The start was brutal as usual, but I made room and soon was out of the washing machine, only too look up and I was way left...ugh! Made 1st turn buoy and began the back stretch, and once again I zig zagged. I was giving around 80% effort on my strokes and concentrated on gliding. That kept my speed down but my HR too. Made the last turn and headed for swim exit. I made the mistake of swimming out around the Sprint distance buoy but so were the otehrs around me- I should have just point -to -pointed that. I turned on the power and found a swimmer to play taxi. We had a good effort and I got a great pull all the way to shore. Throughout this, a swimmer tagged onto my and was drafting me now too so we had a train going on. the swimmer kept smacking my feet every 4 strokes or so. I got annoying buy I allowed it as I was getting a good pull and didn't want to leave my spot. At water's edge, I stood up and right next to me was Alan! HE was the foot smacker!!

I was joggin with Alan back into T and raced back to beat him out. He exited before me but I took my notorious 3 steps past everyone trying to mount AT the line and flying mounted with perfection. (1st time on the P3!!!) I heard a "nice mount!" from Alan as I began to hammer on.

I had issues right off the bat on the bike. I experienced minor foot and calf cramps as soon as I mounted. It wasn't too bad but I noticed them. I later found that I could not push above 18mph! I pedaled harder and my HR would really increase. I thought, WTF...my brakes were not scrubbing, wheels looked good ..I just had no energy- this annoyed me. Then things snowballed.

At around mile 11 I got some speed back and was able to push 22mph. I was content. Soon after I felt a *~whack~* on the front of my helmet- then the all too familiar scrambling *ZZzzZZZzZZZZZZZZ!!!* A bee had made it into my helmet!! I began to try to rip off my helmet, but it was too late ##whammo## I let out a girlish shriek and threw my helmet off to the shoulder and slammed on my brakes. Other riders looked at me like I was some sort of crackhead. I hopped off and found the venom sac in my hairline. Damn that hurt...I got my helmet and shook it out and hopped back on. Yep I was in top gear...ugh! I got back up to speed and my forehead began throbbing. great! I made it to the water exchange and asked the guy if he saw a stinger in my hair- obviously that was asking to find a needle in a haystack. I pedaled on. Pissed off I got my speed back.

I began to see Sprint traffic coming the opposite way on the road and knew a left hand turn was ahead. WTF...I had to stop in the road to wait for a pack of sprinters to pass before I could make my turn. Piss Poor there. I hammered on. Around mile 17, I got spongy in the rear as I pedaled...I thought to myself, great I bet I have a flat now...yahtzee!!! Flat my disk was. I pulled over and was sunk. I stood there with my bike on the ground and blurted out a 'you have GOT to be kidding me!' as I ripped off my can of PitStop (which I've never used before. i stuck it on the nipple and gave it a push...*PSHHHHHHHOOOOOOSHHHHHHHSHHHH!!! White foam EVERYWHERE. Apparently, it wasn't in straight enough...good grief. Jennifer road by at this moment as I started going insane and laughing to myself. She yelled out at me and I told her to GO GO GO!! I got some foam in my tire and still had to use C02 to get the pressure right. I stuffed my tri top with my mess of cartridge and can. and hopped on my bike and began to hammer off... I heard jingling off in the distance and wouldnt you know it...dogs. A boxer and some mutt came tearing around the house and coming directly at me. And nope they didn't look like they were stopping. Hello sprint interval. I turned it on and obviously the dogs did too... the boxer was about a foot off my ankle as he snarled and rawred. I just about grabbed my water bottle to chuck when her turned off...hey at least I was up to speed and fast!

I had a good 24mph pace back into T and as I made my way to the dismount, I popped off my shoes and swung my leg over and rode out the stretch. I had to slow to a crawl as a MTB'er sprinter blocked my way...I eventually just put my bike on my shoulder and took off running past him and into T.

quit. worst bike ever!

I saw Jennifer as I ran in and I just shook my head in disbelief as to all that just happened on the bike. She blurted out something like 'you better finish'...and I just racked the bike and leisurely slipped on my shoes and grabbed a GU and visor and a sip of Electro as I strolled out.

It was hot already. I was out of race mode and just thought..run this at my pace and screw this day. Training run it was. Slow...hot...boring run. I started baking my head so I tossed my wet towel from the aid station over it. I trotted on and completed the 1st loop. I saw Laurie and she's all go go go run to the finish!! But I had to disappoint her and say...nope...on to lap two. *sigh*

same scenario on lap 2...HOT. I dumps cups of water all on me and just ran leisurely the whole was.

Sat down with water and was glad it was over.


really?!


Course was great, but the one FUBAR in the bike course where Oly'er had to cross the Sprint route...that was lame.