Let me preface this by saying that I did some race "no-nos". I bought a new wetsuit a few days before the race and this was to be my first open water swim in a race mode with a wetsuit. I started out great. I felt soooo bouyant and fast. Then about 50 yards in I started to feel claustrophobic. I was panicking and just "wanted to get that damn wetsuit OFF!" Another swimmer stopped and told me that I could summon one of the boats over if I needed help. Well, I wasn't going to stop racing because of that! I was determined to finish this, after all, it was only a 650 yard swim. I realized it was a mental game and I calmed myself down and started swimming. I was getting hot so I just opened the neck of the suit to let more water in. I finally rounded the first bouy and just kept swimming and paddling along. As I round that bouy I was looking directly into the sun and couldn't see the next bouy. I had to keep stopping and clearing my goggles to sight. I then started passing the men from the first swim wave that were still out there. That gave me some confidence and I finally found the channel that led back to the transition area and finished the swim. I was a little dizzy as I came out of the water and the ramp out of the water was slimy, but I made it out of there. There were no wetsuit strippers so I struggled to get the suit off, but MAN was I happy to get that thing off!

Practice more with the wetsuit.

I was a bit shaky during this transition but got my bike shoes on and walked my bike to the line. As I was walking my bike through the transition area I heard the announcer saying, "there are only a few bikes left!". Well, that didn't boost my confidence any, but at least I wasn't the LAST bike out of there.

This is where I committed another cardinal sin of racing. I rode my brand new bike, which I had never ridden before. I thought this would be a good place for the maiden voyage. I was so excited to ride my new bike, and figured since it was only a nine-mile course, it wouldn't be a problem. Well, it wasn't. That new bike is SWEET! I flew up the hills with that compact crack. I passed lots of people, mostly those riding mountain bikes. I felt good on the bike, but they sure need to reroute that bike course out of the that campground. The speed bumps were at the bottom of a big hill so just when you are gaining speed, you have to slow down.

It was such a short bike course that I don't really know what I could have changed.

Pretty fast transition from bike to run.

I didn't push myself too much on the run. I stopped and walked twice, my legs were still wobbly, probably from the swim. After the first mile I got my running legs back and felt better. It was over before I knew it.

They had lots of food, bagels, muffins, fruit, pretzels, cookies, so I ate lots and waited for my friends racing the long course to finish.


Trying out new equipment and lack of training. I was so undertrained. I had been so busy with work the weeks before this race, but was glad I was doing the short course and not the long course.


This is a good end of the season race. Just the right distance, the weather was perfect, the water was clear and the size was small enough. I would do this one again.