Swim 650 Meters
Bike cancelled
Run 3 Miles
The hotel wasn't too far from the lake so we didn't get up until 5:00 AM. A lot of people decided not to race today since the bike portion of the Patriot's Triathlon had been cancelled. It was strange walking into the transition area without a bike and just setting up my running shoes, hat, watch and race belt. The race director announced the water temperature was 87 degrees and wetsuits were not permitted. I grabbed my swim cap and goggles and walked over to the lake for a pre-race swim. My arms and shoulders get tired after the first 50 yards so I'm hoping a pre-race swim will prevent that tiredness when the race starts. The swim course was laid out so we swam counter clockwise keeping the buoys on our left and the shore on our right.
The men staged in the lake for the swim course and I ended up on the left side of the group. The race started and we swam towards the first buoy where I found myself cut-off at the buoy because I was on the inside. I did the breast stroke to get around the buoy and make my way clear from the other swimmers. I swam to the next buoy and I was following another swimmer across the lake. I could see the buoy just ahead when the life guard swam over on said we were off course. The way the course was laid out we had to swim into the sun and there was another orange buoy in the shadows of the trees that we hadn't seen. I changed course for the other buoy that I had almost missed. Now I'm out of the water and sprinting for the transition area. After the race I learned I wasn't the only person who didn't see the buoy in the shadows.
It should have been a quick transition except I was wet and putting on socks and shoes slowed me down. I wasn't going to wear socks but decided to do so at the last moment. I also took the time to unclip / clip my race belt before I left the transition area. As I ran out of the transition area I followed a woman who was pulling her belt over herself while she was running. I'll have to try that in my next triathlon to shave a couple of seconds off my transition. The run course was an out and back course on a paved road that was partially shaded. I didn't pass anyone on the way out but a couple of guys did pass me. There were no body marking before the triathlon so I don't know if these guys are in my age group. The road back was a gradual climb and I started to wish I had done more on road running instead of treadmill running. The race ended in a field and I don't know how far we had to run after leaving the road but I started running as fast as I could so I could pass the guy ahead of me. My race results showed I finished one second ahead of the guy I passed and he was in my age group!
I finished in 28th place and 4th in my age group. I was the first person listed on the results page that didn't win an award, so close and yet so far.
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