WADDLING

Today was my last Tri for this season. I went back home to dad's for the weekend to do the sprint at the Great Buckeye Challenge. I have only swam once in the past 3 weeks and biked twice. So there were no expectations for today's race. Dad has never seen me swim and do a Tri.

The other fun thing about the weekend is that for 14 years I lived in Springfield where the race was being held. I had run many mile at the State Park and spent many weekends boating at the reservoir. It was like stepping back in time 20 years.

Pre-race

Dad and I got up at 5am to get there. It was still dark when we arrived and hard to see where to park. As I checked-in, the sun began to come up and I could see the beach and the water was like glass. My nervousness began about the swim. It was my longest @ 1,000. I was praying for it to be wetsuit legal.

I grabbed my stuff and began to set up in the transition. The announcement of water temp was due soon. As I was getting my stuff ready, I saw a camera crew following a teen around while he was getting ready. I found out it was the MTV show MADE. They were helping him to do his first Tri. It was fun to watch. My attention changed to the announcements. The happy dance began"WETSUIT LEGAL TODAY". Things were looking up. My dad set up his lawn chair under a tree and it was time.

SWIM

I was very calm standing in my wetsuit. Just take my time and there will be no problem. I let everone take off in my wave. I was trying to sight the yellow buoy for the first turn. I saw it and swam toward it to go around. I heard the guards on there boards shouting. Nice of them to cheer me on I thought. Soon I figured out I cut the first corner and swam around the second turn. Oops---does that mean that they weren't cheering for me. I swam so far off course on the back side that I think I actually in the long run swam farther.

T1

I have no clue what I was doing. No focus. No hurry. Stopped to give dad a high 5 on the way up the hill to transition. One of my longest transitions ever.

BIKE

Beautiful course. It felt like it went fast. I saw the 10 mile marker on the road. I knew it was more than 2.5 miles to the finish. My odometer read 14 miles for the ride. I felt great.

T2

Another walk in the park. No hurry.

RUN

The run course was on the path that I used to run on weekly. It was amazing how much I remembered. It was starting to approach the high 80's. I made a deal with myself. No walking and I would reward myself with lunch at Frisch's Big Boy. I felt string across the finsh line and was greeted by my dad's smiling face.

This was one of the best Tri's that I have done as far as the race itself. Many options and distances. It was very well run. The best part was that they had ice cold Diet Moutnain Dew at the finish. A class act.

No idea at all about my times. I didn't really care.

After the race was over and I was cleaned up- I heard "Waddler" OMG -it was Mary Sunshine!!How great to see her! She looks awesome. Good luck next weekend at IM Louisville!

Waddling to spend some more time with Dad.................