All right, here it is...
Let me first say that after the athlete brief and experiencing the conditions just chilling out and enjoying the days leading up to the race, my goals changed to "enjoy the day and bask in Hawaii". I quickly realized there was no way I was going to post good times. My Austin time in Oct was 6:49 and I was going all out and did not have much fun.
News reports say these were the worst conditions ever in the history of the race. OTOH, Lance and Lindsay both set course records, so.........
Temps were mid-80s and winds were 35mph with gusts much higher than that!
Swim was gorgeous! Clear all the way to the bottom. Not too many fish- I think they all scattered. My practice times were about 2:19/100 in the open water- slightly slower than in the pool. In the race, I could not see the buoys due to the chop and just followed the crowd. One group got blown way off course and had to circle back- I only got blown off a little! But my effort was not too strong- I could deasily have cut 5 min off, but I was having so much fun! It felt like a 1/4 mile run up the giant hill to T1. My gear bag flew away and I spent a few minutes trying to find it. Grr. And.... I had cut my foot in three places on the lava a few days before and had to make sure band aids were strategically placed. Hence, an 8 minute transition! BAHAHAHA!!!!
Then the bike. They say this is the hardest Half Iron on the circuit. The bike was the last half of the championship course- from Hapuna Park up to Hawi. Very hilly, the last 10 is pretty much straight uphill through the lava fields. Wind comes down off the mountain on the one side blowing out to sea on the other side. I literally almost got blown off at least 4 times. No joke. I cussed more on that ride than in a typical week! I was talking to God out loud, too! There were lots of punctures. No wrecks that I heard of. My goal was to stay safe and not break down. And save the legs- strategy last race was to go all out on the bike and then survive the run. Well, that's just stupid and I don;t recommend it! The second best part of the race (after the swim) was the turn around at Hawi- straight downhill!!! I went as fast as I could without getting blown off. I was singing out loud and having a grand time! Every now and then the island would try to blow me off, and then the hills came again. But I felt good at the end.
Next came the run. I felt great for the first 3 miles or so. Then we turned into the wind. Oh Lord. About 3 miles on the golf course grass and paths, then 6 miles on lava roads and though Hell's Kitchen, which was 3 miles into the wind (thankfully downhill!), then 3 miles uphill with a tailwind, then 3-ish miles on the golf course again. I discovered cold Coke is awesome. I also tried holding the ice in my hands while I ran for cooling effect- that works great! But it was really not that hot- a 30mph wind feels pretty cool.
I finished happy, drank three beers (oh yes!!!), bought some shirts, then retired with my friend to her gorgeous hotel to watch the sunset over the ocean while drinking free mai tai and watching the hula dancer and listening to the Hawaiian singer. A perfect end to a hard, but not not agonzing day. My goal was to stay just under the misery threshold and to enjoy Hawaii and all her glory- and I did!
Oh yeah- And Jack built me two boxes to carry Ruby in (my bike) and I managed to get her to Hawaii for FREE on the airplane!!!!! No extra baggage fees! And now I know how to take my bike apart all the way down to bare bones and build her back up again.
Oh yeah- and I got to stalk Lance and listen to him talk. And met a bunch of folks and spread the USAF love.
Results: (don't laugh!!) (Age Group 40-44 years old)
Swim: 52:15 66/99 2:37/100
m
Bike: 3:55:47 80/99 14.25 mph
Run: 2:54:30 76/99 13:19/mi
Overall: 7:55:51 76/99
