Great swim!! I was terrified looking at it, but I did what I wanted - I freestyled it all the way, just stopping once or twice to sight. My HR was high when I started and was down into the 120s when I finished, so maybe I should have pushed more??

Before the swim, the far buoy looked so far! Even a college swimmer I know later told me he thought, "Uh, oh, that looks far!" Plus, there was fog on the lake, hard to see before the start, but thankfully it lifted. As I started, I just kept saying, "Slow and steady, you don't want cramps in your calves," so I did that. I freestyled the whole way, kept sighting on the kayaks and the buoys. When the red caps started overtaking me, it was a little scary, as I was getting confused between their caps and the buoys. Also a few people hit me, as usual I got annoyed, not scared or intimidated. I told them to watch out. I can avoid people, I don't understand why others, who swim faster than I do, can't.
Once I got to the far buoy, I thought it was only the third one, and I was like, "Groan," but then I saw people turning at it, and my stress level went way down!! I thought, 1/3 home!! The current was a little stronger coming at me here. This part of the rectangle, across the lake, went pretty fast and was pretty cool, because I could sight on a big building that is actually pretty far up the lake. I was pretty impressed with myself: staying so calm, being so far out and up the lake! I never would have believed I could do this if you asked me last year.
The final turn, 2/3 done, long swim. I tried to keep sighting on the big Red Bull buoys they told us to watch for, I went right once, had to come back (I don't know how that happened, I kept sighting!!!) but I started to push a little more. I swam all the way in, lots of people running in, I like to swim into about 18 inches of water. I feel less dizzy than when I try to run in water. I was so happy that I survived with no cramps! Yeah!!!

HR down in 120s at the end.

Go faster next time - be confident!!

Took my time - got my bearings. Was just right for my first Olympic distance triatlon out of a LONNNGGG swim!!

Nothing

Bike was tough - I was alone most of it. From the start:

I walked out of the water, walked to transition. I really took my time, like my coach told me. I dried my feet, socks, sneakers, helmet and glasses. Drank some Gatorade. Walked bike out of transition. This is where I was most worried. Not too many bikes left, realized I would be pretty close to last. Decided to not worry about it.
Got on bike, steep uphills right away. First 8 miles I knew, I ride them regularly, but I had to stop because of the reflector issue. My reflector came off its holder and was going up and down and my holder was hitting the frame of the tire. I had my bike tuned on Thursday, and the front brakes were rubbing. I got off 2 times for the brakes and 3 times for the damn reflector. Once I hit the 10 mile mark, I was pretty much alone on the bike. At one point, I was crossing a road a cop told me to cross, and looking at a car that wasn't stopping, the cop moved me along, and the car, drive by an old man, kept coming and almost hit me! The cop yelled at him and pulled him over; I think he reamed him out!!Then onto the Lake Road. The one hill they said was bad wasn't too bad at all, but the hill at about mile 20 was a bitch. I was struggling up, wobbling, and a truck pulling a boat passed and came within about 1 foot of me, so I decided to walk up that hill. I was pissed, but I wanted to finish and I wanted to live. Then, some guy out for a ride stopped by me and said he would "block" for me. He rode in the middle of the road - making it scary for people to pass us fast!! I asked him if he was a person or a Guardian Angel. He rode the last 4 miles with me into the end of the bike, mostly downhill. I would say my avg HR was about 150, higher on the hills as my coach predicted. I was NOT exhausted off the bike. I had had a Pria bar, almost two bottles of water/Gatorade, and a GU. Time: 2:00:38. The whole time on the bike I kept saying what my Coach said, "Just think of the bike, and as long as I am pedaling, I am closer." It really helped.




I need time on the bike. I have no base, I have no bike skills. I need a couple of years to get better on this. I had to take it easy, but my biking at West Point was MUCH better!

Pretty good for me. Helmet off, kept the same sneakers on, forgot my Gu packets. Grabbed my hat, though! And I decided to take my water bottle with me, which was good, as the aid stations were out there weird.

Take my Gu with me.

Don't remember much about the run, except I had tight calves for the first 20 minutes or so. They started the awards ceremony before I came in and they also had very few volunteers at the end to direct me. I was pretty pissed. I paid the same fee as the winner, keep the people there so I don't go off course!!

When I came in, I kept my head down, because of course, I was crying. I didn't think I could do this. And I did.


More running.

Lack of bike time and experience. Lack of running because of plantar fasciitis.


Nice race. When I finished, I told my husband I will never do it again. Then I planned the times I expect next year!!!

Thanks to all the volunteers!! They were all great!!