I seeded myself about 2-3 rows from the front. I wanted to get a little closer but couldn't. Fortunately, it would shake out in the end.

As soon as I dove in, I did a few quick dolphin kicks to get going. Surfaced and attempted to put in some decent effort in the first 100-200 meters. I did. I latched on to somebody's toes and essentially tickled them for that first bit. I knew it would help put some distance between me and the middle of the pack that would be chaos.

My siting for this first 1/3 was great too. Kept a pretty good straight line to the first buoy and turned it nice and tight.

This is when it started to get ugly. I have no idea why, or how, but my sighting fell apart. In hindsight, I think it was because I wasn't siting enough. I think I got over confident from the first 1/3 and figured I could reduce the sighting. Yeah. Not so much. First I wound up way to the left, closer to the shore. So I started to angle back in. Caught a pair of feet for a stroke or two then lost them. Next thing I know, I'm INSIDE one of the yellow straight away buoys. GAH! So I angle back the other direction! I finally hit the orange turn buoy and start to head for home.

I had learned my lesson and started to look up a bit mroe often now. I had passed quite a few people and hadn't really been passed by too many. All of a sudden, I see a girl next to me (wave behind us). I figure, hell, let's hop on and see how long I can hang. And I did. For what was easily 100-150 meters. And then I lost her. I don't know how, but I did. Thanks anyway, lady. I appreciate the pull.

Next thing I know, I'm on the last turn, hit it, swim between it and the life guard in the water seperating us and the outgoing waves (we share the same general area) and I'm coming out of the water. I look up and see 33:xx on the timer. Subtract 6:00 from that and I'm close to the 27:xx I was shooting for. The official time has me at 28:02.

Ummm... not be a lazy git and get off course. I could have easily gained another 10-20 seconds had I swam straight. I was pretty happy with the swim. Top 25% over all. I think I could have done better, but stil not too bad.

Little bit longer in transition than I would have liked, but it was a bigger transition this year. Longer to run to the rack. But I got there, threw down the cap and goggles, threw on the sunglasses and helmet while trying to get the wetsuit off. Reached down and put the bike shoes on, wrestled the bike out of the rack (they never make them tall enough) and I was on my way.

Keep working on the helmet on, suit off at the exact same time. I possibly could have shaved another 10-15 seconds off of that. Still 93rd overall and 9th in my AG for transition.

So like I said in my pre-race routine, I went for a little ride the day before. I'm glad I did. It reminded me of the two little overpasses and how those would feel with wind. Cause it was windy.

The bike, really, was great. I think RAGBRAI really helped me with this. Not that I was that much faster, but I just felt that much better on the bike. More confident. More comfortable. Knowing what I should be feeling and how I should be feeling it.

So the first loop started without much incidence. Not terribly crowded and started to pass quite a few people. Only got passed by about 3-4 total on the first loop. Left the Garmin dangling on the handle bars for now and decided to put it on during the last 1/2 of the second loop. Already through the first loop, though, I could taste sweat, which was a great reminder that even if I didn't feel terribly hot, because of the wind, I was losing water, and probably pretty quickly. So I kept drinking. First water. Then GU2O. Then water. Back and forth.

I had also planned, with about 15-20 minutes to go on the bike, that I would take my second GU. I do this in training all the time, and is my typical nutrition intake (yes I know, not nearly as important on these shorter races, but this is what I do). Well, the GI still wasn't terribly pleased with my choice of dinner the night before, NOR the fact that it hadn't been allowed to get rid of it. So I think there might have been just a little bit of rebellion going on.

I was getting the tiniest of cramps, lower GI, on both sides. Nothing major, but they were there. And I was also burping like crazy. Once, it was a bit juicy and at this point I thought, "I don't think I'm going to take that last one to see if it will help settle my gut." I don't know if this caused later issues or not, but that was my decision.

So the second loop started to get interesting. The Sprinters were out on the course and it was starting to get crowded. Lots of hybrids and MTB's taking up lots of space. Also, the wind seemed to pick up a little bit more. I don't know if this was perception or reality, but it sure as hell felt like it had picked up. And that it had shifted direction ever so slightly.

