Lake was nice and smooth but COLD. Started 2 at a time from ramp, where timing started, but you didn't actually start on the "course" until you got off the ramp and swam out to the white bouys. Took almost 2 minutes to get out there. Water temp felt MUCH colder than I expected and there were event colder spots along the course behind the little island. I thought I was doing a great job sighting and swimming straight. I knew I wasn't going as fast as I could but I was too congested and not breathing as well as I could normally. Breathed every two strokes on my right until left hip started to twinge, switched to left. Also got a weird side stichs towards the end.

I thought I had a great swim, no clue why I was so slow. Always ALWAYS bring wetsuit as a back up. Would have definitely worn it.

There was a long run from the water exit (and start of T1) to the actual transition area then a big uphill to get out of transition and a bit of a traffic jam at bike mount before you hit the timing mat to start the bike. I also had to sit down and wash/wipe my feet before putting on socks. Also took time to really dry off since I was a bit cold. Also ate a gu.

Towel on over my shoulders while I'm getting ready with shoes?

I drove the bike course the night before so I had a sense of where the BIG hills were and decided then to work it and pass people going up and then just fly and coast down the hills. Save on the energy a bit. I wasn't ready for how crowded it would be and how hard it would be to pass the beginners. We were often riding 3-4 wide. There was one hill where we had to make a sharp left turn and then back up a hill and I almost lost my balance because some of the racers were stopping because they couldn't climb. I lost all momementum and really had to work to get up that one hill

More hill workouts? I thought I did well on the bike. I could have been faster, but followed my strategy and had leg strength for the run.

Could have done this event faster but forgot my shot blocks that I was going to nibble on the run. Dismounted early to miss the congestion of the end. Went off to the far left to get down the hill and away from people slipping down the hill with their bikes

Put run nutrition in my top before bike so I know it's there,

I started out too fast. A friend caught me coming out of transition so I was able to run part of it with her, but I could tell by my HR that I was too fast. Didn't end up having a lot left for the two big hills so I just walked them. Ran strong to the end.

Watch HR for the first part. Jog the run course the day before (was supposed to but felt too sick)

Did lots of toe touches to stretch out lower back. Drank some of the chocolate milk and walked back to transition to pack up.


Illness. I felt everything else was in place, I just felt like I was running at maybe 50%


Great race for beginners because of the support (even with all of the changing of ownership this year) but it's a challenging course and I think that would be hard for a beginner who hasn't trained enough.