The race was a reverse triathlon, so it started with the run. This was fun for me because the run is my weakest event by far, so normally the run is filled with people passing me. In this race, I was able to get behind early, and then have fun passing people on the bike and the swim. The reason that the event worked well in reverse was how they did the pool swim. As you finished the bike, you would enter the pool in on lane, swim down to the end and then cross over to come back down the next lane. With the swim at the end, people were all spread out naturally from going different speeds in the first two disciplines. As opposed to a similar approach of time trial starts with a pool swim at the beginning, which can take hours. I did that once this year, too, so you’ll get that story soon.
Anyway, I completed the two mile run in just over 16 minutes, so most people were ahead of me getting on the bike. I passed some of them on the 15 mile bike and more in the 200 yard swim, such that I finished in about the middle of all participants (65th out of 139) and about the middle of the pack for Clydesdale (9th out of 20). Everybody came to watch, and there was a park right there for the kids to play on while they waited for that few minutes where I was actually visible during transition.
I would love to do this race again if it ever works out that I'm visiting Alabama on the right weekend.
The kids enjoying the playground right next to the transition area while I enjoy the race.
Dad keeping my splits with the timer on my phone while the kids push all the buttons in his truck.
Re-racking my bike to head to the swim. 
A look at the lanes as I complete a lap and I'm just about to turn around. 
Coming down the last lap. 
Close up right before a turn. The water was too shallow and crowded for flip turns and I'm not very good at them.
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