Splash and Dash

Yesterday was July's installment of the Pure Austin Splash and Dash. I love this little event. It's super cheap ($11.20 after tax), competitive (some of Austin's best show up), and short (the whole thing lasts about an hour. Plus there is free food and drinks afterward.

I did all right yesterday: 750 m swim time was about 13:18. I've been trying to break 13' since I started these last year. Getting closer, which is good news. I felt really strong at the beginning then all of a sudden my strength left me and I felt completely dead in the water. About halfway through, my strength returned and I finished strong. Unfortunately, I ate WAY too much during the day and felt really full on the swim, burping a lot. Gross!

Transition was long because I am still nursing blisters on my left foot. I had to stop, sit, dry my foot, apply moleskin, put on socks and tie shoes. I'm slowly working back to the foot configuration that destroyed my feet (racing flats with no socks and speed laces).

Right away on the run, my full stomach made it clear that it was running the show. I could feel lunch just sitting there, threatening to come up. It was really annoying. I tried to ignore it and pushed thought. I gave it my best, tried to relax and ignore the usual side stitches I get during this run. Three laps done and I finished the run in 13:53. Not particularly good, but everyone was a bit slower than the early year races.

Swim 13:18 (1:46/100m)
Transition 1:21
Run 13:53 (6:56/mile)

Final time 28:32

One complaint I do have. Self seeding on the swim. These people don't get it. When Dan from High Five says "If you don't know if you can swim 750m in under 12', you can't.", he means it. Why then do guys think the need to start right behind the fast pack if they can't even make it to the first buoy without breast stroking? It is maddening. Are their ego's that big that they cannot fathom waiting 5-10 seconds after the horn so they are with the other breast stroking, low endurance swimmers? Come on guys, get over yourselves.

Lessons Learned

1. Start swim on the outside and in the front. Sprint to that fist buoy to avoid the knuckleheads who think they've go something to prove by starting in the front and crapping out in 75m.
2. Don't eat so much on "race day". Treat the meals a couple hours before Splash and Dash like a normal race.
3. Learn how to avoid side stitches. Not really a lesson learned but something to think about.