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I was surprising calm the morning of the race.  Probably due to the fact I knew that I already had my trip to Kona secured and partly that I've learned that nervous energy is wasted energy.  

Race moring was clear and quiet and 56 degrees just perfect conditions or so it seemed.  I was up at 4am and went our for my customary 10 minute jog to awaken the body.  Then I forced down some breakfast it was the last solids I'd have for 12-13 hours, but this is always tough for me.  I went through my race morning ritual and then was off to make the 10 block walk from my rental house down to the race start.

I arrived at the race start and went through my normal routine of getting body marked, dropping special needs bags and getting my tires pumped and my nutrition loaded on my bike.  Being that I was #81 my bike was on the second rack so it would be easy to find. After all that was done I headed to get into my wetsuit and begin a little dry land warmup, by now the wind had come up and was blowing directly onshore as well there was about 200 boats milling around either as race support or out to watch the race which were also creating some chop it was going to be an interesting swim.

I was positioned off to the far right of the beach in hopes of staying out the major melee that happens right up the buoy line.  Finally the cannon sounded and we were off.  I immediately found some nice clean water and was swimming pretty well considering the swells and confused chop we were swimming directly into.  About half way to the first turn buoy I started to mix in with lots of other swimmers and things were physical. Despite being a lake there is some current  As we approached the first turn buoy I took an elbow right to my goggle which slammed my google into my eye socket and the then my goggles were ripped off my head.  I waved my hand blindly through the water and by luck or chance the goggles were in my hand.  I paused and managed to get them back on but the pressure from my goggle really hurt the eye socket that got hit.  The rest of the swim was tough, it was physical the entire way and never really spread out it was made worse in the rough water as people are being jostled into one another and with all the boats there was a constant smell of diesel.  I exited the water in 1:05 a bit slower than I had hoped to but I was very happy to be out of the water.  

My first transition was uneventful.  I've found that you just go about your business with steady intent and don't forget anything and it will be a fast transtion.  I made the long run from the change tent to my bike and heard a few shoutouts from friends who were out to watch the race which is always awesome to hear.  

Out on the bike my plan was build as the bike goes,  this is really tough to do as you get caught up in the frenzy of racing.  I was quickly passing people and I was really moving despite trying to keep my effort under control,  this race is 112 miles I kept telling myself.  In my head I had a bike split of 5:00, but this course is a beast and if history was any indicator this would be one of the fastest times of the day overall if I could manage to ride that time.  I was riding well and feeling good but the wind was blowing and and it didn't seem to matter where you were on the course it felt like you were riding into a headwind.  I managed to survive the hills on the first lap out by Hayden Lake and as I came into town and hit the halfway mark I noted my time of 2:31, just off the 5 hr goal pace, things were going well.  I continued to push on the second lap but the winds had acutally gotten stronger and I finally dark point where my energy and power seemed to dip a bit and I had some cramping in my quadricep,  this is pretty typical but this lasted longer than it normally does.  I was really glad to be off the hills again and pushing into the headwind on the flats and I headed for T2.  I hit T2 in 5:13 with a 21.43 average speed

I hit T2 and managed a nice rolling dismount and immediately had to visit the porta potty to pee.  I just can't seem to pee while riding so I always have to make a stop before exiting T2.  I headed over and grabbed my bag and headed to the tent.  Again I was relaxed and steady making sure I had everything then I was on my way.  

My legs felt a little heavy as I headed out and I was worried that I had shot myself with that hard ride in the wind.  I hit the first mile marker and my split was 7:51 and I thought there is no way I'm running this slow, At mile 2 my split was 5:35, ok the mile marker was off I was running 6:42 mile pace, whoa too fast.  Again I had a number in my head 3:10.  I was currently running at 2:54 pace, I wasn't going to hold that so I eased up the pace.  The next 11 miles went by in between 7:00 and 7:10 per mile and I was feeling as good as one could expect given hard swim, hard ride and heat. I had a number of people say I was one of the strongest looking runners all day and I was catching many of the competitors who were ahead of me.   I hit the half marathon in 1:34, I was holding a 3:08 marathon pace, which in my heart and mind I felt I could hold.  

At mile 15 I started to fall of the pace just a bit with a 7:20 and my legs were starting to feel the efforts of the day.  At each aid station it was always the same routine, cola as much as I could down, ice and water, drink some water and then dump the ice into my jersey to try and keep my core temp down.  You're body only sore so much energy and once you deplete those stores it's tough to replace what you've lost so it becomes a battle to sustain energy.

At mile 19 things began to look and feel a little bleak.  My hamstrings were tight and a little crampy which begins to have a serious effect on you're ability to extend and push off and this killing my speed.  I was still moving but I was slowing pretty badly I had also started walking the aid stations.  My goal is always to walk as little as possilbe in the aid stations, I've learned over a few of these races that walking is a time killer.  So I was religious about walking while I was drinking and icing then immediately start running again.  I limited my walking to about 20-25 seconds per aid station.  In my first Ironman was was walking 2 minutes per aid station starting at mile 15 for example and this will kill you're time.  

