START IN FRONT!!! I am not a big guy and this was my first race in 30-34 which has some big dudes in it, so starting 2-3 people back was a bad idea. Turns out when you try to swim through them, it doesn't work as well. Oh well, lesson learned. Swam with my head up for about the first 200-250 meters since I couldn't break free of the pack. Once I hit the first turn, I was able to take it close to the buoy and lose most of the crowd and really start swimming. I think it was the first time I took more than two strokes with my head in the water. D'oh.

START IN FRONT!!! First true experience of the "washing machine". I have been smart enough to start in the front for my other races...not really sure what I was thinking at the start of this one.

Run up the hill from the water and into transition was good, but then like last year, I turn into a bumbling idiot trying to remove my wetsuit. Actually had to sit down to get it off my ankles. I either need a trick to beat that or just more practice taking it off. Other than that, not a whole lot else.

Actually take my wetsuit off and go instead of taking a nap. :-)

Good ride. About 1.5mph faster than last year, so I am pleased with that.

Maybe push a little bit harder. I don't think I had much left, but there may have been a tiny bit.

Good enough. Not awesome, not terrible. I remembered everything and didn't pop my bike shoes out of the pedals like last year, so that is a good thing.

Not a lot.

Good run. Saw Greg, Kraig, Jonathan, and Kevin at the turn around point, so I tried to give chase. It is always nice having someone to go after. Had some guy beat me out at the end by something like .2 of a second, but I didn't have anything extra to fend him off.

Nothing. Almost a standalone 5k PR after a good bike, so I am pleased.

Get water. Walk around. Cheer people in.


Bad start to the race in the swim took a little wind out of my sails, but I was able to get my head back in the game pretty quickly, so this set me back, but not too much. Nothing like looking down at your bike computer and seeing almost 40mph to give you a boost! :-)


Good. A little crowded at some points on the bike with only 3 minutes between decent sized waves on an 11+ mile course. Great volunteers and overall nice course.