This was a REALLY great swim for me! My best in triathlon to date. I started with the pack and got pitched around some. I found some feet here and there, but ended up having to pass most of them. Half way through, I realized I couldn't find anymore feet to grab on to. Then I noticed some other swim cap colors from the waves before! I was shocked! Couldn't believe I caught some previous waves with my lack of swim training this year from my shoulder injury!!! Rounding the last bouy I got kicked in the face by a slower swimmer. The kick injected water straight into my lungs. I stopped to cough and puke it out. The lifeguards were scrambling for me and tried to pull me out. I had to call them off, but couldn't talk. I thanked them and kept swimming. Still swam to a PR and was really happy with the swim!

Not get kicked! Not go over the bars on my MTB and get injured!

Transition went smooth for me. I looked at my HR while putting on my bike shoes. When it read 160 I knew I was going to be in trouble. While my swim was fast, it took a LOT out of me. I couldn't get my HR down. I was going to pay for that on the bike/run

The swim took a lot out of me. Even though it was fast for me, I just didn't have the training this year in the swim. I got some hints this month in training. On the days when I did my swim workout before my long run, the long run didn't go so well. So I pretty much knew and expected this was going to happen.

I spent the first 2 miles nursing a cramp in my quad. I'm sure this is due to my HR being waaaaay too high this whole race. I had to stop a couple of times to massage it and walked up the first two hills to the aid station. I mixed up some EFS gel and took some of that for the electrolytes. By mile 2 I was able to run again. From there I went aid station to aid station running about 8min/miles and then stopping to take in potato chips/pretzels and water/perform to keep it from cramping again. I had to stop and pee at mile 4. First time I've ever had to use the bathroom on the course! I did start to overheat a bit on loop 2, but dumped a bunch of ice down my shirt and seemed to be ok. Not a good run time, but I'll take it considering my race so far and the HEAT!! They said it was only going to be 84. But my truck said 96 when I got back to pack up!!! Maybe it wasn't that hot everywhere, but the heat was radiating from the pavement there pretty bad. I guess even Crowie had trouble on the run. Thank God for all the locals out there with their hoses and the volunteers at the aid stations!!

The only reason I rate this one bad is the bike course. It's just terrible! If they smoothed out the streets coming in and out of downtown it wouldn't be bad. I could even deal with the Bermuda Triangle winds out there if the roads weren't so terrible.