This was, by far, the best open-water triathlon swim I've done to date. I felt good the whole way. I never stopped except once briefly to pick up a bouy. My goggles had started to fog at that point and the bouy was pretty far away.

Swim faster. I totally could have but I had some of my previous terrible swim performances in the back of my mind, so I just eased on down the river.

I need to learn how to properly setup a transition

I learned that at 39 mph big-ole fat rain becomes big-old stinging rain! I didn't get a chance to ride my bike but once in preparation for this race. On a flat course that would be OK, but this course is anything but flat. The hills, while not steep are long grinders. Most of the time they are proceeded by a good downhill so momentum carries you a good way up the next hill. The second hill after crossing the river is a long one and killed me. It started raining around the 16th mile and by the 18th it was coming down in buckets. At that point I was going down a rather long and fast hill with cars to my right. That's when Forrest Gump came to mind with his comments about rain. Oh and I'm the cleetus that couldn't get his left foot out of the pedal and wrecked at the dismount line - yay me.

Actually ride the bike before doing a race.

Considering that by the time I got to T2 everything I had was soaked, it went surprisingly well.

Get speed laces and NOT fall off the bike coming into T2. I also want to condition my feet to be able to run sans-socks.

Well, being that I didn't do any bricks before this race, the run went surprisingly well. My quads started cramping before the first mile and going up the stairs they gave me real problems. So I stopped, walked up the stairs and stretched at the top. I had to stop and stretch a few more time before the race was over. Neal Phelps was running near me most of the time and kept me motivated - thanks Neal! The rain during the run was welcome!

Train on the bike - do a few bricks. My time was surprisingly good considering the cramping issues I was having.

The travel my job has be doing seriously hampers my ability to get any training in. When I'm home I want to spend as much time with my family as I can.


This was my favorite triathlon that I've done and will do it again. Though, next time I will get in some training before doing it. This will probably be my last triathlon until 2010 or 2011 (I'll definitely race in 2011). Looking at the next year I won't have any time to get in good bike training and the weekends that have triathlons I could make the rest of this year are already full with other activities. I will be doing the Silver Comet Half Mary in October and the ING Full next March. I can run and swim early mornings but biking the dark SUCKS.