OK, since no one has started one, here it is.
First, did Jodi start the race? Are Paulo and Jonnyo on the course spotting for us? They really need to upgrade their cell phones to post directly from them to ST. Paulo and Jonnyo, I hear the Apple iPhone lets you do that. 
If only Jordan and Slowman would make Slowtwitch Apple Safari friendly.
Good luck Jodi! I predict she should finish in 4:10. She was second female overall last year. 
Iām at the finish line - the race had about 200 in the sprint event - 100 in the international and 100 in the Ultra event. Very fast times - the Ultra race was a bit shorter then a 70.3 with only a mile swim.
Great day - flat lake Erie - water temp 74 - high cloud cover on the bike and run - air temp in the high 70ās.
Very nice venue at Highlands State Park - huge beach - transition in a parking lot about 60 yards from the swim finish. The parking lot could hold 1,500 - 2,000 athletes! gotta get back to announcing - Z
Hmmmā¦sounds like you are really scoping things out, Z. What are you thinking?
Agreed, it is a GREAT venue!!
Any prelim results?
Dan
Ok, so hereās the deal
I thought that racing with no real training for 6 weeks wasnāt enough adversity, so I thought I would make it interesting by carb loading with wine until 2:30 am (and a lot of it, unfortunatelyā¦)
Well, the swim was ok. Very slow (and tiring) but relaxing and I got to watch the sunrise. Got smoked by a woman doing backstroke. The bike was great until mile 45 when the cumulative effects of my hangover, my 4 days this week with 3 hours of sleep or less, and general lack of training hit me. Oh, and I highly doubt that my crotch will ever forgive me for jumping on the bike and staying aero for 3 hours after a long hiatus from long rides.
I felt like death from miles 45-56. I went by a speed trap thingy on a flat part of road that read my speed every time I passed it. It was 26, 23, 22, 21 at miles 23, 47, 51, 55 (there was a short loop we had to do twice at the end).
So I finally finish, the hangover hits me the second I stop and I look like death warmed over. No less than a dozen people I know ask me if Iām ok in the next hour.
Butā¦
In the end I didnāt do too bad. 34 minute swim, 3:02 bike. 3rd overall and missed 2nd by 1 minute, 1st by 10. Pretty much exactly the times I did in Cali this spring. And this time without aero goodies (training wheels and regular helmet today). But there is no way in hell I was going to be able to run even to the T2 exitā¦
All in all I had a blast though. Itās my very favorite local race. I love the director and the organizers. Itās well run, bike course is beautiful, swim was glassy smooth and a straight shot down the beach, and I got to see a ton of people I havenāt seen in a very long time.
Donāt regret doing it, or even the wine. You only live once
Jodi
ps. Iāll put up a report on my blog as soon as I take a nap!
Congratulations on your finish Jodi!
You do only live once and life is too short to pass up this fun.
Think of what you could have done with a little less āadversity trainingā the night before!
How close was my prediction (3:45) including your transition?
Iām glad you had a good time. It sounds like a fun race.