Team Magic puts on some great races and I have always enjoyed participating in their races. I have never competed in this particular race but I have done the Chattanooga and Music City race several times. The format is a little different as the boat ramp where we swim start/finish is pretty small so there isn't enough room for a transition area. So, there is a 1 mile run from the swim exit to the transition area to the bike. This is included in the race so that you don't see people with 6 - 10 minute T1's. So, 400y swim, 1 mile run, 12 mile bike, 2 mile run was our distance for the day.
As you guys know, I have been injured for a long time now and this was my first multisport race since September of 2011. I was really chomping at the bit to get out there. The weather was a little warm but we are in Tennessee in the summer so what else would be expected??
I woke up ready to roll and got there as early as planned. Picked up my race packet, and checked out some of the local competition. I am not from the area originally so I didn't recognize anyone and wasn't sure what to expect. I was seeded 4th going into the swim as it is a time trial start. I got in a little warm up in all 3 sports and waited patiently until 7:30. I was off just 15 seconds after the gun went off. The 1st and 3rd guys in the water looked like decent swimmers in the few seconds before I started but the 2nd seed was a female and she looked legit. When I was sent in the water, I took off after her. But her 10 second advantage was just too great, and the fact that she was a better swimmer than I was. I felt pretty solid for my first open water swim of the year and actually did a lot better job of sighting than I usually do. I was out in 2nd, slipped on my running shoes, and was off for a 1 mile run.
It was uphill from the boat ramp so it was a little challenging, but all the better since I've mostly been running lately. I passed the female who got out of the water in front of me and I was first into "t2."
I took off on the bike and it was a GREAT course. 1 mile to the highway, get on the on ramp, then 5 miles straight down a closed down interstate with smooth paved roads. No pot holes or rubber line bumps, it was smooth as can be. I enjoyed having the lead motorcycle in front of me as I tried to keep pushing. I hit the turn around and it was just the exact same road back for 6 more miles. I felt surprisingly good on the bike considering my lack of training on the bike. I hit "t3" and was off for my 2nd run of 2 miles. It was nice and warm and everything was marked perfectly. I am always a little nervous about smaller races and having the course marked. In the past, I have had a little trouble with that, but this one turned out to marked better than some of the bigger races that I've competed in before. It was basically 1 mile out and back course and I crossed the finish line just over 54 minutes.
No words can describe how it felt to get out there for the first time in a long time. I enjoyed every second of it. I was happy to win the race and meet a few of the locals in the process. I'm looking forward to doing a few more, smaller races this year and keeping it low key. I'm still keeping a close eye on my foot as it still makes me nervous some days, but for the most part it is 100% pain free. Most likely the Music City Triathlon will be my next event. I don't have to travel and it will be my longest triathlon since August of 2011. My cycling will probably be my focus for the next few weeks to make sure I don't get blown out of the water by some of the local guys. A 12 mile bike and a 2 mile run is a little bit easier to fake than a hilly 25 mile bike / 6 mile run.
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