OWS swims have been my nemesis. My pool swims seem to be good but when I go to do a Tri I end up having all kinds of breathing problems. I spent the last few weeks doing as many OWS as I could possibly do. I also did a swim in Mirror Lake with the BT Crew of 2012 which was the best to date. I was hoping that if I could swim like that one loop practice in Mirror Lake that I would be happy. The one thing I didn't know how I was going to handle things was where to place myself for the swim. I didn't want to put myself up front and then end up get swam over by 2500 people, because I had one of my breathing episodes. I didn't know if I could put myself over to the far right and then maybe in the back somewhat. So I just do what I normally do and just winged it. I put myself in the back group up on shore in the middle. I was going to let the cannon go off and let the group in front start swimming and then I would get some space and join in. Well the cannon went off and I couldn't help it so I took off just trying to go as smoothly as possible. I ended up catching the wave of people just past the starting flag. Then it happened I peed again, and this is where I started to get some of the contact. I was surprised on how well I handled it. I've played football all my life so contact I was used too. I just wasn't sure how it would work in the water. I made sure I hand in front of me at all times to protect my face. I didn't really have to worry about siting because the area was so narrow and as long as I kept seeing people on my right hand side where I breathe from I would just keep going. Then all of a sudden about half way through the first loop everybody seemed to stop. There was a lot of waving arms and kayakers making there way into the middle of the group. I looked behind me and saw a mob of people swimming right for us. I was left of the commotion so as soon as the kayaker went by I started to swim again. After a little longer I found myself drifting left towards the golden line. I knew it was going to happen at some point I just figured it would be rougher, though as soon as I saw the line there was a bunch more contact, and then it happened again I peed. I stayed in the group and made it to the first turn buoy where there was a traffic jam. I made it around and then went straight back to the line. It didn't last long before I had to make another turn to head back to shore. I then jumped on the line and then started drift left of the line. When I did that there was hardly anybody there. I was then able to get into my own rhythm. I only got taken out of then when I would end up catching up to someone ahead of me. It felt like I was flying through the course and people were getting left behind. I'm not used to this kind of feeling or the feeling of peeing again which I did. I made it to shore and then looked at my watch and it said 7 minutes. Man I must have been flying, or that my watched got kicked and hit the button to stop it. So I had no idea on how I did. I felt great so that is all that mattered. I headed around dock back into the water and restarted my watch. I headed back out for another loop. I swam around the dock and then it hit me the urge to pee again. I started to take count at this point and discovered I went 8 times on the first loop. I was thinking man either I'm going to be dehydrated or I'm extremely relaxed. I just took a mental note to make sure I drank lots of fluids out on the bike. The second loop was pretty uneventful except for one karate kick to the face and peeing 3 more times. So for those keeping score it was 1 Karate chop to the face and 11 pee breaks. I got out of the water and looked at my watch and it said 22 minutes. I knew this was not right but I felt great none the less. I headed onto the wetsuit strippers and got that off with no problems. Headed into transition smiling the entire quarter mile knowing I just had the best swim of my life and it couldn't have come at a better time mentally and physically.

Nothing I couldn't be more happier. It was a bunch of firsts I have never done a mass start, or swam 2.4 miles, or not have some kind of breathing problem. I think once I get a little more comfortable with the OWS I can push it harder.

I went through and grabbed my bag, Thanks for the tip James(godekjames) I had my row number written on my hand so I could find my bags faster. This was the first transition change where I didn't have everything laid out on the ground, or even had a chair. It was also my first time seeing 400 guys in a closed muggy circus tent in all types of positions getting ready for the bike. I tried to find a spot to sit and pour out my bags. I put all my gear on and was looking for an extra PopTart that I had thought I put in my bag so I could get some extra real food nutrition. It wasn't there so I went running out the exit looking for my bike. I started around and the guy bend and the guy was yelling out numbers like he was at an auction. I thought I heard mine and low and behold a volunteer was waiting for me with my trusty steed. I ran with the bike to the mount line

maybe have the extra poptart for the extra nutrition. Other then that I thought it went pretty well considering that quarter mile run to the transition counts towards this time. I just kept on moving.

