Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon (Emerald Pointe Triathlon) - TriathlonSprint

I was off to the side at the start and this meant i had to spend a little time and energy getting back in to make the buoys. I went out really hard but knew I Was fine. At the turn I was apparently in third but thought there were 4-5 people in front of me. I passed the person I was in the turn with right after the turn and just hammered it. I got to the shore thinking there were a bunch of people in front of me but then only saw 1 set of foot prints and someone yelled I was second out of the water. I couldn't have gone any harder on the swim.

Get more towards the middle. I Was in the front row but was to the side (inside of the turn) I spent a little time and energy getting back to the correct sides of the first two buoys, could have saved some seconds being in the middle. I wasn't off to the side because I Wanted to be out of the way I just sort of got pushed that way as we were walking out for the wade start.

The day before the race I practiced doing flying starts with shoes on the bike had that down pretty quick using the rubber band method and this seemed to help. I had been training keeping hte shoes on the bike just needed to add the running part..I think I was at my spot in transition for less than 5 seconds from throwing down my goggles and cap, putting on the helmet and grabbing my bike. I saw the mount line and knew where it was I think the race people actually slowed me down a bit yelling at me not to mount yet which made me nervous. Said thanks to the guy warning me about the speed bump :)

Nothing really, I did slow down a bit on the run after the mat to end the swim and start the transition but I Was just trying to save energy and get a good breathing rhythm on land. A little more hustle on the run part between the swim, to transition, and through transition as I was the last row.

Bike went great for the effort i put in, I was able to stay in aero for most of the time but since this was only my third ride with aero bars I got up on the hoods for most of the big turns. I was really able to pace myself on the hills as I had been going to hard on them in training.

PASS!! I was passed 2 times total in the race once was by someone in 30-34 I think which was right at the end that didn't matter. But about halfway through someone in 20-23 passed me. I spent a lot of time back pedaling trying to stay out of their draft zone just because i didn't feel like dealing with the pass, all these rules about getting penalties for not finishing the pass in time made me nervous and I didn't want a penalty in my first race. At this time i knew I was in second or third for my AG so I was just slacking. I regret it now and I should have passed him when I had the chance as i think I could have ended up with 2nd or 3rd in my AG had I passed. Oh well first race live and learn.

I practiced the flying mount and had that down, for some reason the thought of a flying dismount never crossed my mind until the guy in front of me did it and I was like oh yeah.. forgot to practice that, it's like learning to fly but not how to land.

Also lost a shoe after the dismount, not much you can do to prevent that other then remember that you have your shoes on the bike and lift it up, one of the race volunteers grabbed my shoe and handed it to me. Thanks!

I took my sweet time putting my shoes on, I wasn't wearing socks for the run so I Wanted to make sure my laces are done right and I did just that..probably wasted 5 seconds I didn't have to.



Learn to dismount without coming to a complete stop and getting off. I know I Can do this I just haven't done it in years, and it wasn't on asphault. Ok it wasn't a complete stop but it was bad.

Get some sort of faster laces.

My GPS/HRM I had just left until the run and it wouldn't acquire a signal while I was moving. I really wanted it so I could pace myself having just come off an injury only finishing PT the week prior to the race. Turns out I ended up running a pace that is what I would have shot for but also probably could have pushed a bit harder had I known I was having an alright time with that pace. I Wasn't shocked but glad i kept the pace I did thinking I would have been more tired once I got to the run.

Run a little harder, not much harder, but at least should have tried to drop my pace by at least 15 seconds a mile, I had at least that in my but with no reference I was just worried about hurting my achilles tendon again.

Walked around and drank some water, I was one of the first 15 people or so finished so almost no one was around I just hung out with my parents and girlfriend watching people cross the finish line. Had some pizza, pretzels and cookies.

I thought I was smart clipping my backback to the transition fence so I could grab it when I got in to get my clothes since I never saw my parents or girlfriend before transition closed but the fence I used was along the run out so I couldn't get to it.. whoops. Wasn't freezing but would have liked my fleece to put on a little sooner.


Just me being lazy on the bike and too cautious on the run. Really should have stepped it up on the bike.


Overall a great race for my first both in where I finished and the race itself. I think it was well organized and it made a great impression on me for the sport as a whole.