This isn't going to be your typical race report.  No split times, etc. If you are interested in such things, check here.  These are just some insights and reflections from this year's race, many tongue-in-cheek.

Swim course the day before

1. Choose a scenic course. If you have a bad race day, at least you are outside in a beautiful place, and that's always a win.   This race was in Grass Lake, Michigan, near the Waterloo Recreation Area.

2. Race volunteers are awesome. I need to do more of that.

3. Even though pre-race fueling is important and a great excuse to indulge a little, it's possible to overdo it. Next time I need to eat more lightly. A too-full belly does not make for good sleep.

4. All-women's races have a reputation for being friendly, but it's still possible to get a solid kick to the gut during the swim.

5. It is impossible to hold my gut in for an entire race, but my unflattering skin-tight pink trisuit was still the best thing to wear for this race. It's not a beauty contest.  Most years I add a tank top for the bike and run, but I forgot it and it was nice not to have to deal with it flapping.

6. Train more for the bike. Always.  I did more bike training this year than usual, but I still wish I had done more. I was too tired to have much left from the run.

7. You can have a rocking body and be a kick-butt triathlete at any age. We all had our age (as of December) written on our calf.  I got passed by some hot 50- and 60-somethings. A corallary: Looks might give a hint of your athletic abilities, but they don't tell the whole story. I got passed by a woman much larger than me on the bike, and I could not catch her until well into the run. I know I passed several women thinner than me during the swim and bike (though they probably all caught me during the run).

Best Medal Ever

8. Keep moving forward. It's okay to walk the uphills/downhills/aid stations if that's what gets you through the race. This year I didn't worry as much about my time and just tried to enjoy myself.  

9. Help comes from unexpected places. I was flagging during the run and a 52-year-old I kept passing and then getting passed by came up behind me and said, "C'mon, Pink." She kept pushing me through the finish. I'm not a hugger, but I hugged her after the race.

10. Bring a designated drill sergeant, especially if you are traveling with a friend. I wasn't assertive enough about leaving early, and my friend and I were almost closed out of the race.  My husband, who always insists on getting there early, would have had us there half an hour early.  It all worked out, but I wouldn't want to go through that again. Letting someone else have the stress of pushing everyone out the door is a big load off my mind when I'm stressing about the race.