All I was trying to do is go as easy as possible so that I could run the marathon or at least be able to do most of it. All I read and heard about the bike course is to make sure you do the first loop as easy as possible, especially the first hill out of town. I rode out of town and put it in the small ring up front and just cruised along. I went up the hill and felt really good, I don't think my HR went up at all and my legs felt like I didn't even do anything to get up the hill. I went down the decent up on the horns with the hands on the brake. I braked a bunch but still managed to make it over 40mph. The one thing that I didn't account for was my timing to eat. All my training I had my Garmin 305 on the bike and would do nutrition every 30 minutes. I didn't have my garmin since the battery wouldn't last the entire bike and the run. So I just went by time on my bike computer. I kept loosing track on when the last time I ate was so I would just eat again. My training has probably been on the light side when it comes to nutrition so I felt with the last couple long rides/run bricks that I needed more nutrition. So I made sure to keep eating something every 30 minutes or so that I could figure out time wise. I drank as much water as I could and filled up at just about every aid station with water at the minimum. I thought the climbing back into town was not too bad. The one twist was during my practice ride last year I thought the course took 73 all the way into town but we ended up making a right at the top of some hill (papa bear maybe?) I couldn't tell what hill(s) I was on so I just kept thinking keep the gearing light because there will be a bigger hill coming. I stopped for my special needs bag and grabbed my other bottle of EFS along with reading a couple notes my wife left for me in the bag. There also happened to be 3 extra Poptarts there. I guess I know what bag I put them in. I went on for my second loop saw my support crew and headed out of town. I figured the hill out of town was going to be my test on how hard I took the first loop. I seemed to have made it up it with no problems, though it definitely seemed a little slower going. The decent was the same as the first time and seemed to go well. The rest of the out and back seemed good. I started to feel things on the turn going towards Wilmington. I felt those hills were the hardest for me when I turned off the out and back and immediately started to climb. I'm not sure if it was the grade or just the length of the hills but it seemed to wear on me a little. I could start to feel my quads burn a little (which to this point was the first time all bike ride) I thought well they have to burn at some point but still tried to keep it as easy as possible. Turning onto 73 to head back through Whiteface mountain seemed to be the longest stretch ever. Also I recall the wind picking up and blowing right in my face as I was going up each climb. At the 100 mile marker the inside of my legs were starting to cramp up. I'm not sure why, my guess is that it was the nutrition since I wasn't on a real schedule and also I didn't drink as much of my EFS on the second loop as compared to the first loop. I didn't think I went too hard like I would have on my training rides so I felt I was riding within my self to be able to have a good run afterwards. I know the last 12 miles were the longest ever in my life. It seemed like I was going backwards.

I will probably have the Garmin 910 on me so I can keep the watch on me at all times and not get me confused with when to eat. I was just used to using the 305 in all my training and didn't even think about the battery life until I was packing my bags. I'll chalk that up to a rookie mistake. I still felt good coming off the bike and I felt like I could run the pace that I wanted to for the run.

got to the dismount line and the volunteer whisked away my bike and I headed back to get my run bag, using the same technique as before. I got into the tent and there were a lot less people in there this time and I just found a seat in the back. Sat down and emptied out my stuff. took my stuff off and put on my running shoes. I contemplated putting on my calf sleeves and ended up putting them on after I had everything on and I was putting stuff away. my original plan was to wear them the entire race but I felt it might be causing calf cramps on the swim. So I opted to do it on the run since that is where I felt they helped out best. I think I will try to see if I can wear them the entire race. I'll be training like that from this point on.

nothing I felt like I was moving along ok, I can always go faster here. I just felt like I didn't want to rush anything and remember half way into the run that I forgot something.

I saw the wife headed out of transition and onto the run, gave her a kiss and let her know I was ok, told her I would be right back. I was watching my watch carefully to make sure I was running as slow as possible. In training I would have a problem starting off at 7min/mile right off the bike and this time I wanted to make sure that didn't happen. So started off trying to get around 10min/mile. I seemed to do ok until I got to about the 6 mile marker and seemed to be starting to cramp up every time I was drinking the EFS drink. I'm not sure what was happening if I was getting dehydrated or I was taking in too much salt. I didn't feel bad stomach wise like I was having any problems with nutrition so I'm not sure what was happening. I poured out my EFS stuff from my handheld bottle and just went with water from that point on. I headed back into town I started to walk the aid stations until I got back into town. I saw the wife and I saw that I was off my pace by about 15 minutes. After I saw the wife and headed out of town I had some cola and that seemed to mess me up. I got this side stitch that I could not get rid of no matter what I did. I couldn't get rid of it and it forced me to half to walk the second loop. During the second loop I was trying to do just about everything for the side stitch. I was eating and drinking all the stuff at the aid station. A different technique each aid station until I could feel some type of difference. I felt nothing not matter what I did, so I just stuck with water on the way back to town and as I got to the big hill I said that I was going to try to run the rest of it to the finish. I started up the hill but couldn't get up it entirely so I walked the rest and then afterwards picked up the pace. I saw my wife she was walking in my direction I could tell she was worried because I was off on my times and it was starting to get dark. I talked with her for few minutes and then started off for the last leg of the run. It didn't matter how much it hurt to run I just kept doing it anyways. The out and back in town was just rough because I could hear Mike yelling out "You Are An Ironman", I just kept thinking I can't wait to get there. So I kept pushing I made it to the oval and and ran straight through until I hit the catchers.

not sure I will have to work on just about everything so that I can run the entire marathon after the bike. I guess I will start with more biking and then work on my running. This is the area where I will be working on next.

Got caught by a friend of a friend so she gave me the royal treatment and walked me to get my picture taken, get my finisher hat and shirt, and check to make sure I was ok. I could see that the med tent was jam packed and it looked like total chaos.


not sure I think it was just being a rookie that limited me in some of the things. for each leg of the course I went the furthest I have ever gone before. I have never reached 2.4 miles in swimming or 112 miles on the bike, or 26 miles on the run during my training. Then adding them all together not knowing what to expect. I think I handled them pretty good but there is always room to improve. I thought it was a great first IM, and I'm glad I was there to share it with friends family and the BT crew


The volunteers rocked as usual.