The only thing that was a little unfair is that when you hopped in the current started sucking you down. The starter kept calling the girls in my wave back but they wouldn't come back all the way so I started at a couple bodylength disadvantage since I didn't want to cheat. I tried to keep to the middle of the river figuring the current was better there but I had only one girl to draft off of then. I probably veered a bit too so that could have been better.

Maybe have gone towards the banks and stuck with the masses but I still think being in the middle of the river may have had its advantages too.

Had the best wetsuit strip ever. Must have taken 2.5 seconds and I was off and going. I really stuffed all my things into my shoes since the transition was crowded. I didn't want to get there and not be able to find my stuff. Not the fastest way but it worked fine.

I started off at a pretty good pace and stayed within my zones well. For the first 30 miles no one passed me at all, I was just flying by everyone and feeling great. I was a bit nauseated from drinking a lot of HEED. I made the bad decision not to carry water and I think I needed it. After about 30 miles my back kept tightening and almost cramping up on me. I crashed while warming up on Saturday (there's some sketchy railroad tracks outside the transition area that were wet, you don't have to go over them in the race). I think that crash affected my back. I could feel my right piriformis clicking back and forth while I was pedaling. I had a tough time mentally on the back half of the bike. I ran out of steam to keep attacking the hills and there was often no down hill after a climb to recover and get my speed back. Two girls passed me in my age group and I kept them in sight for a bit but eventually had to let them go. I really slowed up and it sucked. I think the first half my average was close to 22.0 and it dropped to 21 by the end of the bike. Bummer.

Gotta get my nutrition right. I think I went in with an ironman approach for a 70.3 and my stomach couldn't handle the calories at that intensity. I also need to focus more. I kind of lost my focus in the middle and got discouraged when those girls passed me. They weren't riding that much faster and I should have stuck with them.
I also need to ride more hills! I felt better than I ever have on hills, really really strong on them. But relative to girls my age group I still suck at them.
Still, this was a HUGE improvement for me. I just have to stick with it and keep getting stronger on the bike.
As for my back, I'm pretty sure the crash caused that because when I got massage after (I was almost in tears limping in to the massage tent hunched over), it was only the right side my back that was the problem. I had fallen onto my right side.

got a little mixed up where the run out was. also a little tough finding my bike spot which took up some time. I took too many gels in my pocket and had to drop some to neil so they would stop bouncing around!

be sure of where entrances and exits are.

So I started zone 3 as instructed and felt great. I was holding at 7:00 pace at first. I tried to hold back a bit and just watch my heart rate zones. I was instructed to go zone 4 after 6 miles and try to neg split. I knew I could do it but already felt a bit apprehensive about it mentally. I was hot and my stomach was not the best. My back felt fine being upright and off the bike. I was really really thirsty though and I began to drink too much at the aid stations. I wasn't sure what to do. Not drink enough and potentially get too dehydrated or slow down to get the fluids in. My stomach would cramp after the aide stations and I would slow to get things to settle expecting to pick it back up again. But it just wasn't there. I slowed and slowed the whole way. I wasn't in a good place mentally and my stomach was fighting cramps. I wish I could have kept a more positive mindset because I could have caught a few girls in my age group but I just wanted it to be over and I ignored my heart rate and pace just focusing on getting it over with. I was really disappointed that I didn't have more to give on the run but in hindsight, my goal was to be around 1:40 and under 1:45 so I'm not sure why I'm so disappointed in my run.

Nutrition. Gotta get it right next time. I tried hammer's liquid endurance and I don't know that it really helped me with the heat, in fact I wonder if its part of what was giving my stomach fits. I think I need other salt tabs than endurolytes too. They seem to always give me gas and pain in my left side when I take them. So next year I need to play with my nutrition more. I need to stay tough mentally and more focused. I need to not give up on myself when its tough and still squeeze every second out of it, even when I'm feeling crappy.

um.... limped to the massage tent in tears. They were soooo nice and put my in right away. I thought it was great that the triaged people and really put first the people that were a mess like me. They were so kind and I was actually able to stand up straight after he worked on me. So grateful. Later had to walk back to transition to get my stuff. I guess that was a warm down. There were shuttles back but we couldn't find them. Once I got my stuff, I rode back to the finish for the awards.


nutrition, mental state. I guess I just need to keep training and get faster, especially my run. I see the bike results but I have to make gains on my run for sure.


For as complicated as the logistics were, this was an EXCELLENT race. Fast and well organized. The volunteers were incredible and numerous. Can't say enough about how impressed I am with how this race was run with 3100 people there.