I hadn't planed on doing this race this year, but got wind a couple months before that they'd be offering prize money for the elite wave. To the tune of $4,998 total (keeping it under the $5k cutoff that requires a pro license), split 1500/700/299. I took 3rd overall here last year and figured that I was racing a lot better and should be able to move up a place or 2. As a bonus the two guys who beat me in '08 weren't registered. The downside? 3 pros and a pro qualifier did. Hmm... well, this is going to be bit more interesting.

Swim: I had the fastest swim in '08 and was expecting similar this year. The gun goes off and I'm diving in, keen on taking out the pace hard to the first turn, 300m in:

I get there hanging even with the lead and try to cut in behind him coming out of the turn, only to find that he's not there. I look up and he's gapped me by 5m already. I settle into a good, smooth rhythm and coming into the swim finish hang side by side with Daniel Bretscher. He's out of the water a bit quicker than I and gets to transition 15 sec ahead. 6th elite: 1200m, 16:56 (1:24/100m) with 150m run, 1:20 back.

T1: Wetsuit off, helmet on and in pursuit of Bretscher and the 4 others ahead.

Bike: The course starts off with a big uphill for 200m then some short, steep rollers for the next 2 miles before heading out on a long, straight, slight uphill to the turn around at 9.5 mi. Unlike the last local sprint I raced, I had people to chase on this one and I was ready for a fight. Especially with the money on the line. The route took us out east, with a 10-15 mph wind from the northeast. A nice cross-head wind on the way out. I caught and passed 5th place about 3 miles in, and traded places with him a couple times through 7 miles before I passed him for good. I trained my sights on Bretscher up the road. At 8.5 miles in, I see the leader coming back (2 miles up on me... after 10 miles!!). Andrew Starykowitz was simply flying! Something you should expect from a guy who rode 2:00:16 at Clearwater last year. Right... at the turnaround, I was 5th, about 6 minutes back of the lead and 45 seconds out of 4th. The tail wind really helped on the way in. After averaging 21.5 mph out, I turned it around and hammered in near 28:

I came into T2 well out of the money (2:30 back from 3rd) but only 25 seconds behind 4th:

19 miles: 48:07 (23.7 mph)

T2: A little smoother than T1, but still lost a few seconds: 0:33.

Run: I tear out of T2 ready to make up a position and hoping that some of the others killed themselves on the bike. I knew 1st was out of the question (Starykowitz was 7 minutes up the road, and 4 minutes in the lead after averaging 27.1 on the bike), but that's not point to pack it in. I get through the first half mile in about 2:25 and am wheezing. Like my lungs seriously don't want to expand. Sure I was running a bit too fast (alright... way too fast!) but I was gaining on 4th rapidly and feeling good otherwise. The legs were turning over well after Tuesday's track work (16x400 in 72 with 200 recovery - Total 6 mile time, including recovery, 35:48, so definitely hard) and had some go in them. But my lungs were crippling me. After the first big uphill onto the out and back I knew I wouldn't be catching anyone, and it was just survival from there. Don't pass out, don't get passed. I had 2 minutes over 6th coming into T2 and he wasn't a runner, so not much to worry about there. Just hold my position and enjoy the morning. Check for the former, but certainly not the latter.

I cruised through the run after the initial half mile, with a couple walk breaks in there and cross the line 5th, where I'd spent most of the day.

4.5 miles: 28:02 (6:14/mi)

Overall: 5th place, 1:34:20

Not a fantastic race, definitely not the race I was hoping for (sub 1:30), but at least I put a smile on the face of the volunteer handing out finishers medals: