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Congrats! I have two more weeks.....can't wait.

Posts Member

Alright my write up for the overall race.

This is the Pickens, SC YMCA Tri The Ridge event.

The start time was 7:00 am which for me is early but packing the night before worked absolutely fantastically.

I got to the site at approx. 6:00 am and did a little stretching and such. This went great and I was ready to nail the course.

So we met in the middle of T1 area and processed into the pool. The pool start was staggered by 20 secs. in a 25 yd. pool. I was slated to finish in about 5:30 and started seeded as such.

Everything went well until I hit the wall for my turn and looked up and the next guy hadn't started. I then hit the first 50 mark and realized I had burned a 35-37 sec. first lap. Which for me is flat arse flying. Needless to say I was totally gased by the 100 yd mark and struggled in to a disappointing 6:26.

So out to T1. It actually went better than I thought my T1 time was about 2:15 and I was off onto the bike. Still need to trim it down but for a first it was good. Off onto the bike and my legs and arms were totally gassed. Thought that I was going to get crushed by all the other bikers. The course is a 20-k that has several steep climbs and decents. My mxs on the bike was 42 mph. my low was about 7 mph.

It took me approx. 5 mins to catch the first guy in front of me and say on your left to get by as he was utilizing the right side middle and left side of the lane. Of course I caught him on a hill. Then it was on to the next guy and in the meantime I was passed by a serious biker tucked into his aero position. The bike went back and forth as I passed about 5 guys and was passed by 3 guys. Total bike time was 43 mins by my stopwatch.

T2 I need even more work on. During training I was turning 45 sec. times. Today I turned a nice little 2:25 sec or so.

Now I was into the run. Did I mention this race is in the foothills of the Appalachia's, beautiful scenery. But that means hills. I caught someone on the run well passed him as he was calf cramping and that was the last person I passed. Then into the bulk of the 5k and the aforementioned hills. During this portion I had 4 more guys pass me and there was nothing I could do about it. At the 1/2 way point I took in water at the water station and then promptly had stomach cramps and slowed, but no more people passing me.
Not sure what my run time was as I failed to stop my watch at the end when I crossed the finish line. I will try to update once the race site posts times. Total time once I remembered to stop the watch was 1 hr 25 min. 10 secs. So I think I broke the 1 hr. 25 min mark.

Overall great race and I can't wait to get to training again this coming week and doing just one more before the end of season.

If you have the chance and live in the upstate of SC region this is a great race, great people, and spectacular vista's of the Blue Ridge Mtns. Problem is that you are in them. But you have to pay for beauty I guess.

Posts Member

Great race, congrats on a fine first effort!

Posts Member

Sounds awesome and thanks for rubbing it in. I have the foothills (read: on-ramps) of Interstate 35. I gotta get out of this town (Dallas). Great job on the race. Any pics?

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I'll find some pictures as the wife has at least one or two of me at the finish. The wife and kids didn't show up until 8:15 or so and I finished somewhere around 8:45.

They were prepping for the kids race. Guess I need to write that one up as well. My 10 yr old took home a 3rd place and the 5 yr old hauled in a respectable 2nd place. 100 yd swim, 3 mi ride, and 1/2 mile run. Their ride was the adult run, so it was shall we say hilly.

My next event will be in the spring as the season is wainign here and with two crumb snatchers my expendable income is low for race travel to exotic locales. Anybody got a good winter base plan that I can start now to be ready for the beginning of season in April.

Posts Member

Yep my 5 yr old on her Trek steel sled plugged through admirably with a single gear. I followed her the whole time on my bike as I had left it in transition and the race director said we could go with them. On a couple of hills and a short flat, I felt bad as she was having to really stand up and pump to get at bike moving.

Wife and I have agreed if she gains enough height this year we will upgrade her to something with gears.

Posts Member

Congrats on your first and it sounds like you rocked!