Pascask tri report

Well, it's been a while since the Mooseman but there's no going back only forward (though you haven't seen me with a kickboard...I swear I go backwards. Matt, I feel your pain.)

We just got back from the first annual Pascack sprint tri and I must say it was a very pleasant experience all around. It was only about a 40 minute drive from NYC which meant we would not have to get up at 3am. BONUS! The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

It was small, I'd say about 200 participants but very laid back and supportive. The main base was the Stonybrook Swim Club in Hillsdale, NJ. It was really nice, with five (yes) five outdoor pools: an olympic size where most of the waves were held WITH a water slide, a 25 m pool (wave 1 insisted they swim there away from the plebes), 2 big kiddie pools , and an infinity pool. If you live around the area the Swim club is worth checking out,  though I don't know if they'd be open through the winter. The water was divine today. I'd say 76-78 degrees (no Newfoundland Lake flashbacks here!)

Our transition area was right next to the pool on the grass (nice on the bare feet but poor groundskeeper!)

We didn't have timing chips so I took it upon myself and my handy IRONMAN timex (everyone should have one of these) to keep track of our legs.

Our unofficial times were:

me- swim: 8:20 (personal best w 1/2 breast stroke...will i ever be able to do this w just Crawl?)

Dave- bike: 34:24 (on his fixie!)

Alexa- run: 33:15

To give us a total time of 1:16:02 ---   GO TEAM!!!! You're awesome.  Lidia, we missed you much but Dave did us proud!

We didn't have transition times because they said as soon as you see your teammate enter the transition area you can do your leg. So it was very laid back which made it very relaxed and fun.

This was the first chance I've had to observe other swimmers race in such proximity (other than the recent Olympics and of course that's not the same thing.) I was in one of the last waves (17), they had about 20 waves so I got to see almost everybody. It was cool. There were all sorts of levels. Some people did breast stroke, side stroke, backstroke, some people even walked a bit ... like the guy who came in IN FRONT OF ME (sigh) It was nice and inspirational. There was even a little kid (who did all three events.) He couldn't have been more than 12 years old. WOW. 

 300m is not long at all for a swim but I always feel ready to *really* go at it AFTER I finish that distance.  Anybody feel the same? Perseverance, I know.

So if they hold this race again, I certainly recommend it to anyone, specially a beginning Triathlete, the relaxed atmosphere made it a great experience. The only thing that could have made this better would have been to integrate the Water Slide somehow. I'll have to see if they are open to suggestions.