Charlotte Sprint Triathlon
March 22, 2003
by Jim Green

It has been at least 4 years since I have done a "sprint Tri". I don't think Janet has ever done one. We both have thrown ourselves on the altar of the Ironman distances the last couple of years. The primary thought that came to mind after doing the race ( 500 swim, 10 mile ride, 3k run) is that these things are flat fun. The whole race is over in about an hour! I was fourth in the 55-59 AG and Janet was 5th in her last race as a 39 year old. I did find that, as my friend Jon Farber has said to me over and over, T-1 and T-2 are part of racing. I put on a bike jacket after the swim which cost me at least 2 places. Live and learn.
Janet had a good race and probably lost a couple of places on the bike leg with the hills and the criterium type of riders on the course. Anyone who thinks there isn't a lot of drafting in these things is from Mars. All in all we had a lot of "fun". We both agreed we have to do more of these types of races. Now if we can just learn to blow through the transition stages ... without falling down a lot.

Jim Green