Although all the banners lining the bike and run course said "Hualien Cop International Triathlon" I can tell you that this race was not a fundraiser for policemen in Taiwan.
This is my favorite race in Taiwan. It is amazingly beautiful, set right on Li Yu Lake. You can check out my ex's blog (much better photos of the area) at millermemoires.com.
The swim begins at 12:30pm. That's right, I woke up at 9am for this race. It's a lot cooler in the mountains so high temperatures are usually not an issue.
The swim went well. The water was the coldest i've experienced in Taiwan, which isn't really that cold, probably 19-20C. It was an out and back swim, which I prefer. Pros and women launched first.
Strava Link Here Swim time: 29:16
The bike was beautiful as always. The two-lap down and up bike course is one of my favorites. It's pretty hilly, but it's also draft legal which speeds things up.
Strava Link Here Bike time (45km) 1:20:18
I felt good on the run. This is where I usually fail to keep pace but I felt strong and nobody passed me. The run is an out and back around the lake. BEAUTIFUL place to run.
Strava Link Here Run time: 46:06
I ended up 4th in Age Group with a time of 2:35:41 and beating last years time by about 11 minutes. (2:46:24)
I would recommend this race to anyone. The bike course is challenging but overall a fast course. The scenery alone is worth a visit. The only negative thing about this race was it was on the same day as Challenge Taiwan, which was held one country south in Taitung County.
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