Comments: I think one of the mistakes I made was not hydrating or using a gel while paddling. I usually rig my camelback to the boat with an extender tube but this year I carried a water bottle. Then I decided to wear the spray skirt and that limited the access to my water bottle. Then as it turns out the competition is so tight that no one is stopping to drink or suck down a gel so I just kept paddling. During transition I gulped a drink and a quick squeeze of Hammer Gel and that was it for the entire race. I definitely was feeling the effects by the end of the run.
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