I started out like I was shot out of a cannon. Good and bad. I was in the top 10, so no one was in my way, but I couldn't keep that pace up. My breathing was horrible because I could not calm my HR down. While I was swimming I was telling myself to calm down and breathe how I'm supposed to, but I just couldn't ever really catch my breath. Didn't really catch my breath until 3/4 done on the bike!

No start out so fast so my breathing wasn't affected so much

Had trouble getting into a good rhythm because of HR from the swim. I knew I needed to average 21.5mph +, but I just couldn't get it done. Kind of a mental block too as far as pushing through the pain. I was also a little pre-occupied with how Rachel was doing. She was really getting nervous before the race started and that she wasn't going to be able to finish the swim. I saw her on the bike when I was on my way back in at about 3/4 done. I felt some relief and was able to put my full attention back on the race.

Put more focus on bike during training and doing hard training rides that way I'm more prepared to push through the pain during a race.

I started out a really good pace and soon realized there were several turns and such on the course that I guess I didn't pay attention to during the pre-race meeting. So I didn't run as fast as I should have because I wasn't sure if I was going the right way. I tried opening up my stride and kept pace with a faster guy that had passed me.

Pay attention to directions during pre-race meeting.

Just stretched and waited for Rachel to finish.


Not training correctly. Need to put in more hard training rides and pushing past pain limits.


Race seemed to be a little better organized this year than last year in overall terms. There was quite a bit of misunderstanding on the run loops for turning around at the first barrel. Volunteers or someone should have been well versed on providing instructions to runners on what they should do.