Of course, a NOON race start also means the race could get a little toasty, but we were on an island and it was a sprint so it all worked out. I don't normally sprint because I don't like that "(metaphorical) balls to the wall" feeling, but my sister wanted this to be her first race and I can't say no to the first timers, so I said yes.
Transition was on a tennis court a long, long run from the water. I helped my sister get set up and we played around in the water getting comfortable. She had barely trained for this race but the training she had done was mostly for the swim and with me and every time she kept up with me stroke for stroke. I was a little afraid she'd beat me, but I resisted the urge to deflate her tires;)
It was an in water start (mostly because you had to walk out mostly the distance of the swim before the water was deep enough to accommodate our arms!). Despite being 9 years apart, my sister and I were in the same wave (it was a small race) -we started mid pack to the outside of the buoys and I had this idea that if my sister stayed just behind me and to the right I'd block her from the fray. It didn't work I lost her and she freaked out a little - next year she'll beat me in the swim though. For me though, except for one instance when I swam RIGHT INTO a 65 year old man (who the lifeguard subsequently begged to get out of the water and who refused and went on to finish the race), the swim was uneventful. There was some water running in the end and I finished the .25 miles in 10:56. I don't sprint though so I have no idea if this was a good time.
T1 was in a tennis court far, far away. I was traveling to T1 and/or in T1 for 4:39. Stupid wetsuit.
The bike was frustrating. I wanted to go faster but this was before I knew about the high cadence secret. So I got through it. 14 miles in 49:33.
T2 was fast! 1:33.
The run was fun because it was out and back so I passed my sister twice and tried to get the people around me to cheer her on. The run was also long. I passed the 3 mile mark and had a chance at sub 30 - fortunately I knew that we really weren't that close to the finish so I didn't go all out - which is good because I ran for 4 more minutes finishing up the run in 31:15 and the inaugural running of the race in 1:38:06.
Definitely do this race again - it was a super fun long weekend away in one of my favorite places. I wonder if I can go 8 minutes faster if I forego the margarita. I wonder if it is worth it:)
