TOUGH! Around 6ft swells. Good swimmers were getting out and saying it was a tough one, so for a novice like me, it was brutal. Was surprised to find my time was pretty much average for me, I thought I would have been 10 mins slower under those conditions. I guess I have been practicing plenty of open water swims and sighting really well, so that helped me maintain some composure and trust in my training.

Start further forward as I had practiced my running start especially and then had 100 people in front of me walking in slowly.

300 yard run through the sand means even the pros were taking 3 mins. The swim made me feel that i'd been on the wrong side of Jack Bauer, and I don't think I could have told you my name in T1. Managed to get my wetsuit off with help of the strippers, slap some sun cream on, double check i had all my nutrition, and clip clop to the bike out.

No flying starts for this amateur, but I did get past 5 others at the mount line by simply having the bike in the right gear to start on the uphill route. Got out of town and it was beautiful farmland scenery and nice conditions all round. A bit bumpy here and there, and my Chicago-born biking legs couldn't sustain the 19mph I wanted for more than 30 miles of rolling Wisconsin hills. I was willing to slow a little and lose 10 mins here so that I didn't blow up and spend all day on the run. Needed to pee for about 45 of the 56 miles. Spent more time in aero position than i thought i would - my back and hip muscles had not got enough practice on Chicago paths for that. Lots of room for improvement.

Pros can shave a minute off here. I clip-clopped in my non-tri shoes through to the furthest point possible in the bike racking (luck of the draw?). Hat, Belt, lucky Zoot shoes, and i'm off.

My ace card, and yet I felt like I was hardly moving. Used the first porta-loo I could find (phew!) and got sun-creamed up by some volunteers. Tried to maintain even pace around 7:30/mile, and almost succeeded. I know I can get faster here, perhaps even without peeing myself and getting sunburn.

Walked around. Foam roller, stretched. Plenty of food and water.


Lack of time and intensity on bike. Novice swimmer.


An amazingly fun debut at this distance! Proved to myself that I am a middle of the pack swimmer and kinda average triathlete now, I guess? Realised that I need lots more work on my bike power. Also got over my latest gear-tech-jealousy feelings by showing that you don't need expensive stuff to compete and enjoy the day; my $10 stopwatch and knowing my body is greater than a $400 garmin and not knowing how to use it; there were many aero-helmets that cost more than my bike frame, let alone wheels and frames that are about the annual income of a poor (and not even that talented) musician, yet none of that stopped me really enjoying my ride. At 3 miles into the run I said to myself that I have no urge to enter a full ironman-distance event for the rest of my 30s; I'll re-address this in my mid-life crisis. Lastly, apparently I had a smile all the way around the run course, and it is still lingering now

THANKS - to my Missus, Mum, Dad, Sis, Adam and Rose, Steve at Comrade Cycles, whomever makes the yummy stuffs at Clif Bar, the race volunteers, the complete strangers who yelled out the names off my bib/shirt, and everyone else with your messages of support and encouragement.