Race Result

Racer:	Brad Payne
Race:	Osprey Sprint Triathlon
Date:	Saturday, October 5, 2002
Location:	Public Landing, MD
Race Type:	Triathlon - Sprint
Age Group:	Male 30 - 34
Time:	1:55:56
Overall Place:	293 / 348
Age Group Place:	28 / 33
Comment:	Performed terribly but good enough to catch the bug...

Race Report:

[Written in 2005]

1/2 Mile Swim + T1: 21:02
15.5 Mile Bike: 1:03:43 (14.3 mph)
3.5 Mile Run: 31:06

Drove out the day before, got a hotel, and had to get a pasta dinner at Pizza Hut. I was pretty nervous and had trouble sleeping obsessing that I had forgotten something or that my eight weeks of training had been insufficient. The former was not an issue, but the latter was quite prophetic.

Swim: I can't remember which wave I was in, but what I do know is that a bunch of Naval Academy athletes were in the wave behind me. I think they caught me before the first buoy. The swim seemed to last an eternity, and I expended way too much energy. I came out of the water a little "confused."

T1: With my heart beating over 180 I had trouble figuring out what to do first. I couldn't get my jersey on. Comically, I couldn't figure out which end of my helmet was which. My wife yelled across the transition area that it was on backwards, and I thought to myself, "Silly woman, what do you know?" As I exited T1, a race official stopped me, "Son, your helmet is on backwards." "Yes sir..."

Bike: I pedaled about 100 yards, and then I realized I was toast. My legs were fried, non-responsive, and not in the mood for the rest of the day's required activities. Ouch, newbies should never do their first tri a week after a half marathon.

So I just buckled down and took my beating as best I could. Thankfully the course was flat. I had read that it was normal, acceptable practice for newbies to bring mountain bikes to their first triathlons. However, I was being teased early and often, "Woohoo, mountain bike!" I resisted the urge to ram my pump into their rear wheel. Except for one guy who bonked, almost everyone passed me. Even a pack of overweight women (which started a certain Queen song playing my head).

T2: Thank God

Run: Even though it was getting hotter, I actually felt better running than I did on that awful bike. I even caught several people from the bike leg and stopped surrendering spots. Except one. About 200 yards from the finish line I heard the persistent pitter pat of fresh young legs. A 10 year old who I had passed early in the run was starting her kick. She was also a hometown entry so the crowd was rooting her on, and she pretty much kicked my butt.

I was frustrated with my time, but with hindsight, it was about all I could have hoped for. I had decided late in the season to give the sport a try. Even though I had been running for several months, I had only incorporated biking and swimming in late July/early August. I was pretty much doneonce I exited the water, and racing Leesburg six days earlier just made things worse. However, it didn't discourage me as it kept me motivated in the off-season.

My wife Lisa was also a little upset after the race. The Middies she had talked to after the race kept calling her "Mam."