Swim went as planned. The water is really deep once you are off the beach so right into the swim. Ended up in the very middle of the pack so I just started pounding until I found some space after the first right turn. Then, like usual I started catching slower swimmers from the earlier waves. Was very relaxed and tried to really stay within myself and did really great. Good reach, sighting work the last couple of weeks helped a lot.

Position myself better for the run into the water. I am sure I pounded some poor sucker that wasn't ready for me to create some space.

Still had to sit down to put on my socks. That always kills my T1. Something to consider if I really want to get faster...can I bike and run without socks?

Good bike. I planned on just riding for the first 13 or so miles of the first loop and then really start hammering. Plan worked great. Hit the second half of the course and start blowing people away.

Adjusted water intake to one 1/2 and 1/2 bottle of HEED only. Helped the belly for the run like planned.

Can't wait to see what I can do when I invest in some technology and get off my old trusty "tank" of a bike....still saving my pennies and waiting for the end of the season. Begining to feel like a kid before Christmas.

Could have pushed a harder pace earlier, but this race was all about my running and my mental running wall. More on that later

Good transition....remembered everything and was moving the entire time. How I was #100 out of 418 in this transition is beyond me. But the bike entrance and run out were next to each other and I was at the other end because I signed up so late so I had to run a long way to my bike rack and a long way back?

Move closer to the entry point to save some time.

Here is were the money is made. I think my motto for 2011 is already in the bank...."Bike for show, Run for dough!" Started out the first two miles at my usual race pace which means that all these people that I blew away on the swim and the bike came racing by me (including Tammy, who ended up beating me by :07 seconds! Congrats on the sub 2:30). Then at mile 3 I picked it up and raised the HR to 170 and held it solid to mile 5 which is when I started pushing as hard as I could. Hurting every fiber and thinking my lungs were gonna explode I just keep pushing. I now know how it really hurts to run.

I just need to keep running. All these little "waify" guys come running by and I want to trip em but, this race did what I wanted. I proved to myself that a sub 8:00 mile 10K is in my cards if I can get my fitness there. I have a running race after my next tri, so some run focus at the end of the year will start this process.

The heavens opened up as I finished the run so there was no warm down except to try to gather my stuff from the monsoon and try to find some cover. Hid under the awnings on the rec center for the next half hour and tried to stay warm.


My body type, previous life as a hockey player, running fitness, just slow like a turtle, many other factors.

But come on....really :06 away from sub 2:30. I know I left :06 seconds on the course in about 15 different spots. Dang!


Hard to know what was planned after the race because everybody was just running for cover. Results were slow because of the rain. Seemed very well organized until Mother Nature showed her fury.