Okay, ready to go in a bit. Wetsuit comes on and I ask Tim to help. I do the same for him. We all get checked entering the water as our numbers are on our caps. Water’s shallow here so we’re standing around rather than treading water like in many other OW swims. John lets us know that he’ll count down from 3 and blow the air horn to start. Tim and I see a couple of women who look like swimmers and we comment to them as such. They say they’re parts of relay teams. So we both think they’re just going to go and Tim gestures about drafting off of them. I initially agreed that this would be a good idea. John then counts down – 3…2…1…(horn sound loudly!!) and we’re off! Y’know, I thought other races had a lot of bodies mashing each other on the swim this year. But, I gotta tell ya, this one’s a bit rougher for some reason. I’ve got folks bumping me all over. I think I unfortunately was bumping Tim a bit too as we start out. The gal I was going to follow is actually going a bit slow and breaststroking here and there so I try to get some clear water. Speaking of which, no weeds this year. I think Tim said they had cleared them but it might’ve been someone on Beginner Triathlete instead. Well, I’m doing okay plugging along with my usual stroke and reach the first buoy pretty quickly. Well, for me anyway. Keep bumping into folks here and there but after a while as I look left and right while breathing, the field seems to have thinned as we’re coming up to the second buoy. Round that and I’m tyring to see the flag but it’s difficult to see. I may let them know that they really need a third buoy here. As I’m heading to the flag, I get a kick to my face and my goggles go askew! Quickly lift my head up and try to fix them. I mostly do but I’ve got a bit more water in one than I’d like. This only bothers me a bit and I able to press on. Finally, the flag comes close and I decide to see if I can stand. I can and jog around the flag. Tim’s there too and I yell – “One more lap Tim!” Back into the water we go for the second lap. Starting to get a bit tired now in the second lap as this is a 3/4 mile swim, a bit longer than your normal sprint tri. But, I force myself to keep doing bilateral breathing as going to one side tends to push me to the right too much. Rounding the first buoy again and the field really has thinned. However, there’s a small grouping of us which I continue to be in. Rounding the second buoy again and coming back to shore to finish now. It really takes some concentration on my part to continue bilateral breathing. But, I reminded myself as I’m plugging along that’s what gets me going right too much. This works pretty well the rest of the way in. Gotta tell you though, I still had one guy bumping me and climbing on my legs here and there. And this other gal I think is drafting off of me, so we occasionally connect every now and then as well. Finally, I can stand again near the flag and jog out of the water with Tim ahead of me as well as a couple of other folks.

If this really was a 3/4 mile, this is a great time for me: 1:38/100 yards! So, I’m kinda thinking the swim might’ve been a bit short, but who knows?




Continue to remind myself to breath bilaterally during a race.

Time estimated as there were no T times. We jog up the slight hill to the transition zone and I’m peeling off my wetsuit as I’m going along as I’ve done in the past. Wetsuits off, bike shoes go on, helmet on, and I’m off out of transition. Now, here there a short but a bit steeper grassy incline leading to parking lot where we mount. I have a bit of difficulty for some reason clipping in, but finally I do and I’m off on the bike course.

T1 time is estimated at 1:20 for wetsuit time maybe the jog up the hill to the transition area. This is lower than my other times with wetsuit but the transition area is very small and not much jog in or out to deal with as with others.



Next year I definitely have to be getting into shoes while on the bike.

