I have a tendency to stay wide on swim courses, away from the main group of people. I don't know if it helps or hurts me, but that's what I did here as well. I thought the swim turn around came right after the island, but had to change my mindset during the swim and just keep going to a now unknown turn around bouy. The waster temp was pretty perfect, I was worried that swimming in warmer water may feel uncomfortable, but it was nicer than freezing my face off like I did in Arizona. The river was brown and cloudy, but tasted pretty clean so I didn't mind having water in my mouth during normal breathing, but it was pretty bad when I got a nice big gulp. Coming up to the turn around bouy, since I was swimming wide, there was a sandbar (mudbar?) that I had to cross over. Some people around me just stood up and started walking, but I used my ocean skills and did some dolphin dives and kept swimming as much as I could. It was definitely faster to do this than try to walk. I knew I was going easier than my goal pace by the time I got to the turn around, but I kept it even. I was swimming a little faster than my 'just out for a swim pace' but under race pace. I was still doing more passing than being passed so I wasn't overly concerned that I was going too easy. At about the end of the island on the way back I tried to pick up my pace and really start moving, but my left calf gave a cramp so I just backed off and stayed even. Since it was a TT start, you don't really know who is around you or what their goal is. There was still some bumping and crowding at times, but not as fierce as a mass start. I came up the to exit and the lady getting out in front of me happened to know the volunteer that was helping us out. They started to have a conversation as I tried to work my away around them and 'encouraged' her to keep moving. The other volunteer at the stairs said to take it easy getting out because it's a long day. Yes, it will be a long day if you stop and chit chat.

Push my pace a litter harder. Show up in line earlier so I could try to position my swim line closer to the inside while avoiding crowd.

The swim start separates into two line for jump in points. Staying to the right will put you on the dock that is a little further up stream. It will save you about 10 yards of swimming and that much time, might as well do that if you can.

It was a decent run from swim exit to change tent. I was able to get my gear bag pretty quick with the help of volunteers. I wasn't wearing a wetsuit so in the change tent was just shoes on, race belt on, glasses on, helmet on, go! I had a powerbar and some shot bloks that I loaded into my back jersey pocket at this point and I had already had gels in my tri short pockets during the swim. I thought the volunteers would grab our bike for us as we came out, but the guy by the bikes wasn't even helpful to point out where I needed to go. I had some idea of where my bike was, but I was yelling at him asking where 980 was and he completely ignored me. Found my bike and headed to the mount line.

Know exactly where my bike is because the volunteers may not be useful. Next time I would consider swimming topless and having my tri top or cycling jersey in my gear bag, prepacked with nutrition in the pockets.

I started out really hard on the bike. I think for the first half of the course I averaged around 22mph. The way I had my garmin set it was only showing me moving time and distance covered, so I wasn't able to see my current speed, which I would normally look at to keep me in check. I was feeling good though and was excited to be on the bike. UNTIL...
I reached back to grab my powerbar, but it had bounced out of my jersey. My shot bloks were gone as well. I had taken a gel earlier in the ride , but never checked my pockets to make sure everything was staying in place. I continued riding for a bit and decided to reach for another gel, only to find that those were gone too! Those might have come out during the swim though. I wanted to grab some solids at the aid stations but liquid was a priority. Sports drink was first in the aid station, then food, then water, so I would grab the sports drink and by the time that was in my bottle cage I was past the food and grabbing water. I was able to grab a banana a couple times, but those weren't cutting it. Around the start of the second loop is when cramping set in. I have never cramped on the bike before, and now I was cramping all over. It was in my hamstrings and in my calves. I wasn't really feeling any heat, but cramps were probably caused by a mix of heat and missed nutrition. I was taking in lots of sports drink for calories, but it wasn't enough for the effort I was giving. My average speed for the second loop dropped down into the 19s and then the back half of the loop and the stretch back to the city was painful! It was still pretty hilly and we had that slight headwind. My pace dropped down into the 17s. There were a few people on the side of the course that had to stop and lie down/and or drop out. I knew the last bit down river road was flat, so I got out of my shoes pretty early and just kept moving.

