| Two new things at the 8th Annual Top Gun Sprint | | | | because I could not get my camera on fast enough |
| Triathlon | | | | to catch some video of her zippin to the finish line. |
| First, they moved the race down to North Beach | | | | Congratulations to both of you! For full results please |
| instead of by the Fort which I think was a good idea | | | | visit Alta Vista Sports. |
| but not sure why they moved it. We have had a lot | | | | The bike course is great at Ft. DeSoto. It's a closed |
| of rain lately so maybe that part of the park was still | | | | 1-loop course and the wind can be a factor but the |
| flooded. They did say they had to spend a lot of | | | | well-maintained flat roads make up for that. There |
| time sweeping puddles out of the transition area and | | | | was no soft sand on the run course like last year so |
| off the course to get it ready for Saturday morning. | | | | the athletes were on pavement and hard packed |
| Second, the swim was an out and back instead of | | | | sand which was appreciated by many. |
| the usual parallel shore swim. This was a great setup | | | | The post race party was catered by Macaroni Grill. |
| for the spectators because they could watch the | | | | They cook up some good food including BIG pieces |
| wave starts and see the swimmers exit all in the | | | | of Chocolate Cake if you want a HUGE sugar rush! |
| same place. However, for the swimmers, the South | | | | The only thing I would say, and this is not just Top |
| to North current made it difficult to stay on course | | | | Gun, but I wish these races and more of the athletes |
| but that is the challenge of open water swimming. | | | | would Green Up. There is a lot of waste and a lot of |
| As mentioned previously, the weather has been wet | | | | paper and plastic going right into the landfill. From the |
| lately but race day morning was beautiful. You can | | | | race packets to the post race parties there is a lot |
| see some nice sunrise in the video mentioned below. | | | | that we can do together as athletes and directors to |
| The race was fast with a pair of | | | | help limit our waste. |
| "twenty-somethings" taking the overall wins for the | | | | Take a look at what Vineman is doing on their Go |
| guys and gals in under an hour. Matthew Greene | | | | Green Page and then check out A Fit Planet for |
| from Gainesville finished the 1/4 mile swim, 10 mile | | | | more info on helping to green up your local triathlon |
| bike, and 3.1 mile run in 49:39 and Alex Lechner from | | | | events. |
| Clearwater finished in 53:52. I must apologize to Alex | | | | |