Anyway, on the farthest turn, coming back in, it is a down hill with a 90-degree left turn. I find out later, this is where 2goggs almost bit it. Anyway, I'm moving at a decent clip (about 26-27) gaining on a girl on an upright and then two more girls ahead of her on roadies. I holler to the first girl I'm on her inside and she acknowledges. I'm starting to bank hard when I see a shadow, ON MY RIGHT, coming WAY to fast. I sit up a bit, feather the brakes and watch this d'bag fly by me on the right and then in mid-turn, SPLIT the two girls in front of me. "You got to be kidding me" I yell at him. I pull up next to the girl on the left and say "what a d'bag" and she replies "he scared the crap out of me". Then this pr!ck proceeds to sit up on his roadie and slow down so everyone else had to pass him on the coming hills. IDIOT!

Fortunately, that was the last bit of craziness on the course. Coming in, I'm at the last over pass and start to reach down to get out of the shoes. They are loosened by the time I get in the park, and I'm on top of the shoes on the last straight away. Slowed down just a hair here, and could have gained a few more seconds.

Off the bike at the line and into T2 I go. Over all, not a bad bike. Not the best, but not bad.


More speed work on the bike. I have built up a whale of a base this year, just not enough speed work.

Bike went in, helmet went down, threw on the visor, and then grabbed the socks (rolled down) and threw them on with the shoes. Bib started to fly away so stood on it. Grabbed it and the number belt and I was off. Since transition was so big, I had plenty of time to pull it over my head and get the number attached.

For Sprints I don't wear socks but I don't have tough enough feet yet to do an Oly in them. That and I think I'm going to start wearing the belt the entire race and then put the number on it in T2 to see if I can shave a few more seconds off. Faster than the OA (86th) but slower in AG (16th).

So here is where the wheels fell off the wagon. Again. Seems to be my continued down fall.

So I'm out the chute and on the road. Trying to remember to run tall as I've been practicing. It has made a huge difference in my running efficieny and I'm hoping it will pay off today. I hit the first mile marker at about 8:30 and I'm actually feeling pretty good. I see wavedogg at the mile marker taking in some water. We holler at each other.

I reach the turn around and am headed back. Just a bit before the water stop I see Tony. Crap. He is closer than I was hoping. We high five and he tells me he wrecked. "Hmmm... maybe that will slow him down". More on that later. So I keep running back to the lake. My second mile is a little slower, but in my mind, if I can keep this pace I should be able to hold him off. Into the park and onto the lake path. I know this path well so I think I'm going to be ok.

I hit mile marker 3 and things start to deteriorate fast. We are running with the wind and it is like an oven. Hot. Sticky. Pass by the water stop at about 3.5 and I take water for the mouth and water for the head. I haven't walked yet, but I did slow down. ALOT. I'm starting to get those chills/tingles. Damn! Is this because of the lack of the GU gel on the bike, lack of hydration in general, lack of speedwork or all of the above?

At this point, it is all I can do to keep the turn over going. I look at my watch and I'm doing 10:30 pace. I have officially blown up. I hit the last little turn around they have for the Oly distance and about 100m in Tony passes me. "I'm hurtin" I yell. It is over. It is only a matter of time before he catches me. I'm still gonna push it though.

And then it happens. A mile to go and I hear "Hey 111". It is Tony. He slows for a few strides and asks if I'm ok. "Yeah, PR it dude, don't wait for me" and off he goes. So now I'm just holding on for dear life. Turnover is crap. Form is crap. I attempt to straighten up and when I do, I start to feel a little breeze. Thank god, we are back into the wind. I know I'm only a little ways off from being done. Latch onto some nice pace booty (thank you ma'am) and then pass her in the last 0.1 mile.

Coming up to the finish line, mr2tony and wavedogg are there yelling. I high five them and then cross the finish line with showing off the guns (only thing I could think of in my stupor). I finished. And I set a PR.

Speedwork. I've hardly done any this year. Or at least I haven't done nearly enough.

I stumble along, get a big Gatorade, have the strap taken off by a nice lady with a Chiefs visor on and get my finishers medal. Beth comes to meet me and asks if I'm alright. "Yeah, I just need to walk for a minute and maybe get out of this gawd aweful sun". The guys find me too and they ask if I got a cold towel. "NO! WHERE?" I got over and get two and drape them over my neck. Ahhhhhhh that feels goooooooood.

We keep walking around, just to keep from cramping up. Run into pjgrande (nice to meet you Pam) and then finally wind our way back to transition to pack up and go.


Lack of speed work in both bike and run and not enough HARD workouts in heat like this. I think I'll be working on the run in the off season. It continues to be my weakest link.


They really do put on a good race at Pleasant Prairie. Especially considering you have to be bussed to the site. On time. Organized. TONS of volunteers. Just an overall well run race. I'm doing the OLY again next year to see if I can get sub 2:30.