my last TRY

And yes this event was TRY not tri... it was an interesting day. But hey what a beautiful day for a bike!

Off in my wave at 6:57..seemed like a pretty well run event... but damn before I even got to the first bouy... I was thinking to myself, who the hell are you kidding thinking about an IM.. this swim was .9 of a mile.. an IM is 2.4 - my sighting was off so when I think about it I am sure I swam over a mile... the last half is into the sun - hard to see even dayglo orange when the sun is beaming right in your eyes. It was a very sad almost 50 min swim. HHHHMMM can we say practice :o)

I just took my time in T1, had not really done any significant and specific tri training for several weeks, so lets just enjoy the day..So off on the bike I go. OLY sharing a course with Sprint distance so OLY had to do two laps... OK I know the whole athlete should know the course but what athlete feels the need to have to carry a map of the course out on the bike... So at the point of a turn around at the cones... I headed straight down that road - the volunteers were saying sharp turn, but no one said.... Sharp turn, around the cones, then back out on the course - so it wasn't clear, or at least to me... that you didn't go down that road. So I was pretty much out on the bike course all by my lonesome - with the exception of some sprint racers still going.. So what the heck... I chatted for a while - I wasn't going fast at that point cause its that street you turn down that is wind right in your face - its always windy up there...I avg'd 16.37 on the bike so for going uhmmm a bit out of my way, I had a longer bike but not a bad avg speed for someone that hasn't really ridden since July... got to use aero's a lot so I got sort of, well ok maybe a bit more comfortable in that position.

Run - well not my favorite leg anyhow... so again into T2, take my time, course everyone's stuff is everywhere at this point... and you know you were out on bike course long when they are letting folks BACK into tranisition to collect gear :o)

So I've raced at this complex before, and every race is run on the path around the lake... so again, I know my responsibility to KNOW The course.. but damn it shouldn't your volunteers have some idea too??? NO one is running on the path around the lake... so I see a water station and ask them.. uh which way is the start of the run, its usually around the lake... oh we dont' know just follow the other runners. Ok that wasn't the best option to take... but I did.. so 3/4 of the way in... there is a guy along the road... sprint turn around here, OLY athletes straight ahead. Oh ok figured it was one of those races where they make you go right past the finish line for another lap kinda thing.....

UH NO would be the answer there... but by the time you realize it, you are already a good 1/2 to 3/4 mile from where you should have turned around... so I said hell with it, laughed and finished the run.... oh about 3.1 miles short I'd say... but hey since everyone was saying they thought the bike was short by 2ish miles... I did go about 2-3 miles more than some others I was talking to..... but who the hell knows....