I loved the swim! We were allowed in the water about 25 minutes prior to the start. I'm at home in the water. I got in almost as early as I could. As soon as my toes hit the water, all the nerves and concerns melted away. There was nothing left to do but race. The fact that there was a good chance I wouldn't finish was gone. I swam out, found a nice place to relax and then waited.

I thought I found a decent out of the way location. When you look at pictures from the terrace looking at the start, I am pretty much smack dab in the middle. ten feet to the left and 10 feet back from the ski ramp.

The swim was uneventful for me. I got slapped a couple times, almost got kick once, as I was passing a dude he switched from freestyle to breast stroke and I came with in inches of getting kicked in the face. There were no other close calls. But I found that as long as I didn't try and swim over someone, and instead slowed up or went around when I saw or brushed their feet, there was little chance of getting kicked.

I was timing myself on half laps, and I hit each mark on pace for a 1 hour 20 minute swim. I'll take the 1:25.

I swam an easy pace, and may have been able to go under 1:20 if I'd been a little more aggressive getting around people, but I'm just not that type of guy.

Maybe start somewhere else? I didn't have issues, but was slowed somewhat by other people. Not sure why poor swimmers line up in front.

I thought it went well. It's a long run up the helix. I felt like I did it as fast as need be. My goal including the run up the helix was 15 minutes.

Nothing

Aside from the stabbing pain in my ankle, I felt really good. I rode a relaxed pace and while slow, I hit the time checkpoints exactly as I wanted to. But my ankle was toast.

I'm glad I knew the course. I absolutely blasted the downhill on Garfoot road. It almost makes the whole course worthwhile by itself (I was built to go downhill).

I got paced by a dude towing a trailer full of adult beverages and wearing a cheese hat. Made for good laughs when I complained to spectators that he was making me look bad.

Going up the climb on Midtown road, someone had a sign that said "Do a wheelie." The whole reason I have a safety lever on my bike is so I can wheelie it easier. So I obliged, and in the process totally blew my wad.

The pain in my ankle was bad enough that I would have stopped in Mt Horeb on the first loop if my wife had been there. She was going to try and meet me there, but worse case she would meet me in Verona. When I got to Verona I was riding so slow looking for her and my daughter that people we asking if I was okay. I ended up missing them. I continued to the special needs area and decided to call it quits. There was no way I was going to make it another loop with my ankle as painful as it was. I borrowed a phone from a volunteer, called my wife and we arranged to meet at the McDonalds in Verona because it was the only landmark I knew how to get to and tell her where it was.

Not have a wrecked ankle.

Either get a taller cassette or ignore the wheelie sign. Probably wise to get the cassette because I have a hard time ignoring signs like that.

Practice wheelies on the road bike.

Post race I wondered if I could have gotten through the pain. It was a tough decision, but I think it was wise. One thing I regret was hiding from my friends how messed up my ankle was. I don't think I wanted to say out loud how much the pain effected everything. Swimming inflamed it. Riding hurt but was bearable (when I had not swam for 1.5 hours prior to the ride) and I could walk. Telling others would have meant admitting to myself that my chances of finishing were slim.

I am writing this recap 1.5 weeks post surgery, and feeling as good as I could about the race. Prior to surgery the doc thought that I could have an inflamed ligament that was getting pinched, a separate issue from the bone spur. When the doc went in to remove the spur and scope the area around the ligament he found that it was barely intact and most likely the main culprit of the pain I was feeling. He removed it completely (apparently it's not a needed piece, about half of the population isn't even born with that particular bit) It wasn't until a week after the surgery, when I went in for my first post op that we really discussed it. He said I he couldn't believe I trained all summer in the shape I was in.

I guess I can be happy with how far I made it considering the circumstances. There was no way I was not going to start. I also think I gain a lot. I think that when I go back in two years I won't feel like a first timer. Getting to the start was the most difficult thing and I've already done that.

I won't be able to go for it next year. The wife is pregnant and we are expecting #2 in April. With Heather's permission I'll be volunteering next year to sign up for IMWI in 2012 so I can finish what I've started.