all i can say is that it was a beautiful race. not my fastest, but perfect conditions. with the pink sun rising above the start, i said a prayer to my ancestors thanking them for the day, and then started at the back, where i usually start. 500 meters, kicked a few times but not too bad, time 14:20 (i know that i'm a slow swimmer). i'm still not sure why my t1 took so long (3:31), but i did ok on the bike (pretty flat except for one hill, 33:35 at 23.2 mph pace). then 1:17 transition, and 26:48 run at 7:40 pace. overall though, the winds were very calm, the water was amazing, and the morning was great. not too much to ask for, except to be able to go a bit faster.

but hopefully, as my hamstring strain heals fully, i can go all out. mahalo for reading.