Let me premise this by saying that I enjoyed the experience but overall, I don't like swimming in a lake.
I've was told by an experienced triathlete prior to the race to start out in the back and on the right. I've heard this numerous times so I figure I should head to this advice. I do, at first, but I'm growing impatient. Four strokes and have to stop b/c I'm running into people. So I move over to the inside where all the faster people are, same thing.
Maybe this was my first mistake b/c I started weaving through people so I could go at a reasonable pace and not have to breast stroke b/c I'm running into people. About 125 yards into it I'm ready to turn around. Somehow 400 yards seemed short until I'm actually in the lake swimming.
It kinda sucked but oddly, I've loving the experience.
As we are approaching the turn around buoy, I'm looking up out of the water to sight and I see what looks like racers walking on water. I ignore it, I'm sure there is a good explanation. As I get closer, the water at the turn around bouy is like 3 feet. Not only that but there are foreign objects in the water. I have no idea what it was, felt like steel rebar. Not your average lake bottom and frankly I'm surprised they have a swim in there with that stuff. It was kinda a good thing though b/c I could walk fastly through the water, catch, my breathe a bit and didn't have to swim around the bouy. So after the turnaround, its thinning out a bit and I get into a good a rhythm under the circumstances. I was relieved to reach the shore. I really enjoyed coming out of the water and hearing my wife yelling for me. I've always envied the racers in the tri pics coming out of the water running, taking their wetsuits off, and now I was finally one of them. Totally cool.


More OW practice swims...

OK transition for my first time, would like to decrease the time.
Took my time somewhat getting over to the bike b/c I was a bit winded frm the swim.

Get faster...

I was so looking forward to the bike. I really enjoyed it and thought everything went to plan for the most part. My mph was lower than what I was expecting but I guess my slow start and decrease speed due to uphills factored more than I thought. I passed few people so that should have been an indicator that I wasn't putting out Lance type speed.


Train harder so I'm faster.

I was toasted after the bike.

More Bricks with high intensity biking prior to....

The run was torture. I totally suck and knew as soon as I got off the bike I was in trouble. It took all I had to not walk. I though for sure my pace would be more like 11mpm but I was somewhat happy at the 10 minute pace. I passed no one. Seriously, not one person. I should have expected this b/c I really am not a good runner. My English isn't that great either.


Lose weight and run more.

walking around with the wife.


my 30 extra pounds...


Overall, the race was great even after that disaster of a run. I got my frist tri under my belt and didn't get injured. I'm really looking forward to the next one with the hopes that I'll be better prepared for the run.
My only complaint besides the foreign objects at the turnaround bouy of the swim was the guy collecting the tags of the the racers bibs.
Long story short, he was a tool. Much more than a tool but I'm trying to be nice...