Well, I knew about the TT start for the swim and for some odd reason I thought they would make everyone come in under 17 hours. So if you started at 7:00 AM your cut off was midnight. Sounds like they didn't track who got in the water first or late. So yea, that's kind of lame that those people who took longer than 17 hours are considered offical finishers. I'm sorry but I wouldn't take the medal. I would feel like I cheated to get it.

The swim was not wetsuit legal, the water was too warm. One of the selling points for me to do it in 2008!

The hills, I have heard they are not so bad. I live in Dallas, TX and it's pretty flat here too. If you read my thread where I say I signed up for IMKY 2008, you will see the review he gave of the hills. It's just all a matter of hill training.