She Blew it All Over the Pool

I remember watching every Olympics during my childhood. One summer, an athlete botched a dive, and the announcer exclaimed in a british accent, “She blew it all over the pool!” My siblings and I ran around for weeks afterward, saying “She blew it all over the pool” at every opportunity. It was funny.

That’s what I did today at the Kure Beach Double Sprint Triathlon. Double sprint means swim-run-bike-run-swim. And, I sure blew it all over the pool during that second swim. I was having a great race, too. I worked very hard and passed Aquaphor chic and another girl during the bike. They both passed me back in Transition. I had to work hard again to pass them back in 2nd run. I was going as hard as I could during that 2nd run to try to put some distance on them, because I knew they were better swimmers. So hard that my brain was not working too well.

When I got to the beach for the second swim, I entered to water too soon and started swimming for the middle buoy (see orange path in figure below). We were supposed run 300 yards down the beach to the far buoy, and swim with the current back past three buoys (see yellow path below).

I realized my mistake about half way out. Then, I had to swim 150 yards against the current to the round the far buoy, and back track to the middle and last buoy, then back in. That 150 yards against the current was a tough swim. And a hard pill to swallow. And it cost me at least 3 minutes.

My finish time was 1:19:56, still very respectable, so I am pleased. The bummer thing, is that it was going to be a really close race whether Ginger would catch me in the end. It would have been so cool if we got our picture together going thru the finish chute.

All in all, I had a great race, and good times with my friend, Ginger. Here is a picture before the race of Maria (a facebook friend), Ginger and me: