting downhill who was smaller than me....I totally should have been able to pass her, but I just didn't seem to have any speed. Somewhat uneventful on the way back, although lots of athletes not announcing themselves as the pass, which was upsetting since there were bikes and cars all over the road as people tried to avoid all the traffic and such. Did not like anything about this, and I'm usually not one to have issue with open roads.
Finally got back to transition and thought about how nice it would be to just curl up in a baby pool of ice rather than finish the race.

Check my bike after falling, even though it was a tiny spill and there was pressure to get going. After the race, I realized my bike wasn't rolling very well...turned out I had knocked my wheel out of true, and the front wheel had been rubbing for about 12 of the 15 miles. No wonder everything felt so difficult! Also explains why I was in a solid Zone 5 for almost the entire bike leg (which I didn't even realize was possible.)

Walked through the long grass path back to bike in, did the shoe swap, and headed out for the run on the surface of the sun.

Nothing. I was cooked, so there was nothing I could have changed.

So HOT! I saw Jamey as I started the run, and I had my 90/30 run/walk intervals set on my watch. Try as I might though, I couldn't run. I felt dizzy, my heartrate was crazy high, I was confused, and more than once I considered turning around and going back. I could barely cheer for people, mostly throwing the thumbs up to my teammates as they passed me.
Once I got past mile one, I was in full on survival mode. Walking fairly slowing my HR was still in a high Z4 and simply wouldn't come down.
Bright spots were some incredible volunteers with ice, and a local family who had set out a sprinkler. It was blazing hot, yet there they were shouting encouragement and at the ready with cold water. While the residents outside of Colonial Beach didn't seem to want us there (buzzing past in trucks on the bike course, hit and run, etc) the people of the actual town were great.
So it went, me lost in some kind of time vortex where 3 miles suddenly lasted an eternity. Eventually it was the last quarter mile, and I figured I could run it in. Except I couldn't. I thought I was going to die, so I walked again, until I was practically upon the finish chute. The UPHILL finish chute. Cruel! I could hear the cheers coming from the Team Z tent, but all I could think about was not falling over. I crossed the line, collected my medal, and started looking around for a med tent. I felt like I was going to pass out, and my HR was refusing to come down below 190.

I don't know. After how hard I pushed myself on the bike, I didn't stand a chance of executing a decent run. The conditions were brutal, and I simply can't tolerate high exertion in the heat. I guess I did the best I could.

Jamey caught up with me and popped a salt tab in my mouth. I told him I needed medical, and he said I needed to walk around for five minutes before we decided. Five minutes later, I was still feeling like crap, but knew that I wasn't going to have a coronary, so back we went to the Team Z tent. Sat and drank some electrolytes and a recovery drink, and recounted the event with Jen.
She and I both agreed this one won't be making our list for next year. I listened in amazement to a teammate say this was one of her favorites and she came back year after year. Maybe I came in an off year?


Heat, mechanical issues on the bike, overcooking the bike so I couldn't execute the run.


I like Kinetic Multisport events, but Colonial Beach is not one I'm going to do again. If I'm going to drive all that way, I want an actual flat course like at Rock Hall. While I don't mind a course being open to traffic, there were not enough volunteers or police to deal with the crashes and ensuing traffic jams that happened this day. I believe the Colonial Beach residents like having the race come to town, but can't say the same for the surrounding towns that the bike course hits.