Goals: Finish above the 33% mark, earn 66 USAT ranking points, and break 6 hours

Result: Finish at the 15% (beaten by 85%), earned approx 60 points, and …well finished! This is a story of run-away dreams and, maybe a "bad day"---A Triathlon coach I know uses the phrase "its all you" and at the end of the day, comparing yourself only against others rather than against yourself and YOUR best performance----and giving yourself the benefit of using that information is more important than getting stuck with the intended results…read below! Avoid the "post race blues" and find joy in the moment.

Background: Booked a reservation through the Vineman travel company and then "updated the information" with the hotel itself----BAD IDEA---- the Vineman travel company owns the reservation---Unfortunately I lost my reservation and ended up staying about 40 minutes further from the race site---NOT A GOOD PLAN

Woke up at 4am, on the road at the right time, but had trouble with the directions because I was coming from the "boondocks"----drove through the wineries as fast as was safe, and arrived late to town, late to the parking facility, into a big traffic jam and MISSED THE START!

Swim: (35 minutes) - After sprinting to the beach (oh yeah and feeling really queasy) and then vaulting around the body markers (line too slow), hearing the start of my 6:38 wave go off, and making it to the shoreline about 3 or 4 minutes late, set me up for a mental challenge which quite frankly I did not overcome-----I felt foolish, and while 4 minutes on 6 hours is insignificant, I never really did recover-----and was sick to my stomach right from the start!

T1: (6 minutes) - Still recovering---remembered to have bike in low gear for the climb out of the parking lot and got out on the course in good shape-saw Conrad for a picture or 2---lots of SVTC'ers around-nice to be among friends.

Bike: (03:20) - You know this is a fun course---I just never got on track---felt dead and watched as the men from the waves behind me passed me---felt sick until about halfway-I ate a "clyde cookie" at that point and finally started to feel better-wish I had done it earlier! Was disappointed that I didn't get under 3 hours- and felt is was "hurrying" not racing.

T2: (6 minutes) - I was beat---ok to take a breather

Run: (2:30) - Thank goodness that I was in an early wave---and 13 miles is a long run---and somewhat lonely.

Total Time 6:39 less 4 for being late!

Moral to the story:

1. be more planful about "getting to the race" even when changes ocurr
2. shake off the issues---get focused on the fun, the fitness, the surroundings
3. forget the comparisons---I "tailspun" on the 6:39 finish-why? This is fun, this is our passion and its only a time