Swim start was to begin at 7:05...was postponed for 15mins, then another 15mins then pushed up to 8am due to incredibly foggy conditions. Site buoys were not even visible off the dock. about 10mins til 8am, the RD cxled the swim portion and decided to go with a TT start of 10 racers at a time. (It was also at this time the fog lifted. The RD was unable to get the emergency crew back in place for the water safety). I was kinda bummed that I didnt get to swim as this would help spread out the pack that was going to ensue in the bike course.

Ran in flip flops from the swim exit and threw on the bike gear. Ran past the mount line passing 5 or 6 people doing the standing swingover mount and gave a good flying mount into the saddle. I missed my one foot clip in but got it in the next rotation.

This course was insane due to the no swim leg of the race. So many cyclists were on the road in the beginning lengths. I settled into a 25mph ride on the way out and felt great as I settled in for the haul. That was until about 5-7 miles out, I whacked a road joint at about 30mph which unknowingly launched my rear bottles of infinite out of the holders and into my dust. By the time I realized the importance of this loss I has long gone and didn't think turning around to get them was important

That was an extremely bad move on my part.I had absolutely no fluids until the aid station at mile 18. I snagged 2 bottles of water and thirstily drank one halfway down and squirted the rest into my aero bottle (which was part of my initial plan- use the rear for nutrition and the aero for the water on course).

I was hammering and was making great time. I passed a few of the mini pelotons that formed and I myself became joined by about 4-5 others at my speed that we kept passing each other back and forth for a good portion of the course. I'd look back and there'd be 2 guys tucked in right behind me. Then they'd cut out and pass and one would cut in front of me and the the other tall guy would sit to the right in the passing zone. It was a similar setup where I was executing a pass because of the slowness ahead that led to my drafting penalty. I was following the tall guy who always rode in the middle to middle-left in the road and i saw the officials coming...bc the guy never fully completed the pass I fell back to the right and was trying to coast slower and even put my hand up like "WTF!" as he sat in the passing zone. The ref motored up and wrote down my number and sped off...I knew is was being cited for drafting which was shit to me. (There were no blocking cites on the course). Was I drafting at this moment?! Not really I was backing off as the pass wasn't there bc the passing rider failed to overcome the slower rider. Had I drafted at all in this route (oh hell yes) EVERYONE was....it was ridiculous..I didn't do it much but I wasnt about to back off of someone passing me and they sit their happy ass right in my line...why should I slow?

I continued on and actually never dropped below 21mph even on the return into the head wind. I kept drinking what I could but could feel myself losing it. I decided at the 40mile area that i had a decision to make, hammer out and just have a hell of a bike leg and screw the run, or slow my roll and save for the run as I had little to zero energy left in my legs.

I decided to hammer on.

I was doing great and kept at a 21-22 mph pace (last year I was going 17mph at this point)! But I finally hit the wall at 50miles. My body bonked and I had no more gusto. It was somewhere around this time when my friend Blake passed me giving a pinch in my ass was he zoomed by. I was out of aero and in the horns scrambling to keep up. I gave it all and my all was only at 18mph. I started to lose some ground but at least kept ahead the "group" that I rode with. As I approached the bike finish, I switched into my high spin gearing to prep my legs to for the run. I eased out of my shoes and pedaled on top of them. Flawless leg over coast into the dismount trot.

I saw Jennifer and Kate as I entered transition and I hear them screaming me on. I just shook my head as I knew I was zonked. So zonked that as I racked my bike and popped off my helmet, my vision spun a bit and I got nauseated and dizzy. I stood there to recompose myself as I made the decision to try to run. I snagged a handful of gels and my visor and off I went..INTO THE BIKE EXIT...(apparently I was a bit disoriented too)!! As I trotted around T, I stopped at Jennifer to try to explain, but I was ultimately gassed and made no sense to her. Off I trotted.

This was the most difficult run I've ever had, period. I could not swing my legs in front of the other one I was so weak. I ran out about 0.5 miles and had to stop to lean up against a street sign. I squatted there and just thought to myself, 'what the fuck are you doing?!!'. I was so weak, my vision was a bit skewed still...I just didn't feel at all right. As I squatted there, other runners were passing checking in on me as they trotted by. Giving encouraging words like "you got this, man!" or "just keep the forward motion, it will be over soon!". Jon even ran by me and was showing concerns...

I stood up and told myself, make it to the 1st mile aid station and I'll make the call. I walked. I stumble- trotted and my legs actually came back a bit. It must have been from the Gel I just sucked down. So I popped another and made it to the aid. I stood there and ate 4-5 orange slices, and chugged Heed and water. I scavenged the good tasting gels and stuffed my pockets and off I went to mile 2. Erin cruised by on the bike and shouted some props.

About 1/4 from that first stop I threw up. Straight electrolytes...ugh..Heed.

I continued on as I popped a gel. I got this notion that if I just keep popping gels I can use that sugar high to keep going. So thats what I did. Mile 2 complete. I was still looking for an out, but my drive told me to keep going that I can quit at any time but at least go until it is physically impossible to go any further. So off I went. I had an ice towel on my neck at this point. It felt glorious. Dave passed at this point and gave encouragement.

At about mile 4 I got my grove back. At every aid station, I walked it and chugged Heed and water. Granted I hated the stuff, I needed it. I got my shuffle down and actually got back into the run. I was pulling it all back together. Blake was on his return as he passed giving a handshake. I was going to do this. I got to mile 5 I heard a familiar voice behind me. Brad had caught up. Erin was on the bike next to him. We exchanged some words and I tried to give chase. I did, but not as fast. I hit the turnaround and I thought hell, I just did half of this with my "gel plan" might as well keep at it.

I ran until I had no gusto. I'd give a bit of a walk as I pounded a gel and would run some more. This fellow runner, Mike caught up to me and was like "Hey we seem to be doing the same thing here...want to run together?!" I agreed and we pushed each other. Mike was from Norfolk. We chatted as we trotted and it assisted on forgetting the crappiness of the situation and healed a bit of the pain. Mile 8, check. We caught up to this other struggling guy, Jeff. He was in his 50s and was having a similar day and decided to join in on the group run. Mile 9 complete. Mike had really slowed and disengaged out group. I was getting a second wind and Jeff tailed me. We talked and actually knew similar people (he was from wilmington). We actually got back into a full run by mile 11. He was one of those stay cool wise athletes who had great tone to his story and wisdom snippets that just made this part of the run fun. He joked how his tri coach was going to be extremely upset with today's performance. We got to the mile 12 aid station.

I told him this last mile we're giving it all and not stopping- this was the last mile was uphill. Off we went slowing a bit just below the crest of the hill. We could hear the crowd cheers and soon saw the turn in into the chute. Jeff looked over and said "go ahead, Scottie...run up there and let them call your name out". So that I did, I gave a thanks for the pull and off I went into the chute and through the finish.

I stood there nauseated from all the gels and completely drained yet amazed that I just ran a half mary on sugar alone!!!