Once I got to mile 24 I knew I was home I had to just keep trying to go as fast as my legs would allow.  It was really hard to tell who you are racing on lap 2 of the run as all the lap 1 and lap 2 runners begin to mix together.  I felt like I was well up in the overall standings and in my AG but really had no idea.  As you come to the top of Sherman Ave. you have a 500 meter straight away to the finish with both sides of the street packed with spectators.  At this point my hamstrings were barely functioning and and the tops of my calves were starting to cramp as well.  I wanted to push and finish with a sprint but it wasn't happening, at this point I just kept telling myself don't cramp and fall on your face.  I ran down the finish chute and saw 9:50 on the clock.  I hit the line in 9:50:39 in 45th place overall and 4th in my age group.  A 16 minute PR on what I can only describe as a tough day. 

Now for a little recovery time and then we'll start the build for Kona.

Rain, rain, rain and yes more rain.  That's been the story in Seattle this spring not to mention cold, cold and cold.  I had decided to go race at Honu several months ago but it was looking like even a better idea given our weather.  The plan was for a big final training week before starting my taper to Ironman Coeur d'Alene. 

Touching down in Kona and walking off the plane and down the stairs is like entering Heaven (very hot and humid but Heaven none the less).  My friend James and I were there to get some focused training in and race at the the end of the week.  We had a great townhouse in the Mauna Lani resort which was fantastic and a great deal. 

We spent the week hammering the bike on the Queen K, running hard through the lava fields and getting in lots of quality time at A-Bay and Hapuna Beach.  It was a good hard week with a half day taper to a very hard 70.3 race. 

Race morning came early at 4 am and as I woke up I could hear the wind ruffling the palm trees it was going to be a fun day (i.e. - rough swim and windy bike).   We caught the bus to the race start prepped our bikes and pumped the tires and headed down to get in our swim skins.  The wind was blowing off shore which meant that the outside of swim course would be rough. 

Treading water at the start line bumping other athletes waiting for the cannon I wondered how my body would feel today would I have power and energy or come out flat from the big week.  BOOM, time race. 

I swam hard right from the gun and found clean water all the way to the first buoy.  At the first buoy I found some feet and sat on them.  As we turned at the second buoy we were swimming directly into the current and had choppy water to deal with but I stayed with the feet. The swim in Hapuna is amazing it's completely clear water and you can see the bottom, fish, coral, turtles even in 80 feet of water.  I exited the water in 31:47 in 110th place overall and 16th in my age group.

The transition is tough across the sand, grass and then up a 200 meter steep hill to the bikes.  I had a good transition and then flubbed the mounting of my bike by kicking one of my shoes off the pedal having to stop, unclip my other food and go back for my other shoe.  Once that was taken care of I was on my way. 

Today I felt good on the bike right from the get go.  The first few miles are fast with a tailwind before turning back into the howling headwind.  I kept the effort high and started to make my way through the field.  Like most of my rides it takes me 45 minutes to an hour to really get warmed up and into my rhythm.  After an hour I was feeling good and then hit a little "dip" in my energy and focus.  Several riders went by me in this section but didn't fret it and just stayed with it knowing what was to come in few miles.  At the sign marking 7 miles to Hawi (5 miles to the turnaround) this course gets tough the wind is hitting you in the face and it's uphill.  When I hit the sign I upped the effort and was quickly reeling in and passing the riders ahead of me.    

After the turn at Hawi it was time to scream back to T2.  This can be a white knuckle ride but today it wasn't too bad just fast as I was holding 35-40 mph for the next few miles still catching and passing others.  Finally back on the Queen K I held the effort back to the Mauna Lani and T2.  I had ridden hard but I still felt like I had plenty in the tank for the run and I'd need it. 

Out of T2 I opened with a 6:20 mile across the grassy fairway which was already heating up and getting humid.  Mile 2 was a 6:30 and I backed it off a bit to 7:00 minute per mile pace knowing what was to come.  I was in a bit of no mans land not catching anyone and not getting caught.  I finally started to close the gap on a few as we headed towards "the road", it's a 3 mile out and back section on a paved road that runs right through the lava, I call it the "road to hell".  When I hit the road I hit the gas, I could now see my competition and started to make up some ground running 6:30-6:40 mile pace.  As we exited the "road" and back onto the golf course for the final two miles.

I was still running hard but feeling the effort from the road.  I caught 3 runners with about a mile to go and got passed by a seriously fast guy and tried to go with him but with no luck.  I continued t o run hard and had my eyes on one more athlete ahead of me.  With 800 meters to go there was a runner about 30 yds ahead of me and I was determined to catch him.  The guy kept looking back to see where I was and continued to close.  With 300 meters to go I caught him and sprinted by him to the finish. 

I crossed the line in 4:35:48 a new PR by 18 seconds.  I had finished in 24th place overall (out of 1391) and 3rd in my Age Group.  The big surprise was managing to get a slot for the Ironman World Championships (i.e. - Kona) in October as the second place finisher in my age group (by 12 seconds) already has qualified and passed on the slot.  So I'll get another shot at the big dance in October and it means it's go for broke at IMCdA.  See you in Idaho.