I set a target of doing sub 37min, and indeed I got out of the water in under 37 min, but it was a long way to the timing mat. I thought I got out of the water in like 36:30 or something, but I think I must have misread my watch b/c I don't think it would take a full minute to get to the mat even if it was a long way. Misreading my watch is certainly understandable, I was a little cross eyed at that point....
Otherwise I was pretty happy with the swim. Swimming a straight line is still a challenge, but at least the extra yardage gives me a good workout.

I had the best rack location ever. What's not to love?

I don't know what happened here. This time is around 4 minutes faster than last year and it really should have been better than that. 53 is a pretty rough road but the seams aren't as severe as they have been in the past. The wind was relatively light. I really would like to be more like 2:30 in the future. Oh well.
One the plus side around mile 35 or so I started to catch some of the elite women. That felt pretty good.

Was drinking when I felt thirsty and enough to wash down nutrition, but I still had to pee twice.

Nutrition - 20oz of Gatorade Endurance with 4 scoops of Carbo Pro. Picked up some water for each of the aid stations except the last. Approx 600 calories.

Um, i took off my bike shoes and put on running shoes. Away I went.

The first 4 or 5 miles were all around 7:50 - 8:05. At that pace I still had a chance of being pretty close to 5hrs. Just couldn't hold it up. Started to slow down to the low to mid 8 min/miles for a the next few miles. Around mile 10 is where the wheels started to fall off and my legs started revolting. Miles 11-13.1 took me 20 minutes. It was brutal. Calves & knees were really hurting. I was going so slow at the end that two people passed me in the finishing straight. That was rough.

Some water at each aid station, but usually just a swallow. Dump the rest on my head or torso. 2 ecaps around mile 4. Grabbed gels and ran with them so I would have them when I wanted. Consumed one around mile 2, one after the turn around on the way back the last time. I almost puked with that one, but slowed a bit for about a minute and felt fine after that.

Grab a powerade, walk to the lake and get in. Seems like the only other people keen on getting their legs in that cold water were the elites, so I felt a little outclassed hanging around them.


Need more running than I'm able to do at my current state of constantly teetering on the state of injury.


I think this was the best race possible given my fitness. I need some more run miles under my belt, but that requires that I be healthy. One day, maybe.
On consolation is that a number of the elites I heard talking were saying that the course was slow today. I really don't know how that would be considering the weather but a number of them had sort of slow days. I'm really disappointed in my bike. I think I should be doing 2:30 on that course.