This time includes what seemed like a really long run up the beach, around an extra minute. I started out pretty good and felt "fast" but I had a hard time staying on course. I am accustomed to counter-clockwise swims, so a clockwise rectangle threw me off. I swam WAY wide. I also didn't do a very good job with the body glide, apparently, because my neck was rubbing before the halfway point. Not a good sign!

Really not racing this one very well... No problems, just not motivated.

Stay home

I started out feeling not so fresh. A girl who passed me early on said in a friendly manner "How are you doing today?" and my response was "Not yet warmed up actually..." I eventually got going and within about an hour my neck and calves were sore. I was riding my old road bike, which I love but it's not what I have been using lately. At about 23 miles we turned South and the course volunteer says "It's a little breezy, but you're heading straight back to town." Well, that was an understatement. My pace dropped from 20 mph (over a 18 mph average overall) to about 12 mph. Ticking away at the average... That was also a major mental bummer for me. I spent the rest of the ride wondering why I got up so early to do this, why I didn't do the sprint, etc., etc.

Stay home or do the sprint if I must. Not ride a race on a bike I haven't been using for months with little time to practice with it.

Returned to find my neighbor's bike on top of my run stuff. Nice. I know everyone's bike ends up wonky after the bike, but why on top of the run stuff? Arg. I complained as I transitioned - not the best use of my time :)

Stay home

This was both a failure and a victory and a really long fricken hour and 43 minutes. I started out trotting. My lungs and HR felt fine, but my legs were wicked sore (from the different bike) and it was HOT. It was well into the 80s and sunny. The first few miles of the run are the sunniest, so by the time I reached the water stop around 1.5, I was thinking about quitting after the first lap. I was thinking thoughts that included whether I could recover from this and do my other fun things planned for the summer, to would I suffer greatly enough to need medical attention and not be able to drive home, etc. At the water stop, I took a good water bath and had several drinks and fortunately the path turned a bit shadier.

Somewhere around mile 2 I saw a guy walking and I passed him, only to start walking a little bit ahead of him. He ran up and asked if I was on my first lap or 2nd and I learned he was on the 1st lap too - and in a similar mental space. We started running together and it make a huge difference. Thanks Chad! We spent a good amount of time at the next water stop and I hit the potty (which I had needed while still on the bike). We alternated walking/running and I realized that finishing the run at a slower pace was something I could do and that it was a better choice than quitting. Even if I didn't quit, I would have walked MUCH more and really ended up slower. I should have realized the goal pace was out the window loooong ago. We saw a biker returning as the end of the bike course went along the lake a little bit (around mile 3 of run) and as mean as that is, it buoyed our spirits a little :)

We willed our way past the turnoff to the finish and headed out again. More water stops, more walk/run, etc. The stretch that goes along Hwy 14 is BRUTALLY hot with black asphalt and no shade. After the water stop at 5.5ish, Chad was hurting and told me to go ahead. I honestly thought I'd end up walking a lot again and he'd revive himself and meet me. I jogged the best I could, took a lot of walk breaks, and kept focusing on just being done. I went back and forth with several folks and jogged it in to the finish.

Stay home

I sought shade immediately and was thirsty and hungry, so pretty much just sat down and ate. I probably should have stretched my legs a little, they were pretty sore all day.

I walked to the timing van because I wanted to see my final time, and realized they'd not put me in the Athena division despite choosing it at signup AND telling them at checkin (as requested). So, they quickly switched me and I ended up in 2nd (of 3). The 1st place girl was very fast. I am accustomed to easier wins in this division, but I really didn't feel like I did my best today and was a little embarrassed to take a prize.


Not recovered enough from the HIM? Certainly a hot day is not my best kind of race weather. Riding a different bike. Just a lot of bad choices.


I actually really liked the race itself. I think Final Stretch does a great job and takes the race very seriously, even if it's not a USAT event. The volunteers were spectacularly friendly, despite the long hot day. I even got cold water until the very end! Final stretch also is very generous with door prizes and gifts to the AG winners. I received a very cute stainless water bottle that said "Congratulations" with the Final Stretch logo, for my 2nd place.