I was the only one in my wave not in a wetsuit. I thought I read that they weren't sure if they were allowing them. Gah.

I was in the wave with the yellow cap. This will become important in a minute. The plan here was to start at the back and just take my time and not get freaked by getting mobbed right away. All in all that worked and I was able to essentially ignore the other racers and just try to do my pace.

Just before the first yellow buoy I noticed that four people from other waves swam up to me and then stopped and swam away to my left and I thought, wtf? Then I realized I was swimming too far to the right and they were sighting off of my melon. Don't give the new guy the same color cap as the bouy!! Heh.

About half way through the second length, after the first turn, I hit a big patch of weeds which kind of weirded me out. So much that I panicked a touch and had a little water go down the gullet. Then I managed to beat cweninger on one of his goals and had my breakfast a second time that morning. I stopped breathing until I decided I wasn't going to spit it out all over my body and moved on.

I was convinced that I was the last one out of the water.

Not much. I just need to swim more and get better at my technique.

Wear a wetsuit next time!!!!

I ran all the way back to my stuff. I figured I'd do way better than this but I guess not. I slammed a gel and some water at this point.

I felt that this was a little hillier than I was used to. The first time around I was surprised at how many people were still behind me to pass me. As I was coming around a sharp turn after the water station two gentlemen crashed hard into the ditch. I have no idea how they could have continued, certainly not the first person after seeing what happened to his bike.

I drank a full bottle of half G2 gatorade and half water with electrolytes in it.

A few minutes after this someone speeds up to me and slows down long enough to look at my hybrid and say, "Man you are earning this! You are really earning it!" and then take off. That kind of made me laugh.

The second lap felt great and I felt like I got stronger. I was actually passing people though I think most of them were sprint contestants. All in all I felt during the ride that it was a good one for me. Especially given that I had only ridden indoors on a stationary bike twice since Lake Mills.

I did about a mile an hour less than this at Lake Mills. I'm shocked and really feel that I did well here given that.

I ran in and couldn't find my stuff. I ran an entire rack past it before I turned back and finally found it. All in all I'm disappointed in the time.

I slammed another gel and some water.

It was hot, very hot. I started off and saw my family and slapped them five as I ran by. That was a boost to my confidence.

I hit mile 1 and was still getting passed by people. At this point I was shocked that there was any one left to pass me.

I hit the turn around and joked with the guy there about there not being a Culver's stand with some cheeseburgers. I could really have used one about then. Back to the H20 and then we move on to the area to join the sprinters.

This is where things go way downhill. I thought I was half way at this point. So then I run for another .4 miles or so and see the 3 mile sign. Mentally this was hard on me. The fact that I have had to go to the restroom since a few minutes into the bike didn't help but mentally I started to fall down. I stopped to walk about 3.5 miles in and walked about twenty yards.

Then just before mile 4 I met a woman. She liked my tats and so ran with me and talked to me about them. I saw the 4 mile sign and said, "just 2.2 to go." She made some non commital sound. We hit the turn around and she says, "well I'm on the sprint so good luck." And I moved on.

In the little Olympic loop there was a hill right before the H20. I had to walk up this. Then I ran down to the water. I thought the start of the table was the turn around and started to turn around when the volunteer said, "no no you have to go all the way" so I ran to the three feet past the table. I felt like a cheater but couldn't believe they would put the turn around 3 feet beyond the tables. I had to walk back up that same hill the other way.

Then we were on our way back home. It is getting really tough for me mentally. Each time I stop it drains more will from my as starting up feels like I'm dragging more and more weight each time.

DTFU Josh! I kept muttering that to myself. I'm sure there are about 100 runners who think I'm absolutely nutso.

I stop for about 20 yards twice more after mile five.

Then I see mile 6 and want to pick it up. I get passed by a couple of guys who ran back to get a friend and the friend. They all encouraged me to just keep going. I got a little more speed out of my legs but honestly not much. I crossed and the sign said 3:45.

unsure. The run killed me. I think at least 80% of it was all mental too unfortunately.

I think I fell over. I ambled back to my wife and kids who cheered me on about 30 yards from the finish line and sat down for two minutes. Then it was up to walk and not let my body lock up.

I tried to find people I knew but didn't see anyone. It is hard for me to recognize people from pictures and by the time I finished almost everyone was changed or whatever. Schmize(?) must have been sitting near me because there was a "Schmize fan club" or some such shirt in that group.


You know the heat sucked and it can do that to my runs sometimes but I think maybe I just wasn't physically ready for it.


I never know if this is about the race or about my overall performance so I'll do both.

I liked the race and felt it was really well done. I almost feel like this was my first real race given the number of participants.

Now about my performance. My thoughts about the race pre race for goals were, 3:40 > 4:00 > DFL > DNF. During the swim I was able to focus on that. During the bike I was mostly able to focus on it. I fell apart on the run mentally. All in all I nearly hit those goals. I came very close to the top goal even. My only real complaint about my performance was to maybe not stop so much in the run and keep my head about me a bit better.

However to see that I really took dfl in my division excepting the gentleman who didn't finish frustrates me as it did in Lake Mills.

All in all logically I know that I did well. I hit nearly all my goals, again. Emotionally I'm frustrated with falling apart mentally on the run and taking DFL in my division and nearly so in the entire race. I am very competitive with everything I do and just am not there.

The day after the race I can say that I played it smart. I didn't push any one leg, which may be a bad thing, and kept the gels, nutrition, and hydration going. I can say that I really am proud of how I did. I say this because I never, unless I'm in an interview or something, give the positives of my competitions. My personality is to pick apart things that can be better. And thusly it can sound uber whiny. :) I don't want this to be that way.