This is a race Patrick and have enjoyed for the last three years, it is a Sprint tri, it is challenging, and it is done well! The weather was perfect, slight sprinkles in the morning, water temp was 77 (but no need for a wetsuit), some clouds, and a lite wind!
This was the first race we ever did with a time trial staggered start (meaning one at a time racers go out into the water). The first year we swam or walked from shore, out, the back. Yep, I said WALKED!!! Because that's what we watched a few people do since the water only got about chest deep. And no you don't move faster walking in water than you do swimming, I learned this as I passed people rather quickly since I was SWIMMING!!! For the last 2 years we have jumped off the pier and swam across then back to shore. I have found I really enjoy 'jumping in" starts. It just seems more exciting.
The start is based on swim time entered at the time of registration. I find it funny some of the people who guess they can swim the 1/3 of a mile in 5 minutes (the fastest guy at the race was around 7 minutes). These people either looked paniced as they stand on the pier, knowing they are in the wrong place or they looked paniced being passed in the water knowing they don't want to be drowned. I was number 67 in this race which means the 66 people ahead of me should have been faster than or paced about even with me, this was not the case. I passed people in the swim, one guy who was WALKING!!!!! before jumping in one gentelman near me said, "I think I forgot a 1 in front of my estimated time." This made me laugh.
So after 66 people it was my turn to jump. With a leap out and scissor jump I was off and into the vast blue water. Well, I was off but the water in the Bay is not so blue, it is more of a rust color. It was however, pretty clear, I could see almost to my hands. The limited amount of visibility does make it difficult when you are passing due to not being able to see bubbles to know where someone is located, meaning you just feel feet or an arm to let you know someone is out there. I had a good swim, coming out first in my age group and the fifth female.
As I entered transition I once again remembered the problem with being a good swimmer in a race where you start based on swim expectations- when I approached my bike I saw the guy next to me had left his goggles and cap strewn about the area. I knew this meant when i get back from the bike things would be worse. But no time to worry about this, it was time to bike.
The race will test you from the first pedal, since it is an uphill climb right out of the gate followed by rolling and climbing hills for the first six miles. This is a beautiful course, going through farm land, the small town, and along the bay. For others it is a fast course. but I am still working on increasing my bike speed. This would be the place where I would see those behind me in the swim catch and pass me. However, even though I was slow in comparison to others, I was having a good ride. Just spinning up the hills and pushing down them. Then in the straights, pushing hard. The ride was without incident for me. There were a few flat tires seen along the way and at least one guy who went down at the turn back towards transition. That turn is wicked too!!! You come up at full speed then slow to make a sharp left, then as you head downhill you have to be on your breaks. all of this while runners are headed up the hill. You know if you loose control you not only risk taking out you and a few cones but a few runners too- not the way you want to do it. Entering my transition area my expectations were met- Mr. Man had thrown his spiffy helmet on my things and racked his bike in a method to invade my space. A slight shift of things gave me back my space and a slight skooching of his other things gave me a path to my running items. I quickly put on my braces and shoes, grabbed my visor and belt. Then off we go back up that freaking hill.
I hadn't seen Patrick yet. I watched for him as I climbed the hill. The course then turns and it is over hill and dale that we go to make it to the turn around. As you head back you are exhausted and ready to be done. You do get to have a flashback moment on the course when you approach the corner and the little girl is out there with her water hose creating a spring rain. As I approached the downhill I saw Patrick reaching the top of the hill. It was time for me to push harder. There is a misleading course switch up that can be defeating- when you come charging down the hill seeing the transition area you only get to have a side glimpse of the finish line since instead of turning left you head right to the duck pond for the last mile. This mile is thankfully flat and has plenty of support from volunteers and finished racers.
The final turn takes us along the water front to the finish line. At the finish line I had 2 women in front of me (neither in my age group), but I needed to pass them. I pushed out my final sprint making it past both of them by the time of the finish line. I was HAPPY!!!!
Patrick also had a good race, improving times over last year, including cutting 2 minutes from his swim time!!!
We will be back again next year!
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