Second Triathlon of my career

Not much to report...weather was hot and humid BUT there was shade and the race was only a sprint tri so I knew I would be on the course less than 2 hours (or I hoped). A bit nervous Friday afternoon, kept thinking I was forgetting something...never remembered what it was so it could not have been that important....went to a friend's son's 1st Bday party Friday evening..it was fun and it took some of the tension away...no alcohol but plenty of water and gatorade....left the party about 9:45....home at about 11PM...ran around for at least a 1/2 hour checking my stuff for the morning and making up my water bottles...off to bed...finally feel asleep at about 12:30 or so...alarm off at 4:25 AM...begin my prep..out the door at 5:15 and arrive at the race site at about 5:30...I love local races!!!...unpack the bike...pump up the tires and off to transition...rack my bike...lay my towel down and set up the cycle and run shoes. etc...see some friends and BS a bit...its time to put the wetsuit on and get down to the water ...waiting for the start...elite wave is off...I am wave three ( last week I was wave 6 so I like this better)...a bit nervous due to lack of swim training but hey its seven tenths less than last week..we're off.... try to get into a rhythm quickly...doing ok but its so crowded can't get a good flow...hit the first buoy and a couple guys cut to the left of the buoy...not much distance but they saved time because it was so bottle necked...same at the next buoy and I am headed for shore...feeling the lack of swim training but feel much better than last week...actually not last in my wave and passing a few of the prior wave swimmers....out of the water and off to the bikes....long run to transition and trying shake off the swim...SWIM SPLIT 18:06 for 1/2 mile (278th out of 754)...very slow out of transition 3:25 but now on the bike and trying to get rolling....1 mile and turn right ...starting to work the gears and feeling ok....first big downhill and hitting over 30 mph ...then have to jam on the brakes for a 90 degree right turn that in the past has been the scene of many pileups (according to friends some of whom have done this race 20+ times)...now heading uphill but doing ok....hit the flats and going past transition area.....moving well and have a sharp left coming up...one guy just in front and one to my left...guy in front turns and I hear BAMMMM!!!!!..his back tire blows out..he goes straight into a guardrail and falls back into some grass but his arm falls into the road and I just miss running it over....working up hill again knowing that the downhill is at the top...flying again ...passing more people than are passing me..one guy on a Cervelo P2C keeps flying my me and then without any increased effort I blow by him again and again (he was annoying me..I know that's a petty annoyance )....make a left and now heading up the final long stretch...flat and then two steeps climbs...out of the saddle and the first hill is done...the second is right after it and is longer and steeper..tougher time..legs burning...hit the top and heading downhill...want to fly but remember some advice.....ease up in that last two miles to rest the legs for the run...final left coming BUT the cars are still driving thru the intersection!!! Just several of us hit the turn traffic is stopped....1 mile to go!! (did not worry about that turn but it turns out that a friend and the guy who would have won my AG...was about to make that turn earlier but a cop pulled out in front of him and he ended up in an ambulance...bruised shoulder but otherwise ok...turn into transition and run(???) my bike back to my area..BIKE SPLIT 46:00...19.6 MPH....#168/754....could not get my laces tight but I am off ...feeling ok...one runner comes flying by me maybe 1/2 mile into the run ...probably on 6 min pace....one woman passes me but no one else until a 1/2 mile to go...passing people although not pushing with the big hills coming up..no mile markers made it tough to pace myself .....up the longest steepest hill and feeling ok.....up a cul de sac...two of these kind of kill your momentum but its the same for everyone...make the turn for home and realize its shorter than I thought so kick it in and pass one guy just miss the other...would have kicked earlier knowing I was so close...apparently alot of people were surprised by the shortness of the last stretch...DONE.....finish time 1:45 ...finished 157 out of 754 ...ok but know I can do better...RUN SPLIT 36:09...7:14 pace...only split that really disappointed me...maybe the heat and the distance of the previous week took more out of me than I thought...not sure..enjoyed the race and looking forward to more tris in the future...definitely need swim and transition practice...very slow in transition....it was great to see so many TNT triathletes out on the course...87 participants I beleieve.....and thanks to Andrea for getting up early and cheering her lungs out for me and everyone else before running off to a supermarket fundraiser in the hot sun and to the TNT Staff out there...Jessica, Sandra, Melissa B and Gail and CONGRATS TO LYNN B FOR A GREAT FINISH IN HER FIRST TRIATHLON....so thats a wrap!!!!!