The weather was amazing!! A little breezy, what with the incoming hurricane and all. Low 60s in the morning, high of upper 70s. Durn near perfect race conditions.
Unfortunately I was not willed in before 10 hours like I thought I might have been. I actually had to move my body. But I am really happy with my time. I have accepted thatI will probably never qualify for Kona. It is so much more competiitive than I ever imagined. I overcame some mishaps, too and got personal bests in all 3 (except the swim, but we had to walk/run about 50-100 yds between swimable water and the beach 4 times, so I did swim better (vineman was 1:09 something with no beach entrance/exit).
On the home stretch of the first swim lap my goggles were removed completely from my head by the feet in front of me. I though I was totally hosed, but I found them floating nearby and got them back on my face. I don't know what I would have done!
Then in the bike there were HUGE packs forming. It was practically unavoidable to ride in a pack. Technically - drafting is illegal in triathlon. I had issues with the principle of it, but figured that those who are qualifying ARE riding in packs. So I was in one with probably 50 others and - as luck would have it - I was beaned with a red card. The motorcycle ref told me to go to the next penalty tent (15 miles down the road) so I did and had to wait 4 minutes before re-starting. I looked up the bike time of the guys in the pack I WAS in. They rode a 4:47. That would have cut 15 minutes off my bike split! I ended up in another unavoidable pack - yet smaller - around mile 80. I took my fair share up front! Then with 12 miles to go I dropped them like suckas and fought the last 30 minutes solo.
The run is always just a struggle for me. I ran fast for about 2 miles, then I walked aid stations trying to settle my twisted up guts and cool down - not a lot of shade. I actually walked quite a lot, looking back. Oh well. I left room for improvement, right?
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