TexasMan

I could have and seriously thought about skipping the TexasMan. I just could not come up with enough good excuses and how could I chicken out on the TexasMan the tri that started my great triathlon career.
I have slacked off of training and had some concerns about the swim and run. I have never swam 1500 yards in open water without a wet suit. And have only run a 10k once and that was at my first Oly back in April, along with my 1500 yard wet suit swim. Well, I am glad that I went through with the TexasMan and I am glad that it is over.

Swim- 29:32
Went very well. It was a mass start for all of the men doing the Olympic. A decent number of guys and I did not want to get
beat on so I stayed on the inside. In reality I felt like I swam a pretty straight line to each buoy. Most of the swimmers seem to go on the outside so there was not too much banging going on. The swim started out into the wind, but it was not too rough. I did not have to sight until I was getting close to the first buoy. I felt very much in control, but I did think
about the distance a few times. After rounding the first turn I swam almost unmolested all of the way to next turn. With the wind on my left side I always got good air on my right breath. Then the turn for home: one - I know that I am going to finish, two the wind is at my back, three - I can see all of the people on the beach. I finished with a nice kick and a moderate heart rate. You know it is funny, I can remember one year ago swimming the Sprint at the TexasMan and wondering if I was going to make it. Today 1500 yards, no sweat. Grade A (considering anxiety) next time I am going to expend a little more energy on the swim.

T1 - 2:59
It was a good little run up from the beach.
Took the time to sit down and put on socks.

Bike - 1:22.04, 16.8 mph
I did not want to press it on the bike and I guess that I didn’t. I expected my time to be a little better, but it was a good ride.
The middle of the ride is on a back country road with lots of good looking land and was very pleasant. Grade B- I don’t really know why the time was so slow.

T2 - 1:17
Same old thing.

Run - 1:06.04, pace 10:40
Ah, the run. I did not want to press the run either, but dang it was slow. I mean real slow. I swear the Tom marked the course wrong. The first section was nice and wooded. Then a right turn onto the Park road with some sun, then a right turn on to the Highway with nothing but sun. I ran and I ran and I ran . . . where is the turn around. I swear if I was there by myself I would have turned around assuming that I missed it some miles back. Finally I see the turn around. Good news, I am half way home, bad news, I am only half way home. I had 3-4 runners ask me how much further the turn around was - I lied, “you are almost there”. Now at least I know where I am going. I get to 2 miles from the finish and think about picking it up some - just think about it. One mile from the finish - how about a little kick - I don’t thinks so.
The only thing that kept me going was knowing that Peter was still on his bike. Grade ? I don’t know if I did good or bad. It was hard and it was slow. I guess a B+ for effort and a C- for results.

Final - 3:01.54
Ranked 4/5 if I would have knocked 4 minutes off my time I would have been in second place.

For my second Olympic I am satisfied.