Heavy waves and a west wind caused problems for everyone, including the RD. I am sure buoys were blown in and the course was short. My swim is a lot better than last year, overall, and I think I would have swam 37 minutes on a normal day.


Need to learn to swim straighter in heavy chop. I was pushed around a lot.

They had wetsuit strippers this year so I got the top of the T1 off coming out of the water and they helped with the bibs.

The heavy West winds made the first half slower than the 20.5 mph that was the goal. The wind helped when going East or North but not enough to make up the time.

I felt good overall about this bike. I pushed on the flats and down hills, which is natural for me, although climbing was slow again.

My lower right back started to feel numb half-way into the ride - I will need to figure out why because the problem doesn't occur on my training rides, which are longer but slower.

They didn't have volunteers handing out bottles at the first aid station - for some reason they were all walking back from the intersection so I missed the first chance to refill my Profile bottle.

Nutritionally, I ate 4 ounces of GU, a power bar and some beef jerky. 1 Profile bottle of Perpetuem, 1 Gatorade and 1 water.

Bring a second water bottle.

T2 was a little slower because I had forgotten my racing shoes with the Yankz. I wore trainers.

Remember racing shoes.

I felt good coming out of T2 and beginning the run to the hill. Running up the hill was as tough as usual but I concentrated on short light steps and pumping my arms.

At the top of the hill, felt much better than last year when I bonked after mile 1. I forgot how important focus is on the run in a longer distance and struggled to keep pushing myself after mile 7. The run was OK, but slower than my goal of 1:45.

Nutritionally, I ate at 45 minutes, but should have had two for the course.

Need to work to regain my marathon-focus and keep pushing. Need to pick it up by 30 seconds per mile.

Eat 1 GU at 30 and 1 at 60 minutes.

Although I didn't hit the 5:10 ultimate goal, I PRd by 30 minutes. This is thanks mostly to a better swim stroke and stronger bike and run than last year (although, to be honest, the wind-shortened swim course helped, too).