was not feeling well to begin with so i took it slow. kept in line with the buoys and kept at it trying to maintain a comfortable rhythm. breathing a little labored at times but controlled. good sighting and good view of people's backs. they were walking! i guess it's legal. after the last buoy we turned left and midway out or more i waded out.

i probably would've been faster had i swam the exit. but i didn't want to be tired. i came to this race not sure how i would do, having felt bad the last few days. so i took it slow. but...the pacing also help me later. i went out feeling fresh, sort of...

don't know what the time was but it was smooth. putting on socks takes time though, bleehh. i was not huffing so that was good. no shirt this time so that saved time.

nothing probably.

i say good but that's good for me of course. i felt better once on the bike. the hill they had warned us about was not that bad. it was an effort but comfortable. hey, there aren't any hills in the southeast right? this is as hilly as it gets. except for the bridges. i felt good and enjoyed the scenery. but i did not drink enough and i paid for it later.

drink the whole bottle.

quick transition.

nothing.

felt good off the bike. tried to pace myself because i tend to run faster when off the bike. i controlled myself, slowed down for some water. and kept going. felt good still, but made a point of drinking at the aid stations. i didn't want to slow down so drinking was next to impossible, but i got a little down. by the last aid station i skipped it. at that point i started to slow down, i felt. i still had way to go so i maintained the slower pace and hoped to regain strength. a slight pain then manifested itself on my side. a stitch? i thought. not wanting to slow down i moved on trying to will it away or at least trying to not let it slow me down. it was not unbearable so i was ok. the final stretch finally loomed ahead and i picked up the pace and ran through the finish line.

the run itself i can't complain about. maybe if i had hydrated better i would've been faster, who knows? drink more on the bike for sure. it got pretty hot during the run.

walked to the transition area and took a dip in the bay to cool off. put on a fresh shirt and gathered my stuff.


i'm not sure. thinking about it i see i was not properly hydrated. as i said above i paid for not drinking enough. after i got home i had a nasty headache and felt generally awful. i figure it was dehydration. if not then i don't know. i may have gone faster or felt stronger on the run had i drank more.


a great race in a beautiful area. the park by the water, downtown fairhope, the country roads, the friendly people, all contributed to a pleasant atmosphere and experience. short and sweet.