Saw a guy about 2 bikes down from me who was decked out in USA swimming gear. Saw him near the start and thought it would be a good idea to try to stay close to him. Lined up behind him. Tried to draft off of him but only lasted about 250M before I lost sight of everyone. Would see someone here or there but could not latch on to anyone. Really didn't want to swim a fast swim leg but was not adverse to leaching off of someone if the opportunity arose. It did not. I suck at sighting and everytime I did today it seemed that there was a large group ahead of me. I was expecting to finish near the top in my wave so was confused. Was just expecting to swim 1:30 pace and hop out at 22:30 or so. With my confusion and thinking that there was a large group ahead of me, I tought my previous week of travel and no sleep was catching up to me and it was going to be a long day.

Swim in to the boat ramp area and hop out of the water. 19:24. That can't be right. As I start to run towards transition, there is nobody else around at all. Weird. Did I pass elites? I don't think so. I am going to blame the marker on my confusion.

I obviously think the swim was short. I can't go 1:20 at that effort.

Swim faster. I probably could have swam 2:00 faster.

Haven't worked on transitions at all but have been thinking about them a lot. Decided to go no socks and no gloves today. Figure it saved close to a minute. Put on HRM, glasses, shirt, helmet. Grab 2 e-gels. Go!

Beat the one guy out who ran past me from the swim into transition. I'll take all the little victories I can get.

Nothing.

Took the first lap easy. Ate a gel at the end. Not very many people out on the course. I passed about 2 and was passed by about 4. Laps 2-4 hard to tell who was on which lap. My previous tris have left me getting only passed and not passing anyone. I felt a great sense of pride when passing people on nice bikes today as I rode my shit beater.

Negative split the bike course and held 20+ for the final 2 laps. Need more bike work to have respectable overall times. Was expecting a faster split. All and all I think that I only dropped about 10 spots on the bike.

TITS

Helmet off. Shoes on. Opted against buying Yankz when picking packet up. Probably spent 20 seconds tying shoes. Will get them for next time.

Have Yankz

Had dead legs after bike. Took off and was passing sprint competitors at will. Most of them were run walking at this point. It was pretty hot. After a couple turns there is a long out and back with no shade. Out is up hill back would be down. Did not recognize any of the olympic wave I took off with as I was going out. I have no idea how fast I am running. Last year I believe there was a mile marker right at the end of the out and back. My lap split said 5:32. I don't think so. Hopefully there will be a mile marker on the course. Am passing loads of people but think I am going slower than 8:00 mile pace. I need to run 8's to hit my goal of 2:35 for the day. 2 sprints pass me and an olympic who looks to be on his second lap. Mile marker 2 finally. 13:49. Well wasn't expecting that. All of a sudden my goal is no longer my goal and my secret 2:30 goal is now very doable. Just don't blow up going up the hill. Don't blow up. Don't blow up. Kept HR in check going up the hill. Another OLY passes me at the end of the hill and his coach is there to say half a mile left. I wish I only had half a mile left. Pass 2 OLY's on my lap right at the end of loop 1. Took final gel.

Loop 2 I turned it on. Raised my HR about 5 beats from previous loop. It is getting crowded now. I feel like I am flying because I am just picking people off left and right. Big change from last year when this was my first tri, and I was walking most of it. It was just before the out and back when I realized that skipping the socks had consequences. Something is growing in my shoe and about to pop. Keep running and cry about your boo boo later! I say I dropped the hammer but secretly I was very scared I was going to blow up on that hill. I finished the final hill and had plenty left. Passed about 10 more sprints in the last half mile to the finish.

Run harder and not worry so much about blowing up. If I do I do.

Stretched for about 2 minutes. Bending down to pick my towell up in transition hurt like a mother. I must have raced it right.


Fear of blowing up. I was scared on the bike that I might hammer too hard to have a legs for the run. I was scared in the run I would bonk and crawl up the final hill.


The race is what it is. It was delayed last year. It was delayed this year. I could gripe but the truth is once the race starts it is a very good course.