Saturday was my 2nd Q-Man OLY hybrid. It is at the same place as the Steelman, but has 1/10 the participants. They should put a little more effort into advertising. But maybe they figure they aren't going to get much more than they have because it is paired with a HIM on a hilly course. Anyway, it is a race that suits my strengths. .6 swim, 38 mile hilly bike, and a 10K. If they made it a 10 mile run it would have been custom made for my strengths. I went in with high hopes of winning my age group and placing top ten.

9:30 start so I got up at my normal 5:00 and started my day like any other. Picked up my dad and off we went on the 50 minute drive. Of course,it was raining. It just doesn't matter anymore. This summer has been the rainiest of my life. I have swam in the rain (like that matters), I have done a 100 miler in the pouring rain, an 80 miler, and I enjoy running in the rain. The weather had people in foul moods, but not me.

Water temp was 68. Not too bad, but the initial entering of the water wasn't fun. After 5 minutes of warm ups I was loving 68. I was 2nd wave, 3 minutes after the 1st. Everyone was over 40 and nobody wanted to go front and inside. I usually like to start a bit back and off to the side so I don't freak out in the first 2 minutes and start hyperventilating. Problem was everybody seemed to be thinking the same thing. So I went to the front and on the inside and took off (ok, exageration for me). I actually drafted off someone for the first time. Very cool. The only problem was the combat at the first buoy. IT is tough being on the inside when 10 other guys want your spot. Fought through checked my heart rate and started passing people like never before. Guys were backstroking and breastroking all over because they went out too hard. I Was now ready to swim hard. What an awesome feeling. I felt like I was in the race while in the water for the firs time. I was hoping for just under 20 minutes and came out at 18:01. This was going to be a good day.

My wetsuit came off easily. Another first. I flew out of transition and clibed out of the park onto the course. 2 loops around the lake. I was shooting for a 21 MPH avg. with 55 minute loops and even or negative splits. On the first hill, young-guy-on-a-carbon-felt decided he was not going to let me pass. He would not give up the pass zone and continued to accelerate each time I did. It was the first time I almost yelled at a person in a tri. Then I thought happy things, like I am not red-lining at all right now and when I get to the top I am going to put the hammer down and be doing 27mph while you are dealing with a skyrocketing heart rate. I never saw him again.
My friend let me borrow his Xentis Mark 1 carbon wheels. They rock. I was holding 26 mph on the flats. Problem was there aren't many flats on the course. But they were great on the inclines and declines as well. 1st loop in 52 minutes. wow! I was not passed. 2nd loop I continued to go all out. I Wanted to trash my legs for the run. This was a C race and really just a warm up for my IM in two weeks. I felt great but couldn't find anybody near my pace to feed off of. I did pass two guys who were blatantly taking turns drafting off each other. They were pissed and one of them passed me on the bottom of the biggest climb and gave me a bit of a look. I passed him in aero near the top and never saw him again. I was passed by another guy who was flying. I thought about going with him. I counted his RPM's and figured he was around 75-78. No way he was going to be able to run at my pace. I'll give up 1 or 2 minutes and catch him. Bike time 1:44. 21.92 MPH and negative split by 15 seconds. Almost 2 MPH faster than last time.

Quick transition and off to the flat 1st mile. I felt like I was being conservative and I hit a 6:28. Not conservative knowing that in .5 mile the hills start. Hit the hill and slowed. But not that much. Hit the 2nd long hill and continued to keep a strong 7:10 pace. Saw the guy who passed me at the top. Passed two guys in my race. Hit the turn around and picked the pace back up. At the last hill at mile 4.5 the inner left of my left leg cramped. Bizarre. IT came out of nowhere. I ate a gel and drank a gatorade and it went away. Finished strong in 42 minutes.

Total time 2:48:32 PR by 17 minutes.
5th overall and 1st in 40-44 AG
It was the first time I actually felt like I was in the race. Even though the winner was 18 minutes ahead of me I felt strong in each of the three disciplines and I was competing at my potential.
Now to taper for the IM.