Official Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon Report and Commentary

I got up around 4:30 Saturday morning and had a Cliff bar and started drinking water. I got the transition area to set up around 5:15 and it was dark. Most the people must have realized it was going to be dark because they had these little lights strapped to their head so they could see what they were doing. I on the other had had my cell phone that I used to illuminate my area until the sun started coming up. I went over and got marked and got my timing strap and went back and set up my transition area. I just stood there and stared at it for a while going over and over again in my mind what I would do each time I came through and make sure I had everything there. At 6:00 they called for my bus to leave to head out to the swim start, I missed it. Not to worry I caught the next one.
The swim start was a mile up the river at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga rowing center. It was just beside the football teams practice field. I just laid around on the field with everyone else waiting for the start of the race that was delayed 30 minutes because all the traffic cones had not been set out yet, and the USTA won't allow a race to start until everything is set (just one of the many little USTA rules they were really strict about)

It was a time trial type start they led you down to a dock 25 at at time and then 10 at a time jump in the water and go down till you get to the end of the dock where they check you number and tell you to go. I was off. I got about 200 yards out in the ocean sized river and realized I was kind of scared. My breathing was off my heart rate was high and I was worried, but somehow I relaxed myself and just kept saying 1 ,2, 3 , breath, 1,2,3 breath and I did and I just started going. I got passed by a lot of people and I don't think I ever passed anyone. Everyone has said there was absolutely no current and that under the bridged the chop actually made it feel like you were swimming against the current. But I finally heard the roar of the crowd and I could see them pulling people out of the water at the dock. It was a weird way to get out of the water. You swim up to the dock and raise your hads and these guy yank you out of the water and then you take off up the stairs and across the street to the transition area. It took me 45:05 to finish the swim, much slower than I had wanted.

The transition went great and my brother-in-law and his wife where already thee yelling for me. The bike course had some serious long hills. It was much harder than I thought it would be and my stomach was hurting a little and I had to pee, so at the turn around I had to go to the bathroom and wasted some time there, but I was feeling much better after that. The hills were tough but I actually passed some people on the bike and at one point got up over 40 mph going down a hill, unfortunately the lady in front of me put her brakes on and I had another bike on my left and a motorcycle filming the race on his left and we all almost wiped out and had to slam on our brakes, it was a little hairy, but we made it. The bike took me 1:34.

The transition to run went well I started off and immediately was big hill, my heart rate got up and I could not settle into a good pace till almost mile 3, but after that I was clear sailing I was passing quite a few people on the run and was feeling really good about it. I got plenty of fluids and even picked up the pace at the end. The only problem at all was my left quad started cramping that last 200 yards or so, but it was nothing real serious.

The whole family was there at the finish and we all had lunch together at the North Shore Grill and they got there before I did and were all clapping for me, it made be feel really great. I am for sure addicted to triathlon and look forward to the next one, I think I am going to do the Chattanooga Sports Barn Sprint Tri in August with Kim, it will be her first.

This weekend our long run is 12 miles in preparation for the Chicago Marathon, my weight right now is about 240 and I hope to be really close to 200 by the Marathon. I have said that 220 would be where I stopped, but I realize if I do it correctly I can be very healthy around 200 and that will allow me to be much more competitive in triathlon. I may never place in my age group or win a race or anything like that, but I see this a lot like golf, I want to do everything I can to get better next time out. Time is a great way to measure that with these races and the only person I am really competing against is me. I have looked back at my blog over the last couple of years and have read about walking 4 minutes and jogging one and being really excited about 14 minute miles. I am beating that guy, but I am so glad I can still read about him.

I hope to have some pictures soon.