What about using Crisco?

Langley Pond International Triathlon. April 23, 2011. Near Aiken, SC

I had been thinking about participating in the Langley tri for a while but never committed to it. On Wednesday before I left for work in Clinton I frantically put together my bike. The crankset had been taken off a few months ago. The tires were nearly flat.
After work got out Friday morning I checked the forecast for Aiken. It looked like any storms should pass in the night. I expected a cold swim.

After a few hours sleep I decided to drive south. I went to the bypass around Greenwood (never been there) and followed some directions a lady at work gave me (turn left at Bojangles/CVS, etc). I came to a most interesting town of Edgefield. It had old huge plantation style homes and big turkey statues all over downtown, each decorated differently. I wondered why they had done that?! The national wild turkey center south of town explained that.

Got to the site around 5:30 after getting a little lost. I registered and went to the Go Tri Sports booth. The salesman told their wetsuits were marked way down and I bought one. But not after about an hour of putting/getting it on and convincing myself it would work. It was size SMT by Blueseventy model FUSION. I guess it was small mens tall. Yea a really skinny guy. It took so much effort to keep squeezing myself into it. It was the only size they had that might fit me and I wanted a full suit for the 70 degree water. I had planned to wear just tri shorts but chickened out.
Had to buy a new thing of Body Glide ($10!!) cause I couldn't find the one I brought.

So it is near sundown and most everyone had left the park or was leaving. I decided to try out the suit in the pond. I got in and went only a short distance to be safer. Swam in small circles and went over to docks for about 10 minutes. Got out and needed to use the bathroom. But wait I was trapped in this wetsuit.

There were some RVs and a popup VW van that were in the park overnight so I was lucky I could just stay put. Didn't have to go search for a spot to park. After changing and preparing and eating it was 9 or 10 pm. I was compelled to organize my mess somewhat so I did that.I could see Katie Malone's (tri coaching service) RV lights still on late. I got in the back and was laying down about 10:45 pm.

Woke up at 2am from noise another camper made. Put on more clothes and shut my side windows. Went back to sleep.

Got awake at 6:10 or so. The Setup Events PA music started at about 6:20. Van Morrison started things off. There was Beatles (good morning), cat Stevens, greatful dead, instrumental and more. Pretty mellow music to start.

I ate a Powerbar for breakfast. Went to tje portapotty before the lines formed. Then i took my bike and other stuff over tp the transition area.

So with about a half hour before the start I began putting on the wetsuit. I used the BodyGlide all over my entire body except my face! I struggled to put it on and thought about how long it would take to get it off. I walked over to the beach where all the participants had gathered. Group prayer and then national anthem. The first wave was off at 8 am. I think we in the second wave waited until 8:03 am.

Out of water in about 33 minutes which was about 5 minutes ahead of my prediction. I was surprised because I had swum badly. The suit must have really helped me. I had such a hard time seeing where

On bike. Pass so many others ( but the Sprint field was out on the same course) that I lost count. I do pretty well on my non TT bike. Wonder if I had a tri/TT bike with deep aero wheels what I could do.

Start run

Finish line and it showed 2:40 something. I realize i need to subtract 3 minutes for delayed wave start. So I was done in under 2:38. Real happy.

Ate. During awards. Leave 12:15 head north

Got home 3 pm pick up kristen