First 300 yds were fine. I was pacing myself fine and just kept repeating "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." Take a stroke for each word and I'm doing fine. The goggles started leaking. Okay, just roll onto my back and fix this. Got them reseated and started swimming again. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Goggles leaking again. Fixed them again and figured out my straps had slid down. Repositioned them up. This time when I started swimming, my breathing went to hell in a handbasket. I couldn't breathe. Breast stroke for a bit and then backstroke. Calm down. Get my breathing under control. Start freestyle again and again the breathing went bad. From that point, I alternated between breast stroke and back stroke. The wind was a pain coming back into it as small waves were breaking over my head.

What would you do differently?:

My open water swim practice. Just keep swimming.

I really had to pee coming out of the water. Stopped at the porta-potties and peed for at least a minute. Took one electrolyte tablet and 1 shot of gel followed by water.

The rollers were fun once we were heading south. Some of them got a little nerve wracking as the roads were older with cracks and bumps. I would be screaming down a hill and see stuff at the bottom. Stuff = water bottles, tubes, water bottle brackets, CO2 cartridges,etc. At one point there was a steel plate across the road (assuming a hole underneath) at the bottom of a hill. There was at least a dozen yellow poofies from people's aero bottles. Coming across the bridge was a beautiful view of downtown. Tried to thank all of the many volunteer & police out on the course. Took one shot of gel about 40 minutes into bike. At mile 18, really pushed. Overall, a fun ride.

Ride the course before the race to become familiar with it.

Electrolyte tablet at first aid station. Gel shot at 2nd. Walked about 3 steps thru each aid station to get sips of water. I haven't been able to run and drink at the same time yet. First lap I was cruising, trying to keep HR <175 pretty successfully. At the split for the finish or 2nd lap, I recognized DocShock with his Hawkeye hat. I thought he was just standing there waving the peace sign but finally figured out he was saying 2nd lap that away. On the 2nd lap, I focused on keeping my foot strike rate up. I saw DavidB and his wife at this point. He was wearing his TeamJavelin gear and he yelled out go Javelin. After about 50 yds, it dawned on me that it was David. At the Dallas Athletes aid station (1.2 miles left on the loop), I started pushing hard. I caught up to one 36 yr old and we ran together for the rest of it. He seemed to be pushing hard also. We ended up crossing the finish at pretty much the same time.

I was happy with the run. But to improve, I will need to continue running.

Ice cold towel on my head. Water, fruit, proteinini, stand in line for massage. Saw several BTers gathered but I had been waiting in the massage line for about 25 minutes at that point and I was getting close.


My swim


The number of volunteers on the course was amazing.