The swim was pretty rough to start. I tried to go out fast and get a good spot. Apparently, my fast wasn't fast enough because it was pretty crowded to start. I took an elbow to the face and had a real hard time getting into a rhythm with my stroke and my breathing.

I started to feel good with a nice long stroke and good pace about 500 into it. The rest of the swim was about as good as I could expect. I got on some feet here and there and was passing the slower swimmers in the age group ahead of me. I don't know my place within the age group, but I'd bet it was somewhere in the middle judging by the number of bikes that were still on the racks when I got there.

Not sure - maybe try to start a little slower and let the really aggressive guys get out front. Working on negative splits for each 500 might help me improve my overall time.

I used body glide on my ankles to help the wetsuit off in transition. I added it where the sleeveless ends rub my lats, which helped against chaffing, but I still got some chaffing on my neck. I need to add a little body glide ot the back of my neck because the suit and then the sun have really caused some irritation.

Long transition. The chute to run from the water into the transition was long and the run out to the mount line was really long. The time actually spent at the rack was average. A little problem getting the socks on over the super sandy feet, but that couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

I took three Endurolytes and drank from my transition bottle, grabbed the bike and trotted out.

not a whole lot.

The bike was good. Good speed. IWas able to get in 3 Enduralytes and a HoneyStinger from the bento box. Drank about one and a half bottles and poured some on me to cool off. Probably should have drunk a little more.

I unstrapped with plenty of room for the dismount, which was better than St. Anthony's and moved into transition fairly well.

drink a little more given the heat.

I slowed enough for 3 more Endurolytes and some water from my transition bottle...a must with the heat and I never cramped up. I think my time was slow because of the long run in and out of transition. I do not feel that I was slow in pulling on my running shoes or grabbing my hat. I put the race belt on while on the run out so that didn't slow me down.

I stopped at each water stop and grabbed a drink and poured water over my head to keep cool. Despite all this, I still felt dehyration setting on on the second lap. I did get some ice for my hat at the second pass through Jack & Adams water stop. The second lap was really hot and starting to get tough.

I paced myself well. I started at what felt to be about 8 min/mile and slowly picked it up over the course. I told myself to save something so I could really start pushing it as we headed down Congress for the last stretch. I was able to do this but I had to slow a bit half-way across the bridge to save myself to sprint home. I'm not sure I could have gone any faster at that time. I heard Robin yelling for me to "Sprint home!" in the last few hundred meters and I remember thinking to myself "This is my sprint. Don't I look like I'm going fast?" I think that was a sign that I gave it all I had. Perhaps I could have started the sprint about a half kilometer earlier, but it was hard to judge and I was feeling some chills from the dehydration so I didn't want to kill myself.

Maybe start the finish earlier...maybe not.
I still want to run sub 45 one of these races.

Water and cold towels. Found Robin and Carolyn. Hung out for a while and spoke to some of the other Texas Iron folks. Found the pizza, got one piece, and walked over to transition get my gear and head home for a day out on Lake Travis.


the heat. I did set a new PR for Olympic Distance by about 30 seconds, so I must have been going fast. St. Anthony's is a faster track, but I need to do that one without crashing.


The race organization and direction were horrible. The swim times posted a the expo were different from the email and from the ultimate announcement by over 30 minutes. Then, the race started 12 minutes late and progressed slower after that. I didn't start until a full 45 minutes after the announced time.

Despite seeing the run course mile markers out at transition on Saturday, there wasn't a single marker on the course. I had to estimate my time and pace at the start of the second loop. That's just silly for a race this old and large. The race director really botched this one.

I only was one motorcycle on the bike course the whole time. The congestion from having a four lap course was bordering on dangerous at times. There were riders all over the road and no one was getting to the right after passing or being passed. It was difficult not to draft at times because trying to go around people was unsafe.

With transition closing a full 30 minutes before the race start and no walk to the swim start, there is no excuse for not getting underway on time. Rethink the swim waves too. Having all the men from 25-39 starting last before the relays makes for a more dangerous bike course since these groups are the fastest and most aggressive overall.