The start was spread out over the beach without a real designated start area. Had plenty of open water at first but got a bit crowded closer to the buoy. Some minor contact but nothing extreme.
Sighting was good at times and horrible at other times. Sunshine and the background of the beach made a couple buoys hard to locate. Also at one point a kayak was right in mine line of sight. There were 3 turn buoys and 2 direction buoys. They only ones we had to keep to our left were the turn buoys but lots of people went wide after the second turn because the marker buoy was not in line with the turn buoys. I did my best to cut a straight line to the turn buoy but that was where I lost sight of it a few times with the beach backdrop. I caught some feet to draft here and there but went off course too many times.

Get better land marks to help find the turn buoys.

Wet suit got hung up on big ass timing chip. Other than that it was pretty good. 17th overall

Went with the 11-28 cassette and was glad I did. Used the 28 on the big climb and a couple of other spots. Maybe could have gone 27, 26 would have been pushing it, 25 would have left me spent for the run.

Really paid attention to hydration and nutrition and I think that went a long way, though I dropped a Clif block, and didn't eat the Clif bar I had. I did eat the Payday but that wasn't as awesome as I had hoped it would be.

Nutrition plan was: Water and 1 "serving" of food on the 1/2 and hour marks, and IM Perform on the 1/4 and 3/4 hour marks, and water/perform intermittently if I felt thirsty or wanted an emotional lift.

I do prefer the sweetness of Gatorade for the pick me up, but the IM perform seems to be doing the trick for calories and fluid/electrolyte replacement

Maybe go harder on the rollers, flats, and downhills. Still measuring bike pace/fitness at this distance but for sure I had the best HIM run off the bike so far, and this was a tough course. Could have used some caffeinated gels or bloks

Took my time to gather my thoughts and sat to put on my socks and shoes.

Move faster, maybe. 31st overall

By far the best HIM run yet for me. Felt really good right off the bike and just kept feeling stronger as I went. Pace ebbed and flowed with the hills, I slowed or stopped at aid stations, and I walked about 60 or 70 yards up the last hill.
Got some real hot spots on my feet and ended up with several blisters and may lose a toe nail (had to poke a hole in it and drain the blood).
I think the blisters were due to being up on my toes with short strides for some of the climbs, and the toe nail was from my toe pushing the front of the toe box on the steeper downhills.
I knew I was passing a lot of runners but I would see people I supposed were ahead of me on the out and back sections. When I saw them going out again on my way back on the last loop I realized I was ahead of several people and started to feel really good about my performance. I had several athletes comment of my pace and form and they seemed to mean it more than the standard "good job" we love to give each other.
Pee'd once at the first aid station and drank water and Gatorade at all of them. tried some Coke late in the race but it wasn't flat and I burped too much. Didn't eat my last gel at mile 10 because I was feeling a bit full of fluid.

Not walk, pick up the pace on the second loop. Have some caffeinated gels

Drink water and vitamin water, eat pizza, oranges. Stretch, walk around a bit and take a very cold outdoor shower.


DNA? I think I did pretty damn well out there. I could have gone harder on the bike but what would that have done to my run. I didn't want to write yet another report where I went too hard on the bike and blew up on the run.


Small race but very well run. Plenty of helpful and friendly volunteers.