I just got back from racing Ontario Provincial Championships. Yes, that's in Canada my friends.

I wasn't expecting to get top 3. I was racing some new competition that I haven't seen on the circuit before. These guys are BEASTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were beating my closest competition by about 10 places!

So going in to the race I was looking to do my best, set a fast pace and have a fun day.

My swim was...OK it was a pool swim. I absolutely hate pool swims. But the only other alternative was Lake Ontario, where we might emerged with three eyes and Floyd Landis for a leg!

I have pockets on my team trisuit, which needs replaced, this slows me down alot. Next year....ORCA FUL PIECE....with my name on the but!

Anyways, the swim was ok, I placed where I though I would, with only a few suprises.

After getting out after the mount line, I hear my dad scream "You've got a flat!" I thought, well, he just got eye surgery, I bet he is seeing things, but I'll check incase. Sure enough, my front tire was flat.

I stopped, threw my bike down and had a slight, but controlled fit. I was disapointed to train hard, and drive three hours, stay in a hotel, to get a flat, I think you guys can relate.

Just my luck! It was total "Tour De France" style, I've always wanted to do it. I threw of my precious cosmic wheel and thrusted it at my father, while a teamates father ran for a shimano wheel. We quickly slapped it on and I sprinted like hell to get out of there.

As you can imagine, I WAS PISSED!!!!!!

I have never sprinted so hard, in a race, but becuase I sprinted so hard in the bike, I had nothing left for the run, and coudn't pick off as many people as I would have liked.

I am just glad I had a great bike, except for the...minor set-backs, if you will. I don't know what I averaged, because the stats were wrong, I flated after the timing mats. But I know it was faster than anything before.

I am just happy that I pulled through and did well, in the end, passing more than 8 people and making up at least 3 minutes.

Oh, and for the tire? A tiny piece of glass which punctured all the way through....from my warm up ride.

Well, that will teach you to do something foolish like warm up :D

Sorry to hear about the flat; never had one in a race, but when I get them on training rides (both days last weekend) it's usually a small piece of glass just like you had.

So you placed top 3 overall? Congratulations!

Sadly, I came 14th overall, I was racing the fastest kids in my province....

Good race. It is a bummer to start the bike leg with a tire change. Having to only change the wheel saved you alot of time.

Of course it did...I would have dropped out of the race if i couldn't get a wheel, in my age group, if you get a flat, you are basically screwed because you obviously don't have time to change a tube.

Coincidentally, about 3 years ago, when my sister did tris about 3 years ago, she got a flat at the exact same tri...but was stupid enough to ride on the rim...

And an update...I recently replaced my old 25c....thats right 25c continentals with some nice new 23c cadence gumball slicks!

They really grip!

I agree...your sprint distance race is toast w/a tube change.

The story about your sister is funny...unless she was riding a pimp carbon rim...then it sounds painful.

Congrats on the province race, tough to get a flat like that.

We actually had our state champs(I didn't know there was such a thing) this past weekend which went well for me, your race makes me feel lucky though.