This was a decent swim. I started outside left and ended up rounding the first buoy a little far outside. The group was pretty tight after the first buoy, and I found mself fighting with a couple guys. At one point, I was jostling with another guy, and as I pulled ahead my arm came back and I felt teeth and maybe a beard. I fully expected to find a cut finger after the swim. But the guy backed off :)

It was a slalom course as we came upon earlier waves, but that just helsp me sight better. I was passed by one guy in the previous wave at the turnaround, he was absolutely flying, think he was a relay swimmer. No way to catch a draft.

Coming back is basically due east, into the sunrise. All I could do was follow the people ahead of me and monitor the buoys on the out section to judge my line. Turn buoy came into view eventually and headed for the beach.

Not much

My transitions this year have just been generally slow all around, like I'm in no hurry to get out of there.

gitty up

This is one deceptively cruel course. There's basically three hill sets. This year there was a detour which added distance to the final hill. For some reason, I thought the hard hill was the middle hill. Turns out I was wrong.

We made our way up the first climb to Toro Canyon, a screaming downhill. Then a flat section for about 9 miles, then the second climb. I was saving myself for that climb, and when I crested it I thought, "no big deal," and began to hammer some.

Now, it's not like I didn't come down the third hill, so I can't claim ignorance. But that last climb is a slog. Legs started cramping near the top, and I limped in to T2 with tired legs.

Unfortunately, the course is not closed to cars. Some intersections are patrolled, but I saw (and experienced) a couple close calls.

Pay attention when friends describe the course

see above

The run, like the bike, is also deceptively cruel, but it gets easier as it goes.

It began flat along the ocean, and in the first mile, I was still cramping in my thighs. Uh oh, but I pretty much know that if I work through it they'll go away. I also started on salt pills every aid station.

About 2 miles in it starts to climb into Santa Barbara residential streets, and climbs steadily for a couple miles, then into rollers, then into a Wildflower Pit-like turnaround. They run us down a steep road, and then, at some randomn spot which isn't even the 5 mile mark, we turn around and go back up it. I did walk about 75% of this hill.

From the top of the hill, however, it starts to get easier as it goes more or less downhill.

As usual, I got passed a ton, and basically felt like I was going nowhere, but I savor the little victories, and here it was that I negative-split the run and did a couple 9:30 miles on the way back.

They had aid stations every mile, so I thought I'd use it as early IM training, walking the aid stations. That makes the monotony of running go by much quicker. Anyone can go one mile, right?

It's a really beautiful run course, and I didn't mind being a little slower so I could enjoy the view.

same as always, more running, less weight

Actually, a cool down, went down to the ocean and stood in the 62 degree water for about 20 minutes.


Hadn't trained like I should have.


This was a great, local, small race. It's got a small town feel to it, but with some very fast competitors. Now that I know the course, I'd like to come back and kick it's ass.

My goal was 4:00. I went 4:15. I can't really complain about that. Typi9cal placings for me. FOP in the swim, MOP bike, and BOP run. Train those limiters.