It took me a while to get into my groove. I had to turn around on my back a couple times to catch my breath, but I soon got in the swing of things. I had told Gary that I'd be done in 15 minutes, "twenty MAX," so when I pulled out of the water at 15-something, I was very happy.

I had been worrying about freezing for the weeks leading up to the race, but I was very, very pleased with the temps. The water just felt fabulous.

Get faster. I know these races are won and lost on the bike and the run, but I would have been much higher in the rankings if I were faster on the swim. Period.

The racing company seems to have combined T1 times into bike times. This is puzzling considering they have T2 times listed. So, I've taken my bike time from my HRM and deducted that time from their time.

I had left my water bottle at home. Gary was scurrying about trying to find the bike shop's tent to see if they were selling bottles, but he couldn't find them. Sometimes the most obvious things are directly in front of you. The bike shop's tent was just behind him - in front of my TA spot. So, needless to say, I had no water at all during the bike. I had seen the tent - and the water bottles - but I couldn't find Gary to tell him about them, and I didn't have time to do it myself.

I didn't have a race belt (long story) so I had to pin the race number to that souvenir T-shirt that comes in your packet and wear it during the bike and run. This confused my family because they kept looking for me in my white and black top.

Watch more movies about superheros with speed so that it'll somehow rub-off on me.

Oh, and, buy a fricken race belt you cheap jerk!!

I was very parched on the bike, so I didn't push as hard as I would have liked in places. Still, I passed many more people than passed me, though. I passed several girls that were on mountain/dept. store bikes, just like I had last year, and - though I don't know them - I was proud of them.

I told Gary it would take me between 45-50 minutes on the bike. I'm glad I came out on the better end of that goal.

I was able to add 4 mph to my bike time since last year, but I still need more time in the saddle.

As I was running out of the TA, I had forgotten to yank my laces so I had to stop and do that.

Not much, really.

I was really hoping for a sub 20:00 on the run, so I don't know what happened. It was probably not being well hydrated going into the run that helped do me in. I'm certainly not saying that was the cause, though, but it didn't help.

Spend more time running.

I stretched a little, hung out with my mom, sister and husband, ate a blueberry bagel and some granola.


My race number last year was 1 and I got to be number 1 this year, too. There were pretty-much double the entrants from last year.

Last year I came in 40/42 in my AG and 207/217 overall. My overall time was 1:57. This year I came in 28/61 in my AG and 166/396 overall. My overall time was 1:25. So, I was able to cut my entire race time down by 25%!!!!!! This was easily my best race to date and I had a blast trying to beat last year's times. While I still want to podium someday - and soon - I'm just so pleased with my performance. I have been thinking about this day's end since I crossed the finish line last year. It was a day that did not disappoint.