Really solid swim for me. The plan was to go easy, but I settled into a slightly harder pace pretty much immediately and then held on to that pace throughout. Felt very calm and focused throughout the swim and it was over before I knew it.

Nothing.

Lost my transition spot for a minute. Probably lost around 30-45 seconds just being totally confused and lost in transition. It turned out to be no big deal, and I kept my cool about it, just totally forgot where my transition spot was for a minute. I'm happy I kept my head together and didn't panic.

Uhhhh, pay attention to where my transition spot is and memorize it. I always pre-walk the swim entrance to my spot before a race, and I didn't do it for this one. Stupid.

Just a totally solid bike leg. Held myself back really well on the rollers through Highway 36, pushed through the downhills on St. Vrain, and just stayed steady coming back to the Res. Slight negative split on this ride too, but I think that had more to do with carrying momentum into the second lap and just being settled on the bike. Kept HR and effort at the low end or below Z3 the whole time.

Nothing, I thought I really managed the bike course well.

Better transition here. Very relaxed, put some socks on for the run and grabbed my gels, and was totally mentally prepared for the run.

Nothing.

Sun came out from behind the clouds just as I was starting the run, and I knew it was going to get hot and nasty out there. Settled in to a nice comfortable 7:45-ish pace and just held on. I had thoughts of negative splitting, but by 8 or 9 I knew it was going to be plenty difficult to hold on to 7:45, so I just rode that out. I could feel a couple of guys back there pushing me too (Ricci and Gary Roseman). Gary passed me, but then I could see that he was only holding about a 200 meter gap, and I started reeling him in a little bit at a time. Passed him right about mile 11 and told him to run with me, but he was bonking so I just pounded out the last couple. I hadn't taken any gels since about mile 6 and was kind of bonking in the last mile, but by then I knew I had smoked my goal time and was so close to being done, so I just held pace.

Not much really, I thought I ran this pretty well. I sort of wonder if it would have been worth walking through one of the late aid stations to get in some water, gatorade and nutrition and let my HR come down, but my bonk hit at exactly the right time so I guess it's no big deal, and probably would have been a wash between what I gained in running speed and lost walking through an aid station anyway.

Get in the res to cool down, get a massage, eat.


Maybe the heat on the run. Probably could have gone a little faster if not for that, but not by much. But I can't question it too much, I had a lifetime day and raced really, really well. I hope I have another day like that at CdA next year.


As much as I hated this race last year, because I fell apart, I love it that much more this year for having a great day. What a great cap on the season.