I really thought the heat would be a bigger factor considering the high today is over 100 degrees. But I guess that since it's been over 100 for the past month everybody is pretty much use to it by now. I don't have an official time yet, but I finished in about 1:48 which isn't a spectacular time, but it's not horrible either. I was able to get a pretty decent bike time with riding 15 miles in about 55 minutes.
My first open water/mass start went fairly well also. Nobody was too happy with the mass start, but what can you do. I was lucky to be in a fairly non cluttered area between the fast people and the slow people. There were maybe only a dozen of us in my general area with minimal bumping. The pond we swam in was filled with alge/seaweed (whatever you wanna call it) and you absolutely couldn't see a thing, but again what can you do. It could be worse.
The swim was a clockwise loop around the big orange buoys |
The run was two laps around the lake that we swam in for a 3 mile run. Well, technically it was a run around the lake and then, like the bike, spin 180 degrees and go back.
It all went well with minimal complaints. But I have to say that my only complaint was that at the run around the .75 mile mark/ 2.25 mark (for the way back) there was a water station which is always appreciated. My only complaint was that on my way back there was nobody there and no cups left. A guy in front of me had to tip the bucket a fair amount to get the water out. I can deal with getting our own water especially at such a low key event, but the fact that there weren't any cups left was kinda bothersome. But it's not the end of the world.
Here's what you've probably been waiting for: pictures and videos (disclaimer: I know that my transitions aren't very good)
My helmet set up, it worked pretty well |
The swim start video is easily the coolest one of the bunch
I don't know if I'm gritting my teeth or smiling. Going from the swim to bike |
Going off to the bike course
This one is pretty bad quality, but it's the bike to run transition
The finish-and yes it was gravel 95% of the way which probably added an extra level of difficulty