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6:54 AM - A quick blast of the horn and we are away. The water temperature is pleasant and I am glad that I started on the far right. I swim straight out for 150 meters and avoid the crowds on the inside. For the first time in six months, I manage to start easy and aerobic. I feel like I am barely moving but remind myself that the swim doesn't matter. Closing the gap to the inside, I duck behind a guy swimming the same pace as me. I am aware of the other racers around me and see that my ride is in the process of getting dropped. Short course tactics arrive and I surge to get on the feet of the group in front of me. Mission accomplished, heart rate quite high, I settle in for a little recovery. I have scored the perfect draft, my lead out man is throwing up a large rooster tail and that makes it easy to track him in the murky water. A little confusion about navigation when the river narrows but he manages to stay roughly on track. I cut a few tangents but my ride always reappears - he seems to be using "swim, sight, adjust, hammer, repeat" tactics. Fine with me as I am along for the ride. After the turnaround, we start moving through the slower swimmers from the earlier waves. Everybody is polite, I keep my draft and we appear to be making good time. About three-quarters of the way through the swim I am overcome with a feeling of pure energy. I smile on the inside and acknowledge that it is nearly hammer time on the bike. Let me try to explain by describing something that we have all experienced. You know when you are really horny and you realise that you are going to get laid, but not just yet. You are aroused by the anticipation of sexual pleasure but this is balanced with the knowledge that sex is coming so there is no need to rush things. Arousal, peace and balance combined. That's how I felt. I back off a little as we approach the swim exit. Swim right up to the shore until my hands touch the bottom, pull my legs below me and stand up (Dave Scott tip). Check out the clock and... 29 minutes. Oh yeah, bay-bee a new PR and, when I stand, my HR is a "mere" 172. I treat myself to walking to transition. About 25 meters out of the river, I strip my suit and carry it up the long ramp to the transition area. Along the way, I see Angela and hand off my suit and swim gear. Feeling very good, I jog the rest of the way to the upper transition area. |  Bring on the bike! |