5430 :(

So the 5430 race was, in one word, HORRIBLE! The worst part is that I had a bad race not because of my own fitness level and capabilities, but because of my goggles filling up with water and an idiot on the bike.

So here is what happened:

First of all my goggles filled up with water as soon as I started the swim. My swim ended up being 10 minutes slower than I could have swam because I had to stop 10 times to let the water out and re adjust my goggles.

THEN...

As I was completing my first loop of the bike course and approaching the intersection of Jay Rd and 51st a man came up from behind me to pass me on my left. There were volunteers yelling at us to go straight for our second loop, but obviously he did not hear them. Instead, as soon as he passed me he took a sharp right turn about two inches in front of me causing me to crash into him head on at about 22 mph. I went flying over my handlebars, skidding across the road on the left side of my body landing in the middle of the road unable to move. The man swerved and kept going straight to begin the second lap of the bike course and never stopped to see if I was ok. He was obviously confused about the course and thought we were all turning right at that intersection. Luckily, the firemen from the fire department located on that corner were there and they picked my bike and me up off of the road and out of traffic. It was very scary, as cars were driving toward me as I was sprawled out in the middle of the road and I am surprised no athletes behind me crashed into me as well. After the crash I could barely walk and I was unable to continue the race. The firemen bandaged me up and drove me and my bike back to the transition area where I proceeded to the medical tent for further attention.

Well.. at least I got to ride in a fire truck! Gosh, I was so disappointed. My bike is a little scratched up and I feel like I got run over by a truck today. After the race many athletes suggested I write the race directer an e-mail and tell him what happened and ask for a refund. Last night I did that, and I also gave him suggestions as to how he could make the race safer and better in the future.

In my opinion, the part of the race where I crashed was very dangerous. I think it would be better if they lined cones up in the middle of the lane, one side for people turning right that are done with their second lap, and one side on the left for people continuing straight and onto their second lap. I think this would solve some confusion that happened out there. I also think there were a lot of issues with how the waves were designed. I don't believe it is safe to start the slowest, oldest age groups first, and the fastest age groups last, as they seemed to be scheduled at the race. It would be a lot safer if the faster athletes, beginning with the men, started first and the slower athletes and women behind them. This would allow for a lot less passing and less potential accidents and injuries. I think safety is much more important than setting up the waves so that everyone is finished before a desired time. The whole time I was on the bike the men behind me would blow by me at very fast speeds, on the left AND on the RIGHT without warning. No matter what the USAT rules, we all know that rules were made to be broken and realistically many, many athletes do not follow them out there on the course and USAT officials cant be everywhere on the course at one time.

I am happy though that I decided to buy a charity spot for the Steamboat Springs triathlon in two weeks. It is a shorter race, which is fine, and it will give me a chance to redeem myself since I feel like crap for not finishing the last race. I have never DNF'd before and it wasn't even my fault.