OMG. I hate the self-seeded wave starts. I was completely surrounded by people the entire time. Either I was passing people from my own wave, passing people from earlier waves, or being passed by faster people. It sucked. And sooooo many women were doing breast stroke or backstroke. I even saw at least one woman doing sidestroke. Oy.

The kayakers would let me go wide at one point, so I was stuck in the fray. It wasn't that I was any faster than the people swimming around me, it was that they weren't swimming straight, so I kept getting trapped by them.

Otherwise, I felt strong and felt like I was keeping a straight-enough line.

Start closer to the front, just so the fast people could pass me, but I wouldn't get stuck behind the panicky people doing breaststroke. No, I don't want to get kicked in the face again, thanks.

OK, it took me a whole minute to walk up the ramp from the lake to the transition area. The pavement was really rough with lots of little rocks and bits of glass, so it was slow going. And I didn't feel like I could run, so I just walked.

In transition, we were set up in sharp gravel, so getting out of my wetsuit was extra hard, since to stand one-footed really hurt. I had to take my time getting out because there was nothing to hold on to while trying not to stand on the rocks. Grrr.

Um... wear slippers down to the start and take the extra 10 seconds to find them and put them on before running up.

Also, have a second towel or two to stand on while changing.

I wasn't prepared for how hilly this course was. And the hills weren't rollers... they were real hills. UP, then DOWN. Very little flat. So either I was pushing hard going up, or coasting down. Overheating, or cramping up.



I suppose I could have pushed a bit harder on the downhills, but I was holding a pretty decent effort level for the uphills.

I had a pretty good T2, except that I needed to sit down to put on my shoes. But it was so rocky and hard to stand one-footed.

Wear my tie-less laces so I could just slip my shoes on.

I felt good on the run. My goal was to not push, and try to stay in Z2/3, which I managed for most of the time.

I'm actually quite happy with my pace on the run, and feel like it was the best leg of this race.

RACE... I could have probably dredged up some energy to push harder on the run. That would have made things interesting.

We walked around and waited for Shellee. Had some snacks and picked up our t-shirts.


A combination of not knowing the course and not wanting push hard.


This is a fun race, and I'd do it again if it worked with my schedule.