Swim 14:33 T1 2:53 Bike 56:09 T2 2:20 Run 24:30
This was only my second triathlon so I don't have much to compare it to... I arrived way too early seeing parking was a breeze and so was transition setup.. compared to Cleveland haha. I was feeling intimidated because of the weather. Not the fact that it was raining but I HATE the cold. I was mostly worried about the bike because I knew coming off the swim and then riding at fast speeds would really chill me. I had also never raced in a wetsuit before and getting that thing off is a CHORE! I hadn't thought of bringing an extra pair of running shoes either since I stayed the night in Akron. All that considered, I did not do a warm-up... I know myself well enough to know it was best for me personally to just try to stay as warm and dry as long as I could, otherwise I'd be risking hypothermia.
So the swim went better than I anticipated. Meaning the water was actually warmer than the air, so warmer than I thought. With a warn-up I could've prob swam faster, but I didn't know what I didn't know. Easier to sight than in Cleveland where they had black buoys.
T1 was a challenge. Getting my suit off always frustrates me, and my hands were numb so putting on my shoes was difficult. Was sooooo happy I decided to leave a sweatshirt in my transition bag and a handwarmer in my bike bag. Honestly not sure I couldve fisnished the race biking in just shorts and a singlet.
The bike was hillier than expected but a pleasant course. The trend seemed to be me passing everyone on the uphill and them passing me on the downhills. Haven't yet mastered the downhill. Usually I will gear up and pedal but I mostly coasted them because the slippery concrete kinda terrified me haha.
T2 - my fatal mistake was not tying my shoes tighter since I didn't wear socks. I slipped them on and then had to untie and retie with numb fingers.
The run was a pleasant course... I started out feeling pretty strong but I think the hilly bike course caught up with my legs and after 2 miles my legs just didn't want to kick it into high gear. My goal time was 22:30 and I was exactly 2 minutes slower.
I was third in my age group, however if they would have listed girl 2's T2 time, it would have been VERY close. Counting just R,B,S times, I would have been second. But that is not how triathlons work, and seeing as my T2 time was slow, and she beat me by something like a minute in T1, I'm sure she prob took me in T2 as well. But we'll never know:) Girl 1 was the actual race winner. Had some gnarley competition!
Would def consider doing this race again! When it was done, I just wanted to get the hell outta there and get warm but I bet it's really fun on a better weather day.
