The swim went much better than I expected. It sure was hard to get going with 50 women swimming around me. But after a while I got my groove. Sighting was pretty easy because of the huge bouys and the guards almost in a row around them. Also swimming with a large group made it easier to see where I was going. Was kinda frustrating when the fastest of the next wave swam over the top of me, but I kept going. Water temp was great. Not an issue. Last half I felt very confident and strong.

Try to draft more. Just got some instruction on that the day before. Otherwise I would just try to train to swimm faster.

It's kind of a blur. I did run with the bike which was good. And I even managed to get my socks and gloves on wet feet and hands with little trouble. Pretty smooth. My rack was right near the bike exit, and I found my row quickly.

I remember thinking...wetsuit first then cap. I always go for the cap first. I saw others doing it but I forgot. OH and I should get some of that spray sunblock to reapply.

Up the first hill, Lynch hill, was pretty hard. I saw people walking, but I didn't want to be one of them. Once up that, and given a few min to recover, the other hills were more doable. Bigger ones to come, but I was ready for them when they came. I felt like my shifting was good, I didn't drop down too low too soon. I was able to get some good momentum on some, and by the second half I was passing people on hills more. It felt good! Faster than my practice run, so I'm happy.

My spedometer stopped working, so I couldn't pace myself the way I wanted to. I'd check all that stuff so it's ready. Other than that I'd just work on speed on the hills.

Went fine I think. My wonderful friend Sean had finished and he was waiting for me at my bike. He gave me some encouraging words for the run and I was off!

Gotta get a better hair thing going on. The bandana worked for today, but I should think that through more.

I walked most of the big hills and tried to run the flats and the downs. I had some stomach cramping, some quad cramping, and just as I was approaching the finish line my calves did the usual major cramping. I had to tough it through to the end to finish with a run. It was a rough run, and I did ok considering I wasn't able to train much do to my shin splints.

I would train much more for the run. Train hills, etc. I just wasn't prepared to run this course. But I did my best!

Walk around, strech, massage!


I think I ate too many blocks on the bike...my tummy felt really full. I also had to pee like hell on the bike, but I wasn't able to go til the run. Need to do more running in general and more bike-run bricks


Everything about the race prep and all was wonderful, except they ran out of pasta at the end. Major bummer.