The start went pretty well. I was along side with 2 teammates so I tried to be gentle on them and I think they did the sme with me. I started to the far left (and we had to turn to the right after 1st buoy) but there was less people and I think it was the shortest route. It wasn't according to a few others but at least it allowed me to get MY things done and not being worried about others. I started pretty conservative, breathing every 3 strokes. It went well for the first 300 meters even though I failed to draft anyone. I would have been worried if it was my first races but I was confident that my navigation was good and it didn't seem to be the case for the few in front of me so I stuck with my own self and slowly but steady went straight. After the first buoy, I started to feel my arms having less energy, already. WTF?! I tried to slow down a little but saw 2 guys in front and tried to stay with them, I was still breathing each 3 for the most part. After the last turn, I started to breath at each 2 and tried to draft the guy in front. Pierre was at my left and we were swimming since the start pretty much in the same 10 feet box together, which is a very good news for me since he can make circles around me in the pool during training. At some point, there's a clown that came between us, even though there was like, maybe, a foot. And then he started to swim diagonals! It distracted me a little bit but tried to focus on ME and MY swim instead of losing energy battling and worrying about him. Finished the swim as hard as I could and got out of the water 7th of that wave (all men under 39). Very nice, swim being my weak spot... Time includes T1.

Maybe draft a little more but not sure it would have ben a good idea since there was 3 monsters getting out of the water 2 minutes ahead, so that left only 3 other people to draft. I think that is a "good" problem.

Try to navigate a little better for some parts where I could have saved a bit of energy.

T1 was pretty fast except I looked for the zipper cord all over when it was just on my chest. We had to run with the bike on a unpaved surface, a little gravel road(!!!) for 15 feet and then jump on the bike. There wasn't a line though so that sucked a bit.

Next wetsuit race, I'll stick the cord into the back of my cap.

It started prety badly. Before the race, I decided to put my shoes on after the first big hill (downhill) soo right after jumping on the bike, I pedaled in an unsteady way, still a bit dizzy from the swim.When it was time to get my feet into the shoes, I noticed one of the 2 straps was undone (out of the eyelet). I put the other shoe on and came back after to try to do something. I lost about 2-300 hundred feet on 2 guys I knew that got out at the same time as me. (Distance I could never take back from them). That part sucked big time. I tried to put that behind me and focus on the task. My plan was to go conservative on the first loop and go stronger for the 2nd and 3rd lap. That's what I kept saying to myslef when 2 guys overtook me in the 1st lap. Then came the 2nd one. BUT I didn't have a lot of energy and felt that if I'd have go faster, the 3rd lap time would suffer, so I pretty much did what I could. I overtook a lot of people but not from my AG. I started having stomach cramps on the third lap but tried to go as fast as I could. Marco went by me on told me we would see each other later on the run.

I lost 36 seconds on Pierre on the bike leg and Jeff and Marco rode it 2 minutes faster.

Make sure my shoes straps don't get off like that! And as far as the cramps go, well I'll work on it to figure it out. I'm guessing on the swim and bike breathing for now. I'm not sure it's the nutrition, it wasn't muscular.

T2 went very smoothly even though we had to run back on the same gravel path that SUCKED big time. Downhill coming all out running with a bike, barefoot...NOT GOOD.

Other than that very good and fast, no complaints at all.

Have them put a mat on that path.

From the start I had to deal with stomach cramps. I tried to brreeeaaaatthhheee to make them disappear but it didn't work. So all my run could be summarized by "managing the cramps". I wasn't running at a speed that my legs wanted to explose, neither where I was that breathless. I just wanted my belly / stomach not to open or explose. I overtook Pierre in the first km or so and could see Marco in front of me. I overtook him not that long after. I could see Jeff not far ahead and my goal was to go get him. But the cramps didn't allow me to speed up and that resulted in Marco following me for 3-4 kms and then he was at my side. I left him pass me and I ran behind him, trailing by 15 feet for maybe 2km. I wanted to keep some energy to be able to finish strong in that 1km climb. I knew there was a "0.7km to go" mark and slowly I tried to get closer before getting to that board. Marco had a friend pedaling at his side for the last part and a few meters before the board he yelled at him asking "Is Steve near?" The biker looked at me, not knowing if it was me, and instantly knew it was me when I flashed him a big flashy smile. He replied something like "heh, yeah, that must be him...". That's where I decided to give everything I had left and got faster. I finished 19 seconds ahead of him (after looking at the results I was pretty pleased with it) but couldn't get back at Jeff, that finished only 5 seconds before me with the 10th place OA. I finished strong but the last 100m were tough since I gave a lot in the hill. And apparently, I don't look fast even all out according to my dad. After the race, somebody told me that with my fast cadence, it looks like I'm doing little steps and it doesn't look fast, even though it's not that bad. Anyway, I'm pretty pleased to see a 32 flat with those cramps and a 13th time OA. I know I could have gone a lot faster, at least 1 min 30 but it is what it is.

Dunno. Try to solve the cramps issues but I'll have to figure it out while not on the race course.

Talked with people. Congratulated the teammates and Andrée-Anne that won the race on the women side! Then, went to eat a little (and drink a beer) while being in waist high water to help the legs. Stretched while waiting for the others to go get the hardware.


Fun event!