from a few conversations I had.. it sounded like it was a bit longer then 1.2 miles.. i felt great during the swim ...the wet suit makes is so easy to float... and I kept my crawl the whole way.. no stroke at all..keeping on eye on the bouys was tricky since they weren't 1) line up correctly (zip zagging was pretty typically for everyone) and 2) they kept drifting..

hmmm... i think i did quite well on the swim.. if only the distance was accurate.. I believe I woudl have yielded my best times... oh well.. next time right..

well.. lets see.. 125 steps from the beach up to the parking lot.. so that put an additional minute most likely.. then once at the top I wrestled with my wet suit.. and taking off my timex watch.. (I wanted toKNOW my time .. isn't that terrible.. so I wore a different watch duringthe swim then the bike/run cuz the garmin 305 is NOT waterproof..) i put lots of glide on my arms and legs so the suit came off relatively easy.... then I mucked it all up .. and spent an eternity putting ony my Garmin watch..helmet, eyewear, camel back, and yes.. gloves.. it was quite COLD.. during the bike..

less crap to wear .. lose the timex watch, lose the gloves, lose the camel back... on this long distance and being my fist time I wanted all the extras to measure and safeguard my slightest chance of failing.. the timex gave me confidence telling me my time after the swim .. 40 minutes.. so that helped.. the gloves protected me .. and the camel back .. well that probably wasn't as key considering the weather.. but it helped ..

initially it was dry ... but it progressily got wetter and the cold started to get to me... I was pretty cold to start with and at the end .. my arms were goosebumping...

to start with the wind was blowing to the NW so the bike out was nice until I turned north... then the headwinds hit me.. turn east the full force of the headwinds hit me.. and it was strong. There was a LOT of road kill on the road .. at one point a completely torn and mangled bloody carcase lay on the road of what looked like the remains of a full sized deer.. man it smelled terrible and was really awful...

I took 2 Bathroom breaks.. during the bike ride.. I guess that means i hydrated properly.. but each time I stopped to sprinkle the bushes.. I got scratches and cuts on my arms and legs.. ugh.. stupid bushes were like rose bushes or something.. just my luck... I would have liked to see my system simply shut down as it normally does on a long distance ride.. but this race it seemed to just want to come out.. go figure.. anyhow.. its quite difficult to take a BR break with a single piece zoot outfit lemme tell you.. I could have likely shaved off 10 minutes from my bike if I hadn't taken the breaks.. but then I might have exploded .. oh well. i thought my run would have been my weakest leg.. but it wasn't .. doh!

somehow magically increases my POWER and get into the 20+ range.. 18 isn't horrible.. but 19-20 would have been more what I would have liked.. I did this same route and got did 17.8.. so I must have done something right this time.. I need to train more on the HILLS .. they put me at 8-10mph at some points.
wear better clothing considering the weather.. a single piece suit wasn't appropriate.. i brought my trek bike jacket .. but never put it on .. it just lay in the bag..shessh.
oh .. and not take BR breaks.. how would that be possible i dont know... could be ugly... but it did start raining toward the end of the bike.

i was elated to be done.. very happy... I made it.. wheeeew.. and I felt pretty strong.. which amazed me.. my left ham was quite tender though as I got off the bike.. I didn't push as hard as i could on the bike.. saving my digging deep for the run... so with that said.. I was just ready to get running...

hustle.. albeit.. 2:11 aint bad for me. im a slow poke in the T zones.

wow... i managed 8:10s first 3 miles.. my left ham started flaring up though.. and I just got really scared.. if this freaking ham blows up I am screwed.. limping through the last 10 miles wasn't something I was looking forward to.. but I would have done it.. so I prayed to god.. told him to save my ham.. he said .. slow down you idiot.. you need to slow down... so I stopped at the drink station and consumed my water.. (every 3 miles I stop for water ).. and then started back up again at a 9:10-20 pace.. the ham was flaring but not borderline anymore.. their was a few moment there where i thought I was done for.. but I just limped and slowed down.. and keep praying.. just let it be... and it seemed to go ok.. after mile 6.. I knew I would make it ... and the pain was tolerable enough .. the risk of blowing the ham had subsided.. wheew... then I had to pee... lol.. so my 3rd BR break.. it was raining pretty good now.. so I slogged my next 3 miles getting wetter and wetter.. at mile 11.5 or so .. the last long 1.5 mile hill up square lake trail.. man that sucked.. I stopped and walked about .3 miles.. just thinking the whole time.. your almost there.. only 3 miles to go.. keep it up .. i wasn't sure what was left of me.. and then I did some digging.. and found a 11 minute pace.. which only lasted about .5 miles when a guy came up behind me... and started talking to me... .. holy cow did that make a difference.. i got faster and back to my 9:20s range.. finished up with this other racer.. made a big difference.. its amazing when you have someone to just pace and talk to take your mind away from the brutality of those last few miles.. in the end he ditched me (last 400 meters prolly)... for risk of seriously injuring my ham.. i just couldn't .. so I let him go and he finished a whole 30 seconds in front of me.. and he was in my AG too.. ugh.. anyhow.. it helped.. the finsih line never looked so good... with all the rain and the pain.. it all seemed to just wash away after crossing the finish line.. what a feeling of accomplishment that was.. it still linger even now after 2 days.. I think I am addicted for sure..

lift more weights and get my hams in the right shape to handle the beating i gave them

well.. i limped down to the tzone.. no refreshments or anything.. someone said.. go down to the beach they have hot dogs.. so I hobbled down to the beach and walked over to the start.. and they had hot dogs.. they never taste so good .. i had two.. ..


my hams, my mental boundaries.. , my BR breaks, the bouys.. haha

I actually now think and believe I can DO the FULL IM.. with this behind me I am confident I coudl do it... I didn't even push myself mentally... the biggest limitation for me.. was my ham.. my HR and my mind were ready for more.. my hams would NOT have taken it though.. recongnizing the limits of your body are pretty key .. irrepuble damage isn't enticing.. I will weight train and build this weakness into a strength for my next one.


flop sucked (there wasn't any).. no medal, only hot dogs... and they were hidden down below... ugh. drinking stations were good..
I enjoyed the challange on the hilly course.. I will do another HIM next year .. im sure the weather will be the biggest unknown factor for my next one..