Interesting experience for me, as this was the first time I started in a wave, standing in the water, with a hundred people or so. I positioned myself in the middle, about 3/4 of the way back from the front, expecting to be pushed aside by faster swimmers. I met Scott Jackson from BT in the water and we wished each other well. As soon as the shot went off everyone started, and limbs seemed to be flying. I immediately started bumping into feet in front of me. I stopped and waited for a sec then started again. I found some other toes and rudely kept hitting them as I tried to find a space to swim in. I realized then that I had an opportunity to draft off someone which I've never done before. I was fine swimming to the first buoy, with my sighting dead on. I always saw someone on my right side as I breathed. The swim to the second buoy was a long way and somehow I ended up way out near the middle of the lake, and had to angle back to the buoy which probably cost me a couple minutes. (Here I ran into Scott Jackson again, which cracked us both up!) After I passed that buoy awkwardly, I set my sights on land! I was excited and my stroke had finally come together about 60% of the way through the race. I increased my effort to reach shore which I later realized was a mistake!

First, probably start on the right or left to ease the start and avoid running into people. Second, practice drafting so I can get the spacing right. Third, practice sighting so I don't get way off course.Fourth, remain calm as I get to final swim leg so I am not out of breath in T1.

Ran hard out of the water, throwing off ear plugs, unzipping and taking off cap and goggles immediately. Myron was at swim exit offering encouragement. Ran into transition quickly and pulled down wetsuit, even with bodyglide, the heels were momentarily stuck as the suit was bunched up at my feet. As soon as the suit was off, I got the helmet, glasses and shoes on in a flash and ran out the exit. I was one row away from the exit. Jumped on my bike and took off hard. (Graham was there egging me on, telling me I better earn the fast disc I had!)

Not much, just get wetsuit off faster.

My goal was to average over 20mph thinking that I'd spin up the hill right at the start and then run big gears and stay aero on the rest of the route.

I f-ed this up big time. I was breathing like a maniac coming out of T1 and rode hard down the 1/2 mile to the start of the climb. I knew that I had to get low on the gears, and possibly stand on part of the climb, but I was almost immediately crushed by the climb. I was breathing too hard and could not get a smooth pace on the climb. About 40% of the way up, I misshifted and dropped the chain! I picked up the bike and for a second thought about throwing it, ala Normann Stadler, then reconsidered how pretty the Litespeed is! I got the chain back on, decided to try to take it easy up the rest of the hill, knowing that I would get to the flats and be able to smooth out my soin, get in a higher gear and get my HR down. I did exactly this, but my time was already sabotaged. I cornered fast, and passed a number of people. I had two or three much faster guys go by me. I stayed aero the whole time, passed in corners, cranked on the flats and ripped past people down the hill, but the damage was done with the slow climb and the chain drop.

Oh boy.

Save something for the bike. Not drop the chain!!!

I felt fast here. I un hooked my shoes and tried to spin fast as I approached. I practically threw my bike into the rack,then threw off the shoes and helmet. I quickly put on my shoes, and visor, grabbed my glasses and race belt and ran! Myron encouraged me again in T2 :)

nada.

I was most nervous about the run as I had heard from racers in 2006 that the hills crushed people. I ran with a short cadence and handled it fine. At the peak of the second hill it took all my will to keep "running" as everyone around me walked at a snail's pace. I couldn't find logic in walking even the steepest point, which was ridiculously steep, in a Sprint RACE! I ran hard at the very last 1/4 mile, but was frustrated as I did not know where the end was.

Check out the course map better, so I know where the end is. I could have stepped it up much sooner than I did.

Hung with Parker Tri Club folks, then meandered over to the PTC tent where we all had Heinekens and chocolate chip muffins !!! Awesome post-race diet!


Lack of swim mileage!


I'll do this race again. Big learning day as I had the open water wave swim for the first time; drafting for the first time, and the awful hill climb at the start of the bike. The run went very well, as I passed about forty people that probably passed me on the bike hill. Transitions went pretty well for first race of the year. The brick warmup was also a new and good thing