Patriot Half Triathlon - Triathlon

I got in briefly before the swim and got acclimated. Water visibility was zero and it was foggy as well. Swim was a time trial start. Deware started 10 seconds in front of me. The TT start did reduce anxiety if the swim start but I still had a little bumping etc as I passed groups of people. I definitely prefer the TT swim start, but the downside is that it is hard to judge your position...several times I went way out to the right and wasted time/energy.
I did a particularly poor job of sighting several times, but I did feel good on the swim.
I finished a few minutes slower than the prior year, but felt ok.
2011: 1:46
2012: 1:46
2013: 1:49
2014: 1:56
I guess I was way slower than in prior years. Deware said some people told him that the fastest people were also slower than last year, but I can't get at the data

I think I've realized that I have to swim a few breaths to the right to keep from drifting right

T1 was fine. Nothing remarkable but I was slower than last year:
2011: 3:59
2012: 2:55
2013: 3:49
2014: 3:33

Nothing

The bike was slow and I told myself not to stress about that. My eating and drinking was more haphazard than in most years. I had put very little thought into nutrition. I ate 2 or 3 pbbh slices and started the first at about 30-40 min in. I used perpetum in one water bottle and then 1/3 Gatorade 2/3 smart water in the other two along w electrolyte powder. I did eat one or maybe two gels...I ate these only bc I thought I should.
Deware passes me about 15 miles in and I also saw Jan at about the same time. Never saw either again.
At some point on the bike I figured that if I ran a 2 hour HM, I may finish in under 6 hours. The watch was great as it showed the total time...normally I totally screw up any time calculations.
With about 5 miles to go a guy flew by me like I was standing still and he had a super high cadence. I decided to increase my cadence which cost me some time, but I felt good. I think this was a good move for me.
About this time I tried to think through my T2 and I realized I had forgotten the water bottle I run with.

2011 20.1
2012 17.2
2013 18.3
2014 17.9

Train w more intervals...I think I say this every year

It felt like I had to run a long way. My set up was simple so it was a quick change. While I was on the ground, I did a quick stretch of my legs...2-5 seconds each, nothing major, I laid down and pulled my knee to my chest

2011 3:55
2012 5:15 (I think I had to go to bathroom)
2013 3:48
2014 3:28


nothing

I realized that iif I ran a half decent HM, I could slip in under 6 hours overall. I wasn't sure how that was possible, but I believed it. I also decided that I didn't care if I totally blew up....sooo, I just ran, I didn't try to run fast or slow, I just ran, I I didn't look at my watch until the first mile and I was at a 9 min pace and felt fine so I decided I would just try to keep it up until I couldn't. The course is pretty flat until the end where there are some minor hills. I decided I'd try to run those faster than I had previously. I'm pretty sure it was the first HIM that I was passing people in the last 5k...I felt at the time that some of my crossfit work had helped there.
I drank water at every stop, and at some I also drank Gatorade or perpetum...in the later miles I drank coke and water

I've done 14 triathlons (including the Patriot 4 times). I think this is definitely one of the nicest events, great volunteers, good course, and a good experience overall.