Got put on a relay team at the last minute...I'm glad I trained (a little) for the sand running! The day was epic...stormy/choppy for the swim, windy for the bike, clear and warm in the middle, then cool and rainy at the end of the run. My relay team consisted of a Navy officer for the swim, a disabled vet for the bike and me for the run. In some ways I had the easiest part.The run started off well as I was warmed up and ready to go (I got there with the rest of the athletes at 6 a.m. and chilled in the car while my mates were slogging it out in the rain and wind!) Fred blazed into the transition, I attached the chip and was off. My friend and personal running "coach" Suzanne Tignor was 30 seconds behind me out of T2 as a solo competitor (BTW she came in 7th overall...impressive first half IM!) Suzy blazed by me like I was walking (although I think I was gaining on her at the end!)
My plan was to do the first 3 (of 5) loops at my long run workout pace (9:15), then see what I had left for loops 4 and 5. Lap 1 no problem with the sand. I went fast on loop 2 as the competitive juices started flowing. Lap 3 all good. Dialed it up a notch in lap 4 on the pavement and hardpack sand...started to fatigue in the soft stuff. I was hoping to break 2 hours but I needed to do laps 4 and 5 in 21 minutes and it just wasn't there today! Lap 5 was cool as we got horizontal rain from the last cloud in the sky...Andy Concors passed me on the soft sand but I had a kick that the individual competitors didn't have...sorry Andy!
Crowd support was great...TCSD was out in force...thanks for the encouragement guys! My team ended up winning our division...so we get a plaque!
I love this event...I'll be back for more...maybe as a individual competitor in the future!
(picture at right is of Fred Liebel and I accepting congratulations as winners of our division)
