I felt comfortable with my heartrate, and I felt like I was swimming well, but I know that I was essentially the last female by the time I rounded the first turn. It was clearly was a fitness and lack of training issue.

Train more.

Felt no need to run up the monster hill out of the swim, but I did run the rest of the way. I had the absolute worst rack spot in the area, so I had to run to the furthest end of transition. Anyone who had a rack spot in the front half had an even run with others, but those of us in the back had to run further than others. Gots socks and and shoes on quickly, and no issues with helmet. I did have trouble getting clipped on bike, however. It took 3 attempts.

Have a better mount

I did exactly what I expected to do. Averaged ~16mph (I do think the course was short and the 16.5 is faster than actual). I just didn't expect that there would be no one behind me. I felt totally isolated except a couple sprint mountain bikers on my last loop. I also dropped a chain on the 3rd loop, so that was a bummer. I had to stop and fix it. I passed very few people during the day, and I just kept my steady pace. That hill at the start was hardest on the first and last lap.

Train more.

There was surely no traffic at the dismount line when you come in this late. Most sprinters were done also. Boy did my legs feel sore after the bike. Running that LOOOOONNNNNGGGG way to my rack spot with cleats sucked.

nothing.

Those early major uphills and that was very hard on my tired legs. I walked as my run was no faster. Once I got over the biggest hills, I was able to run some, although my knees started suffering before the first mile marker. I was able to run much of the first 2 miles, and then walked more and ran less with each subsequent miles. Again, I had expected this, but I had expected to see many other walkers out there. I was totally alone by the the turn-around point, and it was a very lonely, long walk in. I also had forgotten how much my knees hurt when I run more than I have trained. They were my absolute limiting factor, and I couldn't physically run more than a few feet at a time by the time I got to the 4th mile marker. It brought me to tears to run the last 100 feet to the finish line.

Dist HR Max Cad Time
1.0 178/185 80 13:39
1.0 177/184 80 10:56
1.0 176/181 76 12:12
1.0 175/181 73 12:19
1.0 169/178 71 13:22
1.2 166/176 72 15:04

Train more to keep knees healthy.

There was hardly anyone around to cheer by the time I got in, but my family was there and wonderful to see. The volunteers at the end weren't much help. I asked for ice, and they had almost no clue where to get it, but they did try to give me a chunk from the ice cooler. I had to stumble to the medical tent to get ice. I fell twice getting there, and it took a spectator to help me get there. I got ice bags there and sat on a cot for 10-15 minutes. My family joined me there.


Lack of recent training.


I like the course for the event, and it seemed well organized except the conflicting instructions as the swim start that I heard caused many elites to make an error in navigation. There was a nice group of volunteers available as well.

There was almost no food available for those that finished last, however. The pizza had been gone for quite some time I hear, and only bananas were available. The finish line staff should have been more helpful getting me to the medical tent as I clearly needed help. In addition, no results were ever posted for the late finishers, and I left not ever knowing that I had actually gotten an award.