My One Tri of the Year.

Saturday was the Northwoods Triathalon up in Nevis, MN.  I never go into this race too serious but do give it my all.  Not being a swimmer and no longer a runner I manage those events as best I can.
I had the best of intentions to get myself better prepared for the swimming portion.  I did some swimming over the winter at the gym and even bought a wetsuit so I could swim out at Warner Lake some.  But the wetsuit was pulled from it's box for the first time the night before the race.  I did try it on to make sure it fit!

Race day weather was perfect.  Cool, minimal wind, and sunny.  The water felt warm compared to the air.  I was in the second wave of swimmers.  About 10 strokes in my goggles were kicked off.  I managed to get them on pretty quick but not before I swallowed half the lake.  I don't know if that was it or lack of swimming but I struggled to get my breathing under control.  It pretty much sucked.  I couldn't get the swim over fast enough.
1/4 mile swim in 8:48.
My transition to from the swim to the bike sucked too.  I was gassed from the swim and the run up the hill to the bike but the main issue was getting my wetsuit off!  I had to sit down and pull it off my legs.  I wonder if that is what skinny jeans are like?
Transition 1: 2:24.

The bike is always my strong suit.  14.2 miles as hard as I can go. Having most of wave 1 in front of me and a lot of my wave as well I had lots of riders to help push me harder.  Truly I was chasing only one rider, my friend Dan.  We've be razzing each other for months on who would beat who...all in fun.
Bike: 34 and some seconds for a 24.4 mph avg.  Fourth fastest bike.  Have been the 2nd fastest the past 2 years.  Should have used the aero wheels...ha!

I never saw Dan on the bike till I got to Transition 2.  He did the swim in something like 7:10! So was happy I actually saw him. 
Transition 2: 1:04 (much better!)

The 5k run is a there and back on the Heartland Bike Path.  Dan was dangling 30-50 feet in front of me most of the run.  I kept thinking I'm gaining, nope not gaining, repeat.  Funny how he wasn't too far away but I couldn't close the gap.  At the turn around it got faster and I was able to keep our gap about the same till the last 200 yards.  Dan had a nice finish.  I was about 10 or so seconds behind.
Run: 21 and some seconds for a 6:58 pace.  Not fast but very fast for me...happy with that.

Ended 13th overall.  Same position the past two years but with a personal best of 1:08 and some seconds.  Still looking to break into the top 10.
Next year.

Later.