All the positions are for men only- not the overall race.

Anyway, this was my first mass start and I thought it was really fun to just head into the washing machine. Lots of jostling and bumping but I didn't mind it. We were supposed to have this great current but I didn't feel anything and just swam along. My right goggle leaked incessantly so in the end I just closed my eye for the rest of the swim! It was actually cold in the water. A couple of times we went through these cold bits and you really felt it. Throughout the swim I kept wondering when it would be done. Looked at my watch at 50 mins and realized that the current really was absent since I thought I might finish around that time and I hadn't even gotten to the turn (around 1.6-1.8 miles) yet! Another guy and I stopped to figure out where the heck we were at one point- no volunteers in sight. I tried to keep the pace even and easy. My pace for this wetsuit, salt-water swim was significantly slower than my pool swims! So much for a current :-) Anyway, the guy and I sorted out where to go and headed for the exit. Once out of the water it was pretty surreal- tons of volunteers and just me! I got my wetsuit stripped and they had trouble with the legs. They ended out dragging me across the dock! It was pretty funny. Anyway, eventually that was done and I took off running. Didn't have any trouble running over the cold road- felt fine actually. And then I made the bend and saw a packed (with spectators) transition area. It is about a 200 yd run to the entrance of T1 and the crowd was cheering like crazy. It was really cool! I guess thats the good thing about coming out of the swim on your own. Anyway, headed into T1 to find my changing bag.

Different goggles. Nothing else much. I was worried at how long it was taking but my overall position in my AG and overall in the swim is quite consistent so I think everyone found the course challenging and slow.

Slow transition. Broke my watch strap in T1 so fumbled with that for a little. Prob wasted a minute doing that. But other than that, it was tricky getting dressed with numb hands and having to get layers on. Put on my tri top, long-sleeved bike shirt and short-sleeved bike shirt, and gloves. Was cold for the first few mins on the bike but then was fine and ditched everything but the tri top at special needs at mile 51.

Go faster. Just not mess with the watch strap.

Interesting route in that you got to ride on a highway so that was fun! Other than that it was a pretty boring ride. Anyway, was shivering for the first 2 or so miles, then got warmer. By the special needs stop I was happy to shed some clothes. This is a pretty flat route (600ft climbing over 112 miles!!) but the wind was either a headwind or a cross from mile 20 to about mile 85 or so! Almost everyone that I talked to could not wait to make the turn South. I tried to keep my HR to 115 or so- mid zone 2. Maybe that was a little too hard but I was running pretty comfortably at the start of the run and without my knee seizing up I would have been able to at least run more than walk, rather than the other way around. Anyway, back to the bike. Tedious in the end...6 hrs is long to sit on a bike and my butt was hurting in the end. I had to stop to pee a couple of times- wanted to stay hydrated so I was happy to pee :-) Anyway, after making the turn South it was nice to see my average tick up a little. Still a pretty slow ride given the HR. Not sure the wheels helped any but it is hard to tell. What did I eat? About 80Oz of accelerade, 6-8 GUs and a cliff mojo bar. Seemed like plenty and I was super excited to get started on the run.

Average HR 116 but this is not 100% accurate because the Garmin was acting funny for a few miles. 5 mile splits:
Split Time Avg Speed Avg HR
1 17:37 17 128
2 16:47 17.9 116
3 15:20 19.6 112
4 15:22 19.5 117
5 16:17 18.4 115
6 17:51 16.8 113
7 17:41 17 110
8 16:03 18.7 113
9 16:33 18.1 114
10 17:26 17.2 119
11 17:58 16.7 119
12 17:21 17.3 116
13 17:58 16.7 117
14 17:55 16.7 116
15 17:12 17.4 120
16 15:41 19.1 116 Finally a tailwind!!
17 15:22 19.5 116
18 15:24 19.5 112
19 15:12 19.7 113
20 15:34 19.3 115
21 14:33 20.6 115
22 14:25 20.8 117
23 12:12 15.5 121
Summary 6:12:05 18.2 116



Just get faster on the bike. Not sure I did anything wrong here. It was pretty workmanlike...nothing fancy and the pace deliberately slow.

Bike handlers took the bike so no need to run with it or anything. Saw Becky and the kids here. It was sooo nice to see their smiling faces!
Puddled along into the changing tent, then stopped at a port-a-potty but some guy was ahead of me so wasted some time waiting for him. Not really a problem though. Then I had NO idea where to go once I was out of there. I stopped on the way out to give Becky and the boys a hug and kiss. Ryan said "daddy, don't you need to get back to your race?". Funny guy. Anyway, I got back to it at that point.

Not much. Hurry it up a little.

Really disappointed with this run in the end. 18 mile training runs were 8:10-ish pace so this is much slower than that. I started easy and solid- 9:xx miles pretty consistently for 10 or so miles (will check the splits when I download them). I actually really enjoyed the first 10 miles- very calm and aware of it all, taking it in, looking around, not hurting too much, just being in the moment. It was nice.