Bike split time was 1:00:06 but I took 2 min off that for transition times as they weren't recorded. The bike course is a 9.1 mile loop around the park and one has to complete two loops. As I’m on the road to exit the park to get on the loop, I see Tim up ahead. So, goal is to try and pass him if I can. Little did I know that this would work against me later. Now as we turn onto the loop, there’s a first really good downhill and I have enough momentum to carry me up the hill afterwards for the most part. Tim’s still ahead and I just keep in sight here. Then we go downhill again and I prepare for this nasty hill after the right turn. But, this year, I have a different cassette on, the 12/27 which should give me a little more to work with in the lower chainring. Well, it doesn’t quite work out that way and for some reason, my legs are complaining here and I’m breathing much too hard. I’m really not understanding this and try to get myself composed as I slowly make my way up this hill. Finally reach the crest and a nice downhill greets me out to the second turn. Tim’s still ahead, but after a slight uphill and then another downhill to the third turn, I pull ahead until the next uphill where we trade places again. This hill isn’t so bad and I’m able to spin pretty well up. Now while this is going on, a few other fast folks catch up and pass both of us and I comment to Tim as we trade places that there are a good number of fast folks here. After the fourth turn, there is a really fast downhill and I remember last year I took it a 40+ mph and I think I saw 41.2! What a rush! Up the next hill and Tim passes again. Levels off with a few slight rollers and we complete the first lap. Now, up ahead is one guy who passed us earlier, but something seems amiss as he seems to be doing something with his leg. So, able to pass by. More on him later. As I get to the nasty hill for the second time, I see another rider that passed us by earlier and I pass him on this hill. Man, this hill is really tough but I’m doing better with it the second time interestingly enough. Over the crest and my spirits brighten as that’s the last big hurdle on the bike here. Just hold it together for the next 7+ miles. Somewhere here, I pass Tim again and continue on. There are riders here doing their first lap and I begin to pass them as well. Now, coming up to the last turn, I thank the voluteer directing us and then I think I hear Tim right behind me! So, I attempt to pour on the speed down this hill. Tim says later that he was really pedaling here and I’m still pulling away even though I’m coasting. That’s what a heavier rider and equipment will do. And as I write this, all I can think of is John Mayer’s song Gravity – “Gravity is working against me, And gravity wants to bring me down.” And this is so true with me on the return uphill as Tim once again passes me. I do try my best to catch him, but all I can really do is to maintain here as I complete the second lap and head into the park. Nice downhill into the park here and this is perfect for getting out of my shoes. Do so without much trouble, round the corner, balance on one pedal, and hit the grass running into transition.

Bike time estimated at 58:06 min, 18.8 mph/hour though this may be a bit optimistic.

Not much really. I don't think the 12/27 strategy worked as I would've liked and I spun too much on the downhills rather than being able to use my 11/26 with the 53 x 11. Really need to either get lighter gear or lighter me.

T2 time estimated as there were no T times. But felt like a fast transition due to small transition area and the fact that I didn't use socks and grabbed number/visor as I'm running out. In transition, I am moving quickly and Tim yells not to wait for him. I won’t but I can’t seem to get in my one shoe right away. As Tim heads out and is on the path, I’m in shoes running out of transition pretty much on his heels with my race belt and visor in hand.



Really nothing. Just had a slight problem balancing to get my first shoe on. It was a fast T2 due to what I decided to take and the small transition area plus short distance to start of the run.

The run course is basically an out and back but was described as a lollipop. Interesting. So I have this in mind as we run along the lake at first. I try to keep Tim in sight as we both pass a guy ahead. Then I’m starting to lose him in the woods the path is running through. So, I just concentrate at running as fast as I can for the next 3.2 miles through the woods. The path is an okay surface and mostly flat. There are a few wet spots here and only one area that requires one to look where you’re running. Also, there are some gravelly spots as well. Now, I’ve really lost Tim and I come up to what is probably the first mile with a water stop. Take a cup, one gulp, use the rest to cool off, keep running. Follow the red arrows and flags. This is a winding course here and one could easily get turned around. Somewhere around the 1.5 mile point, I pass a person who will be the first overall woman finisher. I meant to say something but I was really moving hard and concentrating on what I was doing. Turn a corner and see guy up ahead plus what looks like yet another guy who might’ve gone a wrong way. He presses ahead of the first guy and I start to catch up to both of them. Now here we go down a pretty steep hill with lots of stones and gravel. I realize this is the same uphill on the 10K for the Olympic here that I had to do twice last year. It was a relief going down it instead of up! I did have to watch my footing though. Once down this hill, I catch the first guy and we’re now retracing our path where we came into the woods from. Just before the water stop, I pass the second guy. Take another water, one gulp, the rest for cooling down, and press onward. Now this is the last stretch and I can start to see the lake again come up. This helps my pace a bit and up ahead, I see another guy and I overtake him just after we come back out onto the path by the lake we started on. I see another guy ahead, but there’s not enough of the course left to overtake him as the finish is in sight. So, I do my best to sprint to the finish and come in really quite spent from the run. The nice volunteers take my race number info and point me over to the Gatorade and water. Run time – 23:17 or 7:17/mile pace. A good time for me and I was 8th overall in the run by my accounts.





