Swim started fast - for only 50 people being in the wave it was rough. After 1st length it cleared up to be me, the lead woman and a dude who wanted to do ALL the work. I would try to pull in front and he kept pulling ahead. So, go ahead Dude, LEAD AWAY! I'll just sit back here and take the draft. I swtiched off between the woman and the guy, both wanted to lead when they could, so I let them. They paid the price though...

Start faster maybe and see if I could have gotten up with the first group although John Hughes who led the swim just finished 6th at Worlds in Long Course 3k, so I don't think I had much of a chance of staying with him!

As soon as I stood up out of the water the chick and the guy ran out to the mat ahead of me. I tried to pass the guy since I was jogging, and he was huffing and puffing - I realized he was working HARD on the swim, but it was his OWN FAULT! I tried to lead, but he kept pulling ahead. As soon as we had some open space in T1 I ran by him as he was breathing pretty hard. Kind of a chunky guy, so I wasn't worried too much about him coming back on me. Hopped on the bike and found the pedals quickly and got up to speed ASAP.

Nothing. Maybe clip in shoes since the parking lot was like an ice rink.

Rode very hard to catch Phil H- 3rd time this year he has led me out of the water and I have come back to catch him on the bike. At Pelican Fest I had a very good swim and it took me about 4 miles to catch him after a long steep hill, and at Steamboat it took me until mile 10, but I had a poor swim there. Then in this race, I caught Phil at about mile 4 or so - and it was at the top of a hill, I was only going 20 at the top, so not sure how fast he was going, but I made sure to go by him fast so he wouldn't try to come with me. I caught John H at the turn around, and then set off to catch the other two guys - the only two guys ahead at this point. I was working extremely hard, seeing watts over 300 quite often. I was worried I was going too hard but as long I as I kept the cadence up I knew I would be ok. I backed off slightly the last mile to get ready to run...finishing up my g-ade. My watts ended up being 271 and and NPower was 274 so pretty even bike ride. Cadence was good at 91 and I didn't find myself grinding it out at all. 3rd fastest overall. The bike is coming around - must be all the climbing! :-)

nothing

Good T2 - hands were a bit cold and had a little trouble with the left shoe but otherwise as good as it's going to be.

nothing.

Took the run out hard, I could see the leader going over the bridge as I was getting off my bike. I figured he had 3 minutes on me, and I think that was about right. I never saw the two guys in front of me the entire race - I had one bad spot on the run, at about mile 3, where I was mad about being 3rd here again - but then I thought "Never, ever give up" and soon after I was going after it again running very hard to the finish - I caught one last guy about 400m from the finish - I thought he was in 2nd, but it turns out he was in the wave before us - oh well - just proves my point though - don't ever give up b/c you never know! I did give up a bit on the run when I drilled the bike - absolutely maxed it according to APower and NPower so I can't complain, good run, 5th best.

Nothing! Just keep working on my running - I know what I have to do, I just have to execute it. :-)

Ran 2.5 miles after the race - out to see Melanie come in and then around the block with Mel for some more easy running.


Heat dissipation in that pool for one thing. The bike was windy, but I was still moving pretty good - 23-24 in the wind coming back. The run is just about getting the miles down at this point.


This is my favorite race in CO - I have done it 4x I think. I am not sure if this was my PR here, but it might have been. I need to look that up..ok here are the stats:
Year/swim/bike/run/overall time/ place
2006/13:04/38:35/32:50/1:24:16/3rd OA
2003/12:59/37:13/34:19/1:24:37/3rd OA
1998/13:37/39:00/33:21/1:25:40/3rd AG
1997/13:28/39:42/32:25/1:26:25/3rd AG

So it IS my PR, so I have to be happy about that - 10 years later and still improving over that course, so that's something I can take away, right? :-)