Belated race report: Clemson Triathlon, May 16, 2009

Swim 750 meters 25:15
T1 03:15
Bike 11 miles 46:01
T2 02:29
Run 5k 43:37
Overall time: 02:00:36

photos

I picked up my friend Pam and we biked from my house to the race, as I wanted to leave my car for my daughter and my mother to come (though in the end they didn't). We had one fairly heavy shower before the race, then on and off light showers. The race was a week later than usual and the water quite warm--I'm not sure it was worth wearing my wetsuit, though most people did. It did help for the in the water start, as I could float upright waiting for the start without expending any energy.

The water was warm but I didn't settle in very comforably to the swim. Not for any good reason; it was even easy to see the buoys with the sun not out. My swim time was 2 minutes slower than last year.

I had left my transition things in a plastic bag instead of laying them out and I was happy to put on dry shoes. Clemson attracts a lot of people doing their first triathlon, and on the bike I passed a number of people on mountain bikes. It hadn't rained that hard and so there weren't many puddles.

I did the walk-run thing for the run and was happy that my time was slightly faster than last year. The funniest moment in the race was on the run when someone going the other way (ahead of me on an out and back course) said in a tone of great surprise: "Professor Mack!" I was passed by a 67 year old in pink tri shorts on the run and I said I want to be her when I grow up.

I didn't stay long after the race because we needed to get to North Carolina for my son's awards ceremony that evening and then graduation Sunday morning. But I had fun.