Back for The Circle Tri and A Reunion

Sprint tris are a little frustrating in that it is hard to compare your results from one to another unless it is the same one again.  Without a standard length swim, bike and run you are comparing apples to oranges.  As a runner I don't compare my 5Ks to a 5 miler to see how I am improving or not.  Terrain is different in any race but when the length changes it's a whole new ball game.  But I don't want to venture onto the Olympic length which is standard for many reasons, the biggest being the length of the swim.  All of the lengths seem long and the sprint suits me. It's a relatively new challenge for me to do tris at all so I'm sticking with sprints and dealing with the different lengths.

This weekend I am going back to one I did last year. Last night I wrote down how I did in each leg and the transitions on my phone so I'll have an idea what time I am trying to improve.  This was the first time I wasn't in the last swim leg and I remember being petrified that men would be swimming after me. I was in about the 3rd of 6 legs.   I survived and there are some comical photos of me running out next to some of these men. I look like I rocked as a swimmer but who knows how much after me they began.  I loved having more people around when I was biking and running.  Three weeks ago in a tri here they did the same thing (men after women) so hopefully this won't freak me out as much again this year.  It also poured and I do mean poured last year. The worst of it was when I was on the bike which was scary.  I am hoping for much better weather but the forecast is iffy. I am going to Wal Mart today to pick up a bin for transition to put my stuff in in case it rains. Last year my stuff was a dirty soggy mess.  I was not prepared at all.  I figure if I don't get ready for rain this time it will pour but if I do all will be well.

My goals for this weekend are to improve of courses. I really want to better my swim and my bike.   I want my first transition to be under 4 which sounds lame but it's a long painful run to the transition and I still kind of suck at this first transition so yes I want to improve but I don't expect a miracle.

Here go some specific goals.
Swim - Between 11 and 12 minutes (400 yards - last year 12:28)
T1 - under 4 ( a long run over sharp stones - last year 4:27)
Bike - Between 49 and 51.  (12 hilly miles - last year 52:19)
T2 - Less than 1:45 ( last year 1:48)
Run - Between 25 and 26. (2.7 miles  - last year 25:19)

Total - Between 1:34 and 1:36. (last year 1:36:21)

And of course as always I expect to have fun which I totally will because I so love triathlons and I meeting college friends in my college town and it will be awesome!  Hope your weekends are shaping up to be outstanding too!