Swim time does not include any transitions, but does include the run from transition back to swim start for the 2nd swim. Just like last year, this swim was one of the toughest swims I've ever faced. Prerace, all of the buoys broke loose and floated in. Their answer to this was to have the life guards hold them in place for the duration of the race. Needless to say, because of this, the swim course was constantly changing in its distance. Start was delayed for 15 mins because one guard couldn't get out past the breakers. Waves were 5-6'.

The focus was to get to the first buoy, then cruise with the current. Sighted an awful lot, with helped me duck under the nasty stuff. When a big wave was coming, I'd go very low under the water and get as straight as possible to avoid getting pulled. Seemed to work pretty well. The swim back into the beach was when my race started to break down. Was sighting and trying to catch a wave and got caught by a really big one. Remember the heels coming over my head at one point. When I came back up, I realized that I had just sacrificed my goggles to the Sea Gods. Trotted up to the transition area to grab shoes. Realized that the 2nd set of goggles that I always pack were back in the hotel room. DOH!

2nd swim took place after all the running and biking. After exiting the transition area, I had to run back up to the start and round a cone before entering the water. At this point, the lifeguards had given up on holding any buoys - instead holding up their red rescue tubes. They looked closer together than at the start, but I was a little intimidated by the lack of goggles. Water burned the eyes, but not too bad...the worst part of having a swim at the very end of a tri is the cramps. This happened last year and I chalked it up to being new at the whole tri thing. As soon as I hit the water the nice cool water had the thighs locked up. My focus was to get to the first buoy again....just get past the breakers, which looked like they had grown another 5 feet. LOL. I got there eventually - with lots of breathing every 2 strokes. For the first time in my life while swimming, I felt the touches of panic setting in. Finally struggled to the first buoy...the second came fast and then back in to the beach. Rode a few waves into the sand and came up running. Finished tired, but strong.

Compared to last year's race, I did the swim 9:47 faster than last year. I have no clue if that's due to my fitness level, the conditions, the length of the course, or the current. Something tells me that its a little of each that contributed to that time savings.

Overall, another interesting Kure Beach swim. Was happy that I didn't freak out with losing the goggles and swimming the 2nd leg without them.

6:08 on the first swim
7:54 on the second swim (includes beach run too)

Bring 2nd pair of goggles to the TA!
Work out the thigh cramping issues.

Comments are for the swim to run transition (T1) and the run to swim transition (T4) Due to the number of transitions, transition times weren't recorded. T1 was the swim to run transition. Ran up the beach across the mats to a beach transition area, so T1 is included with the run time. It consisted of grabbing my shoes and putting down my swim cap by a little stake that had my race number on it. I did well here...just grabbed the shoes and kept on running to the road. Ran through a baby pool filled with water to get the sand off and put the shoes on for the 1.5 mile run.

The 2nd transition at this area was after the 2nd run - so T4 time is included with the 2nd run. I'm happy with my performance here compared to last year. Last year I stopped, got my breath, and jogged up the beach back to the swim start. This year, I haul ass though here.

Not bad here. Its a pretty simple transition, so no real changes/improvements to make.

Last year, this was the first race I did on my new Felt. This year, I wanted to crush last year's time (which was 33:59). I knocked off a whole whopping 17 seconds. A frame that lighter than last year even since I'm running race wheels now. I'm pissed more than I can put into words at how shitty my "engine" is. It seems that for a long race, I can find that groove where I can pound away for long periods of time. Short races just result in ineffective muscles that sit there and burn the entire time, raising the heart rate and killing me mentally. I'm so flipping tired of giving up my whole damn race on this leg and I'm going to freaking do something about it. I don't know what or how, but I'm going to fix this problem if it kills me.

My strategy here was to haul ass. I swear that I did. Passed a ton, though as usual, I got passed by some of the true bikers as if I were standing still. The course was crowded more than you can imagine - did some drafting here and there - not much you can do when you're 3 wide and can't cross the center line. Probably no more than everyone else.

Lose some weight so I'm not carrying an extra 8 lbs around with me compared to last year.

Try to not suck as much. Become a true biker.

T2 and T3 are included here. They were the run to bike and the bike to run transitions. Both were pretty smooth. The one thing I need to work on is my bike mounting skills. This could save another 10-20 secs in transition.

Band the shoes. Leap onto the bike.

3+ freaking minutes slower than last year!!!! OMG! I don't know how or why my Age Group ranking is as "low" as it is. I felt like I was running so hard, yet the times say otherwise. I walked for about 8 secs right out of the bike to run transition area so that I could swallow some water and dump the rest on my head. Perhaps its timing mat locations etc since this time includes the swim to run transition and the run to swim transition, but how long does that add on - 1:30 or so?

13:08 on the leg out
13:42 on the return trip

Brutal. Best part of my race took place at the beginning of the first run and the end of the 2nd run. It was there that my wife and kids were manning the water aid station. The kids all threw cups of water at me. The wife kindly handed me a cup. :) Its probably the highlight of the whole race for me.

The first 30 seconds after the race seem to be the best and worst 30 seconds of my life. LOL! I'm so happy to be done yet sad to see it end. Got chip cut off and grabbed some water. A lot of water.


I suppose its the bad races that make the good races seem so..... well ....good. I hate for this RR to seem so negative as well. I guess my expectations going in were much higher than they should have been. I also think that this race signifies a change in my goals for this season as I no longer think I can finish in the top 20 in my AG for the season. I think all of this is coming out in this RR. Its hard to believe I feel this way since this truly is a personal best for me for this race, but I'm more disappointed in where the time savings are coming from. I think I realize that the swim isn't going to win any races. Its just going to put me out in front where I need to lengthen that lead. I'm frustrated that it just isn't happening on the bike, and I'm giving it back on the run.

So...with this race, I need to re-think the goals and decide if they are even attainable. I need to work on the bike and the run segments of my racing and try to find that groove to get in.