Funny story - I thought this swim was 800m. Nevermind that it's laid out in front of me and I could see the buoys while standing on the shore. So I tell my boyfriend that I'll probably be out of the water within 12 min or so. Ha! Half way into the swim, I breathe toward shore and realize that I was only half done. Doh! Luckily I drafted off a girl in my AG the whole time. But man, I really need to stop slacking on the swimming because I was FAR too tired when I got out of that lake.

The course was decent - I ran into some weeds along the way, but that's to be expected with the high water and inherent lake-ness. The waves are what killed me. Either there was a wave runner who was way to close to the swimmers or a boat went by, but it was torture. So much chop (not to mention from all the swimmers in previous waves). I think I just got bored and tired of swimming (maybe because I thought I was supposed to be done sooner?). Honestly, I'm not very pleased with my swim - mainly because it just hurt too much and I was too tired for what I should be. I'm definitely getting out of swimming shape. Crap.

Not neglect swimming so much - ie, add a few hours to the day so I can adequately train.

I was so freaking tired that I pretty much took a breather on T1. Read: negative attitude coming soon.

Push through, I guess... but I was pretty tired.

Ha! This ride hurt from the second I got on the bike. It was borderline miserable. I'm not sure what went wrong, but it just flat out sucked. First, I launched my gel bottle within the first 5 miles (sorry everyone - that was my gu flask on the main road just outside the park entrance). My HR stayed relatively low (170s), but my legs just tightened up something fierce. Even a cadence of 90 was painful. I knew I should have had an average ~21 for the course, so I guess 20 isn't too bad, but it hurt like a bitch. I'm pretty sure that every 5 minutes I thought about quitting. I actually hoped for a flat so that I could just go home.

I'm going to have to look at my seat position because something is hitting a pressure point in my hip that radiates down my thigh and it KILLS. I was actually more comfortable out of the saddle than in it! Also, Thomas thinks we should look into a different crankset for my bike - I felt in between gears the whole time, and since there were virtually no hills, it was awkward for almost the whole 26 miles. I think I passed maybe 3 people, and I'm pretty sure that close to 30 passed me. Totally depressing and demoralizing. I'm hoping that it's the previous week of hard workouts and long riding that has done this. I'm definitely going to take it easy on my legs for the next few days.

Honestly, I'm not sure - not feel like sh*t? But how exactly do you do that? Realistically, not launch my gu, and most of all - RIDE MY OWN RACE.

This transition was about as craptastic as the last one. I sauntered in, tried to act like I was hurrying, but I felt like my tank was already on empty. I had trouble re-racking my bike, but honestly, I didn't mind because it gave me more time to rest. I didn't have socks (damnit) so I was just hoping that I could hold off on the blisters until at least mile 4. Then I just prayed that I didn't pass out and have to get taken to the hospital - that'd be embarrassing.

Bring fresh legs. Either that or make it an impromptu relay and be done with it.

Not a bad MOP run, I guess. Considering I wanted to shoot myself before I even got to mile 1. For about the first 3 miles, all I could think is "there is no f'ing way I'm going to be able to do a HIM... who the hell am I kidding?!?" Usually having fans is really helpful and I like it when people cheer. Today I just wanted my boyfriend to disappear into the crowd - I was so embarrassed how slow and painful this run was. I stopped at EVERY aid station to walk. Since I didn't get any gu or any other nutrition, I was gunning for the gatorade station - where (luckily) they made the gatorade really sweet. Perfect. Somehow I thought that maybe after that cup I could take off like a rocket. Ha! I wish I had a picture of what I saw ahead of me as I drank that gatorade. It can only be described as a low-grade hill with one of those long, never-ending straight aways at the top. As far as I could see ahead of me, there were runner's heads bobbing in the heat waves. Oh hell no. I made a deal with myself that I'd run at whatever pace I could muster until the next aid station. I pretty much made this deal with myself the whole way through. When I got to the aid station that was essentially the "half way point," I had a huge relief that at least I was on the downhill end of it. I guess I finally settled into running, because I started managing 8:30/miles instead of the 9-9:30 before. Then as I rounded what I think was the 5 mile point, I had picked it up to 8:00/miles. WTF?!? I was descending this stupid thing. I even ran straight through the last aid station. Essentially, I have no idea what happened on this run, why it felt so painfully miserable in the beginning yet ended up to be a really solid pace. I guess it was hot, but I'd think I'd get worse. Either way, my legs are giving me the finger now.

On another note, thank goodness for all the aid stations. IMO, they were perfectly placed and evenly spaced with cold water - they saved me on the hot run.

Try not to be so negative going out. Make a better effort to set a good cadence and strong stride from the get-go so that I might be able to settle into my pace sooner.

Walk around and beg my friends to cut my legs off. Chatted and ate pizza with Karen and Aaron (and Shiner). Got my bike out of transition, moped a little because I didn't get hardware for the first time ever :( and then went home.


My bottom half.


Great race - Jack's races always are. Perfect weather, unfortunately not much shade and direct sun, but that can't be helped.