The course was a clockwise triangle with an additional "stem" leading to the swim exit. The water was flat and the buoys were large, so I had no problem getting around the triangle part. My left goggle tended to fill with water. I emptied it once or twice but then decided I didn't care. This meant that when I was trying to navigate to the swim exit I couldn't really tell where I was going. The water and the trees and the sky were all the same color to me. I could sight off of a swimmer ahead of me but he had gained a reputation with me for going off course. I went in his general direction until I saw buoys marking the exit. I don't think I went off course by much, and in any case other people had the same problem so I didn't lose places.

Overall the swim was good. The water was flat. I spent the first part of the triangle swimming in clear water on my own because I thought I had a better line than the mass of swimmers. In the second part I drafted off of someone to get a little rest. It was nice. Then in the third part I went off on my own. Tried to draft off the guy that was zigging and zagging but then he escaped.

Didn't redline during this swim but just kept it steady, although I did fade a bit during the last 1/4 mile. My back didn't bother me during the swim. I believe I PR'd the swim.

Eh, nothing. I was happy with it.

The swim exit was set up pretty well, because the water depth changed quickly. You went from super deep water to the exit planks instantaneously. No need to try to run through shallow water or any of that crap.

When I stood up my body rebelled. I couldn't really straighten my back and kind of shuffled through T1. It was to be expected I guess. Being hunched over made it really easy to get my bike shoes on my feet though.

Managed to shuffle some kinks out of my back before the mount line, but it was a pretty slow T1 for me. Given the size of the area and the sweet racking spot I had it should have been under 1 minute.

Nothing.

This bike was excellent. A big PR for a HIM. The course was a loop. In the beginning we faced flats with a headwind/crosswind and some rainfall but it was a hilly course with a tailwind in the second half.

I started the bike cranking at about 210 W, which is high for me, but I felt good so I went with it. I decided my strategy was to ride based on feel but watch my powermeter and not let myself get below 190 even momentarily. I tend to get lazy because I can't pace the bike well.

I passed a handful of bikers in the first 10 miles, then the rankings became pretty steady. I spent a long time without seeing another biker ahead of me. Somewhere in the first half my back started hurting very bad and my power started dropping. My average got down to about 204 W. It was kind of a delicate process trying to keep my power up without hurting too bad. About 2 bikers caught up with me just as we hit the first hills and another was behind me threatening. That was kind of a bummer. I was happy to see the hills though, because it meant I could sit up. My rule is that below 15 mph I can get out of the aerobars all I want because there isn't really an aerodynamic advantage to being low at that speed. Sitting up on the hills helped my back, and on the descents that went with every hill I could gain time on the people in front of me. I caught one of them, and we slingshotted for a while. Then we turned and the wind became a tailwind and I took off for good. Crisis averted.

The tailwind section was very fast, especially since we were largely coming down from the set of hills we climbed. My speed got back above 21 mph so I was satisfied with the pacing. As I did the last however many miles with the wind, my speed went up 1/10 at a time (21.1, 21.2, 21.3...) so things were looking up. I basically cruised the rest of the way into T2.

A total of 4 people passed me and stayed ahead of me on the bike. I passed more than 4 myself, so overall I moved up during this portion.

I might be tempted to wear sunglasses. When it was rainy and windy my eyeballs were kind of hurting.

Another somewhat slow transition. I don't believe my back was hurting at this point, but I set things up to be a little slower. I used regular running shoes with tie-up laces, as well as socks, so that took some time. I also did not have my race belt on at the beginning of the race, so that took a second to grab. Finally I grabbed a hat, sunglasses and some clif blocks. Normally my glasses are still on my head from the bike, I don't wear a hat, and any energy was stuck in my pocket before the race start.



Well, things were probably fine. There was a long run ahead so I wanted to be prepared and not blow up.

This run was just brutal. Hardest course ever. After about 5 miles on the roads we turned onto some sort of trail that climbed for a full mile and then just when you think the worst is over you get 2 or 3 more steep ups and downs before the turnaround. Then after turning the downs become ups and you get to do more hills. It was dirt with large gravel, so you couldn't charge down the hills safely--well, at least I couldn't. Then at mile 10 you were back on the roads and the race became a purely mental challenge from that point on. I took some sort of fluid at every aid station, and I ate 3 clif blocks at miles 3 and 7.

I caught only 3 people during the whole run. One was my teammate shortly out of T1. The second I caught at the start of the 1-mile long hill when he opted to walk through an aid station. I thought he was tricking me into going ahead to do the pacemaking work, because I had followed him for about 3 miles before then. The third guy I caught was when were were going down the 1-mile hill, almost back to the road. I think he blew up on the hills. I might have blown up as well, but I decided to walk the worst one. It was only slightly slower than trying to run it, but much easier.

I had a little fun at mile 11 when I realized the 4th place guy was within sight up the road. Runners were so spaced out that he might not realize he was catchable, so I thought I would try to sneak up on and beat him somewhere near the finish. I managed to get as close as 100 meters, and then he walked through an aid station and I was really excited to get him. But then he turned and saw me and that was the end of my little plan. He took off and I had no strength to go after him. It turns out my pace had been fading over the last couple miles, so I think if I had eaten a little more I could get him. Oh well.

I failed to PR the run, but I had the 3rd best run overall. The only people who beat me were the 1st and 2nd place winners, who did 1:22 and 1:26. Freaks of nature.

The race overall was a PR by nearly 10 minutes and best of all my back didn't hurt at all during the run. Not sure how that happened, but I'll take it.

Mile splits:
Mile 1: 7:06 (wasted a little time talking a teammate though)
Mile 2: 6:37
Mile 3: 6:32
Mile 4,5: 13:54 (settled into my pace)
Mile 6: 8:32 (1st big hill)
Mile 7, 8: 14:30
Mile 9: 9:06
Mile 10: 6:34 (descending the big hill)
Mile 11: 6:59
Miles 12, 13: 14:37 (pace faded bad here)
Final 0.1: 0:58

I should have had another thing of clif blocks. That would have made it perfect.

Jogged for about 15 minutes afterward and did some stretching. Tried to steal someone's dog.


Back pain/stiffness, but only at a few points during the race.


This was the 1st year of this triathlon, but you wouldn't know it based on the excellent organization. Plenty of aid stations (every mile on the run and 2 bottle exchanges on the bike). The course was very scenic and the roads were in excellent condition. The upper peninsula is beautiful, actually. I even like that the run has ridiculously hard hills.

The race T-shirt was designed by a local artist, the prizes were made by another local artist, and you get to eat the local cuisine (pasties) after the race. Those aspects were pretty cool. Also the nearby town of Houghton is pretty cool with nice little places to eat and locally brewed beer. I feel like I had a little upper peninsula experience at this race.

I hope the race returns next year. It is one month out from IMMoo so it's a good tune-up (the reason I did it), and it's inexpensive and well-supported.