Tidewater Triathlon Preview

This will be the first year for this race which is held at Buckroe Beach in Hampton, VA and my first and only international distance race of the season. This will also be my first attempt at swimming in salt water, so I'm expecting the unexpected. The swim, bike, and run of this race are all 2 loops which will probably get a little old for me. According to the website the swim will require getting out of the water and running down the beach a little way before getting back in to start the second lap. If the water is colder like the last couple of races I've done then this will make if more difficult for me to get into a rhythm. The bike portion is supposed to be extremely flat so I'm looking for a fast time. I'm also going to be trying out my new aero helmet for the first time so at least I should look fast. The run is almost exclusively on the road and there should be very little shade. Early weather forecasts show that it's going to be hot with a small chance of thunderstorms, but hopefully the earlier 7 am start will get us finished before it gets too bad. The one logistical aspect of this race that I'm curious about is the sprint distance race that they are starting on the same course 30 minutes after the international distance begins. Each of the two races already has about 300 people registered and with each part of the race being two loops there will probably be a lot of congestion.