My day started off at 4am with myself waking up before my alarm I had set for 4:15. Gathered my tri bag and protein drink before heading out the door.
Arrived to the transition just about 5:15 with my wave of race starting at 6:40. I had time to get my tires inflated after removing the air in them due to the the daytime heat while I dropped my bike off in transition the day before. Place my nutrition bottles and gels on my bike and prepared the rest of the my transition area. I was able to get a short run in just before putting on my wet suit to head down to the lake's edge for the start.
Got in the water about 4 minutes before my wave was to go off. I was able to get adjusted to the water by hanging onto a boat nearby getting my goggles and cap situated. The horn sounded and I was off, literally into the what would be the sunrise to the east in Tempe Town Lake. The counter-clockwise loop was very well marked and pretty easy to navigate. I was brushed here and there by other swimmers by the swim was not to physical. I made the corner of the first turn just as the sun was popping over the horizon, so headed back west shortly the sun would be at my back.
Got the end and was helped out on the stairs and quickly laid down to have the wet suit crew help me remove the suit and ran into T1.
Started my Mio Quest with GPS, pulled on a set of arm sleeves to help protect from the sun that was already up, put on a pair of socks, grabbed my helmet and sunglasses and was out to the bike start. As I started on the bike course within the first 2 miles I got my gels moved from atop my handlebars to my pockets on my tri-top and slipped my feet into my shoes. The course was three laps of a roughly 18. 6 mile course. On the first lap I came across two emergency vehicles tending to fallen riders. The part of the course they were on was filled with tight fast corners. The wind started picking up as the course moved east. I stayed tuck in the aero position if not taking a U-turn on the course or tight turn. I was happy with my pace and was monitoring what my Mio Quest was letting my know about my heart-rate in the zone I wanted to stay in. I knew that on the hills, which there was a few on the course, would make my heart-rate rise. On the second lap, about 3 miles into it, I heard a sound behind me, sounding like I might have dropped a water bottle or something. I turned back and seen it was my tire pump. Dang! I didn't turn around and grab it, yet was risking getting a flat and wishing I would have turned back. I went the whole lap thankfully without getting a flat and stopped and picked it up, as it was still laying where it fell. Stashed it in my pocket and kept on moving. My nutrition plan had me feeling really good on the entire bike, coming into the bike to run transition. Stopped my Mio Quest watch and saved the information from the bike course. Racked my bike and slipped on my shoes. I then started up my Mio Quest for the run portion of the race, heading out of transition grabbing some water as I did. Then it hit me, I had hit the wall and hard. I was not going to make my time I was hoping for or told my wife I would be finishing in. My average pace on the run, or walk was just a little over 16 minute miles. The heat of the day was killing me. The temperature was nearing 97 degrees. I just could not get my running going. At every aid station along the run I would grab about three cups of ice water. One to drink, one to pour on my head, and the other to wet my arm sleeves to help cool me down. The course was two laps of the same loop. I was way beyond my projected finish but my wife was waiting near the finish. About 100 yards from the finish my wife and kids were waiting. I grabbed my son and ran across the finish line holding him telling him to hold his arms up. I finished, but it wasn't the way I planned in my head as to how the day would unfold. The heat really took a toll on me. I want to thank the numerous family members and friends who helped me train over the past 6 months along with Mio Watch, PowerBar, "The Stick", H2O Audio, RecoFit Compression Components, Swiftwick socks, Sportique Skin Care and Emergen-C. A little recovery then back to training.
Swim time
47:22
Bike time
3:09
Run time
4:03
Total time for the
1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run
7:24:09
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