Summer IM Break

The team took a break at the end of August/beginning of Sept to get in some individual events.  Robin went to Louisville to compete in IM Louisville.  You can read her report about racing 140 miles with a broken foot in 107 degree heat on the mountain girl blog.  And I went to Branson, MO for the inaugural Branson 70.3 IM.  I'm not writing a big ol report on this one, just didn't end up with any big stories to tell.  Don't get me wrong though, it was a great race, the city of Branson and the IM organization went all out, a four-lane highway was closed for the bike, and the beach, lake and transition areas couldn't have been better.  It just didn't have that tough, gritty, risky, feeling of an Adventure Race.

Set up my two transition areas the afternoon before the race, the bike area was HUGE

The night before the race Branson hosted a welcome concert on the landing.  We watched while anchored on the lake until the fog got to thick to see anything.

I was not ready for the total chaos that the bike transition turned into on the morning of the race.  Luckily I had everything set up the day before, so all I had to do was make sure nothing got moved overnight.

Then it was time to start, I had been fearing this swim for months and it was for nothing.  I went into the water and found this perfect rythum.  I was at the far turn-around before I knew it.

It had gotten kind of foggy and hard to see to the next bouy from the water.

I was out of the water and running up the beach still amazed at how quick and easy the swim had gone

It started getting warmer out on the bike.  The hills in Branson were not especially steep, but they sure were long.  This pic was on the four-lane highway that the city had completely closed to traffic for the race.  The aid stations were all stocked with power-somethings.  Good thing I had Honey Stingers in my jersey.

By the time I got to the run it was hot.  It was in downtown Branson and the buildings blocked any breeze there might have been.  Luckily the aid stations were well stocked with ice, so I filled my pocket at every chance.

IM70.3 finisher!  Next year I'll do it faster.