Not Again!!!

Well I was the favorite for the first time this weekend at the Young Life Triathlon in Detroit Lakes. I have hoped to win a few other times only to have a big namer show up and/or get turned the wrong way not to mention the crash at Square Lake last year. Which was probably my best other chance to win I've had so far.
The day started out perfect as I had plenty of time to set up and warm up. Even though I didn't sleep well the night before ( I rarely do) I felt pretty good but still nervous. I saw Brett Sinn, the guy Jerry had pegged to give me the most trouble. We got to chatting and had a few laughs to loosen up the atmosphere. Brett, like every other triathlete I have met is super nice. He is no joke and can put together a good race so I knew that it would not be easy.
As planned I got off to a good start with a solid swim that seemed to be a few hundred meters too long. There were also far too few buoys to mark the course especially on the way back. I came out of the water in fifth but including the woman who started in a later wave was 8th overall on the swim. My transition was good and I got off to a good start and soon had the leader in sight. I went around turn and came up to an intersection where a car was coming from my right and another was coming at me and about to make a left infront of me. I got on my brakes in case they pulled in front of me and as I went through the intersection noticed the orange paint on the side of the road. I had a pretty good idea I missed a turn but there was no one at the intersection so I kept going. Soon after I came up on another volunteer and I knew I had missed the turn and cut off the peninsula. I thought "oh my god, not again." I turned around and hammered it like I have never hammered it before. I came up on the turn that I had missed and a volunteer was there this time. He had been sitting in a chair and couldn't see me because he was behind the car that was coming from my right. I knew at this point I had to play catch up and started picking people off. The second lap was a bit scary as I was passing a lot of the sprint course people. On a tight stretch next to a busy highway there was a girl who was taking up the whole shoulder. I yelled on your right and she did exactly what I was hoping she wouldn't do. Just like at Square Lake she moved to her left. I hit the brakes. She heard me and moved back to the right. She said " you said left." I frustratedly told her "on your left and stay to your right." I may have come off like an asshole but I am riding a very expensive bike and get frustrated with newbies that don't understand basic riding edict. I caught up to Brett at about mile 16. Brett's strength is definitely his running so I had been hoping to make up time on the swim and bike. So much for that. I did manage to open about a minute gap on him before the end of the bike and was a little over 30 seconds ahead of Jim Graif who had a great swim and bike but couldn't put it together on the run. I don't know how I found the speed but I ran the fastest 10k I have ever run at 36:52 at 5:56 mile splits. After the turn around I met Brett about a minute in coming the other way and thought I had a chance. I kept looking over my shoulder but Brett never came. Brett fortunately didn't have his best race and couldn't put it together on the run. As I was coming up to the finish line my ever supportive mother was cheering and yelling "you're going to win!, you're going to win!" I was so relieved when I crossed the finish line knowing that I had finally done what I've dreamed about for the past few years. Win a competitive race. Granted this wasn't Lifetime or Waconia but still a descent race. I was even more satisfied being that I had to overcome an additional 1.2 miles on the bike to do it. I waited for Brett to come in and congratulate him.
Christina Roberts was the female winner who also swims at the Edina LA Fitness. She is a serious up and comer and will be a force once she gets a new bike and learns how to truly train for triathlons. Christina pulled off a minor upset beating Christel Kippenhan for the woman's overall win.
When it was all said and done even with the long swim and the wrong turn I set a personal record for both the Olympic distance and 10k. I also managed to set a course record by over six minutes. I would have to say it was the best race I have had so far.
Thanks again to my mother. She was great and as always very supportive. It just isn't the same when no one is there to cheer you on. Next week is the Baxter Tri and I am looking forward to having Kelly, my mother and grandmother there to support me. My grandmother is in her nineties but might as well be in her seventies. This will be the first time for her seeing me race and I hope I can come away with another great performance.