First, there is NO WAY this water was 72 degrees. I'm calling bullshit on that one. It felt about a few degrees cooler than my lap pool. So I'm guessing closer to 78. But, whatever. So your whole wave jumps into the starting pen and treads water until the air horn goes off. I seeded myself on the left hand side near the front.

Air horn goes off and we're on our way! Some minor pushing and shoving, but not bad. Serious lack of buoys. Everyone had sort of agreed to aim for the second arch, but it was a bit of a guess because you really could not see any buoys from the starting area. I had to work to keep staying left. We finally get to the bridge and I spy the buoy...even more left! I keep working that way and eventually get to it. Boy was there a traffic jam at the buoy. And then on the cross part there were tons of folks too. Very crowded. Once we rounded the buoy back inbound it thinned out again.

So, not enough buoys on the way back. I couldn't see any for awhile and had no idea if I was going in the right direction. Finally saw them and they were...yep, off to the left. Managed to work that way and it seemed like it took FOREVER for the turn buoy. I thought we were supposed to have the current at our backs on the way back but I am not convinced. Made it around the last two turn buoys and onto the ramp and out.

Not suck. My wetsuit was pretty uncomfortable and I never got in a groove. Not a good swim. I suspect it was long. Times across the board were not speedy.

Nothing special. I had a short run to my bike then a looooooooooong run with my bike. That would be my biggest complaint for this race...bike in and bike out were in the same corner. So if you had a spot really far away from them, you were screwed! Coming and going!

I left the shoes on the bike so I wouldn't have to run to Guam with my bike shoes on.

Nothing. 25th fastest in my AG...amazingly. Okay, could be 26th since another girl went 2:31.

Wow. I suck. How long did this take me? Absolutely crazy! I did okay getting into my shoes. Not very fast, but I haven't really practiced it lately. But it only slowed me down for a few hundred yards and then I was off.

This really just seemed like it took forever. Only a few truly significant things.

1. The idiot. We're headed back inbound on the second turnaround and I'm pedaling along on the right hand side. Suddenly this chick in the middle of passing me apparently sees someone she knows on the other side. Did I mention she was wearing PURPLE? Okay, so she throws her hand in the air and yells, "Wooooohooooooooooo! Go Team!" But apparently her bike skills SUCK and this causes her to swerve 3 feet to the right...stopping barely before hitting me. I could have reached out and touched her from where she ended up. Fucking idiot. If you can't steer your damn bike with only one hand on the handlebars, please don't endanger my life while trying to say hello to your friend. The next miles were anger fueled and fast.

2. Bike U-turn at the bottom of a frickin' hill? Are you freaking KIDDING me????

3. The roads. Yowsa. Several bike-eating cracks and holes...including one that was so huge and extended all the way across the road. I can't believe I didn't see anyone eat it on that one!

Otherwise, really not as crowded as I expected it to be. I was often scared people were going to cross over the yellow line. You had to ride so close to it and they were so close to it...scary.

Uh, ride faster????

Made the loooooooooong jog back to my spot with my bike. Took FOREVER! Then I switched all my stuff and left...

Nothing. 166 in my AG. Probably lost most of the time putting on socks.

Mile splits:
1 - 10:25/164/171
2 - 10:54/164/172
3 - 11:25/163/179
4 - 14:50/159/190
5 - 11:21/166/180
6.2 -12:59/166/178
I'm just slow. I tried to go fast and my first mile was about 10:25. Second mile was slower. And at the second aid station just after the second mile the water felt like lead hitting my stomach and I suddenly needed to use the bathroom. But of course we'd already passed the first two on Hains Point and on the way back around there aren't any right away! Finally at the very very end of Hains I spotted a park bathroom. I believe it's the same one that saved me during MCM a few years back. Of course it was over 100 feet off the course...so I had to run all the way there, took forever inside, then ran all the way back to the course. But well worth it. I was able to speed up a bit for the last few miles.

Really nothing else to say. I am just slow.

Hope I wouldn't have to go to the bathroom!

I got my medal and water and such. Then I found this HUGE line that I thought was for food. And I was really hungry. Glad I kept walking to see what all the fuss was about. It was actually the line for transition. So I hit the food tent...grabbed a PB sandwich (with WAY too much PB in it) and some cookies and another water and sat down on the grass. Ate the food figuring the line would go down while I was waiting. It did not. So I ended up walking to the end of the line and waiting in it. Got my stuff and rode 48 minutes back to my friend's house. Mostly uphill. Joy.


We really don't need to go over this again...see any of my RR's from this season. This is my slowest Oly EVER. :(


Surprisingly well run despite the size. They picked very wide roads which really gave everyone a chance to spread out on the bike. I wish they had marked or covered more of the big potholes on the run. That would have been helpful.

Post race spread could have been better...when I'm done racing I don't want PBJ! I want crappy pizza! Grease! Beer! Bad things!

All in all, I really don't like doing races this big...way too much hassle for what you get. :(