I’ve been thinking about doing this race since I first got into triathlon, mainly because it’s only about a 40-minute drive from my place. But the ocean swim always held me back. I had seen videos of previous swim starts, and the waves looked intense, which made me hesitant to sign up.

In past years, the swim course was sometimes moved into the harbor due to ocean conditions. When I heard it would be permanently held in the harbor, I finally decided to sign up last year.

The race was on Saturday, and I arrived on Friday to check in and avoid taking extra PTO on Thursday for the race. I had planned to do a test swim, but after walking back and forth between the car, check-in, and bike drop-off, I was pretty tired. Once my hotel told me my room was ready, I decided to skip the swim and just rest.

Hotel

My hotel was about a mile from the start line, which it’s not too bad. There was also a morning shuttle nearby. The hotel itself was fine, but my room was right above a pub, and the music was loud until midnight. I was worried about sleep, but luckily things quieted down after 10 p.m.

Water Temperature & Open Water Swim

This is always my biggest concern for any race. In previous years, the water has been as cold as 57°F, so I started checking temperatures about two weeks out. Fortunately, the weather warmed up the week before, and the temperature increased. The day before showed 68°F, and race day was officially 63.5°F—much better than I expected.

Race Day

I woke up at 4:11 a.m. and left the hotel at 5:05. I waited about 20 minutes for the shuttle, but there weren’t many running and a lot of people chose to walk instead. In hindsight, I probably could have left at 5:30 and walked straight to transition.

Swim – 36:20

In recent open water practices, I noticed my pace improving, but I wasn’t sure if it would translate to race day. I still lined up in the 40–43 minute wave. Usually, I panic at the start and have to stop a few times, but not this time. I started easy, found my rhythm, and swam continuously without stopping—and no cramps. This was my first sub-40 swim, which felt great.

T1 – 5:41

It was a long run from the swim exit to the bike, even at a jog. The wetsuit strippers were super helpful.

Bike – 2:55:19

I had heard there were 2–3 major climbs, including one called “Hell Hill” with a 12% grade. My plan was to start conservatively and push after that climb. I train on hills regularly, so I’m usually comfortable with them, but Hell Hill definitely lived up to its name—especially since my 32 gear wasn’t working properly (53/36 with 11–32). I’m glad I didn’t have to walk!

I finished about 15 minutes slower than my goal, but still under 3 hours on a course with around 3,200 feet of elevation gain, which I’m okay with compared to similar races.

T2 – 3:53

This transition went smoothly.

Run – 1:47:13

It was already sunny by the time I started the run. The course wasn’t too bad—some short climbs, but nothing overwhelming. I had a few moments where I felt cramps coming on, but I managed to keep them under control. I was able to push the pace toward the finish.

Overall – 5:28:23

I really enjoyed the race, especially the strong spectator support. The biggest concern for me remains the water temperature, since this year was actually warmer than usual. The hills weren’t as bad as I expected, aside from Hell Hill, but I will definitely try to improve my bike more. 

I’d consider doing this race again—but I’d definitely think twice before signing up.