Timberman - Half Iron - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Myself, Thomas and Dave all started together. This was Thomas's first Half Ironman and I offered the proverbial "Go slow in the swim". So off we went. I got into the groove right away but was fighting allot of kicking feet and elbows. Much more then my first H.I.M.

About halfway out the field opened up and I had the water to myself. However, there started to develop a chop and swell out in the lake. It seemed to match my stroke perfectly so my breathing rhythm with thrown out of whack.

Making the last turn towards shore, people from the last wave caught up to me rapidly but I also saw some swim caps of swimmers of people in the wave ahead which boosted my spirit.

I came out the water and felt I had matched my previous half ironman swim time. I didn't even need to look at my watch. "I have a wetsuit, what's going on!?" , I thought. "I should be faster!". I quickly realized however I felt much better physically then the last swim. The wetsuit allowed me to keep the same swim pace but using far less effort. Using a wetsuit for this purpose will pay off huge dividends when you are on the bike.

Stripped out of the my wetsuit and opened up my Tri-bag full. I pulled out my helmet and strapped it on. Next I found my race belt with bib # and put that on....rip. "Oh no!" I tore the corner of the bib number where it attached to the race belt. It was now tangling by only one corner.

Quickly I assessed how to fix the problem. I folded over the corner that had torn and with my teeth tore a new hole into it, adjacent to the ripped hole. Then I had to take time to slide that corner onto the race belt. Race belt on, I found my riding shoes and got out my dry socks. I slipped each one on followed by its respective cycling shoe.

Gotta visit www.aircrewphotos.com/Timberman.html for this part.

I get into transition and see Dave, the Ironman from Belgium. He's done already and I haven't even finished one foot of the run course yet! I rack my bike and I just. That site of Dave just blows my mind. He's done in about 4:30 mins with the entire course. As I am putting on my running shoes, he's packing to head back to Belguim

I relax for a minute. I'm so glad to be off that bike! I un-strap my helmet and take off my bike shoes. They are so wet and heavy, the socks are just two wet rags. Thank goodness Kelley told me to put another pair of socks in my bag. I take it easy and go through transition in norush. Even if I tried, I wasn't moving anywhere fast.

I thought I would start out extra slow and pick it up in the run. Boy was I spot on. I just didn't realize how slow I was going to run the 1st loop.

Gotta visit www.aircrewphotos.com/Timberman.html for this part.

not enough of port-o-potti's on run course. had twait too much. only one at each. lost at least 5 mins on run cause of waiting in line.