things i will do differently next time

other than, you know, not breaking my foot in T1.

note it is 'things i WILL do differently next time'. not 'things i would have/could have/should have done differently.'

time is helping the IMLou DNF wound to heal. i'm less embarrassed to tell people now. i'm not crying about it anymore (thank gawd.) i'm starting to get to the place where i miss the long rides and runs and am so incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to train for a freaking IRONMAN.

there WILL be a next time for me.

reflecting on my experiences of the last year, i've come up with a few things i will change for next time, and a few things i want to keep the same. here they are, not necessarily in order of importance. (i'll make a color-coded spreadsheet for that later...)

same same:

1. my bike. love that sexy machine. i did not hate my bike when i got off of it, some 8-odd hours after starting the bike leg, which seems to put me in the minority. 
2. my 'have fun' attitude. being a back-of-the-pack-er, i'm not as prone to disappointment when it comes to my times/splits/place as those who finish near the front. quite a bit of interesting sports psychology research has shown that people that place 2nd, 3rd, or in the top of their AG tend to have lower satisfaction scores related to their sport than the last place finisher. of course not all second place finishers feel that way, but many do. i'm happy to stick to my happy place. at the back.
3. picking a race that fits with my family's schedule. having so much support there was unreal. i can't imagine doing it without my people. 

change up:

1. different bike nutrition set up. i need a new fuel/drink system. stopping to put my little baggies of accelerade powder into the bottles, filling them up with water, shaking them, etc ate up too much time. i'm thinking of possibly switching to the on-course stuff (Perform) or trying the whole EFS get up. any suggestions are welcome! just know the suggestions need to be gluten free :)  (i'll keep my solid food snacking a la Lara Bar/Chomps/salt tabs the same, though.)
2. lose weight. not in a 'ermahgerd i'm soooo fat' teenage kind of way. it's a pragmatic 'i could stand to lose 20lbs of fat' kind of way. let me say this: i am not fat. i am, however, at 5'6'' and 140lbs (pre-race weight norm, not post IM weight), at the top end of what's considered healthy via weight and BMI standards. i've had my body fat % measured (yikes!) and i do legitimately have 20lbs of fat i could stand to lose. biking and running will be easier and more efficient if i lose that weight. i'm planning on using Matt Fitzgerald's "Quick Start Racing Weight" plan for this purpose. 
3. get a power meter. let me say again. i love my bike. i, as the engine of that fabulous machine, could stand to get stronger. part of the next step for me is know what my power output is, and training to increase it. i'm looking at a few models: PowerTap, Quarq, Garmin's new pedal-based Vector, and the new Stages crank model. any input from you, internets? i'm kind of a geek about data, and can't wait to have MORE THINGS to add to spreadsheets. 

i'll add to this list as time goes on, but these are the little epiphanies i've had when daydreaming about my next race. 

i'm also working on a 'sh*t NOT to say to someone who just DNF'd an IRONMAN.' stay tuned!