I swam way too comfortably. I did get my breathing above normal the last 200yds or so. I was passing a lot of people by just pacing myself, but could have put a lot more effort into it - I'm a good swimmer dammit. Disappointed, but accepted that I was saving my energy for the rest of the event. I also swam by myself for a lot of it and swam towards people I thought I could draft, then found I was faster than them. Lots of wasted strokes.

Saw Josh on the swim - odd to pick someone out on the swim!

Swim faster! I should have caught on to one of the guys that passed me to draft him. I know I could have kept up.

I knew I took my time, but I didn't think I was THAT slow! Yep, I thoroughly wiped off my feet, got my socks on, made sure I had everything, then trotted to the porta-john. Forgot to grab a water to fill my protein/carb bottle and got on my merry way.

Had a gel and a big drink of water. As Anna suggested, did I have tea and crumpets in my transitions?!

Maybe nothing. I knew I wasn't winning the race so what's the point in saving a couple of minutes? I probably shouldn't have put socks on, and wiping my feet off was crucial so the sand didn't rub inside the shoe.

Missed filling my protein/carb bottle before the race. So I was stuck with water and a Gatorade bottle until the mile 15 stop - I tried not to fret. I grabbed a water at mile 5 and tried to fill the prot/carb bottle and failed by only filling it 3/4 full. Had a gel at 20min and 45min into the bike, finished the Gatorade bottle by 53min at first stop (15miles). Took way too long at the stop to fill two bottles and go to the bathroom - about 3-4 minutes wasted. Started prot/carb bottle at 57min. Granola bar at about 1:05. 3/4 of PB+Honey sandwich at 1:20, about mile 22. Dropped the sandwich and went back for it - lost about 90 seconds. Had GU gel about 1:35/mile 25. Stopped at mile 28 aid station for a bathroom break and water, on the road within 3 minutes. Ended the prot/carb at 1:55. Stopped at 2:10/~ mile 31 to fill 2nd prot/carb bottle. Had a GU chomps about 2:15. Rest of PB+honey at 2:35. Gel at 2:55. Banana at 3:05. Got a bloody nose about mile 51 - I'm thinking due to too much salt. Felt a bit dizzy and flushed about mile 53 - maybe due to too much salt or food? Maybe cranking for a long time since the previous stop - about 20 miles. Without the stops I would have average over 18mph instead of the 17.3 I did.

I questioned myself once about mile 52 or so about whether my issues on the bike had bottomed out and whether I'd be able to get out on the run.

Not stop so much, maybe not drink so much, better spacing out of foods. Make stops count! I have to figure out the carb and protein thing and my calorie intake overall - I don't think I need a lot less calories, just a little less and different type.

What the heck did I do? Went to the bathroom again. Made sure I had everything with me. Had to go into the backpack looking for a bonk breaker I never used. Put the race belt on and a bit more sunscreen - even though the sun wasn't out, I still wanted to protect against the rays getting through - plus I wasn't sure the sun wouldn't come out during my run.

Be more organized.

Was able to "run" for the first 3 miles, walking through the first aid station. While I wasn't dizzy, my vision seemed off, like one eye was focused and the other wasn't, but it did cause some weird sight issues for the first mile or so. Had some GI issues (bloated and sloshy) from the bike and couldn't really eat anything for the first 25 minutes. I just had a few sips of water and had to let my body absorb the nutrition it had. Got worried about salts, so I took an endurolyte at 25 minutes with water. About 28 I felt okay enough to have a GU and it didn't sit well. I went another 15 without anything, stopped at aid station to down some gatorade which sat well. Took a GU about 50 minutes and it sat better. Walked a few times on some inclines and aid stations. Had another endurolyte about 1:15 and a GU soon after; my stomach was fine but a bit sloshy after the GU+water. My left knee started to give out about mile 8, had to stop every 3/4 mile or so to massage and stretch it. Kept up with running and walking through the rest. Stopped at aid stations and walked after them keeping myself to a minute when walking - knees were killing me. By mile 8, my GI issues seemed resolved. Had another enduro at mile 10 I think. Met some people while running which lifted my spirits and made the run go faster - boy does it help to have a running partner, even for a little bit. Saw Clint, Jeanne, and Lara on the run - all way ahead of me! As I came upon mile 12 it was easier to keep my head up and smile a lot more, not that I was down - maybe it was because I finally took a caffeinated gel at Mile 10 and again at mile 12! Traded walking and running places with a woman from Mile 9 - 12.5 who was also struggling with leg pains, but can't remember if I finished in front of her, as I was too excited to see the downhill to the finish. Had to "run" backwards on the hill a bit since my knees couldn't take the pounding and I wanted to run in to finish. Got fairly emotional on the way in seeing the crowd cheering in us finishers - what a sight!

Not have so much to eat on the bike, or just space it out more carefully. While I was full on the first 3 miles, I felt it provided some calories for at least 4 miles on the run. Don't know if the bloating is worth it to not eat anything for the first 30 minutes of the run. Consider doing endurolytes more.

Know how they say not to try new thing during an event, well one was good and the other may have caused issues. Endurolytes were fine. Shoes I had gotten 2 days before with only 2 miles of running and maybe 4 of walking in probably were not broken in enough. Either that caused the runner's knee issue or that my shoes were wet and I was probably sliding around too much in them. Running in them two days later for an hour caused no issues.

Chatted, walked around, dip in the lake, eat, drink beer.


Swim: mental fortitude.
Bike: too many stops, disorganized, pushing through difficult and questionable mental/physical moments - especially after 50 miles when I got a bit down from the funky things going on with my stomach, nose, and eyes.
Run: too much to eat on the bike, knees.


Great event and overall a great day for my first half IM. I made it through the tough moments on the bike and the physical issues on the run and never once thought of quitting, though I did question whether the bike issues would do me in. I persevered regardless of the time I'd come in. This was 2+ hours more than my previous long training session - I am ecstatic.

It was great to see all the donkey/BTers and friends at the event. It helped a lot.