Polar Bear Tri recap

I was laying in bed that morning around 3:00AM and woke briefly to hear it pouring on the farmers porch outside of the bedroom window.. I said to myself before falling asleep for another couple of hours, "Great, another wet one like last year.."

When Crystal and I rolled out of bed around 5:00 to start getting ready, the rain had stopped. It was 50 and cloudy, but no rain..

On the way up, Crystal and I did not talk much. This was only her second tri. It would rain for a bit and then stop. She was checking the weather on her iPhone. It said rain.. As we got closer to Brunswick, the sky started to clear. While setting up transition, (which seemed extremely tight this year) the sun started poking through. You could almost see everyones spirits pick up.. By the time Wil starting talking, the sun was out... This was a good thing!!

Crystal and I were in the same swim wave..wave 7. Right before our turn to swim, Reggie and Danny showed up with Nolan to watch the race.. It was great.. Crystal and I got into the same lane. That was pretty cool.. Crystal works with a lady named Donna. Her husband Rick entered this year. This was his first Tri. He was in the lane next to us.

At the horn, I got out a bit in front of her because I do not like someone swimming right next to me. I can be a bit of lane hog. I stayed about a 1/2 lap ahead of her. I was out of the pool in 10:45. That is a PR for me..

T1 went slow. I had to pull shorts over my new fancy tri shorts I got. Those tri shorts are just a bit to revealing for me... As I was leaving T1, Crystal was coming in from the pool. She looked great..

Off on the bike I went. My speedometer was not working. Just like last year, I hit the sensor while setting up transition (or someone did) and was fliing blind.. I felt good though. I kept my cadence up. About 6 miles in, a group of 4 girls went by me on a hill. At that point, I said, hey it's race day, let's kick it up a bit. I ended up catching them and passing a couple. I stayed with the other 2 until the end of the bike.. I saw Katy with about a mile to go. That was cool. She drove up to see me and Crystal.. Ending up doing the bike in 39. Last year I was 46. Another PR for this course for me. (Last year I cramped up on the bike)

T2 was fast. I wear my running shoes on the bike so just a quick stop. Off I went on the run. The first 500 yards was tough. Calfs were cramping.. They loosened up and I settled into a good pace. When I hit the woods though, (2 miles in the woods), I started to struggle. Not sure what is was. Ground too soft, too many roots or whatever, it was not a good run for me. You have to do 2 loops in the woods. On the second loop, I saw Crystal just starting her first loop in the woods. I yelled out to her.. "Go Crystal!" She heard me.. I then said, I should try to catch her. She was about 400 yards a head of me. I did, but it killed me... I gave her a slap on the ass when I went by her.. I am sure she loved that :)

I then emerged from the woods and onto the sports field. From here there is 200 - 300 yards to the finish. As I came onto the field, I saw Nolan. He came out onto the field and ran the last 200 yards with me. It was great!. I finished the run in 25 or so. Normally I would be disappointed with 25 for 3K, but today, the sun was out, Cystal was racing with me and Nolan went over the finish line with me. The 2009 Polar Bear was a great event this year for me. I cannot remeber ever having such a good time at any other event..