We knew the swim would be the most difficult portion of the race so we spent the summer beforehand swimming laps in the pool or getting out in open water occasionally. We also knew that we might not have the most stellar times because we were traveling for two and a half weeks before the race, but that didn't matter to us. The last thing that was working against us was Matt's developing cold. He was a good sport the entire time, though.
We participated in the beginners heat so that we could start the race at the same time. This allowed us to stick together for the entire swim around the Boulder Reservoir. We opted out of wet suits. This luckily payed off on our transitions and the water wasn't too cold so it didn't make a difference. After the swim, we agreed that we were on our own for the 17 mile bike and the 3 mile run. We kept a relatively equal pace for the bike with Matt finishing with a two minute lead. Then in the run, Matt did well with an 8 minute/mile pace. If you place close attention below, you can see he caught a butterfly in his hand while running past the photographer.
It was a beautiful way to spend the Saturday morning and a great excuse to take a three hour nap later in the day. Most importantly, it was a spectacular experience to attach to our first year of adventuring together and a great indicator of the adventures that lie ahead.
Swim: 0.47 miles
Bike: 17.3 miles
Run: 3.1 miles
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