Well the race went well and it went terribly wrong. Lets start with what went well.
I had a good swim. My plan was to go out easy and just cruise. I went 39 minutes; probably could have gone a little harder. Upon exiting the water, I felt good and did not have much fatigue and dizziness that I usually have after a swim. I ran to my bike (I had begun to mentally rehearse the location of my bike in T1 once I reached the last turn buoy. Once to my bike, I stripped my wet suit and then I experienced something I have never felt before, something that would foreshadow things to come. I had terrible cramps in my claves. It was so bad that I dropped to the ground and I was crying out. I could not get my suit off of my legs. Every time I bent down my calves would seize. I began to wonder if I could continue, but I made myself promise that I would get on the bike and at least go 5 mile to see I felt. After about a minute I was fine and I did not have any more leg cramps.
So, now I am on the bike and my plan is to go easy for the first 10 to 13 miles. I did, I felt great. I began to push a little more and the bike went well. I finished in 2:50 and averaged almost 20 mph on a very windy day (sustained winds of 10 to 15 mph). I could have gone harder, but a well paced bike will leave you feeling like you could have done more.
Well, now comes the run. My plan was to go easy for the 1st 5k and then begin to push it up from there. The start went well, I eased into a pace and did not walk. That is until around the 8.5 mile mark. I know that you usually begin to feel very bad around this pint of the race and you usually fight through it. However, I bean to cramp in my abdomen. I felt like a giant hand was grabbing me and squeezing. I had never felt this before. I forced me into a walk-run pattern and it took me almost 50 minutes to cover the last 4.5 mile of the run. My run was 2:00; horrible! I was at 1:15 around mile 8.5 to 9. My total time was 5:37.
Upon the finish I went to the medical tent and laid down for about half-an-hour. I think I was dehydrated and that the cramping was due to nutrition. My stomach shutdown and was very slosh-ing. I am not sure what caused it.
Anyway, I happy that was able to set and follow a race plan up to the point of cramping.