This'll be a very brief (mobile!) post .... So I don't know what happened today, but with my lack of training and general bad feelings about today's race, I really wasn't expecting much of myself. While I never thought I wouldn't actually finish, my expectations were certainly very low and I thought I would suffer at least as much as I had at Donner Lake.
Not so!!! 3:50, people, 3:50!!!! An excellent time (and a PR) for me. The absolute best thing, though, is that I felt totally strong throughout the entire race, which is a first for me. I have some theories about this (stay tuned for the race report -- there will a actually be one this time!), but Tom thinks the 3 month taper is a concept that just might catch on in the triathlon community. Worked for me!!

3:50! I can't believe it. And the course was stunningly beautiful too.