by Erin Dunne

I have a great bike, the running club wipes the pavement with me at least once a week and the swim is in my home court pool. HOW CAN I NOT WIN??

I make my list the night before, set the coffee pot to brew load my bike in the car and attempt to go to bed early Then the questions start running through my head Did I forget to pack something? Am I hydrated? Did I train enough? Will my bike pop a tire in the Brookline construction area? Why did I drink those beers last night? How am I going to beat Cindy Gillen this year?

The alarm clock goes off at an hour too early to be mentioned. Coffee, power bar and bagel in hand, I head to the gym. It js a beautiful day. It looks like we're going to squeeze this triathlon in between two very nasty storm fronts

I am in the fourth swim heat. So is Cindy. I don my cool tinted goggles Cindy forgets her goggles on top of her head and swims the first two laps this way. This could be my chance No such luck - she still gets out of the pool a full lap ahead of me. By the time I get to my bike, she is already out on the course. I dry off and change quick: helmet on, shades on, socks on, bike shoes on, running shorts on backwards, running shorts on forwards. Random thought - Maybe I should skip socks? I've never seen a professional triathiete wear socks. How do they do that?

Off I go. 1 see many members of the PRC working the bike course. Huge support and lots of cheers! Most don't recognize me until I am almost on top of them. I'd like to think it is due to my blazing speed, but most likely it is the cool shades and helmet. I never catch Cindy on the bike. My bike gets a little testy in the construction area but fares quite well overall.

Last transition: helmet off, bike shoes off, run shoes on, cool shades stay on.Off I go. My left calf cramps up immediately. I have to walk and stretch for the first 100 yards or so. Other than that, the run is a joy. Those familiar with the area know that there are no straight-aways on the run route. Therefore, I could delude myself that Cindy was "just ahead around the next corner". I deluded really well for the first 2.5 miles at a pretty strong run pace for me. Then I came upon Tom Purcell working the Holy Name rotary I yell, "How far ahead is Cindy?" He replies, "just ahead around the next corner!" Really. I take off like a rocket and STILL never catch her. And that is How I Lost the West Roxbury Triathion. Next year I might put my shorts on correctly the first time and skip the socks. Look out Cindy!

Thanks to Francine and Steve not-related-to-each-other Hughes for an awesome TRI. I never felt so at home at a sporting event.