Sorry for the delays in getting to this post, I suppose I might have been more quick with the post if I had finished the race an hour or two sooner than I did (may have had some extra time to type a blog entry ;)
Meh... the swim was typical, pulling it in just under an hour in the water... lake was clean and smooth, and was able to pull some draft off of a few helpful folk up front. People were clawing at me from behind and my larger concern was losing my timing chip... but it stayed put ;) Once I got out, the strippers stripped me (with some solid effort on their part, and a serious rolling around in the mud on my part) and I headed off to put on my shoes, helmet, and sunglasses... then off to find my bike...
The ride started out OK - I was to keep things real on the bike, and leave a bunch for the run. By halfway, I was on target for a 5.5 hour bike (respectable, given the effort) but by the time I reached the end of 180km, six hours had passed. Todd's wife Lee-Ann was out on course (pictures courtesy of her ;) and she told me yesterday that I "did not look well" coming up Yellow Lake... which is where she snapped me (from behind ;)
I don't think I looked so bad from behind, but what can I tell you for sure. I wasn't feeling particularly GREAT heading up that hill...
The move from bike to run was good, things felt solid, and I got into transition and even felt like visiting the washroom, which is a good sign. Did that, carried on my way... and the run started out great. My first step on the run is to drink down a larger than average liquid "meal" and allowing it some time to digest prior to pushing it real hard on the run.
That meal never really digested, at least not for the first half of my walk (run :))
I took it really easy because it didn't feel as though anything was going to be staying down, and I know that I need my fluids in me, not on the road. Well... the theory is good, but it cost me anything resembling a decent run, and by halfway I had given up on achieving anything similar to what I had set out to do... save for finishing that sucker.
As they say in French... c'est la vie :)
Now for the next chapter.
Things are feeling pretty good, and it's only Tuesday morning. I still have a sore neck and a couple of sore feet, but the swelling on my right foot has more or less subsided, and the blisters are nearly half healed.
I think that a renewed focus on the Olympic distance race on Saturday will see some different results, but the results on Saturday are not what I am aiming for... it's the experience.
Thanks for the support everyone, and I will keep you posted as I progress towards my race this weekend. Things are looking positive for that experience!!
over/out
Clinton
