J-Hawk

J-Hawk Early Bird triathlon was this morning.  Small local sprint tri.   500 yard pool swim, 13.7 mile bike, 5k trail run.  Nice short race to start the season, and also my first multisport event in over 2-1/2 years.  To that end, let's look at all the dumbass things we did today:

1)  Lost my timing chip, within 15-minutes and 50 yards of receiving it.

2)  Had to get new chip, and rebodymarked just moments before getting in the pool.

3)  Struggled to get my shoes on coming out of T1, even though I do this nearly every time I ride.

4)  Started running out of T2 with my helmet on.

5)  Put my shirt on backwards coming out of T2.

6)  Found said timing chip in sweatshirt pocket post race.

That out of the way, let's move on to the race.

Swim was largely uneventful.  Three to a lane, seven seconds apart, with me leading it off.  Went out to hard (this will be a recurring theme), then settled into a steady pace.  Eventually got passed by both of my lane mates, but repassed the first one a lap or two later when he grabbed the wall mid lap.  The second one passed me several laps later and I attempted to hang onto her feet the rest of the way in.  Total time was 9:18.  Not exactly what I hoping for, as I know I can go sub 9:00, but perfectly acceptable.

Somewhere mid swim.

Video coming down the last 25.  I knew my hair was long, but I didn't realize quite how long until the very end of this video.  I think the next heat wave will result in all of it coming off.

T1 - Chatted a bit with my lane mates, threw on socks, leg warmers, coat, helmet, glasses and we're off.  Was in the 40's and breezy, this seemed like the bare minimum.  Gloves were in coat pocket.  1:43

Heading out of T1 attempting to get my shoes on.

Bike - Apparently it is possible to go out to hard, even in a sprint.  Prerace I had visions of putting it in the big ring and leaving it there for the entire ride.  That thought ended half way up the first hill.  East winds at 15ish on a primarily north south course.  Couple miles with a good tail wind, couple straight into it, but mostly a steady cross wind.  First ride with the disc cover on the back wheel, didn't notice a difference.   Good overall ride, passed 5 or 6, not passed at all.  With the pool swim and the wave starts, not many people out on the course.  Could have used more rabbits.  42:46, little slower than I wanted.

Coming up the last hill prior to T2.

T2 - Shoes off prior to dismount.  Run to the rack, jacket off, shoes on, shorts on (with race number), shirt in hand, run out.  Turn back, helmet off, resume.  1:02

Putting the shirt back on after fixing my wardrobe malfunction.

Run.  Speaking of rabbits, could have used one here.  Other than one person I passed just out of transition, didn't see another runner for the entire run.  Sucked ass.  Only thing I don't like about this race.  Trails were good, legs were cooked.  Biked too hard, or perhaps just pushed the few hills too much (see above picture).  Ended up walking two short steep sections of the trail.  26:26

Early on in the run, less than a mile in.

Coming into the finish with P hurdling the cones.

Overall time was 1:21:12.  52/196 overall.  9/20 in age group.  Not terribly pleased.  Dream goal was 1:15, really thought I could have broke 1:20.  So be it.  Learned a couple things, had some fun.  Was good to get out racing again.