I couldn't see anything in the way of buoyees on the first half of the course due to the sun being in my eyes (typical of the Tempe races). I swam really hard (wanting to beat my 54 minute swim from the previous year). By the final 200 m, I was thinking to myself, "I'm done, exhausted, and can't imagine doing anymore." By the time I was up the steps and on my way to transition, I felt good again.

Hang out by the stairs and listen more closely for my wave...I was very rushed at the start.

I was full of grass and dirt from the transition area, but didn't care...I just put on my gear and took off!

Nothing.

I hammered the bike in this race! I was pushing a little too hard, but knew that I could power through the run, even if I cranked on the bike.

Maybe fuel a little bit more.

In spite of not being able to find my gear after coming into transition (and having a public display of frustration), I still managed to be in and out of transition very quickly!

Make sure I know exactly where my gear is.

This is where I got really angry and frustrated! I was running 7:30 miles and right at mile 3, my heart went into atrial fibrillation. I had to stop and sit down on the side of the course while all the people that I had picked off, passed right on by me. I couldn't get my heart to convert back to a normal rhythm, so I got up and toughed out the rest of the race with an irregular heartbeat :(

See a cardiologist some day and get the extra pacemaker tissue in my heart cauderized

Waited for my friend Richard, Dan (Santa Clause), and my beautiful wife to cross the finish line.


My damn heart!


Despite my cardiac issues, I still managed to knock 36 minutes off my time from 2009 :)