Swim felt good. Water temp was perfect at about 65. Sighting was brutal into the sun, but announcer recommended using the two palm trees as a marker and was dead on. Never had to correct my course and held a pretty strong pace. It seemed like everybody started at a sprint, but dropped off within about 5 minutes. Passed people from other groups along the way, turning the last buoy I slipped past my another green cap (same color as me) and finished in pretty well. In reading race reports, it seems that last green cap may have been Fastyellow before he smoked me on the bike.



Not much.

Wanted to go pretty easy in transitions and keep HR down. I've had problems at Ca 70.3 in the past, and I used this as a prep for this years, so I wanted to do everything the same as I hope to in a month. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Bike was as predicted, flat and fast. The first couple of miles were on a great road, newly paved with a very slight downhill. Then there was a turn onto the 2 lap portion where the road quality went to crap. Very rough asphalt with loose gravel and sand (I know, it's the dessert) dusting the surface. Almost went down on a turn trying to take it a little too fast for the conditions, and slowed down for the rest of them. Felt OK for the first 8 miles, felt great for 8-20, then good for 20-24.

I avoided the water bottle station, I agree with others here that this was not necessary and could have been dangerous.

I caught my wife at the end of my second lap where she was about to start hers. She was about to miss the turn (very unlike her) so as I yell to her to move to the left, she shows me the elbow covered in blood. Apparently she did fall in a corner and slid TDF style. I thought she was going to quit, but she assured me she was fine and we each went our separate ways. That was scary, but impressive.

See T1, slow is smooth, smooth is fast (but apparently not in transitions).

Started out of T2 feeling pretty good. I ran with a fuel belt with only bottle to test out my plan for Ca 1/2. I should have taken more bottles because I got very hot and could have used some extra water. I ran the first mile and felt pretty good, but at the first marker my watch read 7:10 which is way too fast for me. I told myself to slow it down and find my pace. Second mile said I ran a 8:45, which is way too slow. I then figured the mileage signs were most likely off, and I just ran what I hoped would be a comfortable, sustainable pace for a 13 mile run. It went OK, 8:11 average is a good time for me, but I doubt I could have held that for another 7. I do believe the course could have used another aid station out there, but it wasn't the end of the world. It was very nice to see the start/finish/transition area for a majority of the run and being able to hear the winners finish was very cool. I was bummed that they finished and I had 4 miles left to run, but I guess I'll have to go faster if I want to change that.

Take more water. I'm a big time sweater and have a tendency to mentally check out when dehydrated.

Friends were at finish line, waited for my wife and had a couple of beverages. Back to the campground for a night of fun, then the windiest night of my life.