Pretty good swim overall. Needed to have swam in the wetsuit this week to loosen it up and get the feel of it again. Just slack and didn't make that happen. The water really got cold when we went under the road. The temp was supposedly 65 there but it felt colder. Lake level seemed really low. I actually grounded myself on a stump at one point. It was unmarked and about 10 inches below the surface.

Nothing--pretty good day for me

Decent TA, nothing exciting one way or the other. The TA mats were literally at the entrance and exit so this doesn't include transit time from swim to TA. That was included as part of my swim time.

The first hill caught me by surprise. It was short and not really that steep but I was trying to get some gel and water on board. Caused my heart rate to really shoot up. Spent the next mile or so getting it under control. Had my chain come off halfway up hill at about mile 4. Had to stop and get it back on. Hammered the outbound course. Was cruising along most of the time at 23-25 mph. On the way back, speed dropped to more like 18mph consistently. Around mile 14, I heard something and looked down to find that my front skewer was unlocked and about halfway loosened. Quick stop to fix that. Felt great thru most of bike but died on the the last hill (about mile 23.5). This whole not pre-riding the bike course sucked. I didn't know when to push and when to conserve, so I pretty much went all out and paid for it on this last hill. As I was finishing the ride, I still hadn't decided if I was going to run. My foot wasn't hurting at all at this point.

No mechanical issues.

Good TA--no issues

nada

Horrible, miserable first half. Had no gas to run. It wasn't that I could really blame my foot today, it was just that it's been keeping me from running. As they say, fitness drops off much faster than it gets put on. That really showed today. I walked FAR more than I ran of the first 3 miles. I hooked up with Steve from Georgia about mile 2. We were pretty much on the same pace so we hung out. He really helped me get thru Miles 2-4. Around mile 5, Steve told me to go ahead. I was on-track to break 3:00:00, so I went on. Thanks again Steve! On the up-hill, my right foot didn't hurt, but my left shin did. I felt like I was compensating for my right side somehow. On the downhill, I ran more--just not as much as I would have liked. I still only lost about 6 mins from my time on the run at Over the Mtn. Could have been much worse. Finished pretty strong but had no kick left. Should have taken a gel on the run like I planned.

Take the gel. Have made the decision to run before I entered T2 today.

BBQ sandwich from Sagebrush with the best tasting ice tea I'd ever had. Must have been the sugar! Sat down to eat and it seemed like I knew everyone that walked by. My wife's spin instructor Wendy, my coach Sharon & her husband, Chris from BT (sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you!), plus some of the other BT Crew--Keith, Wade, & Mel. I also ran into a girl who lived in the same dorm with me back in 1993. Amazing that either of us recognized the other. Turns out she works at a private school near where my kids go to school. Small world that I would run into her at a race 3 hrs from home.


ME :)


Nice location, enjoyed the race. No power ade or gatorade at the post race which was disappointing. No beer either :)

Oh, and to make Jeff & Dia feel better--I did suffer an injury today. Of all the freaking things, I was stuck by a bee while driving home. I put my arm down on the armrest while driving thru the Formula 1 portion of the course (hairpin corners on a 9% grade) and must have landed on a bee who chose that moment to land on my armrest. Bee stung in the car??? Nice!