Pretty good swim. Had to pass one guy, but he was kind enough to stop at the wall so that was easy. Didn't feel great the last 100 - just didn't seem to have any power in my arms. This would be a continuing theme.

Nothing.

T1 included in bike time (I think). Felt just as slow as all my other T1s.

With the precipitation, I dialed it back a bit in the corners and on some of the descents. Just couldn't risk a crash this close to my HIM. Starting out I didn't feel much power in my legs - that probably didn't come until at least mile 6. They weren't tired or sore, I just didn't get anything when I tried to push. May have been from the activities the day before (see post-race comments).

Had to take off my glasses around mile 12 or 13 because the mix of drizzle and humidity had them too fogged up to see through. By that point most of the bigger descents were finished, and since it was overcast I didn't need them for the sunlight so I just hung them off of the shifter cables.

I also didn't finish my water bottle and probably should have. It was not very hot, but it was humid and so I may have benefited from drinking a bit more despite not feeling overly thirsty.

I think between T1 and T2 I probably had 3:30 - 4:00 of time, so this segment may have been closer to an hour.

I haven't been training for a course like this, since the HIM is going to be pancake flat and this is a very hilly course. My legs are ready to turn cadence forever and ever, but those spikes in power required on a course of this type make for a different type of training. Still happy with the results though.

(T2 included in bike, I think). With the hill leading into T2 I didn't have much of any opportunity to get my shoes unstrapped before getting off the bike. I got one but not the other. Also slipped getting my shoe on and ended up sitting down to get it done right. By this time my socks were soaked from the rain so that didn't help much.

Not much to do - the layout is what it is.

This run was just as tough as I remember. It absolutely feels like two miles of uphill followed by one of downhill that don't equal each other. Like the bike, I just wasn't getting very good turnover out of my legs. I was starting to get thirsty in spots, but the run is no place to fix that and so I just gutted through it. Had one racer try to sprint me to the finish line off the final downhill (~1/4 mile or so) but I held him off by the slimmest of margins. A few of the final strides I could feel my hamstring wanting to cramp so that made for an interesting final 50 yards or so.

Again, see post-race comments.

Walking around, stretching out my hamstring and getting water in the system.


Honestly, the Dunkelganger. My wife and I doubled with another couple on a trip to Urban Chesnut Brewing Company (UCBC) the afternoon before and I knowingly overdid it. I wasn't hung over or anything like that, but I have to think that the lack of power available to me during the race was affected in good part to that trip.


This course is definitely more in my ability range than it was two years ago when I first did it. If I trained more hills (both biking and running) I think I could do quite well on it. The training plan for the season just doesn't dictate spending enough hill time (I know that sounds weird, but due to time constraints it is).

The volunteer crew was awesome, and the RD said that the city road crews put in 80 hours of work sweeping and repairing potholes just for this event. It showed, as the roads were in terrific condition outside of the wetness.

It's unfortunate that with a pool start and the toughness of the bike and run legs that the awards and raffle end up being SOOO late compared to when I get done with the race as one of the first in the water. There's absolutely nothing that can be done about this, but it is unfortunate.