A pretty flawless swim. I drafted where I could, took the turns really well and just stayed consistent. Pace was right on.

Start closer to the front of the group.

Transition has a 300 meter hill that's pretty steep. Even with that I was 3:17 at my last HIM and only 4:02 in this one. Much more efficient.

Go beyone the orange line before starting my mount.

I was 15 seconds faster than my last HIM and this one had almost 3X the ascents. I had a really hard time normalizing my heart rate with all the early hills. A 158 average was definitly higher than I wanted but even standing around before the race my heart rate was high which I attribute to a long season and fatigue. So I just committed to going as hard as I could within reason for as long as I could.

Not schedule two HIM's 12 weeks apart.

My last transition was 3:18 for an HIM and I did 1:51 so I'm very happy.

Just keep getting faster.

I was cramping really badly the second half. The aid stations were too spaced out and they didn't have ice as advertized at a bunch of them and the one that did I had to request it and tear it out of bags myself.

I knew going that hard on the bike would have it's consequences and the run was going to take a hit. If the course had ice like I was told I still would have been two minutes or so faster. Other races I've rubbed it on my quads and it's really had a good effect. The cramping was awful.

The last 300 yards is down a grassy hill with some steep spots and the surface is anything but level. I just kept thinking please don't let me dixie which wasn't easy given my quads were junk.

Bring pre-frozen bottes.

Light stretch.


Being tired from a long season, higher than normal resting heart rate, no ice on the run course.


I would give it a 5 if not for the ice. Honestly a 6 if not for the ice. They gave us two great shirts. One for the festival weekend and another for finishing. Two great bags. One a nike draw string bag that's nylong. A second that can double as a waist pack or shoulder sling bag made out of the nice back pack material and having the pumpkinman emblam on it. Race medals very cool.

Post dinner the best ever. Turkey dinner with mashed pots, squash, green beans, stuffing and gravy. For dessert these awesome whoopie pies made of pumpkin bread and a cream filling that was pumpkin flavored.

I far as the race I'm amazed I went for almost 6 hours at a heart rate that had to have been 160+ for a large part of it. I might have even average that or close to it not knowing what it was on the swim. Love to do the race again when peaking.