I will there this year, on Sunday that is. My wife is doing the half-marathon and I have been tossing the idea around about do either the sprint or olympic tri. She says it would be ok, even though I know she would really like me there to support her. So I may or may not be racing, but I will be there either way.

Last year the swim was unbearably cold, that was because I didn't have a wetsuit (Worst swim of my life, I honestly believe that I had the beginning stages of hypothermia. You know it is bad when you are the only person out of the ~500 people there that does not have a wetsuit.). Bike course for the sprint is fairly flat with some small hills beginning just before you hit the turnaround. The trail run around the lake is fairly flat with a pretty steep, but short downhill and uphill section on the backside of the lake from where you start the swim. Be careful on this portion, I saw 2 people fall here last year.

Without a wetsuit? Dude that is hardcore. I heard people say the swim was so cold they got an ice cream headache. I'm surprised they don't require wetsuits like the Black Hills race in Olympia does.

I guess there's a new bike course for the HIM this year - same course as for the Oly, just twice around plus an out and back. The directions are kind of confusing, so I'm hoping to go drive the course Friday.

Here is the backstory though. We were going to make a weekend out of it like we did for Pac. Crest. She did the 10K, I did the HIM. I told her months ago that I was going to do either the sprint or the olympic at Black Diamond, so she said she would do the half-marathon because it was on a different day. However, they are on the same day. She now feels guilty because she edged me out.

I am considering doing the sprint because they both start at the same time, so I will be back well before she is done, leaving me plenty of time to get ready to see her finish. However, trying to fit a race in makes me feel guilty so it will be a raceday decision with me most likely not racing.

ahhhh makes sense. I am still tossing it around, hubby says I should. It is supposed to be cold and rainy though...and since I am sill just getting back into the swing of things after IMC I am still on the fence. I wanted to do this race last year, but timing didnt work out.

My race# is 29, but I'm in the half-Iron on Saturday (I'm guessing you'll be there on Sunday, Iron Dan). Have fun though. I'm betting you'll be warmer and dryer cheering your wife on than the folks out on the course (I am *not* looking forward to the cold rainy weather!)