Picked up packet on Saturday. Water temp 81 degrees. Only twice in previous 23 years has the race been wetsuit legal. Didnt bother to pack wetsuit. Temp dropped 20 degrees overnight with lotsa rain. Race day water temp just under 78. Damn. That would have been some easy cheap minutes. The course is a big rectangle. The start is on the small end which means the first turn buoy is 550M away. This is an easy start because everyone can spread across 25M of beach and still swim a straight line. Everyone is pretty strung out by the first turn so not much fighting/kicking/etc. I felt ood during the swim. The only issue is that the sun blinded (no tinted goggles here) you on the right on the first leg and on the left on the back leg.

always bring the wetsuit because almost never might be today.

first time i had issues with getting a shirt over a wet body. it was very cool out (mid sixties) so I wanted the shirt. Also feet were very sandy. No wash basins on the way back from the beach. Race director said she didnt think they were important.

get the sand off my toes. get my shirt on

well kids I guess if you dont really even get on a bike in the previous 14 days prior to a race and you werent even a good cyclist before then you will stink it up. i stunk it up. it was really cool this morning and i swam without a wetsuit. My legs were very leaden for the first 4-5 miles. The wind was a toughie (comparing speeds from last year across the whole field the wind was tough on everyone) but it wasnt the reason for my crappy performance. I did manage to pass a 64 year old on a mountain bike.

Dont go one vacation in the time leading up to the race. Spend at least 4-5 week on a bike.

the olympic folks had a little jog from the dismount to the racks. My rack was further back in the OLY racks. I havent mastered taking my feet out of shoes while cycling so I had to "run" in my cleats to the rack. Ilooked at the other transition times and I wasnt really slow compared to others. I was slow compared to previous races I have done

Did the first mile in 9 minutes and legs started to loosen up. Did the next couple of miles in 8 flat. I felt really good at the end and ended up running the final 1.2 miles at a 7 flat pace. The only exercise I had been getting on vacation was running on the beach at Myrtle in the sun and humidity. This was a cool shaded run and I felt like I could have kept going.

Not much- this was a PR for the run for me.

walked around for about 5 minutes at a good pace. drank a water. ate watermelon (seedless what a treat) licorice pretzels orange slices. drank a beer


Lack of bike time and a last minute week vacation to the beach with no swimming/biking opprotunity.


This is the best presented race I do. They start on time (HFP I am looking at you) despite the very large numbers of competitors (alot of them first timers). Tons of volunteers. The post race spread and lunch is head and shoulders above the rest. Can you say Beer truck? Good fresh fruit and snacks. A very nice lunch post all races. No stale cookies and RC cola in a warm cooler. The course is great- swim is not chaotic, the bike course is flat and the run is partially shaded. Will buy from again A++