So yeah... the swim- I started out in the middle of the pack.. quickly realized I didn't like being there. Sort of waited for the group to spread out in front of me, I wasn't wearing my hr monitor but Im sure my rate was off the charts. There was no way in heck I was going to be able to do freestyle! Um so.. side stroke.. the ENTIRE course..well ok there were a few moments were I tried to do breast stroke.. until I took a wave in the face and sucked in the nasty lake water.. ok back to side stroke! Couple of positive notes- I was actually passing people in the lake and also I wasn't last out of the lake. So I'll take that. I also mentally told myself I'd be fine w/ 20 minutes.. so I beat that time.. heh

Like maybe spend more time practicing my swimming? Swimming is definitely my weakest sport. This was my first tri so hey, least I got it done! :)

I made the decision to get my number on my number holder. so I wasted precious time messing around w/ that..and also putting on my Garmin..it was great that there were hardly any bikes in transistion by the time I finished my swim! heh..

Next time I'll have everything set up (Bib on number holder etc)

I loved the bike course... I loved it when I passed people! Seriously, I think there were maybe 6 others in the lake when I exited.. so my only thought was to try and pass as many as I could without expending too much.

Drink more. I definitely didn't hydrate enough on the course.

As I was running thru transistion... all those bikes that were gone before were back.. lol.. but I still knew where I was going and found my spot easily. Dude beside me was already done w/ his race. I want to be like him one day! He helped me rack my bike-congratulated me on my first tri :)

Next one I'll know to get my running shoes on quickly and run w/ everything else thru transistion and put on as I go.

I'm not sure if the tightness in my lower legs (sort of to the side of my shins down into my ankles) I was experiancing was due to the side swimming I had done or what. I'd only done two brick workouts leading up to this, so maybe this is just something you have to run out? Anyway, I was messing around w/ my Garmin as I realized it was still on biking.I changed it and thought i had hit start.. realized half way around the lake it wasn't. UGH! Plus I had to stop and sort of roll my ankles around as the tightness wasn't letting up. At this point I figured just get through this run! Saw others from our group heading in towards the finish. I still had about two miles to go! There was one lady that we kept passing each other on the bike course... We ended up running together for almost the rest of the way, I ended up coaching her on the run to help her get up the hills (it was a great distraction for me as well, it took my mind of runnning! heh) When there was about 3/4s of a mile to go, my legs finally felt normal, so I could feel myself picking up the pace.. Rounded the course and across the path, I could see everyone from our group.. I didn't care that I came in last of our group! I was about to finish my first triathlon! yay! Just call me Caboose.. I'm totally ok with it!

grabbed a water, headed back to the folks from ATC. Then went and grabbed some food and more water.


Probably not drinking enough on the bike.Looking back I was definitely dehydrated.