Another successful race!  The Southbay Triathlon held 5/21 is also a really fun race with a great course, a swim around an island, good music, and TONS of food!!

My race was SOLID except for a few little things: I got no draft in the swim, the lead group was way up ahead and everyone else was drafting off me and I didn't want to slow down to let them lead so I pulled the whole way. And I had a little trouble getting my wetsuit off & getting the # tag to the volunteers. And my lowest gear wasn't working so I had to zigzag up the one steep hill. And on the run, a 26yr old passed me w/200 yds. to go!!. Good points: good swim start, near the front. Fast swim-to-bike transition (I practiced leaving shoes attached to pedals, jumping on and putting them on as I ride). Knee held up on the bike (knee keeps me from challenging riders as they go by but this time I challenged and managed to finish ahead of them with a great uphill drive at the end). The run felt strangely fast & easy at the beginning. After the race I felt great!!! and was running around (where did I get this energy?)

I wanted to beat Clint... he's always been faster than me. I guessed our swims would be similar, his bike would be faster, and my run would be faster. His age started 5min behind so I kept pushing the bike hoping he wouldn't pass me (that would mean he's 5min ahead & that's a lot to make up in a 5mi run!) I got to the transition and out on the run without seeing him, whew! But I knew he probably gained 4min on me so I had to work the run. After the 2.5mi turn-around point I was looking for him. If I didn't see him for a 1/2 mi. (the 3mi mark) it would mean he's 1mile back (~6min back, which is actually only 1min back). I saw him before the mile mark! He's only about .8mi back which is about 4.8min which means he's actually .2min ahead! Confusing, isn't it? No time to stop and think. I lengthened my stride and poured it on to the finish, looked at my watch and waited....waited to see if he's more than 5min behind. I saw him on the final 1/4 mi. stretch and cheered him on, but it was already 4:45 and it looked like I would win. The results showed.... I won by less than a minute! There was 400 people. I got 23rd overall & 9th in my age. I'm also happy about not getting any cramps, not crashing, and not hurting my knees!

(Oh, yea... Uvas = Grapes)