I was very calm going into this - had my wetsuit on properly, lots of room to move around in it. Walked up to the start barge where they explained that your timing started as soon as your food left the barge, so if you sat and dangled your feet, your time would start then. I waited until the whistle blew for me, then sat and into the water - where I could see probably about a foot in front of me. Lots of silt, branches, leaves, a few dead fish, and what I hope was a jelly fish. There was also one large log I ran into - I was sort of surprised they didn't move it out of the river.

But other than that, this was a really well-supported swim - there were kayakers everywhere, and with the TT start, it didn't seem too crowded. The current was fast, but my swim also went well. I realized at some point that I was just really calm and keeping my HR down - not working too hard, but definitely making progress. I tried to draft off of someone at a few points, but didn't manage to keep up for too long, partly b/c I couldn't see anyone's feet! Getting the wetsuit on me properly also really helped - I was able to move much more freely. I swam all the way to the ramp and let people help me out of the water.

I want different and better goggles - I didn't have to do too much siting in this, but it was pretty difficult when I did b/c the goggles are old and a bit foggy. Need better ones for open water swimming.

This was one place where I really wanted to make an improvement from previous years. This is a tough transition - it's just over a half-mile run in bare feet on concrete to get to the transition area, but I knew I could do it faster than I had been. I made sure to run the whole way, and then took someone's example and sat on the benches outside the transition area to take my suit off. Much easier than sitting in the grass. Ran through transition, got everything on, and onto the bike!

Practice getting everything on faster, getting on the bike faster.

After about 3 miles, I knew I was doing well and also that I might be working too hard for the run, but I wanted to push it and see what I could do. I passed far more people than passed me, and also paid much less attention to the pros coming back in than I have in the past. I was focused. Managed to make it up the easier hills at about 10 mph, the harder one at about 9, but the hills I remembered being really tough last year weren't nearly as bad as I recalled them being. It's amazing what being able to ride your bike better and losing 15 pounds will do for your hill climbing abilities. I put the bike into the big gear on the flats and downhills, small gear for uphills, but managed to maintain 16.7 avg on the bike!

(A side note - my official time says I averaged 16 mph. For years, I kept thinking there was something wrong with my bike computer b/c it would tell me one thing while the official time would say something else. Turns out - the course to my transition area is long by about a mile! So I'll put in my avg. speed based on what I actually went, not their average.

Took my first gel at 10 mins into the ride, second at about an hour. This seemed to work well for me, and I never seemed to have any significant breaks of energy. Made it through one bottle of water as well.

Bike more - while I could maintain a good pace, I paid for it on the run. If I could use less energy to go the same speed, my run would be much better.

This was OK - not great. My legs were tired but I made myself run. Got the bike racked, but had to sit to take my shoes off and put my running shoes on. Picked up some extra gu, and out of transition.

I had worked so hard to improve my run and really wanted to be under 10 minute miles for this, so I was a little disappointed with my time. (Again, my official result say I averaged 9:46, but the course is short on the run - only about 6 miles - so I actually was just over 10s.) But I worked too hard on the bike. I made it up the first hill and over 72nd street decently fast - around 9:30s, but I knew I was slow for what I wanted to do. I just didn't have enough power in my hamstrings to make it up the hills after all the biking. Last gel around mile two. I pushed through and ran all the hills, but after Harlem Hill, started walking the water stations. Had a cheering section at 72nd, and then they ran up to 110th to see me again!! Which was really great. And then another person was waiting for me at 86th on the east side, when I was feeling really terrible. All of them gave me a great boost. Managed to speed up a bit and sprint to the finish where I only sort of felt like my legs would give out. Cold towels never felt so good!

More bricks. I knew my legs were going to feel terrible, but I still wasn't quite prepared for how bad they would feel. Struggled through, but it was a struggle.

Chocolate milk, watched others finish, and walked back to transition - grabbed the bike and a 3 mile ride home.

This was really a great race for me - I beat my previous best time by 21 minutes, and improved on every aspect of the race. I wish my run had been stronger, since I know I can run a 10K in 55 minutes, but now at least I have a goal for next year!


Training on the bike and bricks.