Half Ironman Fantastic Results and PR

Swim start...I was wearing a red cap, but this is from last year; this year was wetsuit-legal and MUCH choppier!

I need to write a real race report, but here are a few notes until I have some time to write.

• Left Allison's at 4:40 without my map, swim cap, and goggles
• Ate breakfast at 5:20 in the car
  
• Swim start at 7:20, I think (not wearing a watch)
• Swim time: 40:03 (wetsuit-legal, super choppy swim, using Jane's goggles); I never saw a clock (if there was one) and didn't know my final time until I'd finished and gotten my results
  
• Run uphill to transition that was included in swim time; would like to see run to T1 added to T1, not swim time
• Totally closed bike course; flat but windy; out and back
  
• Glutes were SUPER tight to start bike (maybe because of the run up to T1?) and then left ham was tight entire ride; I don't know why
  
• Rain at mile 40 until the end
• Bike time: 2:47
• First and last 1.5 miles of run had been bike course, so I knew what they looked like; out and back course
  
• Great volunteers despite the rain
• Stomach pain after mile 3 because I didn't want to stop until mile 6 even though I knew I should have; drank some Coke, had some Hammer Gel, was all better :-)
  
• Ran with Scott for about 2 miles, which was great
• Run time: 1:57
• Total time: 5:28 (28-minute PR from last year's Musselman in 5:56)
  
• Could get results right after from the tent where they had little receipt printers
  
• Good post-race food: Noodles and Co. pasta, tortillas, chips, soda, fruit, cake, etc.; I didn't eat any of it but took it all
• Had a protein shake within 30 minutes of finishing, then within 2 hours I had 32 oz. of water, 8.25 oz. chocolate milk, a chicken tortilla, and grapes
• Had 1 Hammer Gel 20 minutes before swim
  
• Had 2 Gatorade, 2 waters, 1/2 Luna bar, and 4 electrolytes on the bike
• Had 2 or 3 Hammer Gels, maybe 6 cups water, maybe 4 Gatorade, maybe 2 Cokes on the run

Got back to Allison's around 3pm; we sat around and watched the Tour, I talked to my parents, she napped, and I finally laid down and put my feet up for 30 minutes around 5:30. We headed back to her house after feeding Scoobey, did the crossword puzzle, and watched Ironman.

Garmin Stats
Total

• 4:46:36
• 67.71 mi
• 163 avg HR
• 4,884 cal

Bike

• 2:49:47
• 54.75 mi
• 19.3 average
• 3,351 cal
• 158 HR
  

Run

• 1:56:18 + 00:00:30
  
• 12.90 mi + 331 ft
  
• 9:01 pace
• 1,562 cal
• 17 average HR
  
• First 3.68 mi: 8:19 pace in 30 min!

One of my goals, besides the PR, was to beat Joel's time from his High Cliff HIM. He said I beat him by 14 minutes, but now he's got something to work toward for his next race!