Gulf Coast Triathlon - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Water was very choppy and I got rocked like everyone but put in a solid swim comparatively. I sighted well.

I stood up too early x2 and couldn't run back in due to the undercurrent. Next time I must swim as far as I can to the sand. Need more practice swimming in the ocean and with following feet.

Wetsuit off was a bit of a cockup. Couldn't find the zipper strap for a few steps. Left socks off due to wet feet. May have taxed myself alot on swim although wasn't intending to.

Practice pulling wetsuit off quickly while running.

Bike was superstrong, but very taxing as I spent 38 miles trying to hunt tri-ghost down then, while I was hoping to cruise some, he kept at me like a pesky knat. We chatted and had fun riding together. Got passed 4 times and rarely had that happen before except at IMAZ.

Dial it down an avg of 10 watts or so on avg. Even out effort for the full course instead of hammering the first 38 and hanging on for dear life.

Quickish but need to powder my shoes and socks better beforehand.

not much

I came into T2 together with tri-ghost but I never got the active recovery I was hoping for. We went out for the run together and I lasted about 4 miles with him.

Miles 4-7 were a deep struggle with my negative thoughts as the heat and humidity whooped up. I got picked up by a triathlete from Birmingham named Robin for 7-10. Then I did my best to finish strong; however, I was really laboring.

Budget better in the other two sports. In other words, I was overconfident in my run (based on early season training and not current fitness level which has suffered due to foot injury) and thus I overshot my bike. Hold back some on the swim and bike and keep fatigue off longer on the run.

Straight to the pizza and beer tent and parked at the keg. Drank about 6 glasses of beer and ate 4 slices of pizza and two krispy kreme donuts in the first hour for recovery haha.


Pacing relative to fitness seems to be my major dilemma to improve other than increasing both bike and run fitness and swim technique.


Truly was a good learning experience even though I performed below expectations. I enjoyed it but am in no big hurry to do a ocean swim again. IMFL 2010 is now a race to respect in advance due to the swim issues and the heat.