This one started off REALLY fast. I was running in the 5:50 pace range for the first half mile. It was incredible. After slowing a bit and settling into a pace, I decided to let the crazy people who were either REALLY fast or THOUGHT they were fast go ahead of me, I figured I'd see them later on. Passed mile one at 613, feeling decent. At the turnaround to head onto the sand trail, it got a little more difficult, but nothing crazy. Then suddenly I saw a mile 2 marker. I looked at my Garmin and I'd only gone .83 miles. I immediately got mad cuz I knew I couldn't count this run (or the next) as a 5K PR because it wouldn't be a 5K. Still I kept going, didn't get passed but wasn't passing anyone. I figured I was about 50th, but it turns out my rank here was exactly what it would end up being in the finish. Weird. Didn't know that til after though. Anyway, as we came around to mile 3, which was really 2.83 I passed two guys and headed toward the TA. As I crossed the mat, my Garmin bleeped 3 miles. Damn. No 5K PR for me. But definitely a big ol 3 mile race PR.

Nothin'

Simple easy fast. The way I like it.

Nothin'

Evidence of my bike ride the day previous showed up here. I ranked 53rd in the bike portion, even though I didn't get passed by that many people, and I did manage to pass a good 10 other riders on the way. There was a really fast guy on the run that I noticed was on a mountain bike. He'd have been sick fast if he only had a tri or road bike. I kept up a decent pace but my leg fatigue kept me from really excelling here. As we left the parking lot, the wind was strong and stayed that way a while. As we traveled east, it became a crosswind and finally a tailwind. Then after the turnaround, a headwind again. But once again, since this road curves continually, the wind shifted and became a tailwind for a good 3 miles. I was able to keep up about 23 to 24 for those three miles. Granted, had I been better trained and not fatigued from the 76 miles the day before, I probably would have kept up 26 or so. Oh well. Still better than last year's 19.4mph average. As I rounded the last little turnaround loop and headed back towards the TA, the wind was blasting. It made it hard to stay above 19. But it was only a quarter mile and no one else caught up with me.

Train harder.

Even better than T1.

Nothin'

This run was slower, but the run AFTER the bike is where I excel because most guys are now tired. Yes, I was tired, but being a long-distance runner I can keep up the pace a bit better. I passed one guy in transition, one guy on the way out of transition, and kept on the heels of a third...he was my rabbit for this run as he was running about 6:50 pace and I needed to stick that. I worked on him for a mile and a half until a girl came flying past me and I sped up to try to keep up with her. On the sand, some of the guys were fatiguing...I stayed with the fast girl and passed my rabbit. Suddenly my left calf started to cramp up. But I was only a mile from the finish so I just tried as hard as i could to ignore it. I slowed just a little but not enough to give up any spots. I was still running pretty fast (around 6:55 pace) and I passed three other guys running together. There were two more up ahead that I wanted to catch. One was, unbeknownst to me, the third in AG. We were in the last .25 miles of the race and I managed to pass one of the two, but it wasn't the one I wanted. After passing that guy, I sprinted to the finish. Upon crossing the line I almost threw up twice. But I was able to hold it off. I gained an overall spot with that last pass but unfortunately, the guy ahead of me (by 25 seconds) finished third in AG and I picked up 4th. But luckily I held out long enough to get 4th, because 5th was only 6 seconds behind me. Still, another great run, and I was very happy with the results.

Nothin'. I PR'ed this race by over 11 minutes. Last year I finished in 1:19:55, 5th in AG, and 60 something overall. This year at 1:08:48, 4th in AG, and 29th overall was definitely a great improvement for me!

Got water, found my friend Todd (a great sprinter...I can't beat him in a 5K, even at 19 minutes) who had dropped out due to a back problem, and chatted with him for a few. Then I found Terri, and we cheered Jess as she finished her first ever Duathlon. Then we all waited for Pete, got some food, and hung out for a while before Jess and I got our wetsuits on and went for a swim.


Sand on runs, wind on bike.


I've never had a bad race here. Good organization, excellent sponsorship by Outspokin' bike shop, and pretty decent post-race stuff. Pizza, hot dogs, drinks, etc. Nothing outstanding, but decent stuff. I've done this one three years in a row now. I like this race, it's a great start to the multisport season.