I felt great at the start, I had no nerves and I was feeling great, then all of a sudden I start hyperventilated like at Pinehurst, wtf! After about 5 minutes of trying to calm my breath I try to close my eyes when my face is in the water (I do this when I practice because I do NOT wan to see what's in the water at Jordan lake) and sure enough I am able to control my breathing. Maybe seeing underwater was throwing me off? Who knows but I need to work on this! The rest of the swim was cake. My arms did get a bit tired but nothing I couldn't push through.

Um close my eyes from the start? I dunno I have had perfect OWS the past month. Maybe delayed anxiety?

Rinsed the feet off because the grass would have driven me nuts!

Nothing

Finally I am getting better on the bike. I need to keep up whatever I am doing because I felt awesome today! It may have to do with my perpetuem cocktail; orange vanilla perp, 2 orange hammer gels and 10 servings of endurolyte, every 5 miles I took 2 sips and chased with water...I had energy the entire ride...even the last 16 miles or so when the sun came out I was still feeling great!

Get a bike fit or a new saddle, I was having some comfort issues, maybe it's time to break down and buy a tri bike?

Nothing special, took my time dismounting because I knew I had to get my bearings or I would topple.

Nothing

My quads felt tight for the first couple miles but loosened up. Thank goodness for the port potties at each mile or I would have died. Pee break at the first mile and then had some GI issues that I think were just heat related so I visited a couple more times. After mile 5 I felt better, I still felt like I was shuffling but at least I didn't feel the need to stop. I took water and a cold towel at each stop. About midway through I broke into my Fig Newtons I stashed in my top, I pretty much ran with it open for 2 miles just taking bites off as I could. I could not fathom the idea of having a gel with that heat, plus every time I thought to grab one I only saw banana and chocolate..gag! The newtons saved me again! The last two miles were the toughest for me, I was mentally breaking down even though I only had at most 20 minutes left of this race. I had to muster every bit of energy and willpower to not walk during those last 2 miles. At the last aid station I looked for any food item that would give me some sort of energy and went with pretzels of all things, which totally did not work because I already had cotton mouth-duh! Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel, someone said I had only 2 blocks left! Somehow I was able to get myself together and make a decent effort at a finish. I saw Janelle and Jon and then I saw the finish...oh sweet, glorious finish line! I had a huge smile on my face...no jazz hands because I didn't even see the photographer, but have no fear I did break them out during one of the (early) run photos.

Um...heat training?

I grabbed a bottle of water and a bag of cookies because I knew I was going to feel very sick otherwise. I walked back to see Janelle and Jon, we chatted a bit then I went to transition to change shoes and use the porta potty again. I started feeling off so I walked back to the food area, grabbed another bottle of water and some Doritos, maybe I needed salt not sugar? I inhaled the chips and sat in the shade for the bit, I had a good spot so I could see people coming in and I was hoping Scottie wasn't far behind. I thought about jumping in the lake (something I was dreaming about on the run) but I was getting cold, probably due to dehydrated and the sunburn on my back I later discovered. Sitting here typing, I wish I would have stretched more because I am already really tight!


The crappy swim start for me and the heat, my god the heat! I think I am just not used to running in the heat yet, I did long distance runs in August last year and was fine but I just don't think I am used to it yet this year.


Good race, mentally tough due to a boring bike course and the crappy run. The lake is really beautiful especially in the morning before everything starts. The race shirt was kinda crappy, it was red and hard to read the writing, I would have loved a nice blue/green/grey shirt to match the serenity of the lake :) Though the socks were better then Pinehurst...such a diva I am!