Kinetic Half - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Wavey. Choppy. Wind was already picking up and it gave us pretty good whitecap waves. I caught feet and held on for over 2/3 of the swim and when we rounded the second triangular buoy it was with the tide/wind/waves so it didn't matter near as much about drafting.
Felt good and I enjoyed this swim more than I was expecting to. I've heard some questioning about the length and whether it was short or not. It might have been or it might have been the wind/waves but I don't much care, it was a good swim.

I should have put my shoes on first in the transition area and not even tried to run through that dust and rocks. Sand, dirt and rocks in my shoes for the ride didn't help. It wasn't all that bad but I believe that might have helped my feet for today.

When you have 10 yards of gravel/dirt road prior to the mount line you might just want to waddle/run with your shoes on.

This was a hilly course. I'd heard it claimed to be "large chain ring rollers" and whoever called it that needs slapped. The hills themselves were a challenge, The wind was miserable. It seriously felt like a headwind for most of the course with only two sections of cross wind to change pace. Never got a tailwind. I don't understand it but that's what it felt like.

About 1/2 way through the first lap there was a guy on the side of the road. I always ask, "Are YOU okay?" because everyone can get a bike up and running but if a person's hurt I want to make sure someone knows at the next water point.

Anyway, the guy was asking for CO2. Seems he either used his (my guess) or forgot to pack it. As I was passing him I realized no one was even making any moves to toss a CO2. Since I carry two CO2 cartridges, I turned around. I gave him my spare and he looked at it strangely. I asked him if he needed threaded and he held up an X-Lab Nanoflator. Well hell. I went across the street to his bike and handed him my inflator. He asked how to use it. Oh well, it's easier and faster to do than show. I inflated his wheel, gave him the used cartridge and put everything back together and went along my way.

The wind SUCKED. That I'm no good on hills doesn't help either.

Put socks on and threw my sneaks on.

There were no wheels on the bus by the time I left T2. I jogged 100-200 yards every now and again just to say I ran. I hate running in any case and this one just showed me how bad it is.

Nothing, run more probably

It was a good race. It was just hillier than I'm looking to do. Had there been only wind or only hills I probably would have done better. With both it kicked my tucas.

I'm not near as upset about this as some might be. I'm much stronger this year than I was at the same time last year. Had this wind been in evidence in my first two races last year I would not have finished them and would have had to take a DNF.