Not sure really. I had a bit of a problem keeping cool and used the water over top of me to try and take care of that. I just need to get my running time down so that I'm somewhat comfortable running at a high pace. Brick work helps too.

I’m moving pretty slowly to get something to drink and it takes a while to recover. Final time – 1:45:02. Placed 13th overall out of 48 and 2nd in AG, third time this seaon!!

I congratulate a few of the folks coming in after me that I passed on the run on a good race and spend a bit of time recovering. BTW, remember the one guy I passed the bike on the second lap who looked like was having a problem? Talked to him to and turns out he had a bee sting him of all things! Shows you just what can happen during your tri.

As we’re in the top third, Tim and I have finished quite ahead of a lot folks and there’s ample time to pack up our gear and load it back into the car. There are unfortunately no showers at this part of the park, so I headed back down to the lake and took a refreshing dip to get the sweat off me and cool off a bit more. As promised for post-race food, pizza has arrived and I decided to go ahead and have a slice. This might’ve been a mistake as I was having some sort of digestive problem later in the evening. I really don’t care for pizza after a race as it just doesn’t really do my innards well when I’ve put forth that much effort. After this, Tim and I stick around for awards and raffle prizes (didn’t win anything this time). We took turns taking pictures of each other receiving them.




The hills on the bike due to my relatively heavier tri bike and also my own weight.


Overall, I thought this was a good sprint with enough challenges for experienced and beginners. Now the bike is a bit tough for beginners, but mostly due to that one hill. And the advertised swim can also be a bit daunting as most sprints I’ve been in are usually 1/4 to 1/2 mile. The run was course was fine and offered the challenge of a trail run vs a street run. Now a few comments I made on the feedback sheet:

- They should have chip timing.

- I prefer bagels, fig newtons, and fruit to pizza. The latter is just a bit much to digest for me. Plus, pizza’s fairly fattening. And what’s pizza without beer anyway? ;-)

- They really need a third buoy instead of the flag that they used.

- They have to advertise with clubs a bit more or something. To be fair, there were several other competing events this weekend, namely Steelman in Quakertown, a sprint in Boiling Springs PA, and the Spirit of Morgantown Tri festival. I actually didn’t hear about this but was searching for another sprint on trifind.com that wouldn’t interfere with possible other plans and was close by. But, 49 people is pretty small no matter.

- The transition area should be on the flat area of the parking lot as Tricatsports did for their Olympic. Mind you, it didn’t make too much difference with the small transition area in this case, but I did like the flat parking area and no short hill out of transition better.

- Have practical awards like mugs or cups. Now, this is kinda dependent on the racer. There are some folks who may actually do something with their medals like frame them with pictures. But, lately, I’ve come to appreciate practical awards better. I have two glasses for finishing events and an mug for an AG award which I use often. The medals sit on my desk gathering dust.

- They needed a few people directing on the run. Like I said above, one guy got lost at the intersection where the course comes back on itself. There were a few other places I could see where folks might’ve gone the wrong way in the heat of the race.

I will also say that I had just a minor issue at the drink station on the run. I will always applaud volunteers but the two that were there when I was coming back on the run were attending to other things and didn't have anything available to hand me as I was running by. I had to say "Water!" louder a second time than I would've liked. But I did say thank you I think after I got it.

Might be back again next year but depends on my schedule. Still like I said, an enjoyable race.