started just to the right of the ramp and angled to first turn buouy. worked great. was physical out there. back stretch was literally right on the buouy line as one time i hit the buouy and another actually had to swim under it. took final turn with a group and got pushed out way right and just for some reason couldnt get back in.

dunno. thought i did ok. wouldve like about 7-10 mins faster but oh well

lots of people in there so no assistance from volunteers, found an open chair tho so that was good. ate a granola bar and downed some gatorade and some salt tabs. helmet on, shoes on, glasses on and out i went.

nadda

plan was to stay in teh 18-19 mph range when on flats and then on the downhills just stop pedaling once i hit 23 MPH and not begin again until i was down in the 19 MPH range again. for the uphills plan was just to keep a high cadence and not over push it. nutrition was sips of water and gatorade every 10 mins and after every hill. also had half of a meal bar every two hours and salt tabs every 90 mins. Special needs was PACKED so blew past that and just refilled my water at the water only aid station and then refilled the gatorade with the perform at the mt. horeb aid station. Also had another 5 hr energy somewhere on the second loop.

nothing.

into the room i go and once again volunteers are all taken, no biggie at all tho as off comes the helmet and glasses, on goes the hat and socks and shoes and race belt and away i go (after downing some gatorade and water)

tale of two loops. came out of T2 ok but that only lasted until inbetween camp randall and the big hill. for some reason i had basically stopped sweating and could feel the pace slowing down, adjusted some and just kept moving and was still feeling ok but still not sweating. as i came back past the kohl center aid station i realized i had to go to the bathroom, tried but couldnt. kept on moving and once i got onto the capitol square was finally able to relieve the tension! did the turn around, stopped at special needs and downed a redbull and two salt tabs and within about 5 mins felt much better and was able to push a comfy pace the rest of the way.

salt tabs in T2, not sure why i didn't have any in there................

get thru chute and get all the stuff, grab a plate of food, find family for some chit chat and some fun. then once they left back out on the square to cheer in friends and all the other finishers.


nadda. can't complain with a near 5 min PR.