Race was great...venue was beautiful, everything was setup really well....expo / race start / hotel was quite a distance apart, and then where they had the mandatory meeting to where they held the pre dinner was A LONG WAYS apart...but overall, pre race was great and pretty easy to figure out (not much lott available and not much of a "tech assistance" area)
Race morning, pretty much all hotels had shuttles (even if it wasnt a "Official" hotel) They left the hotel @ 5am to take us to the race start....Bikes were in a secure area, no issues there...
They had the Mexican national anthem, had some dolphins doing some tricks...told everyone to get our asses in the water and by the time I was in the water 4mins the race started (no real pre-warmup swim, but you could get in roughly 15mins before the start and do a little warmup)
Swim was UNBELIEVABLE. Gorgeous water, fish/mantarays/divers..everything (other than sharks) were underneath you while swimming...Best part of the race by far...Its a one loop swim, and past the 2nd buoy, got caught up in a big pack trying to get around and got hit on the ankle a few times...didnt hurt too much, but didnt use it much until the stinging subsided...the main leg of the swim went really fast (current was with us) and you could tell...rounding the submarine (yes, submarine) and back home...the "back home" part hurt a little...you're now fighting the current of course...Got out of the water (had no clue how quick, because I forgot my watch at home, and only had a heart rate watch that wasnt water proof) but once up on the landing in T1 my ankle was throbbing, and I hobbled my way thru, lol...
Got onto the bike and knew that this would be a quick start but that I would pay in the end...first stretch (tail wind) hitting 40km most of the way...past our hotel and into the first turn, wind hits you like a bag of bricks...40 went to 26km and quick!!! so, 15km really fast, 30km really slow...15km really fast...that was the break down of the 3 loops of the bike...oh, and I got a flat...30km into the bike (I have to get it checked, but I think I have something in my back rim) regardless, got a flat...fixed it in about 10mins and was on the go...45km in, my bike bag dropped off the back (decided to put it in the water holder, instead of fastening it to save time, good idea right?? lol) Going thru the town (50km to approx 60km...etc...etc) was amazing...Crazy little mexicans screaming us on...it was funny as hell...VAMOS VAMOS...UNDALAY, UNDALAY (thats not how you spell it, but you get the idea) It was amazing...
T2 was relatively smooth..it was the first time I had actually seen it...because T1 and T2 are in 2 different locations...throw the bike away, change into my runners and get my ass in gear..First loop feels great, ankle holds up...but 2nd and 3rd loop were horrible...Ankle felt fine, but top of my foot was killing me...compensating for that from 14k to 21k I got a couple blisters on my left foot...so, as is my "calling card" off come the shoes at the 24km mark...
I think some people are making cleaver jokes, but I cant understand (dont speak mexican) but at least this time Im smart and drop the shoes with Nat at the 28k mark....I had walked quite a bit, and told her this next loop will be a while...started "speed" walking, pressure on the top of the foot was pretty bad...but with 3 miles left, started to run again...and finished in a relatively decent time considering my training regimen (if you can call it that)
VIP food was great...free booze was nice in VIP...food was pretty damn good...Taxi service was crazy and getting all your stuff was pretty easy once the race was done...which is good and bad (easily stolen at the end, if they wanted it)
Overall...it was amazing....the island was great, people came out in droves to support...and even the people at the hotel when we got back with the bike gave us (and everyone else that returned with a bike) an ovation...which was a pretty good feeling!!!!
So thats it in a nutshell...I'm gonna send this to a couple people, but you HAVE TO DO THIS RACE...its a great spot for an Ironman and a vacation!!!!
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my spanish isn't that great anymore but i think undalay means "go you canadian white face", that or your white hummers are showing.
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