There were not any super fast swimmers in my age group and I had no intentions of trying to keep up with the lead pack. I was content to focus on sighting and keeping my pace consistent.

I pulled something in my neck/shoulder the day before and it made it difficult to breathe on the right side. I wish I'd made an appointment with my chiro to get it straightened out.

Took a little longer in T1 than most of my other races, but mostly due to having to pull the wetsuit off. I'd safety-pinned the timing chip on my ankle (to keep it from being pulled off), but it also made it slightly harder to get the wetsuit off. Also dried my feet off so I could put socks on. Worth it...I hate wet/no socks on the bike.

Not much. Maybe eaten that protein bar I forgot about earlier. Some extra calories would have been nice.

I was tired by the end of the first lap and the cross-winds picked up on the second lap. I struggled to get back to 17 mph, but decided to save whatever legs I had left for the run. There were only two aid stations and one was not "actively" handing out water (there was water there...they just didn't appear to interested in giving it to anyone). Also, the second aid station was out of water when I came by on the second loop.

I trained on hills, so I don't know that more hills would have helped. Maybe more swim/bike bricks to adjust for biking with less starting energy. I had the fastest pace on the bike in my age group, so I'll take it.

Easy peasy. Just switch the shoes, ditch the helmet and grab my nutrition belt.

I should have brought body glide in my nutrition belt and left the water bottles. My underarms started to chafe and became quite painful. I had some chapstick, but it wasn't much help. The water bottles on my belt banged into my hip and I have a lovely bruise on the right side.

For the love...it was brutal. There was a lady in front of me walking the hills and jogging the non-hills (there was not much "flat" going on) and I quickly adopted that philosophy. Honestly, there was not much to gain except exhaustion running up those and I didn't see many who did. I passed someone in my age group walking up one hill, thinking I'd just gained a position, but it turned out she was still on her first lap and I was on my last. As soon as I got to the finish chute I heard my husband ringing the cowbells and took off at a sprint. Felt great to be done!

Ditched the water bottles, they were completely unnecessary. I have to say, the run course had fantastic support. Lots of hydration/nutrition options.

Walked a bit, sat down. Packed transition. I should have taken an ice bath and hit the foam roller when I got home, but I really didn't have the motivation.


I should have taken it a bit easier on the bike (Doesn't everyone who sucks on the run say that?). I wasn't killing it on the bike, but I wasn't taking into consideration that I'd just swam for 46 minutes.


I knew this race was going to be hilly going in, but the run course was brutal. In my training bike/run bricks, I was averaging under 9 min/mile runs after a hilly bike rideI was disappointed with my over 11 min/mile pace on the run and very surprised to find I'd finished 4th for the ladies. I would do this course again just for the challenge of improving my time.