Equipment malfunction. The zipper on my wetsuit broke! I was terrified. How was I going to swim a mile without a wetsuit. Had my friend Peter there and Jose a fellow BTer trying to help me get the zipper back on track to no avail. I ended up handing my wetsuit to a crew member (was able to pick it up later in one of the tents, that was great) and waded into the water with much trepidation. I was horrified, should I or shouldn't I go...just kept walking in..thinking can I do this...I waited and let everyone go ahead of me thinking that I could draft off the whole pack and just started swimming. Before I knew it I was back in the pack swimming along guys in wetsuits and thinking to myself, just take it easy, and I did. I had people hitting my feet, my head, I just kept swimming. Before I knew it I was finished with the first 750m and I was pumped. Felt fine, this is cool, I thought to myslef, I am going to do this. Started heading back and kept drifting out to the right of the pack, was thinking that there must have been some current, but I was the only one floating away, I kept swimming back toward the pack, all the time making progress toward the end. I merged into the pack just before we emerged from the water, I had no desire to stop swimming early, I wasn't fatugued, I could have kept swimming. And all without a wetsut. I was totally PSYCED!!!! That had to be the funnest swim I've ever done, slow, but fun. To boot I think it was as fast, if not faster, than the swims I've done in my sprints. I was pumped.

Nothing, the swim was a blast.

Took my time here, not quite sure why it took so long. I had all my gear on and kinda just stood there thinking that I had forgot something.

Learn how to run with shoes on bike and jump on bike.

I love to ride my bicycle. First 10mi felt like forever because it was a combination of uphills and small uphill flats. 2nd part was right up my alley, going fast and hard.

Eat on bike (see run for explanation)

This was slow, my transitions need alot of work. I also took a bathroom break. I am thinking to myself, that I'm having fun here, needed to go to the bathroom, and wanted to be comfortable for the last leg of the race.

Learn to get off my bike with shoes still on pedals. Run to rack.

The first 3.5miles were good. Felt OK. At the 3.5 mi mark I thought to myself, oh, I'd be done now if this was a sprint. about 2min later, my body agreed. I ran out of fuel. Spent the last 2.5 with a combination of walking and running. Jose caught up to me and offered words of encouragement, I that took me for about 1/2 mile (THANKS JOSE!!!) but I just couldn't keep it going. I finished. I think that I was so worried about the swim that I neglected the run and it got me. Live and learn. I heard some guys talking about feuling on the bike and this was another thing I made a mental note of for next time.

Fuel on bike, run more when training.

Walk around eat fruit and drink. Talk to Peter, my friend, and Jose. It is so great to have support at these races. I really appreciate my wife, kids and all the support from my friends and fellow BTers. I am chompin at the bit for my next race. Good time too because my next tri is not until the Spring of 2007. Now it is time to tran for NYC Marathon.


Run


One of the best races I've done. Will come back next year and this time complete the run. Any maybe even swim with a wetsuit (although I found out that I don't really need one.)