Short Aquabike Recap
SWIM
Swam like grandma on Sunday morning. Think I’m just out of practice b/c I haven’t raced n a while. Lost the pack quickly, and never did find feet to follow. Don’t know what I did, but my time should have gotten me half way to the Azores. Several women I school in the water at my gym were minutes faster. Oh well.
BIKE
I’ve ridden Ironman faster, but I’m building myself back up so it is what it is. I did not taper for the race in any meaningful way. It was good to just ride steady, build into it, and do a neg split. It was only 3’, but better than the other way.
Started off with my engine on a rough idle for the first hour. Then @ ~2 hours I felt great! The longer I went, the better I felt.
58 miles-- .77 IF, 1.03 VI overall, 89 cadence. I really wanted to shoot for a .8x+ IF since I didn’t have a run, but couldn’t push that hard. My husband can do it, but I can’t seem to. Any words of advice? I do practice in the APB rides, and hit those intervals every week. In my opinion, I need to re-learn how to push that bike.
MECHANICALS
Lost time with a few mechanicals. One chain drop. Left aerobar literally fell off 20’ into the ride. I just held it in my hand until (ssshhhhhh) Keith came by and helped me fix it. I also couldn’t be aero in the last 20’ b/c the R aerobar dropped down about 1.5”, and twisted inward. It was about to fall off too. Here's a pic. With all of it, I just channeled Rich, went into OODA moda, and didn't freak.
NUTRITION
Nutrition, spot on. Kept myself hydrated and fed with a combo of Infinit and Cliff Blocks. Thank gawd (again) for Succeed S-caps—took one an hour, and at any sign of nausea. Took two more than I usually do. It was hot. Slammed a caffeine at the 2 hour mark and that helped a lot. I was already feeling better, and that kicked it up a notch.
VERY UNLIKE ME, BUT FUN 
I don’t get competitive against people. I drive myself hard enough trying to reach my own goals. BUT….at the race was a woman I swam with for years, also doing the Aquabike. I liked her; we were buddies in the lane, and a bit socially. Suddenly, she’s cold as ice. I still don’t get it. She also said some unflattering things about EN along the way. 
I knew she’d beat me out of the water, and with the mechanicals, I didn’t think I’d see her. Then at about the 2:20 mark, I see her singlet. That was it! Down went the hammer, I passed her, said hi, and it fueled me to stay down (until aerobar mishap) and ride hard for the next hour. I never let up. Beat her butt to the finish by a lot. I don’t usually go to that place, but insulting EN training will piss me off! 
PATRIOT
People rave about this race. I give it a B/B+. It’s OK. Lot’s of sketchy parts if you ask me, from road surface to intersections. I didn’t hate it, and I didn’t love it. It’s a good workout day in the books.
Comments
I think you need to fire your mechanic, although the on course support was a bit redeeming. Other than that it sounds like a good thing all around.
Nice job, LP!
And nothing wrong with finding a little raison de hammer. Why people need to be hatin' on EN?
(Very unlike you? C'mon.
)
All in all, sounds like a good day !! Way to handle the mechanicals. Way to kick some arse @ ;the 2:20 mark
!!
Sounds like you had a good day! Those are NOT fun mechanicals. So sorry that happened. Glad to hear you kicked some serious butt over some chick hatin' on EN!
I was parked 1 car from the Boyles, they told me they had seen Keith but not you!! Saw Keith as I was coming out of the water. Thought he rode past me several times while I was slogging the run.
When I saw your finish time, I figured you were long gone. Sorry I missed you.
We gotta get together again.
Linda
As a fellow member of the hypothyroid comeback group, way to kick some Booty! Hanging tough on those mechanicals, WTF? of all times, sheesh. Love, love the way you went by the EN hatin' Chica . Way to get it done.
Onward to Wisconsin!!
LP you rock. heat. mechanicals. doesn't matter.
Great to see you and Keith. Congrats on a solid day!
p.s. LOVE that you flew by that lady. always good for a smile.
Way to go, LP! Quite a success story with your health struggles messin' up your mojo this year. Glad to see you showed up and threw it down. Just the first step toward the big day in Wisconsin.
Dave
Way to lay down the hammer on the ENhater with a broken bike! And I'll totally join the EN chica storm trooper crew.
You've had a long journey, and I love how you are racing with purpose and clarity. And that riding gets easier the longer it goes (that will help at Moo). now if you could only get that mechanical issue sorted out...
P