This was my fourth open water swim (ever), and the first in a race (with other racers!), so my expectations were pretty low. Didn't focus on sighting and just swam...mistake #43. I swam off course 7-8 times and swam perpendicular to the course a couple of times. As a result I was never able to stick with anyone's feet and do any drafting. Towards the end I learned to roll a little extra to sight ahead....

Lots more sighting. Swimming a straight line might have been good...

First swim to bike transition ever; I was happy everything I needed was there!

Down the sports drink before leaving T1.

This is where my race fell apart...and my love of Tri-ing was solidified. As you have heard, this course is hilly! Get over it and get over them! Started biking with my sunglasses but the humidity and rain ended that pretty quick (they spent the rest of the day in my shirt). I wanted to take it easy and focus on nutrition through the first 30 miles (which was the top of the biggest climb on the course) and then start pushing a little. I lost all my powerbars (fell out of my pocket) in the first four miles so that didn't work out. I drank a sports drink right off and then stayed within myself through mile 30. Even without the nutrition I felt ready to start ripping on the course! Just as I crested the top of the hill my front tire flatted.... I tried to stay calm and hopped off to change it out. It was the first time I ever used CO2 cartridges (prolly shoulda practiced that) but it went ok (slow) other than a cold burn on my finger (mistake #46). I hopped back on my bike and took it easy to see if the tire was ok. Within a mile, and just when I decided it was good...I flatted again! Hopped off again and began to swap out the tube again. I had run my finger along the inside of the tire both times and felt nothing. New tube in and off I went. Flatted again within a half mile.... UGGHHH Now I was out of tubes and knew I needed someone with more experience than me so I started running my bike. I contemplated quitting after the second flat and was immediately mad at myself. By the third it was just funny! I ran for about a mile before coming upon a pretty horrible bike crash. The race officials were busy caring for the injured cyclist so I kept on running. Another half-mile down the road was a police controlled intersection. I asked the officer to call for the bike mechanics (they had 3 roving mechanics on the course) and let them know I was running the course until they found me. Another mile down the road and they caught up with me. I should mention that I had tried to run barefoot for a while... but that didn't work out on the downhills. So I ran in my bike shoes...and that took a massive toll on my calves that would later haunt me. SO HAPPY when the wrenches caught me. I explained what happened and they pulled my front tire off and took a look. Within a minute they discovred my problem...I had picked up a small glass shard! They showed me that you couldn't feel it on the inside, but by bending the tire you could see it from the outside. Felt like a fool, but I will store that one away forever. They gave me a tube and pumped me up. Off I went again! Total time cost of the whole 'flat' ordeal was 52 minutes, during which I moved less than 4 miles (I wore my Garmin and was able to go back and figure it out). I was really nervous about flatting again for a while...and it took a long time to get my legs back into cycling, but I did okay on the last 22 miles (just over an hour for that section). There was an aid station on the out and back so I drank all my water intending to fill up on the return. I grabbed the water bottle on the way back and had just starting topping off my aero bottle when I hit a bump and dropped the water. I should have gone back for it but didn't. Rode the last 15 miles completely dry.

Not FLAT!:Do a more complete check of my tire before puttind a new tube in.
EAT: Not drop nutrition (get a bento box).
DRINK: Hydrate (get a water bottle rack for behind my seat)

Put socks on too quickly causing the right one to bunch. Didn't bother to fix it and got going. Saw Rebecca as I was leaving transition and that made my day! I could see she was concerned (as I came into transition waaaay after I had planned!) and yelled to her about my flats. I'm sure she was worried that I was bonking or had crashed and wanted to let her know I was okay!

Fix the socks before leaving!

Tried running with a visor for the first time, since my sunglasses still kept fogging (yup, that humid). Ran the first four miles right around eight minute pace. Felt fine and HR was good (145-150). When I got to the major uphills on the dirt road my legs quit. I'm sure the lack of nutrition played a factor but I really think the running in bike shoes killed my calves. I normally do well running uphill, relying heavily on my calves...but they just wouldn't respond. Had to walk...alot. Couldn't believe it, but still wanted to finish. It was also getting pretty hot. Aid stations were about every 1.5 miles. I got into a routine with them, drinking a cup of water, dumping one on my head, a swig of Pepsi/Cera Sport, and ice down the shirt (if available). I would then chew on ice chunks that I pulled out of my shirt for the next couple hundred meters (till they melted). Gross, I know.

Eat more on the bike. Not flat on the bike and destroy my calves by running in bike shoes. Train to run slower.... I normally train between 7:30 and 8 min pace... when my body couldn't maintain that it sucked. My form at 9 min pace puts alot more strain on my heels, of which the right one has a nagging injury. Oh well.

Found my family and then ate some food.


Flatting!
Nutrition..


Great learning experience for my first TRI! I learned alot that will help me reach my Ironman Lake Placid goal. The best takeaway I have is once I flatted I was riding/running with a different group than I had been. I had started out riding with alot of focused athletes with their game faces on. The more relaxed and fun group that I ended up spending many hours with was great! Sooooo glad that I got this in before Lake Placid. I don't quite feel like I'm ready for anything...but at least I can handle some more challenges!