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 Swim
Comments: I really liked the swim despite the TT start. It was nice not to get beaten up so badly in the first 200-300m. What would you do differently?: I wouldn't wear my tinted goggles. We started swimming east (upstream) so I figured the tinted ones would be needed to combat the rising sun. Instead there was a cloud cover and it made it next to impossible to see the buoys. I kept having to take my goggles off to find the buoys going upstream. This cost me alot of time.  Transition 1
Comments: Longish run from the swim exit to transition and then another longish run to the street. I wasn't in the actual tent more than 1-2 minutes at most.  Bike
Comments: Ah where to begin here.....I knew something was wrong when my chain started skipping on the way out River Road. I was in a comfortable gear, my HR had come down and I was cruising at 21-22 mph. When we hit the first climb at mile 11 I dropped down to the small chainring and the 23 in the back to spin up the hill. My rear derailluer kicked the chain over the 23 and into my wheel where it promptly became hoplessly wedged. 20 minutes later and covered in grease I was on my way (or so I thought) 100ft later it happend again. I finally decided that the 23 was out of commission for the day and that the 21 should be used sparingly so it didn't hop over to the 23. This would be critical later on as there were some hills I would have liked to spin up, but instead I had to mash up in bigger than preferred gears. As if my day hadn't been bad enough, I and several other athletes got drafting penalties when we were stuck behind a car on Hwy 146. First penalty I have ever received in all my years of triathlon. The rest of the ride was an exercise in what gear can I use an not have it skip. Toward the end of the ride it got a little better, and I was able to make up a bit more speed coming back into town. What would you do differently?: Change the chain out and bring a multi tool with me on the bike. Take out the mechanicals and penalty and it puts me right under 6 hrs which is about where I wanted to be. Throw in the use of all my gears and things could have been a whole lot different. Transition 2
Comments: I felt a little queasy coming off the bike. After I changed and came out of the tent I blew chunks all over the ground. The medical people wanted to check me out so that was the delay in getting out on the run course. I think I just drank to much water. What would you do differently?: Not blow chunks!  Run
Comments: After barfing in T2 I was feeling pretty good. I went out and ran the first mile in 9 min and was happy. I figured I could still run a 4hr-ish marathon and still have a respectable time. Then my right IT band completely seized on me. I couldn't run at all and I could barely walk. I tried to massage it out but it wasn't having any of that. I walked the next two miles and borrowed a cell phone to call my wife and tell her that I probably wouldn't be finishing the race. At mile 6 I asked if there was a medical tent and would have probably tapped out if there had been one there. For some reason at mile 8 or so I started feeling good, so I ran. And I was able to run for about a 1/2 mile at a time until the IT would bark, and that is how it was for the next 18 miles. Run a little, walk a little. I couldn't drop out since I had so many people at the race and on here pulling for me. There was no way I was going to let you all down. I was able to run down the chute with my family and cross the line in relatively good shape. It was by far the hardest day I have ever had on a race course, in a way it makes the finish that much more rewarding. What would you do differently?: Not buy new running shoes that alter my stride 3 weeks before the race (Newton's). I started running in them and my IT band on my right leg was screaming. I am also not 100% convinced that the kidney stones of last week didn't have something to do with my performance. Post race
Warm down: Walked around with the family, took my finisher photo and ate some food. Collected my morning clothes and gear from transition and went home to shower. Epilouge: On Monday, as we prepared to go home Aaron got really sick. We called out pediatrician and they suggested that we take him to the hospital to receive fluids. When we arrived he was so dehydrated that they kept him overnight. He is better now, but still has the stomach virus. What limited your ability to perform faster: I should have changed the chain out or put my cassette from my training wheels on my bike. That would have eliminated my bike issues. Worn goggles not as tinted on the swim (self explanatory). Not tried to change my running shoes that were perfectly fine 3 weeks before the race. Not gotten a kidney stone 2 weeks before the race :) Event comments: I highly recommend this race. It's in a great city with fantastic volunteers and spectators. Other than the fact that I sucked it was the best race I have ever done. Last updated: 2007-08-05 12:00 AM
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United States
World Triathlon Corporation
90F / 32C
Sunny
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = M 35-39
Age Group Rank = 0/
This could also be titled the "Race Week from Hell". It all began on the way up to Louisville. My daughter and I drove up on Thursday and my wife and son were supposed to fly up on Friday. About half way to Louisville, my daughter starts to hack and activated her gag reflex causing her to barf all over herself, her clothes, and her car seat. I pulled over at a truck stop to clean her up. Poor kid had barf all over her and was upset she had gotten sick. It was all in her seat so she couldn't sit in it. Luckily she was still small enough to fit into Aaron's seat for the remainder of the trip. This was a forshadowing of things to come!
Friday rolled around and I was feeling pretty good about the race. I went into town and registered and got all my goodie bags, hit the expo and checked out the swim exit and transition area. Met Greg Welsh coming out of the Media Center which was cool. He is a really little guy! Things were going well until that evening when I was supposed to pick up Kate and Aaron from the airport. Her flight was delayed several times due to Tstorms in Atlanta and then her crew timed out so they cancelled the flight. To add insult to injury, Aaron had a blowout diarrhea diaper on the plane which went all over him and his clothes. Long story short, my wife was riding MARTA back to North Springs at midnight with a naked (except for a diaper) baby.
Saturday turned out to be the only decent day of the whole trip. I went in and checked my bike and bags into transition, and then picked up the wife and son from the airport. The remainder of the day was spent resting and eating.
Then came race day which you can read about below............
None, they wouldn't let us into the water prior to the start. I suppose the 3/4 mile walk from transition could count for it.