Solana Beach Triathlon

Overall Time: 1:25:52, I won't get my splits until later this week.

Swim: Pretty good overall. We had a nice current pushing us north, so we lined up far south on the beach so we wouldn't have to swim against the current to get to the first buoy. The swim between the buoys was fast. It was the swim in that was killer.

I was tossed or "washing machined" twice. 2 huge waves pulled me under on the way out. One of the other Divas lost her goggles on the way out. At the end I was happy for the swim to be done. It felt like the swim in was as long as the rest of the it. Note to self, practice ocean exits.

I ran across the sand until I got to the steep ramp that leads down to the beach. I walked fast up it, to chants of "don't give up", "run", "you can do it". I liked the last one, the other ones can bite me. I had a strategy to get up the ramp and I worked it. Part of that strategy was walking up the ramp. I ran the rest of the way to transition, with the exception of some stairs, yes there were stairs.

T1:
I thought it was fast. Shucked off my wetsuit, on with my helmet, sunglasses, socks and shoes. Grabbed my garmin (put on the HRM strap of course) and my bike and I was off.

Bike:
Mounted past the mount line, clipped in and started to pedal. Both the bike and run were 2 loops. I don't like that so much, but I dealt. The first loop was good. I kept it easy, making sure to hydrate. On the second loop I remembered Danskin and how much I had left on the table, so I kicked it into gear.

T2:
The shoe change went better than I'd planned. Got to the rack and bikes were in my spot. I hooked one of my drop bars on and left it at that. Off with my helmet and bike shoes, on with my running shoes (I love yanks), race belt and visor. Go.

Run:
My plan was to walk out of the transition as this is where my legs turned to jelly before. Didn't have the same feeling so I ran. Running is still my fav. I saw Jillian and my rabbit Ann, who I was chasing the whole race, and other Tridivas. I grabbed water out of T2 so I skipped the water station the first time around. This is where I really hate 2 loops, I really wanted to go straight to the finish line, but I didn't. Turned for my home stretch. Grabbed water from a little girl and walk while I drank. In my head I was thinking, I have nothing left. When I grab my lei I won't have a sprint in me. I was wrong.

Seeing Jillian, Carrie and Martha passing out leis I grabbed one and sprinted. I tried to keep it up the whole way in, but I did feel myself slowing down at the end. I'm going to blame it on wanting to look good for the finish line camera.