by Danny Harrison
0.6 mile swim / 15 mile bike / 4 mile run
I arrive a few minutes later than I wanted due to a wrong turn on the way out from Tullahoma still had plenty of time though. I go to get my race packet and shirt. The first thing I see is my runner bib. Then it hits me “I forgot my race belt”! So on the way back to the truck I’m thinking “what else did I forget, I think I’ll just pin the bib on“. Head out to set up transition and pick a spot that I can remember, set everything out and start to pin my bib on. I then think “I have an extra shoelace in the truck“, I go get it and it works. I just have to tie it on but no biggie.
Swim start and I am ready for this. I have had some trouble in the past with open water swim. I have gotten over this and enjoy them now. The weather this year was great and the water was smooth. I make it to the first buoy and have already passed at least one person. Right turn and I remember 6 buoys to pass. I pass several swimmers and may have been passed a couple of times. One thing about a time trial start with race number on your swim cap, you can see if you passing someone that started ahead of you easily. Two right turns and then one left to the finish. I come out of the water and see my time a little over 16 minutes. This is a little slower than last year but it was wetsuit legal then and not this year.
Quick transition and onto the bike. The bike was decent and I didn’t remember this many hills last year. Several times I thought I was going to just slow down and just finish. I kept after it and those feelings went away. Around mile 12-13 there was a big group ahead of me and I noticed some dogs chased after them. I’m the next target for the dogs! I get closer thinking they are going to give me a chase but they are just hanging out at this time, good deal. About a mile ahead I am chugging along in my on little world thinking about my next transition when I hear what sounds like a dog chasing. I look to the right and it appears to be the worlds largest dog. I’m looking at his feet and have to look up to see his head! Thankfully he doesn’t get to the road. Finished up the bike and head toward the bike rack.
Hang the bike up, grab my shoes, visor, and my shoelace race belt. I’m trying to run a steady pace and quickly get into my grove. My ability to do math in the late stages of races is kind of funny to me. I’m wanting to run the 4 mile in under 30 minutes so I think “as long as I maintain a 8:30 pace I’ll be good” I know that wrong but I’m thinking this! First mile was 7:20ish and keep after it. At the 3 mile marker I see my time was 22:30 and I think “that’s a 8:30 pace so I should be in under 30 minutes”! Again my math is wrong but I’m just trying to live at this point! The last mile I get passed a time or two and make my mind up to finish strong. Run time was 29:31 which is 7:23 pace. I’m happy with the race.
This is a great event and great spot for a triathlon.
Overall time of 1:33:00