Musselman was a huge success for the NiceTri gang! The race organization was once again excellent, the weather was perfect, and the course was awesome!
Once the swim was underway, we enjoyed the bath-water-like temperatures of the canal. Thanks to my trusty "Scuba Steve" mask, I couldn't smell what the canal was teeming with - and that's probably just as well.
The bike course was super fast and well-marked. There was however, a close call on the way back to the pits in the two-way traffic section. A spectator was jogging alongside his girlfriend and shouting encouragement to her in MY lane when I managed to get his attention. YIKES! That could've been ugly!
After a near-max effort on the bike, my legs were pumped up and stiff on the run. The screaming spectators managed to keep me going faster than I thought possible, and I finished happy with my overall result.
Several other teammates had a rough day. One member of the gang had numerous flat tires (one before the event and several during), but still managed to finish! Holy persistence and great effort! Another athlete participated in a triathlon for the first time, and seemed to really enjoy herself!
The Half Iron course on Sunday was a worthy opponent for even the most fit athletes. The temperature was in the mid 80's with very light winds. Staying well-hydrated was a challenge and just finishing is worthy of a trophy. One of our athletes finished the Half Iron course with broken ribs, another with a taped-up foot, and another with a late night at work the night prior that surely made the course more grueling. We can certainly attest that our gang isn't afraid of a little adversity and pain. In fact, a common saying from the group encourages us to learn to "become comfortable with being uncomfortable". How true!
Finally, thanks to the folks that rented wheels and wetsuits from NiceTri! It was a pleasure to serve you and help you improve your performance on race day. Thank you for teaming up with us!
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