Clemson tri

Clemson Tri copy I said "oh shit" out loud. I struggled to keep right by his side. Then just right behind him.  His strides were long. He seemed strong. After a minute or two going up the gradual hill I could not hold on.  That is how the last mile of my first Clemson triathlon went. I was so close to a "bronze" medal finish. I have to be happy with my result and use it as motivation for the next race. I did my best and was lucky to not have had an accident. So backup to day before the event.  I put contacts in my eyes about midnight. Such a strange feeling. And now I cannot see up close or any small print. But it should allow me to see better on the swim. This is a new thing I am trying. I have always swam without vision correction. Got disposable contacts in November to try out.  I put them in realizing I was not going to bed this night. No sleep before event.  Dumb. Had no motivation today to pack up the truck or to drive down the day before.  I did, however, sleep in real late friday.  Got everything packed up and left about 3:30 in the morning. All the while snacking and drinking, not too much, right. I had a big plate of spaghetti at 10 pm or so.  CatNapped about 10 minutes on way there. Got there at 5 am. Found it luckily but not without some searching. Tried to nap. At 6am the packet pickup started. Got my Tshirt and socks too along with race numbers and chip. Many trips back and forth to truck as I took stuff to the transition area. Lots of walking. The sun came up and lots of people began to arrive.  Feel like I don't want to do this but my previous self signed me up many months ago.  The sky was cloudy and the threat of more rain was likely.  In transition area (TA) I met a couple of cyclists from Taylors I knew. More and more people I know all the time.  Wetsuit or no? They said the lake was 74 degrees which is not real cold.  I eventually decided to wear it fearing I would be cold and also I needed the extra bouancy it offered.  I got in and swam about 3 or 4 minutes. Got my heart going.  I was in Wave 4 (4th group) start with men 50 and over and some other designations.  At about 1 minute before my swim start, I looked at my Polar watch and could barely see but it had stopped displaying and i could see water inside it.  I took it off and hid it under a big rock at far edge of shore. No sense ruining it even more.  I could see better (with contacts), but still had problems sighting. I tried to take it easy. The swim is always my weakness. I feel like a blind drowning rat. Not like swimming in a pool with lanes. Murky, choppy water with distant buoys.  A buoy had broke loose I would later find out. So some of us swam extra I guess. I vaguely remember someone yelling turn right also someone pulling on the buoy.   I got knocked by one guy who struck my bad elbow as my arm was straight. Ouch; had to breast stroke a while to help calm and orient myself then and several other times.  Swam to the beach and was in a big group. Maybe I did ok.  Pulled my arms out of suit as I ran up the hill. Passed other guys. I guess 20 minutes for swim.  Had some problem getting the suit off so maybe 10-30 second error. But did a pretty good T1 time. Guess 2 minutes.  Was able to get feet into shoes as I rode without mishap. The bike leg had bad traffic:  a car  blocking then later a truck pulling a boat. I was Impatient and passed it going across the double yellow lines. A possible penalty.  Was with Randy Mcdougall owner of Carolina triathlon shop so that was cool to be with an acquaintance. I had ridden with him before on shop rides.  I got frustrated with too much bike traffic at about mile 7 and decided to try and breakaway of the congestion. It may have overstressed my heart and legs but I stayed away. I was yelling at riders "on your left" when they should have been to the right. I was mad. It was like a car going slow in the fast lane of a freeway.  So many turns and hills on this short course I wonder if a regular road bike might be better.  Got into the TA and forgot to turn off my bike timer. Oh well. My average speed can be calculated. I'm guessing 35 minutes on the bike.  Had a real good T2 time I felt. Like  1 minute.  The Zoot shoes went on quick and I picked up other stuff and ran.  I ran hard and hoped I could sustain it. My heart rate was high and I risked burn out or cramps. Ran out to main road and bridge over the water with a gradual downhill. Then we turned right into a narrow road. Pickup a cup of water and swig it. Yuk.  The steep hill at about 1.3 miles was agony. I resisted walking it even if my steps were tiny. After the turn around point I began to think if anyone in my age group would catch and pass me. I ran hard as if I knew they would. Hold on. Off road run in rocks and mud grass. Going down the steep hill fast was hard on me.  Well at about 2.2 miles we were back out on the 4 lane road and a guy inched by me and I could see his age on his calf plainly as 50. I said swore out loud.   He was strong and I could not hold on. In fact I was blowing up and had to walk for about 10 seconds. I had to keep running. The road leveled out and I ran. Katie Malone was cheering us all on and I managed to barely blurt out her name as I ran by. She remembered my name and said it which I think gave me a boost.  Only 1/2 mile to go and I think I got to within 20 seconds of the 50 yr old guy when I was again about to bonk out and had to ease up a bit. Turning into the recreation area road and maybe 500 feet to go I gave it everything.  As I crossed the finish line the clock said 1:29:xx and I was thinking that was way too much time for me. What the heck?  And then I sat then laid out on the ground for a minute or two catching my breath.  I congratulated Randy Mcdougall as he finished and we talked about the cars etc. He said it was the craziest Tri he had ever done.  Later I found the guy that I tried so hard to keep up with. Franky Valley or maybe Valle. From the pee dee area of SC (Hartsville  near Darlington and Florence). We chatted a while. I had hoped he came in second in age group so I could be 3rd but he thought maybe he was 3rd. I had not looked at the results yet.  Later at the awards it was Franky up there on the podium in 3rd. So like last year at Tri the Midlands I was so very close to a podium finish. So close. That is what can motivate a person to work harder so that next time he can finish on the podium.  How can I improve?  I am competitive and experienced. No magic bullet. Equipment, training, rest, nutrition, technique are all factors.  So I did pretty good for no sleep and a not so good taper in the days prior. I'm 3rd and 4th in the last 3 sprint and Olympic distance races.  I realized later the clock started for the first wave about 15 minutes earlier. So about 1hr 15 minutes was my time. I have not viewed the splits like I normally do. I didnt see them at the event or online. I will later. I already know the swim is weak, bike good and run usually ok to good. Transitions are pretty good. The overall time I is 1:14:xx  Went back to the lake to get my watch from under the rock and when I reached under it something like a bird screamed or chirped and I yanked my hand out. I pulled back the rock but couldn't see anything. I would later that night take the watch apart and dry it out. I hope it may be salvaged.