I stopped at the aid station for some heed at mile 10 and that somehow drained me. I kept telling myself "I'm just out for a jog, keep it slow" and that worked well. Saw Daryn at mile 4 or so - heard this guy calling "go Louis" and he actually pronounced my name right so I was surprised. Then I saw it was Daryn! Anyway, felt bad about his day- mech issues at mile 20 put an end to his race :-( Anyway, it was fantastic of him to stick around to support us. I saw him 4X and each time it was a big, big pick-me up. Anyway, my stomach got unhappy around mile 10 and at mile 12 I stopped for a pit stop. 3 mins later I was on my way again. It was chilly at that point so I stopped at the run turn-around and got a t-shirt and long sleeved shirt for the second lap. Those felt SOOO nice. Oh, I never mentioned that I had some serious chafing from the wetsuit (forgot body glide) and it rubbed again on the run. Switching to a normal tech shirt really helped with that. Anyway, first 13.1 was in 2:05 and change. And at some time here my knee flared. Shooting, building pain until I stopped running. I tried to walk to let it recover but every time I started up it flared again, worse than before. Coming back into town was great- saw Becky and the boys at mile 16. Luke was pooping in the bushes! Poor thing had diarrhea and couldn't wait. Anyway, saw Ryan, gave him a hug and kiss, and did the same with Becky. Then hobbled on. The rest was more of the same- struggling along with a bum knee. I started getting really nauseated as well until a guy suggested oranges! That actually worked! I muddled along until I got back to Daryn, chatted to him and he gave me a boost, then to Becky and the boys, who ran with me a little. And then the bridges and the final stretch. I let a few people go ahead of me and left 20 yards so Becky would be able to see me coming down the shoot. Then RIGHT at the end a guy zips in front of me...directly in front. I mean, 1 second before the finish line be bolts past and cuts in front. So Becky's finish line picture of me is actually of this annoying 22 year old. How do you photoshop him out? Seriously dude, you finished in 12:38 and change...you ain't winning any prizes for speed!

Mile splits:
9:23
9:06
7:51 (this seems too fast)
9:21
8:57
9:21
Mile 7: 8:27
Mile 8+9: 19.38
9:54
12:33 Pretty easy to see where the knee gave in! Bummer. I still have energy to continue. Oh well, that's how it rolls.
15:53 (potty break in here)
11:10 and the wheels start coming off
mile 14: 13:03
12:19
11:46
13:09
Mile 18: 14:38 trying to just walk and see if that helps. It didnt
13:46
14:13 nauseated here too
12:28 (started my run 20 steps, walk 20 steps here)
13:22
13:04
13:10
15:09 (Last 1.2 miles).



Pacing was OK I think. Just the knee! It really, really hurt but maybe that is just my weak spot. Same knee went out at my first HIM. I could work through that though- that just hurt when I stopped running. This one hurt when I ran and stopped when I walked. Maybe more long bricks in training (although I don't really know how you simulate mile 10 of the IM in training!). I remember being SO excited coming off the bike to see if the run would be do-able and it was...for a bit. And that is when I realized that there is a reason why they say this is hard and that the race begins at the run...the rest is just getting you to the run. Once I resigned myself that I wasn't going to get my goal time it was just a question of one-foot-in-front-of-the-other to get to the finish line. And I finally got there! Finally :-)

Massage, space blankets, picking up gear, eating pizza and then 45 mins waiting for the water taxi. The boys fell asleep at this point and I had to ask a guy in line to pick Ryan up for me and carry him onto the boat! Nice guy. He was thrilled to do it and told me his life story. Interesting guy though- he was one of the massage volunteers. The kindness of strangers...


Fitness. Knee. The knee was the big thing here. Obviously I need to get stronger on the bike and the run.


This is a well organized race for competitors but not for support crew/families. The waits on the shuttles were very long (Becky said it was 45 mins all day long- every time she tried to take the water taxi) and I don't like the complication of a point-to-point race. Too many baggies, etc. It worked well, but it was a lot to think about. Setup did a great job and the volunteers were truly amazing- the best I have ever come across. They were so enthusiastic!

Overall I am disappointed in the overall result but not terribly so, if that makes any sense- that run was less than I hoped for, esp. with the nice runs in training. Still, 12:38 is not too far from my goal and barring the knee, would have been well within reach. I coujnt myself really lucky to have been given the opportunity to do this, to train for it, fuss about it, obsess about it for a while and carry it out. Thanks family! :-)

The swim was MUCH harder than expected and the wind on the bike was rough at times. But, on the flipside, the temps after, say, 9am were awesome and it was a beautiful, sunny day. 65 through the peak of the day couldn't be nicer! Oh, and there is no way I would define the run as flat- many hills. Nothing huge but definitely not the ATT! I think I definitely enjoyed the training and the "obsession" with this journey more than the actual race, if that makes any sense. Its funny, I don't feel particularly strongly one way or another about the day. I sort of expected some kind of massive euphoria or some depression at it being over, but it is just a step in the road of life. I enjoyed the comaraderie of training and sharing the training and actually was in a great mood throughout the training. Some people have said that you are so tired that you are grouchy. I was not. I think I was so happy to be given the chance to pursue this that it carried over into other aspects of my life. No ironman for a while though, and probably no half ironman. The commitment is just too much. I think I will focus on getting faster at the shorter distances and actually will just take next year as it comes. New baby takes precedence over everything else.