Yes, that is exactly what happened. I suppose that must have been me they mentioned on Facebook, unless someone else lost a saddle, too (the roads were a little bumpy... it's possible)?

Please send me the medical bill from your hand - sorry about that!

edit: typo

I live in the area and the roads are embarrassing. I did IMMT a few weeks ago and I think there are maybe 3 bumps on the entire course.

I saw you on the bike leg, did you carry your saddle for awhile? I remember thinking about you when I had some minor bike problems, that if that guy was riding with no seat then I can deal with my inconvenience. So thanks for that, sorry for your plight, and congrats on being a beast regardless of it all.

[/quote]I saw you on the bike leg, did you carry your saddle for awhile? I remember thinking about you when I had some minor bike problems, that if that guy was riding with no seat then I can deal with my inconvenience. So thanks for that, sorry for your plight, and congrats on being a beast regardless of it all.[/quote]
Thanks!

Yeah, I had the saddle tucked up in the front of my jersey all the time until I got to Verona and got the new one (I left it there, though). I'm sure that was a spectacular look, and maybe someone can test it in the tunnel to see if it is the most aerodynamic way to carry a broken off saddle (the Andean, no doubt, has a built-in storage solution for that.)

Good luck in Louisville Kevin, hopefully you can redeem yourself after waiting around for ~15 minutes for the bike tech to get a new saddle on your bike. Looking back, I really don't know how I could have changed anything to get another 3 seconds. If your saddle hadn't fallen off, I would have been 6th, and I wouldn't have to feel the sting of missing a Kona slot my such a small margin :-)

Thanks Dave! It was good to see you at the pool yesterday. I hope your recovery is going well. You looked to really be moving there for the last couple of miles in Madison, it was a fantastic race. But, I know, 3 seconds is tough! (And don't blame it on me... mechanicals are as much a part of the race as transitions and the swim!?! You guys beat me fair and square.)

Jumping into Louisville might have been silly. I was mostly just surprised that my wife didn't throw something at me when I suggested it - she was all in right from the start, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I was the guy that passed Dave in the finishing chute for the last Kona spot. I'm not gonna lie: the deep frustration I felt most of the day from my worst IM swim by far mostly evaporated at the finishing tape. It would have totally evaporated, but I was not sure that our AG would get 4 spots.

Thank you both for making me work far, far harder than I wanted, or thought that I could, over the last 2 miles.

Kevin - I recall an IMWI several years ago where you went 4:54, fastest overall AG split. More impressive though was probably this year. I just would not have been able to mentally come back from losing 15 minutes for a mechanical and then having to ride some ill-suited saddle for the last 94 miles.

Dave - your swim is so strong that it is funny. I believe you've had fastest overall AG swim at prior IM's or very close to it, including a 49 at IMWI. This year, I was lined up near you because just before the cannon went off, someone near me pointed you out. The cannon goes off, I take 6-7 strokes, look up, and you are just gone. Gone.

Rest up, stay healthy and good luck at your next races. I'd love to see you guys racing in Kona in 13 months!

Congratulations on a great race Mike! Enjoy Kona next year.

Kevin I was at crown point when you told that story to frank and me. Made my BTA problems during the race seem small in comparison. It is kinda a race within a race solving problems along the way. Good luck in Louisville. Hope to see you in Kona 2018

That was a great story about finding a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich that someone had dropped, and using it as a wedge to hold your bottle in place. I loved it! Good luck in Kona!