This being my first du, since the swim was cancelled due to the upstream city fouling the water, I really didn't know what to expect. When the wave went off, I got caught up in the moment and the speed. My first pace check revealed sub 7s. Way too fast. I backed off some, but not enough. Then, when the Olympics met up with the sprinters and the road became very congested, I maintained my fast pace.

Be true to my committment to run slower, keeping something in reserve for the end of the event. I had planned on running mid 8s and wound up mid 7s.

this was a speedy transition for me, but a little on the high side of my AG. I felt pretty good after the quick run.

I probably lost time tying my shoes. Looks like I'll be getting some Yankz or something soon.

Again, I got swept up in the competitiveness of the moment. I screamed out of the park, passing people all the way and going uphill in the 23-25 mph range. The turn to the main road was fine but the chip seal roughness began to take its toll, although not enough to adjust. Having ridden this part of the course a week prior, I knew that smooth road was coming up. I pushed the first 12 miles pretty hard, passing many and only being passed by a few. There was one large dude, but gorilla strong and each time I'd get almost by him on a climb, he'd hang with me and go flying by on the downhill. He had poor etiquette, though, and I had to yell at him to move off the yellow center line so I could pass on the left. I briefly caught DocShock, but he passed me back and was gone. Then SportySue cruised by and didn't even say hi. I called out to her, we exchanged hellos and later, on a hill, I passed her back. She would have taken me again, but the Olympic course diverged shortly thereafter and she didn't get the chance. Here's where things went a bit haywire. After the turn and the bumping and grinding with the sprinters was over, I realized I'd burned a lot of energy and still had around 12 to go on a part of the course unfamiliar to me. I had always planned on refueling at this time so I got into my bento box and took out a pack of jelly beans. With one sweaty hand and my teeth, I attempted to open the packet. Dang if the thing didn't tear right, leaving no hole to push them through. It remained sealed. After some effort, all while trying now to maintain 15-17 mph (gradual climb, rough road), I abandoned the beans for a gu, only it wasn't a gu, it was a clif shot. I have now violated rule number one - don't try anything new on race day. I had never had a clif shot (and still never have) as the same thing happened; I couldn't tear it open. It too was thrown back in the box and now, thoroughly frustrated, I fished out the dried mango I had fortunately packed. The clif bar didn't sound good, so it stayed sheathed. I chewed on a couple of mango slices and had some water and kept on going. I did manage to get my speed back up near 20 (and faster on the downhills), but the bumps of the county road, the gradual incline (seemed there was alot more of that than downhills), and the lack of nutrition gradually took their toll. I still wound up coming in under my goal time, though.

Not be in such a damn hurry and accept the fact that it's OK to let other bikes pass, especially when they may be sprinters and you've got a lot longer to go. Also, pre-open anything I might eat on the ride.
Do I need aero bars?

I thought this was a pretty quick transition, but not after looking at my AG. I was more than 30 seconds slower than the guy who finished only 15 seconds ahead of me. I did fart around wondering whether I should grab somethign for the run. I grabbed the aforementioned unopened jelly beans from the bento box and stuffed them in my shirt. That probably cost me some time right there.

If I'm going to eat in this transistion, have it ready to go.

Ouch! This run hurt. I did a pretty good job of staying in the mid 8s to low 9s in the first mile or so, but as soon as we hit the chip seal road, exposed to the sun, wind and what felt like desolation, I was forced to back off. I think the failure to refuel was beginning to set in, as were various muscles threatening to mutiny. And this is in only mile 2-3. Also, the turn was nowhere to be seen (i.e. no light at the end of the tunnel) and it felt so far away. It was just a grind out there. The turn offered hydration (accellerade) and water. It was thick and didn't taste good. I actually stopped for a brief moment to water down the goop before grabbing a second water and heading toward home. By now, all of my pace goals were out the window and I stopped checking the Garmin. I drank the goop and a bit of water before pouring the rest on my head. I shoved the extra ice down my shirt for a little extra cooling. Didn't seem to help at the time, but I'm sure it did. The run back to the park entrance felt interminable. I was in a zone and not a good one. Nothing was interesting anymore, not even the people running by. I felt like I was getting slower by the step, but that I had to keep running because walking meant being out there even longer. Finally, as the muscles on the upper inside of my knees were beginning to really hurt, I made the turn back into the park. Now, it's mostly all downhill. Still, I felt like each step was slower than the last. At the water station at mile 5, I had more goop and water and made the decision that it was ok to walk a bit. The knee area muscles were crying out (both of them, now) and I walked some of the uphill portion. I again poured as much water as I could spare over my head. I ran as I could, but walked a bit more in the next little uphill stretch to the lady with the shower hose. That was awesome and, knowing it was really all down hill from there, I began running again. Alas, the legs were really hurting and I felt like Frankenstein dragging my left leg forward each time I had to move it. About a 1/4 mile away I had to walk again. I was really thinking I might walk it all the way in, but a dude ran by and said not to let it beat me. That was enough motivation to knuckle down and drag my sorry ass across the finish line. As for those jellybeans? Still unopened today.

Fuel up on the bike.

I hit the water and hydration drinks hard. Water over head, hydration drinks (anything I could get my hands on) in the body. This lasted for about 10 minutes at least as I walked around in a daze. I found a few BTers (DocShock, among others) and we regrouped together. I didn't hear anyone say they had a good run.


going out too fast on the first run and the first 1/2 of the bike, I think, really hurt me at the end. Of course, my ill-fated wrestling matches with those little packets of fuel didn't help, either.


Overall, it was a good event and the staff and volunteers worked hard. I missed the swim (really!) but understand and appreciate why it was cancelled. They could have used more port-a-potties.
I second DodgersMom - they should have moved the turn drink station to somewhere where we could have hit it twice.