TriGirl14

Today I had a sprint race. The downside was that I started at 815, which made it quite hot out on the run.

Swim:I decided to wear my wetsuit so I can work on wetsuit transitions. They had changed the course to be counter-clockwise so that was different. The problem was that going out to the first buoy the sun was so bright, even with the tinted goggles, that I couldn't actually see where the buoy was. I was just swimming with the people because I had no idea where it was. I can't imagine if I had clear goggles. Once I reached the first buoy I had to stop and clear my goggles, they had fogged up. Then I got moving. A lot of slow swimmers, which must mean they were quite slow, since I myself am slow, were getting in the way. I finished the swim and exited up the ramp.

I felt that my transition went pretty quickly. The place I had to put my bike was the furthest away from the swim and also the furthest from the bike start and finish. That is really annoying because you have to run barefoot on the rocky cement to your bike, then I had to actually carry my bike shoes to the bike start, because it was so far and I didn't want to slip. I still do not know how to get on my bike with my shoes attached and get them on once I am going.

Biking went well. I was trying to stay above 22mph the entire ride. The downside of the bike are the turnarounds, that seem to clog up and then you have to basically stop to turn and then go. My favorite phrase on the bike became "on your left". I passed so many people I don't even know. Some people were quite dumb and as I am yelling, "ON YOUR LEFT" they would just stay there and I would have to slow down, because inevitably it was when someone on the otherside heading back was passing, so there was no room to go on their left. I finished the bike feeling good.

I took off my shoes on the bike and then ran to the transition, again forever away. Again I felt like they were decently fast transitions. Then off to the run. The run start was right near my bike so that was good.

The first mile is a gradual uphill. I was looking for my family, but they were nowhere to be found. Someone in the crowd commented on my "holy cow, fast pace" but really I wasn't going all that fast, that should tell you how fast most people were going. I wanted to go out normal and then on the turnaround come back faster. I stopped and got some water at two of the stations because it was so hot, I felt like the sun was actually burning me. Anyway, I ran fast back. I passed a lot of people and was passed at the end by some girl that was going way faster than I was. I'm just going to think that she started before me..haha.

I finished 15th overall (actually 13th, two RELAY teams beat me). Third in my age group (however, the first place person in my age group doesn't have a bike time? and was a slower swimmer and runner???) So, I am going with 2nd in my age and I lost by stupid 20 seconds..ugh. I think I could have gone faster, if I would have known how close I was to finishing at the top. I had no idea how fast I was going or if anyone was going faster because I didn't see too many people going fast. I guess I should have just gone as fast as possible even without knowing.

Funny note. My "fast transitions" were actually REALLY SLOW. I am telling you I had to go SOOO far to get my bike after the swim, just to turn around and bring my bike back near the swim start, not fair. I had the 4th fastest bike and the 29th fastest run. And of course I was a slow swimmer at 126th!