The Austin Triathlon

I spend my Labor Day up in Austin racing, going into the race my goal was Top 5 and I ended up 4^th. Looking back it’s always easy to say I should have done this I should have done that! But here the account of my race in my words:

The Swim was Non wetsuit, we were held forever floating, before they finally counted us down.  The start was fast and I made my best attempt to get a good position, but as sound as the pace settled I was able to pass and get into a group. I felt like I was having a solid swim and was not that far off the group ahead of me. When I hoped out of the water I was low 23, but we ran to the bit to pass the chip math.

I had a quick transition and made the again long run to the bike mount! On the bike I felt flat and didn’t get into the grove. I was passing people and moving up but as Heather put it I didn’t have my usual pop.  The course was 3 laps lots of turns and windy, not my cup of tea as I ride well on hills and straightaway’s.

I hit T2 with stud U of Texas runner Joe Thorne, I was in and out quick eager to get rolling and hunt some people down, my legs felt decent and it wasn’t until the end of the first lap that Joe came up on me, we ran together for 2.5 miles then he used his sub 4min mile speed to drop me! At that stage we had ran our way into 3^rd and 4^th. My buddy Wes just missed out on 5^th been overtaking by super fast finisher Derek Yoerk.

Overall I was pleased, not my best race but I put out a good effort, considering I had a nasty ear infection, which I didn’t really discover to be as bad until Heather checked it tonight and also riding my new bike for  real in a race was a new learning curve . I will take it and know I can perform better on any given day.