TI

So, I normally have an awesome swim at TI and love in-water starts. However, this year, trical decided to start the race further back and we basically got a push start from the mud of the shoreline. As a result of corralling 45 athletes in a 20 yard area, the swim was more like a boxing match from the start. I got a steady dose of jabs to the head over the course of the swim, as we were swimming 5 abreast for most of it. Exited the water at the tail end of the front pack, and hauled ass in transition, mounted my bike and took off after the leaders. So, the past two times I have made the front pack at TI, I have been badly dropped on the bike and end up in the large chase pack, but this year I was gonna turn myself inside out and not let that happen again. I was the last guy to pack the front pack. At the start of the bike, our pack steadily gained time over the leading trio of 3 powered by simon whitfield and was just 30 seconds down by lap 2. However, over the course of the last 4 laps we managed to lose 2 minutes plus to that lead breakaway and the chase pack almost caught us from behind, getting into T2 20 seconds down. I knew I had to start out the run conservatively and not pace off the others in my pack who were all really good runners. I settled into a nice rhythm and was running in 9th place until about the 6k mark, when the wheels really stating coming off. The last 4k was more like swimming on land with my arms flailing around. With just 400m to go I got caught by 2 other athletes and had to use an all out kick to beat them. Luckily for me, that’s my specialty – I’m money for the last .2 mile, it’s the first 6 that’s the problem. Anyway got some much needed ITU points.