I timed myself for the actual swim bit (rather than the split time which will include run from pool to transition area and timing mat. It was about 4:50. I am a bit disappointed about that as I know I can easily do 1:45/100m which would have been about 4:45. My swimming lately has been slow which is frustrating. I also felt very clumsy swimming under the lane ropes. I did tumble turn most times at the shallow end though which is an improvement on last year.
Last year 5:52 compared with the 5:25 this year so at least some improvement which I didn't expect :)
rank was 8th female

I don't know - swimming is frustrating for me right now. I have to keep reminding myself that I have the endurance so can't dwell too much on it til after Lake Placid IM.
Practicing tumble turns under lane ropes might have helped for a few seconds difference

The bit in the timed part of transition felt quite smooth and I am looking forward to seeing if my time improved over last year.
It all went a bit pear shaped after I had run across the timing mat and got onto the bike. I just couldn't clip in. So, I had to stop, clip one foot in at a standstill and then fumble with the other. Aaaarghhh
Last year time was 1:50 so huge improvement but still WAY down the rankings (7 in age group, 26 in female, 73 overall)

Ok it is time I actually practiced getting on and off the bike, preferably at a speed more than 0

I love the bike. Generally all went OK. I found it weird that I was a bit breathless right from the start for some reason and had to try and keep making myself relax. This resulted in me only feeling happy pedalling at a high cadence 95+ which was a bit strange
Apart from the clipping in problem mentioned above, there were 2 little "mishaps" for me on the bike. Firstly on the first of the steeper hills my chain fell off! My chain has never fallen off before! I had to get off to get it back on properly and then of course it was hard to get going from 0mph in the middle of a hill. Don't think it too much time though.
Secondly I was riding a part of the course and saw a boy sitting by the side of the road with his bike. I slowed down and asked if he was OK. He said NO and I wasn't sure what to do (he didn't look injured or in obvious pain) so I shouted that I would tell the next race marshall. Unfortunately this wasn't for ages and I ended up slowing down to tell the people at the next aid station. Hopefully they sorted him out. I felt a bit guilty, wondering if I should have stopped and if he looked injured I would have but nothing else I could have done I don't think.
rank was 3rd female. I am pleased and surprised about bike (last year av 19.1mph so an improvement despite my hic-cups above)

Practice getting on and off bike with forward movement and clipping in.
Overall, I kept pushing at the pedals so reasonably happy.

This felt smooth. I trotted along with the bike and then just did what I needed to do in transition and set off. Again, I'll be interested in seeing my time to see if I improved over last year.
This was only segment slower than last year (last year 1:03) Oh well
same comments as for t1, room for improvement. rank 9 age group, 33 female, 93 overall

Nothing apart from practice getting off bike

Those first 5 minutes were tough. You had to go up a flight of stairs right out of transition which doesn't help and then a slight uphill. I felt so winded but just told myself to keep going as I knew it would get better. Then I just tried to keep a steady pace all the way around until the bit before the end which is nice and flat and so I tried to push a little bit more. I finished strong (and was caught on camera for local news!)
Last year 28:31 (9:12 pace). My running is much stronger so I expected this to be faster than last year - still room for improvement although rank was 9 female which is OK as I don't consider myself a runner- yet!

Nothing I don't think. I know my run is much stronger than last year so I am hoping to see that reflected in the time.

I have a bit of a problem with these timing chips. Last year I put it on too loose and it rubbed against my ankle between skin and shoe and gave me a blister that was painful from half way round. This year I put it on tighter and it started digging into me and has left a sore on my ankle. Nothing that would have stopped me this time but just annoying as I was aware of it.

It was a lovely day so I just walked around and chatted to friends and family


Apart from the silly "mishaps" and my swim frustrations I think that doing this at the end of a 15hour training week (and 18 hour week prior to that) didn't have me in most rested state........so watch out next year!!!! (unfortunately to catch up with next female I would need to shave NINE MINUTES off my time Hmmmm!!!!!!)


This is a nice local race which is organised and efficient. Because there were so many entries this year and it was a person going every 30 seconds, it made it a very prolonged experience to wait til the end.
It is great that it is becoming so popular and not sure what they could do about it - maybe set swimmers off every 15 seconds?