The total swim time includes a 200 yd run up hill to the transition.
This was my first OWS and first swim with a wetsuit on. All I can say is with the wetsuit, I definately appeared like I new what I was doing but leave it to me to make things more difficult than what they are. Do to my poor sighting technique I added about 50 yds to the first buoy, then I started running into and over the slower swimmers from the first 2 waves which caused me to stop and regroup. The novelty of the new wetsuit wore off about 250 yds into it and then I started feeling the constriction in the chest which messed with my head a bit. Just tried to relax and focused on the beach my last 150.

Practice in wetsuit. Try to find a place to do open water swims and sight better.

I was a bit winded from the long jog to the transition, but I had the top of the wetsuit off while running (just like the videos) and the rest came off relatively easy at my transition. Had a little trouble getting my shirt on.

Perhaps look into a full Tri suit.

I had planned on easing into the ride, getting all situated and then hitting it. Instead I hit it from the start. With as humid as it was I was pouring sweat the entire ride. In my mind I had a fantasy time of 21 mph, but under these conditions my 20.6 was all I had. I am sure the effort I put into this ride contributed to my god awful run later.

Maybe wear a hr monitor and keep an eye on my odometer to KNOW how far I have gone and how much is left, instead of guessing.

Not a bad transition, but I did have to sit down to put my socks on and that felt kinda nice which I probably enjoyed for a few seconds longer than I should have.

Learn to run without socks

One word. HORRIBLE! I have never felt this bad during a run in all my life and my background is running. I felt like a zombie, just shuffling my feet and trying to go forward. At 1.5 miles I thought I was going to soil myself. My stomach felt weak, I know my hr was off the charts and the humidity was litterally killing me slowly. I just kept thinking of the Louisvill Ironman and how those people felt during their run. I focused and never walked but felt like I was at a crawl. My running legs never showed up. I must of left them on the bike, or under my wetsuit but they sure were not with me.

I don't know, maybe hydrate more, not work it so hard on the bike, or just write it off as it wasn't my day for the run. When I finished I had nothing, nothing left in the tank.

Emptied sweat out of my shoes, drank some overly sweet gatorade, ate a banana and drank some water. Met up with a friend and cheered my wife on at the finish.


My run sucked.


I really liked the venue and I think with open water swim practice put in my schedule and a some more experience, (this being my 2nd tri) this will be a great race for me in the future.