T1 prior to the real action.
An angelic (meditative?) spectator.
Towering trees adjacent to T1.
Blurry face of a bleary-eyed competitor prior to the race.
IQ and age, or something like that.
Rushing off to the parking-lot porta-potty!
Parking-lot porta-potty ain't gonna work. Try the beach-side “BOYS” room. (Note: squint due to sun, not bowels.)
Stripping down to don second skin.
Wonder-skin to turn me into an otter (at least that's the hope).
Paige, the faithful spectator.
Paige: distracted for a moment (grass quite interesting!).
Serenely by the lake.
Oh, but there are people by me. So much for serenity...
Why is this dude pointing his butt at me?
The men are off! (Even those who visit the BOYS room.)
Women on deck.
Men attempting to put some distance betweem themselves and the women. (Remaining guy on beach is member of a team.)
Nothing like an Ironman bar fight...
They're all in the water.
It looks so peaceful from this angle.
Shedding the otter skin even before dry land.
Attempting to run to T1.
Otter attempts to become a cyclist.
Sitting down on the job.
Jogging out of T1.
I believe I'm smiling.
Couldn't they put the mount-point closer to the bike racks?
Rear view of the biker's jog.
Helpful volunteer points out the subtle dismount line.
Laughing at the fact I nearly fell off the bike.
Off with the helmet!
Here I am trying to take off my helmet for the second time (seriously!). Volunteer telling me to go away.
Negotiating with volunteer about whether my shirt stays or goes.
The shirt negotiations continue but we near a decision.
The shirt stays and I go!
An oarsman's back?
Entering T2.
Off with the shorts. (Note great expression of competitor on next bench.)
Pit crew arrives with spray bottle! Keep your eye on that spray bottle!
Shorts off; spray bottle remains.
Preparing to don the run-shirt (which brutalizes me later).
Pit crew cools my engine!
Volunteers start to get suspicious about pit crew!
On with some shorts (to cover my burned out Speedo Jammers).
Not ready for barefoot half-marathons. On with the shoes.
How about we kill some time with sunscreen before putting on second shoe?
Volunteer having serious doubts about woman with spray bottle?
Dedicated pit crew never stops!
Two shoes on. Time to go?
Finally out of T2! What will pit crew do without somebody to spray?
I may have the back of an oarsman, but those damn sure ain't the legs of a triathlete!
Hoping that I can keep the cramps at bay...
Ashley comes blazing into T2. Manages to keep shirt on.
You mean we're not supposed to sit on these benches?
The spray bottle makes a come back!!!
Andrew blazes into T2. How'd he keep his shirt on?
Hidden spraying going on?
Andrew does the GQ pose (except for the bottle on the head).
Note that left foot is about to strike ball-of-foot first! (Barefoot running pays off!)
Holding chia fresca in front of a runner: like a carrot in front of a mule?
Chia fresca in hand, the feet have momentarily gone flat.
Trying to maintain running form while approaching the finish line.
Ouch! Check out that left nipple.
Allowing volunteers to take timing chips. Note both of us have Ironman-finisher's caps. (This guy finished 3.6 seconds in front of me. Doh!)
Brutalized chest.
Looking a bit abused and demented.
John basks in the glory of somebody who had a good race!
