Overall, my swim was pretty good today. The first 100 yards was a little difficult. For some reason, I decided to start right in the midle of the pack; I usually start off to the side, so I ended up having to fight for position.

Once I settled in, the swim went well. I was smotth and relaxed throughout. Navigating went well, considering I've only done one other OWS this year.

Start to the side away from trouble.

Good, really good. I ran hard to the bike racks, as I knew that if was going to PR, I'd need to use T1 and T2 to make up some time from last year's pr. Oerall, I exited T1 aout 3 minutes ahead of last year's time.

Unfortunately, as the swim ended, the skies, which looked like they might clear up began to become cloudier and darker. The first rain drops fell while we were swimming and they wouldn't stop until the end of my race. Throughout the entire bike ride, there was rain and cold wind. The weather in Montauk is so incredibly unpredictable. There was carnage everywhere on the bike course. I saw lots of break down, people changing flats and quite a few accidents. Seeing all of the disasters made me remember that this is just a race and I was not going to risk my health to try and beat a PR by a few minutes.

That being said, I did push as hard as I could, safely, throughout the ride. I didn’t let the wind affect me mentally like I have in the past. I attacked all of the climbs and pedaled hard throughout all of the descents. I just didn’t take the chances that I normally would when cornering, passing or ride near others.

All in all, I was really happy with my effort on the bike… Not thrilled with the result, but happy with the attempt.

Good fast T2.

I ran out of T2 feeling great. I was sitting at 3:43 and change. Last year, I ran a 2:13.06 half marathon in this race so I knew that despite my slower than desired ride, I was well within position to get a new PR. I went out kind of fast, maybe too fast, but I was feeling good, it was cold out and I figured I might as well put some time in the bank. I ran the first 2 miles in 9:2X. In retrospect, that may have been too fast.

The first loop was relatively uneventful. I walked up Murder Hill and the long hill in the out and back, knowing full well that I was trading time for the opportunity to hold on to some leg strength. I finished the first loop in 1:03:21 and I was still feeling really good.

After the hill, I started to try to get myself to relax and into a rhythm. I felt OK here, but started to get really tired and sluggish at around mile 9.5. I was cold and shivering at some points. I knew though that staying around a 10:10 pace would nail a PR.

At mile 12.6 of the run (.5 from the end) I had a time of 5:48 and I knew I had a PR in the bag. But then catastrophe struck… the same thing that haunted me at this race in 2010. I got a horrible, nearly debilitating cramp in my left hamstring. I had to stop running. I was able to walk and stretch and massage it out of the muscle for the time being, but that episode cost me about 1:35. One quarter of a mile later, it would happen again and I suddenly went from crushing my PR to just trying to finish within a minute of it.

I got rid of the second cramp and was able to push the entire way in, knowing the whole time that I could find my leg locking up at any minute. I crossed the finish line and my first thought and reaction was utter disappointment. As the last 24 hours have gone by though, I realize that there are a lot of positive things I can take out of this race.


Figure out why I get these cramps. Last year, I added some additional salt to my gatorade and didn't cramp. This year, I didn't. Maybe that's it, maybe it's not. I'd like to get to the bottom of it though.

Walked to the reception area and I had some fruit and a bagel quickly. Headed back to transition to see if I could find Tony before I had to go.


I learned a lot today. There are a lot of things I can take away from this race:

1. I learned, and proved to myself that my sub 6 hour HIM from last year was not an anomaly. It wasn’t just some freak PR that I attained because of IM training for a year. This is an important lesson for me and it is important to solidify the thought that I AM a sub 6:00 half Iron Man guy.

2. I think I need to figure out how to re-evaluate the way I train on the bike. I can’t continue to ride at 18.XX mph in training and expect that to translate to a 19.5-20.0 mph pace come race day. I have spent the better part of the last several years mindlessly pushing the pedals around in an effort to simply finish the day’s miles and help control body weight. I need to make sure that EVERY bike ride in the future has a specific purpose and I need to do more rides with more intensity. I need to figure out how to find Jorge’s plan this winter and follow it religiously

3. I need to get back in the weight room. Period

4. I also think it’s time I try to buy some speed. I need to drop some coin on race wheels.

5. I’m very, very happy, like I said earlier, with my effort level. I put it all out there in this race and although I finished at a time slower than I wanted, I have to be happy with the fact that I pushed myself to the level I did for nearly 6 hours. I didn’t rest once this year.

6. I’m happy with how I handled the weather. I wasn’t reckless, I felt in complete control throughout the ride.