Team Speed Syndicate - 3rd Place - left to right: MJ, Jeremy, Justine
Race Highlights...
Start: Hop, hop, hop, hop, flop - swim. That's how a beach start goes when you have one leg. Then you work for 150-200metres to pass everyone that beat you to the water.
Sighting: Paddleboarders had yellow shirts. Swim buoys were yellow. Got confusing for a minute but got it sorted sooner than many around me.
End of Lap 1: Swim till fingers touch... get up on one leg - hop/wobble through water, around the beach buoy, back in and swim. Heart rate goes WAY up - hopping in sand = hard work. See Caroline Greenwood and exchange a nice midswim "Hey!"
Lap 2: Smooth. Caroline swam the entire second lap about 4 ft off my starboard/stern. Very polite, never drafting.
Swim Exit: Approaching the end I started to hope Caroline might help me out of the water and up to my crutches. Sure enough, as soon as we hit land she popped up and said, "Do you want a hand?" I grabbed a shoulder and hopped up to the crutches with her help. Thanked her and told her to get going... THAT is going to be a lot of good karma for her. THANKS CAROLINE!!!
Time: 34:56 - a couple minutes slower than anticipated... speaking with everyone after it was a common theme - maybe there was a current, or the course was longer than 1.9km... whatever. Anyway, I was 6/18 in the relays and would have placed 56/212 in the overall. Not bad with all the hopping around and whatnot.... I'll take it.
Transition: The crutches were a STUPID decision. I thought I could crutch up the beach faster than putting on my leg and running. Uh... no. Not on tired arms, uphill, deep sand... it was a b!&#$. Oh well, at least I tried it and know for next time.
The rest of the race: I didn't trouble my teammates for race reports but I can tell you they both performed admirably. Jeremy on the bike and Justine running us to a podium position (3rd).
All in all I have to say relays are pretty fun - the camaraderie of competing with a team is different from the normal triathlon experience. I think more people should take advantage of the relay option as a way to get involved in the sport... or to still enjoy the competition with an injury (like I did...)
Congrats to everyone who raced! Lots had great performances out there.
Thanks to Jeremy and Justine - the Speed Syndicate will have to reunite one day!
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7 comments:
I'm with you! If ever you're burned out on tri, do a relay - they are a blast. I think you tend to work harder when there are other people that are relying on you, too.
Great job to all of you! The relay thing looks like tons of fun!
Awesome race! I *think* it was you doing backstroke for a bit of the swim just starting on the second lap? I was laughing because you (if it was you) were right beside my friend and were going faster with your backstroke teehee.
Nice! Congrats and great job!! I love the idea of the relay! Would be a blast and is so much better than an all or nothing approach when injured. It's added to my list :)
You're right D - that was me doing a little backstroke... My HR spiked after hopping around the beach buoy and I needed to chill it down a little. Also, I think my backstroke is just as fast (or slow) as my freestyle....
Were you in the water or on shore?
congrats MJ!
AWESOME!
You are simply fantastic! I agree too, relays are the way to go... I gotta do one sometime!
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