We arrived and went through the normal sign-in, number marking, transition set-up and wait for your heat to start. It is just like fly on a plane; you hurry up and get there early and prep for the event then just sit there till it is your turn to board. Being the last heat, it did come quicker then I thought. So the 35 racers enter the lake at the sound of the gun and began the swim. I started toward the back of the group allowing everyone to spread out. The first problem I found out was I have a lot of trouble breathing out of my right side, and the buoys where on the right side for sighting. So every so many yards I would look to the right and see I was slightly off course. So I would correct my direction and repeat this for the entire swim. And with ¾ of the swim done someone decides to hit me in the face knocking my goggles off. I had brought myself right behind the leading swimmers. But with having to reinstall my goggles and re “center” myself I dropped some spots. I came out of the swim 17th, just about in the middle. I thought it wasn’t to bad for my first open water tri and first tri back in 3 years. On to the bike, YES!
I leave T1 in 8-place with a time of one minute flat, making up 9 spots. I decide to run out of transition with my cycling shoes on instead of clipped into the pedals. I haven’t really practiced this in a LONG time and now’s not the time to start. I settle into the bike and drink a little to get some energy back in me. It is a 17 mile bike with half of it straight into mild to strong headwind. I just start putting targets on peoples back and gobble the up. On the way out into the head wind I ranged from 19.5mph to 21mph, with not one person passing me. When other where recovering or taking it easy on two of the overpasses, I would use this chance to attack. I reached the reached the turn around and was loving the tailwinds. My speed quickly jumped to 30mph and I maxed out my gears, 53 x 11 baby! I continued to pass a lot of other riders, even stronger riders with fast equipment then myself. I started to think this pace was to fast, but I keep looking at my power numbers and was well under my VO2 for that distance. I quickly came to the transition and ready for the run, CRAP!
I get off the bike in 5th place, and roll through transition in 50 sec. I am feeling really good about this tri after placing 2nd on the bike, just .5mph slower then 1st place. But the run is my weakest discipline out of the three. And it very quickly starts to show, with an 8 minute mile. I make one of the biggest mistakes as well. I am running in brand new shoes with no socks. I know, don’t say it, I pay for it. With in one mile I have HUGE blisters on both of my arches and my run slows to a 10min pace. That is terrible for a 4 mile sprint. I never stop running and suffer the entire time. I end up placing 20th in the run and drop from 5th overall to 17th because of the run.
Over all it was a great event and I learned a lot about what I need to tighten up for. The rest of the Sugar Cycles Factory Team placed 2nd or won their age group or the over all event. And I went home with two very painful blisters. Next up I am doing another sprint in Sugar Land TX. I will be doing the open water swim in the relay.