I would pace a little slower to start out with, maybe 20 or 21mph and definitely make sure I'm on top of nutrition, even if it means slowing or stopping at an aid station to load up.

Another quick transition! I was out of my shoes coming up the the mount line and had already transferred my garmin from bike to wrist. I stepped over my frame was as able to hand off the bike and keep moving in to transition. The gear bag volunteers were again pretty helpful with getting my bag to me while I was still moving forward. The only things in my T2 gear bag were shoes, socks and a hat. The longest part was putting my helmet into the bag. The socks I had thrown in there not knowing if I was going to wear them or not, but I'm glad I had them and I'm glad I rolled them for fast entry.

I thought the first aid station would be right outside of transition instead of at mile 1, so maybe next time I would leave some nutrition in my gear bag. I would also leave my sunglasses instead of taking a hat and glasses. Leave the glasses behind if you know you're going to be pouring water on yourself. The hat can hold ice and cold water so it is a much better option. I ended up losing my glasses within two miles :-(

I started out of transition pretty quick because I wanted to see what I could do and if my body would accept running. It didn't. I still needed to get nutrition in. I made my way onto the bridge and to the first aid station. At this point I was still trying to treat this like a normal run so I kept moving, but by the time I made it back to the aid station after another mile I knew that I needed to readjust and start walking the aid stations and getting myself in check. I knew that no mater what I could jog a mile from aid station to aid station that was my new plan. I started jogging about 10 min/mile to the next aid station and then walked, so I could maximize time spent sponging off, drinking, eating, and loading my hat with ice. After a couple miles of this I started to feel a little less like death and a little more like a wounded soldier. For a couple of the miles I was dropping 10 seconds off my back between each one. When I was running I was moving between 9:30s and 10s. As more time went by and I had taken in food and water at every aid station I was feeling alright. I went from a wounded soldier to a trooper and I was out there to get it done. I did however get sick of everything the aid stations were offering I just didn't want any of it but I kept taking it. A couple times I felt like I wanted to puke and wished I could so I would have a fresh start, but it never came. The entire time on the run I kept looking for my cheer section. I really wanted to see them. They gave me a great boost during the bike and I was keeping an eye out for them on the run because I was moving at a pace where I could really see them and get a good smile going. I didn't end up seeing them until the start of the second loop which is a little after the half way point and by that time I was out of it and asked them where they have been! I was really happy to see them though and I knew they would be there again when I came back around to finish. People were crashing out of the side of the course wherever they could find shade. At times the only people around were athletes and they were all walking. It was a battlefield out there. Lauren had jogged out to mile 25 to meet me on the run. I talked to her a bit and then pushed on toward the finish. I ran through the last aid station and grabbed my Movement Is Life flag from be brother at the start of the finish chute. It was then arms up and smiles to the finish. I was a little spacey, but still alive. My mom and dad were overhead on a walk way. My finish catcher heard them shouting my name and pointed them out for me. Finisher hat, finisher medal, picture and then hugs from the family.

I found one of two chairs in the finish area and sat down! Hung out with the family in that area for a bit and then we headed down two blocks to the convention center where athletes could get some food and a quick massage. Unlike at Arizona my appetite was pretty healthy after this one. It was a long walk from the convention center back to the hotel. The store next to the hotel had a sign for those orange sherbet push-ups and man did it look good! Lauren bought one for me and it hit the spot! We were staying at a residence inn so instead of an ice machine they just had the ice maker in the in room refrigerator. The front desk allowed us to grab some ice from their kitchen, but it didn't make for a very good ice back; better than nothing though. After a bit of laying around we went out for dinner and I had a great steak and a sprite. Lauren and I went back to the finish area from 11:30 - midnight for an amazing experience.


Nutritional mistakes and cramping.


The bike course is the only thing that would bring me back to this race. The bike was beautiful, challenging and fun, but the run course was the exact opposite. The run was course seemed dirty and empty. The Time Trial swim was more trouble than it was worth. I would rather have a wave start or a mass start and take a few more elbows to have more room on the course later.