Swim started off great. Got into my groove almost immediatly and was feeling very good. Just using my nice long Open water stroke that I like to use. I was a little worried about the swim since I haden't got trained like I wanted to and I was very nervous about making the swim cut-off. But the first half couldn't have gone better. I was right where I wanted to be. There seemed to be two distinct groups; those who were hugging the buoys and those hugging the wall. I was on the edge of the people hugging the buoys but far enough away that I had clear water to swim in. The problem occured at the turn around.
I turned and some jack ass didn't. We collided as my arm was extended and my shoulder (the bad one I had reconstructed) came out of the socket. I rolled over onto my back and said I few choice words and it worked itself back into joint (it was a sublux for you medical types). You might ask why this doesn't happen more often with the physical nature of tri-swimming and the answer is that it is fine as long as everyoneis going the same way. it is when there is a more violent collition of people going differnet ways is when it went out.
So the second half of the swim I just sort of swam one armed and paddled with the bad arm at my side not going over my head. I just kept doing that till I found the steps. When I reached the stairs the people tried to haul me out of the water by the bad arm (because the other one was grabbing the railing hoisting me out of the water). I just kind of growled," Don't touch my arm" i was a little pissed that it had come out but what are you gonna due but keep going.

Not run into someone.
Overall I think it was a good time considering the circumstances

Luckily the wetsuit was sleeveless so didn't have to bother with trying to do that. I took my time as I knew it was gonna be a long day.

Of course this is the part where everyone talks about the wind. It was brutal. There was nothing to do but put your head down and grind it out. This is where my race when to hell.
My shoulder was bothering me and really stiffening up. I couldn't get into Aero and have weight on it (as getting in aero does) So i had to just ride on the bullhorns. Of course this proved a bad move in 30 mile winds. I just kept pushing and plugging along. I broke the course down into 6 parts (the three loops out and back) and just kept pedaling. Eventaully I got to stop.

Get into Aero.

I pulled in and they took my bike. I walked over to transition and put on shoes and visor and sunscreened up, then took off.
The elderly woman doing sunscreen really rubbed in into my thighs and it felt so good, but kind of used.

Nothing. My KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) plan of transitions Ie wearing the same thing the whole time and using things off the course, worked pretty well.

The run was really difficult. When I started I realized that the bike and fighting the winds had taken everything out of me. I just started moving my feet and jogging when I could. It was miserable. It was like a test of wills to make each leg go forward every time I had to take a step. But I just kept going. The first lap wasn't that bad. The second was the worst. At that time it was starting to get dark and almost everyone else was done so they were very happy and I just kept thinking how I had to keep running. At one point I was going over a bridge and the sun was setting and it was halfway down a mountain. It was very beutiful and I wish I had a camera. To tell the truth, I really don't remember that much about the second half of the second loop or my third loop. I just kept saying that I need to get to that next marker. When I hit mile marker 16 it was a relief. Now I could count down from ten and I would be done. On the last lap I was worried that I wouldn't make time because I was going so slow. i was also having trouble talking so when I passed someone at an aid station I would kind of tap my wirst like I had a watch on (mine had broken) and mutter "time". The aid stations were great, Except that one that gave me the cup of broth the was boiling. I hacked and spit it out, the guy felt so bad that it was that hot, It was pretty funny though. All the aid stations were awesome especially the tri-club from arizona one at the bottum of the hill, they had a speaker system and I guy on the mike. Then on my last lap as I was walking through the station looking like warmed over hell one of the guys told me how much time I had and what splits I needed to finish and that I had plenty of time.
From the far bridge I saw the bridge that would take me to the finish line. It was so close only about a mile and a half away. I just kept doing my dog ass slow jog I had been doing most of the day till I reached the bridge.
It is funny. I had spent 16.5 hours trying to finish this damn race, I get a quarter mile away and I almost don't want to because it will be done and it will all be over. So I made that turn in and saw the lights and people yelling and cheering it was amazing. I couldn't believe I had done it. I was just in awe.

As I crossed the line the catchers grabbed me. I said I was okay but then realized that they were carrying me. Got my feet back and then saw Shane. Went over to him and asked where the massage tent was, I was told that they were gone. Oh well. Then I threw hal a pizza in my mouth and I asked the girl working where the beer was, I was informed that they had no beer. No beer and no massuse...it was time to go home. Left my gear to pick up the next day, Found Aaron and we went back to the house. Got out of the car and started shaking. Took a hot shower and tried to warm up. Hung out with jeff and jess and shane and Aaron for a while then went to bed.


training, shoulder, wind,
But I really don't care. I had such a great expeirence.