Tuesday Allen and I flew to Denver for work.  We had meetings with a few vendors, and were looking to bring some new products to the shop.  It was very productive, and I think we'll have some cool things in the next few months for both cycling and running.  But, by the end of the week, ours paths changed.  He went back home and I was on my way to Lubbock, TX, for the Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3.  I've done this race before.  Actually the last time I was here I was riding a QR Seduza when the seat post clamp broke in the first mile and I rode the course with my seat about 3 inches down.  It was also the first time I qualified for Kona.  This time I was back with a QR CD0.1, but not too concerned about Kona.  I wanted to prove that Knoxville was no fluke.  Of course I had to do it the hard way.  This time another seat post clamp issue would come up.  I shipped my bike before we went to Denver and it was at my hotel when I arrived Friday.  Except my seat post clamp didn't make the trip.  It wasn't in the box, and no one had seen it in the shop.  Allen sent the part I needed, and I was ready to race, I thought.  I had been ignoring the fact that I had not been able to keep food down very well.  I thought it had to do with travel and race nerves.  I tried to stay hydrated and prepare myself for the long race.  

This race starts early, so I was up before 4!  I ate breakfast and drove over to the race site.  This course has some flat sections, but the course is highlighted by the 8 big climbs on the bike and 3 steep hills on the run.  Not to mention heat, wind, blah, blah, blah.  Actually we got lucky, it was an overcast day, and not that hot, but the hills and wind were out to play.

I thought I swam well, actually that's the part that was the most successful.  27:45 is my best half swim, and don't tell me it was short, that will break my heart.  I've put in many hard swim sessions, and I thought I could do a time like this at some point this year.

Slow T1 and I was on the bike.  The first few hundred feet has the first big hill.  I was up and down, but I didn't feel good.  I thought it was early and my legs would come around.  Rode the long flat sections some with the wind, and some in a tailwind.  I could not keep my watts up.  I felt like I was riding strong, but my watts were quite low.  I thought again, that my legs would come around, but it was not to be.  I decided I would manage my watts and try to take care of my nutrition and hydration.  But, I was still having trouble taking in food.  I rode conservatively, and thought I could save myself for the run.  2:29, is the best I had today, I just didn't have any legs.

Another slow T2, and I was on my way again.  I really thought I would be able to run, but there were a few guys running past me, and I felt slow.  I didn't feel any strength in my legs, and really suffered on the first hill.  I just tried to run a conservative pace so I wouldn't completely melt down.  In the end I passed a few of the guys who passed me in the beginning.  Pacing really does work, even if you have no strength.  1:34, is about 10 minutes slower than Knoxville, and I think slower than the last time I did this race.  I spent some time in the medical tent trying to rehydrate.  They tried to get me to eat, and it wasn't happening.  I've been drinking a lot of water, and I'll try to eat something light for dinner.  

While I don't think it is a good idea to compare courses, I think you can compare efforts, and today was not a great effort.  I'll live, I have about four months to get ready for Kona.  I did reaffirm that pacing is definitely the way to plan a race, and sometimes the way to make a new plan during a race.  I will recover from this, and race again.  See everyone at the shop next week.