Started about 3-4 people back from the start line. Thought I was going to have room but when the race started, I really didn't. Could not even fight my way through. Just too many people. I should've started on the outside. Once I rounded the first turn, I did go to the outside, and things settled down a lot, but I didn't have a draft. At one point, I did come back in to find a draft, but all I could find was a guy who would annoy me with a breaststroke to sight sometimes, and other guys who could not stay on course. Better to just swim by myself. At the last turn I was pretty happy that I had no jellyfish stings, but then got one right across the lips. Yikes, good thing I had experienced this the day before so I would know it would go away. A bit more sensitive on the lips but still not horrible. 34 min is a HIM PR.

Start on the outside of the start line. Otherwise I am pretty happy with the swim.

Suit stuck a tiny bit but wasn't that bad. I thought I had a good transition, but somehow friends cut off a minute from my time. Wow. Socks probably costs me time, but I cannot do no-socks. I ran through in my socks pretty well, mud does not bother me. Jumped on the bike and sped off.

More lube on the feet to get the wetsuit off quicker, but really not that bad. Maybe get a bento box and have the nutrition on the bike already.

That's funny, I have the same ranking in the bike and swim, AG and overall. And both rankings are better than my run ranking, which is my background. I started out the bike strong, and immediately saw a pack forming. I tried to get ahead of the pack, but they would suck me in. I must've done that over 10 times before the pack finally got broken up by the sight of the ref around mile 30-40. I didn't have my Garmin on so I had no idea what mile I was at or what my pace was. I knew when I hit the windy part of the course, that I knew I must be on the "backend," because everyone said the winds would be at the backend. So I was encouraged when I hit the winds, not discouraged.

I used LOE which seemed fine, but the "interval training" type of pace probably trashed me a bit. I was getting some leg pains and some pain in the shoulders from being aero for 100% of the time, and was ready to get off the bike at 2 hours, but little did I know I had 45 more minutes to go. :-) Also, I totally ignored my nutrition plan, setting up a really really tough run. I had planned on Perpetuem and water, but I pretty much did Perpetuem and Gatorade (no water), and I threw in a snack bar, a gel, and a couple of shot blocks to play with nutrition a bit for IMLP. Still had a good bike ride though, a HIM PR. At one point, at about mile 45, a guy with a bell whizzed by a bunch of us, ringy dingy. That was awesome. We figured if you are going to ring a bell in a HIM, at least you can back it up with the speed.

Stick to the nutrition plan, bonehead. And should've given up on trying to get ahead of the pack, and just stay a reasonable distance behind. In the end it did not matter if I was in front or behind them. In fact they were so packed, I seemed to have a draft from them even a legal distance away.

I thought I did this well as well, but somehow people can easily do it a minute faster. :-) Forgot my hat, but I was really on the fence about a hat anyway in the heat.

Rubber band everything that I am taking on the run, together. I've seen this idea and it is excellent.

Started out the run with my stomach feeling bloated and not happy. Also had cramps for the first few miles, and on and off throughout the run. This has happened a few times before due to nutrition issues, and the resolution for me has been to stick to water only until it resolves itself. I tried to take some Perpetuem here and there but I was mostly water. Still started off fairly strong with a 8:04 and 8:11, but with the sun coming out things started to wear on me and the heat was bringing me down by mile 4. Maybe I shouldn't wear black clothes for a hot triathlon. In all 5 my HIMs except Savageman, I have been 1:57-1:59, and this one was no different. I mainly did my quick turnover short strides running that I do when I suffer, and work to get to the next aid station for a short walk. That worked out in the end but I sure did suffer through it. Maybe I wore myself down with the bouncing around on the bike. Or maybe it was that I didn't taper much, and ran long the week before. Pretty happy that I didn't collapse considering that I did not take in much nutrition on the run though. And I did set a PR, though only by 1 min. I was pretty consistent in my pacing once I settled into suffering mode. Pretty nice to know I can still pull along 9-9:30s like that. Saw my friend Roger on his way out, while I was 4 miles out, and noted "I might get 5:21, but I will not be happy doing it" and was able to come in right on that mark. Coming back into town, I would've liked to have slid on the slip-n-slide that a house had set up, but they seemed crowded at the time. I was also looking forward to the sno-cones at mile 6 or so but I missed them.

I did the best I could given how I set up my run. I made adjustments well. The key is not putting myself in this position in the first place. I did not need all the gook I gave myself on the bike. In the end even with everything that went wrong, I PRed my overall HIM time by 6 minutes.

Grabbed a soda and water, and sat along the rocks, I really couldn't do much more. When I could get up, I jumped in the river to cool off, which was WONDERFUL. Watched friends come in, and stood out in the sun for way too long, getting burnt, just to see a friend turn down the Kona slot he was waiting for. At least I got to see him get an award. Also got to see mentees Josh and Becky, and got excellent reports from them. Yeah!! Successful day for everyone.


Nutrition. Need a better plan, and stick to it. I was so relaxed about this race that I did not think about this that much. I could've also ditched the 4 hour bike ride and 15 mile run I did the previous week, but I am looking more towards IMLP than Eagleman.


Pretty impressed with the race organization. Really couldn't have done much better. The course is kind of boring. The crowd support is fantastic.