So what is your strong point? (Page 2)

X2 - chirunner134 - having read a lot of your posts and race reports, I would say that your effort, dedication, and perseverence are definitely strong suits for you.  They are as important as anything else in triathlon, so don't discount them!

I'm best in T1...seriously it is weird as in big races I beat guys 15 years younger than me that can run fast. I think maybe in a former life I was a stripper or just being a Mom to 5 I'm good in chaos.

Of the three I'm so much better on the bike...usually win or come in 2nd on the bike top 10% of all women, MOP of Athenas on the run, I suck at swimming....but I have more folks to hunt down on the bike sucking at swimming.

When I first started, I thought biking was my strength, then I went on a group ride. I always knew I was a slow runner, but have taken over 4 minutes of my mile time since I started 4 years ago. Mind you most of the progress came in the first year. I have surprised myself at where I tend to place in the swim. I used to feel like a whale shark, but now I try to feel like a torpedo and swim much better. I even beat my local team's swim coach at a race (mind you he has asthsma and is 20 years older)

I feel I do ok in the T! and T2, but since they are such a small percentage of the race, I do not really feel that is an asset.

My biggest strength is to find ways to smile durring the race. Even in an A race I try to thank every voulenteer on the course. I try to inspire those I pass that are struggling (they are few and far in between). When I am struggling, like at my first and only 1/2 IM, I started to sing and whistle to keep my cmpetiveness at bay. I can blow up easily when I am chasing someone faster or cute in front of me. Going to the music makes me smile and gets some pretty interesting looks from the rest of the BOPers. To the most part it is infectious and everybody smiles, if even for a moment.

So I guess my strength is the love of the game. Having fun, even when I hurt, of just can not go any faster due to poor training.

My strong point is the swim.  Or at least I float well.   My brother (total opposite build to me...very little body fat) insists that he sinks when he tries to swim.  I'm definitely the opposite there!  Even though I placed in the back half at my first tri I was in the top 3rd on the swim....w/pretty much everyone I knew who was racing they beat me overall, but at least I beat 'em in the swim!

I think if I had a better bike then biking would be a strong point for me as well.  Lately I've been averaging 15-16mph on my good (away from traffic and stop signs/lights) training rides on my mountain bike.  I think if I got a bike that's a little more condusive to road riding i'd place better on the bike. 

My run still sucks.  A lot!

Since I've been running for only 9 months, swimming for 3 years and cycling for almost 25 years, I would have to say that my strongest leg is cycling.  I'm not great at climbing, but compared to other newbies I can power along at a pretty good clip.

However, I would have to say that I'm pretty strong at transitions, probably because I'm organized and I do quite a bit of "mental rehearsing" of my transitions at each race site.  Earlier this year I did a sprint tri, and my T2 was only 39 seconds.  Granted I did have a great rack spot, but I was noticeably faster than most other folks.

Now, if I could just get running pace up there...

I finished my first Sprint tri last Sunday (Iron Girl, Columbia, MD).  My strong point is my swim.  I was a year-round competitive swimmer in high school and still swim Masters when I can.  I'm also 5'11" tall.  Out of the water, I was 4/40 for Athenas and 70/1,704 overall. 

The bike is my worst leg.  I started cycling again this year after a 20-year hiatus and I'm using my husband's old racing bike for now.  My running isn't that strong either, but I figure I can always finish the run by walking if I need to, and I did that more than I wanted to on Sunday. 

After the bike and run legs, I was happy to have finished 27th in Athenas and 1,225 overall.  BOP is where I belong on those legs, so I stayed to the far right and let the cyclists and runners do their stuff.  I'll be there with them one day! 

Laurie

Chris--

 I'm going to follow you around all day making comments after you...

And yeah, my run usually places me well and I have NO FEAR on downhills.  No braking, either. 

The bike...as long as it is flat or downhill.  Seriously, I can bust some out on flats and keep up with the 'guys'; but hit a hill or an incline after my legs are fatigued and off the back I go.  My average of nearly 17 mph on a century ride (the Almost Hotter N Hell 2007)  It was a flat century.