Today's race was okay. Swim was just okay - what I'd predicted, but not smooth. T1 was a comedy catastrophe with one shoe going flying off into the road - so even though I was holding evens for much of the bike course (translation: staying at 20mph) I lost so much time that my bike leg suckethed verily. Very lonely out, too, so the usual mental-focus issue (speed drops if I don't have people to chase or Hulk Smash to fuel my speed) applied. Then it was T2, quick as you like, and onto the Dreaded Beach Run (roughly 1k beach, 2k woodland, 2k beach), which took about 8 minutes on top of my best, like most folks, and came it slow but solid. 1:26:45 total.  And I finally got a T5 out of my Suunto.

Thing is, that didn't matter 'cos there was great amusement to be had with an evening of lasagne (nom!) bike fettling and pinball, then a sparrowfart dash across the Levels to set up and go before the sun got to "roast grockle" temperature. skean , xeeny and despaer were in tight competition and the result came right to the wire.  skean started in the wave behind me -- underestimated his swim-fu -- and I  was pleased to have held him off until we were back on the beach with the last 2k or so to go.  

A good time was had by all.

( Introspection behind the cut )