This was supposed to be an "easy" day.......

Event: Metro Sprint Day 2.0

Locale: Lynn Park @ Joe Pool Lake

Class: M 35-39

Results: 5th AG and 41st overall

Local Knowledge and Conditions: I was out there Saturday to give moral support to Dian for her 1st open water race and also cheer on all the other Pro Soapers so I got to see the set up before my own race. I also quizzed Dian all the way home about the course!:)
It was another hot day. As far as the wind, it was not nearly as calm as I was hoping. By the time my wave started, the wind had picked up enough to start to "cap" the waves. In the 1st 2 waves, I saw 2 swimmers pulled back to shore. It was really blowing on the dam. Nice cross wind strong enough to wobble you.

Prerace strategy and warmup: Pretty much the same as always. PB and honey and a weak drink mix. I did have 1/2 of a banana this time. I warmed up with a light run and easy swim and some stretching.

Psychology: I was going into this race with no expectations of anything stellar. I really tweaked my knee at the Mesquite Road Rally the weekend before and was actually concerned about being able to complete this race. I told myself that if I felt ANY pain on the bike (other than the usual painful exertion type) I would stop or at least slow it down and not do the run. So I had that going for me...............
On a positive note, this was the 1st open water race that I was not really nervous before the start. I attribute that to more experience, swim lessons and the swim clinic.

Lessons Learned or Re-learned: I lump this into both catagories. Being now a "mid pack" swimmer, you get beat up the 1st 100 meters. I knew this but never truly experienced it because I used to be so far back it didn't matter. I was kicked in the sternum (OW!!!!!), poked, punched and even yelled and cursed at by a girl I got tangled up with at the 1st turn. Our arms locked mid stroke and we both pulled back at the same time to get free and it rattled us both. I immediately apologized but she had none of that. I just kept swimming trying and finally succeeding to break out and swim free for a bit.

Future goals: I need to start on the outside from now on and swim at the "angle of pursuit" towards the 1st bouy. Keep working on T1 and T2. They were good, but could have been better.

Fitness: As said above, I was worried about my knee. I had run easy during the week and only rode an easy 14 miles on Friday to RBM to pick up packet so I knew I was rested. I hydrated well and tend to eat decent most of the time so that was not a concern. It was a short course so endurance wasn't going to be an issue. Although Billy, Dian and Cliff all said the same thing: "It is such a short race, you feel like you need to hammer it out. No recovery time and it is the longest 2 mile run EVER because of that!!!"
My swim went as well as I had hoped and I felt good. T1 was without and issues and I mounted the bike well and started pedaling.....no pain..... I think I can push a bit....21mph average....cool. Run. Started fast as always to get the legs going......they did not lie. IT IS THE LONGEST MILES EVER!!! I had a decent run. I did not push the last 1/2 mile like I usually do. I did not have any AGers around me so my placement would stay (wherever I was). I didn't want to risk the knee, even though I felt good. I was very surprised to place as high as I did. Happy as a puppy, but surprised.

Something funny(ish): As Dian and I were finishing setting up T, we were about to start the warm up and do all the "pre race business", I saw a ref with an young guy (21 but looked younger) holding a tire walking by us. The ref was telling him something to the effect of "I don't know if we can help, but let's see what we can do." I walked over and asked if he needed a tube. He said yes. So, I told him to follow me and I gave him my extra. I handed to him and said "Here ya go!"..He looked at me like a deer in headlights. He didn't know how to change a flat. I change it out for him real quick and advised him to learn and get a repair kit.:) He was very thankful and asked what he could do to repay. I just told him to visit ProSoap.com!!
Also Cliff told me Saturday that his time of 56:34 was the time to beat.........sorry buddy.....I got 56:29....