This wasn't the race I wanted. I wanted a real 70.3 For an early season half I was having trouble deciding between this race, Rev3 Knoxville, and Orlando 70.3. I picked New Orleans because I have never been to New Orleans, and I thought lightning doesn't strike twice, and since the swim was canceled last year, I though we would be good this year. Left South GA with my best friend Loraine at 3 a.m. Saturday morning. Long boring drive. About 40 minutes from New Orleans we decided to stop for lunch so were would have to try getting lunch in the city. While at lunch I got the email that I was dreading, the swim was canceled. On top of that, the bike course was shortened to 52 miles, and there would be a 2 mile run to start the race, so this was going to be a long course duathlon. I had so many emotions running through me, I was mad, I was pissed off, I was upset, and then I was depressed. I can't believe I drove almost 12 hours for a long-course duathlon.

After we finished eating lunch I was no longer excited about the race. Too much went into it to turn back. The hotel was already paid for, my mother and law had flown in all the way from California to help Joel with the girls while I was gone, my best friend took time off of work to come with me, and a cameraman from the big news station in Atlanta was there to get coverage of me doing the race. It would have been highly rude and selfish for me not to do the race with all these factors. We got to the expo and did check in. Bought a few small things, and finally got a aqua sphere mask I have been eying for months.Went to the hotel and I tried to mentally prepare for the race the next day, and to get over the disappointment that is wasn't going to be a 70.3

Got to the race site around 5:15 a.m. It was 58 outside but with the wind and gusts it felt really cold. Set up transition quickly since there wasn't much to set up. Me and Loraine stood around for awhile but we were so cold we decided to go sit in the car until 6:30 or so. We found the camera guy and he told me he would be on a motorcycle on the bike and run course to get footage of me. The race was the start at 7, the were keeping the same swim waves for the first run with supposedly the same start times, but that quickly went out the window.

The start was really unorganized. Every wave they had 2 people go off every 10 seconds in a time trial fashion. My age group was dead last, were we supposed to go off at 7:27. They ended up starting my age group after 8, I went off around 8:05, I was the second to last person of the whole race to start. I took it easy and decided to to the first 2 mile run at an easy pace just to warm up. First run time (2 miles)was 16:44

Due to unforeseen feminine issues that occurred 2 days before this race, both transitions were longer than I wanted them to be, and I will shut up about that now and leave it at that. T1 time was 4:06

The issue with the race being shortened was because of strong winds. Strong winds canceled the swim, and shortened the bike course because of debris from the wind. I was riding my Sram S60s with a disc cover on the back wheel. Since I was second to last to start the whole race I passed 100 people or so. The only time things got sketchy with the disc was on the tall bridges we had to go over close to the sea wall, at the very tops of the bridges I could feel the wind pushing the disc and I had to work to stay on the bike. Other than that no problems. I kept nutrition to a minimum, jus****er, ironman perform, and a few shot blocks. The headwinds were brutal, but since I live and train in flat with headwinds I was able to hammer these sections. When I got to the dismount line I didn't realize how much I spent myself on the bike course. After hammering the headwinds I just felt wrecked. Bike split (52 miles) was 2:44

See issues from T1, T2 time was 6:36

The day before, after finding out the course was altered, I had to set a goal for myself to get me through the race. I set a goal of a sub 2 hour 13.1 mile run split. The run course was great, plenty of enthusiastic volunteers at the aid stations. The run was 2 laps with 2 out and back sections. I think I liked this run course because this is how I do my run training, multiple laps with out and backs. The first lap I felt great, head up, decent pace. There were a few hills but nothing too serious. At the turn around heading out to the second lap got some mojo from the crowd and a high five from Loraine. Second lap was not as good as the first. I could feel my left Achilles getting rubbed raw and it hurt. I was also just plain tired, I was pulling out all the mental strength I could muster to get through the race, I looked down at the ground a lot on this second lap, that is always my tired and true coping method. I was hurting, and looking at my watch I knew sub 2 hours was possible, but it would be close. The whole run I only used water and ironman perform for nutrition, I felt like it was all I needed. Mile 12 I gritted my teeth and pushed through the last mile, at 12.5 there was one last hill, I dug deep to get up it. When I saw the finisher's chute I knew I was sub 2 hours. Since it didn't feel like a real 70.3 I just crossed the finish line without doing the arm raise. Run time (13.1)was 1:56

Got my finisher's medal and mylar blanket. My legs were hurting bad so when Loraine found me I leaned on her for a minute. She took me somewhere to sit down. It felt great to sit. I told her a few things about the race. She told me about her day as a spectator, I was surprised to hear about all the crashes at the bike dismount line, even by pros. She told me everyone just looked wrecked after the bike, so at least now I know it wasn't just me. Got some post race food, attempted to drink a post race beer but just wasn't feeling it. Pack up my stuff and grabbed my bike and left back to the hotel.

total race time 5:09:10