Last wave (of four). Got in the middle of the pack at the start, water was deep enough to tread water while waiting for the start.

First 400m really sucked as I went out too hard and got out of breath and then started sucking in water due to the (light) chop. Bad breathing eventually made me frustrated I resorted to breast-stroking.

I alternated breast-stroking with the crawl for the next 800m. While breast-stroking, I kept looking around me to make sure I didn't whack anyone with my frog-kick, as I expected to get passed like crazy while breast-stroking. Surprisingly, I pretty much kept pace with those around me and the upright position of the stroke made it much easier for me to navigate than some of those around me.

Last 300m I did the crawl all the way in, which was nice as it made me feel more like a real triathlete, and even remembered to keep stroking until I could feel the bottom.

Do a pre-race warmup swim. More frequent long swims in the pool (1600-2000m) and a few open-water swims for practice.

My transition is SLOW. I can't figure out what everyone else is doing that they can do T1 in one minute or under. Goggles and cap off, shirt on, helmet on, sunglasses, socks and bike shoes on, and away I go!

Get a race belt and eliminate needing to put a shirt on after getting out of the water. Book it out of the water to my bike (none of this "easy jogging" crap, and the same for running with my bike to the start line.

Started out pretty hard (22-23mph) at the very beginning, which meant I passed quite a few people who I guess were still getting warmed up. Legs felt spry and kept up the pace for most of the first loop. Attacked hills and hauled ass on the downhills. Second loop wasn't quite so easy, but managed to push my way through it, although the hills weren't quite so easy this time around.

Took in two bottles of Gatorade on the bike course (~40oz), decent job of riding while drinking, although one of those spiffy aero-drink bottles between my aero bars would be nice (and a set of cages behind my seat, rather than within my frame).

Near the end the back part of my upper left thigh started cramping pretty bad and the following day my butt was just plain SORE!

Put more time in the saddle, include some longer rides (30-40 miles) and more bricks. Get properly fitted for my aero bars, add an aero bottle and rear seat bottle cages. Do half Gatorade half water, and I was kinda refluxing Gatorade on the run.

Stopped at the line, hopped off and ran to rack my bike (legs didn't feel completely weird at this point for once). Swapped shoes, helmet off, spent WAY too much time switching my shirt around to put the bib number facing forward, running hat on, grabbed a Clif Bar and off to run!

Get a race belt. Get a haircut (or grow it out a few more inches so I can put it in a ponytail), obviating the need for a hat while running. Practice transitions.

You couldn't really tell it on the bike, but I was HOT out there. The air was pretty still, so running you don't get the benefit a steady to keep you cool (unless your name is Meb Keflezighi and you're putting in 4-minute miles). Dumping water down my neck and in my hat didn't seem to help much at all. Decent splits (7:30's) quickly faded to 8 minute-plus miles.

It's weird, the running in a running race is pure bliss for me, but the running in a triathlon for me is pure torture. It just hurts, I'm tired, and everything feels all funky.

Put in at least 20 miles/week of running in my training rather than this slap-dash, willy-nilly crap I've been doing for the past 6 months. Include at least a few longs > 12 miles. More bricks.

My kick-ass girlfriend came all the way up from Galveston to cheer me on, even though she had to work that night (and all the way through until noon on Monday), so I found her at the finish just stood in the shade chatting with her while I drank some sort of fruity-drink concoction they had there. Ate a banana and stretched, and that was pretty much it.


Training (volume and quality).


This is a very well organized race and a good value as well ($70 versus CapTex's 120 bucks). Good course support in all three events, beautiful location, and a good mix of triathletes. The race director (Jack) was bitchy and rude to pretty much everyone around him (participants and fellow volunteers alike), but he did put on a good race so I can't complain too much. Definitely considering returning next year.

What was the story with some race participant getting bit by someone's dog??