The most physical swim I've ever had! A lead pack of maybe 8 of us stayed together until almost the first buoy, and I was boxed in on both sides. Lots of whacking and kicking. Things started to string out just prior to the turn and I lost the feet in front of me at the turn. Someone drafting me came through after a while and I stayed with them to the finish. Very tricking navigating into the sun on the way back up, so the draft was helpful (hopefully) in that regard too.
Overall felt good with my effort level and improved upon last year (12:35/13th)

Tinted swim goggles?

First attempt at having shoes clipped into bike ahead of time. Didn't do a flying mount while rolling, but stepped into shoe with bike stopped. Went pretty smooth. A little wonky steering while getting feet into shoes, but a good first effort.

More practice with flying mount

Aimed to hold 220-230W - NP for main part of course was 226. Probably could have gone harder. Road was very rough in town (flat kit got ejected out the back). Disappointed that I was only a minute faster than last year.

Try to hold higher wattage and/or go harder up hills
Be more judicious about shrugging/turtling - I kept catching myself with my head up (constantly passing people from the Duathlon kept focus shifting).

Time included in run time.
A little tougher getting into shoes than usual, but overall was out of T2 quite quickly.

Nothing

Super hot! No drinking, just dumped a cup of water on my head at halfway point.
Struggled to get breathing under control in first km, got abdominal cramps about 1.5km but ran through it and they didn't last.
Pushed hard at the end and finished strong.
Was hoping to hold around 4:15/km but it wasn't in the cards today - avg was 4:26/km. Was pretty deep in the hurt locker the whole way through. Only shaved 30s off last year's time.

More run volume, more speedwork (achilles problems prevented those this year).

Drinking lots of water, hosed myself down
Ate banana and a hemp bar


I feel like the heat was a real factor today.
Was too conservative with my wattage on the bike.
Lack of run volume over past 2 months and no speedwork.


This is a fun race - the river swim is interesting, the bike course is mostly flat, and the run course is varied. The 6pm start time is unique. Nice that the sun is low at that point, but probably hotter than, say, an 8am start time. Low key race with minimal accoutrements, but nice community atmosphere.