5:45 - We all headed down to the race site so I could set up my TA, check out the swim finish & wait in the long line to get body marked ... you'd think I'd learn my lesson & pack my own
stupid marker.
6:30 - Walked a couple blocks distance over to the swim start
7:00 - Waiting to start racing! Mom & sis leave to go eat breakfast
7:30 - still waiting ...
8:00 - ... still waiting ...
8:20 - SWIMMING!
SWIM: It was really choppy out there. The 1st leg was protected by the pier, but after the 1st turn it felt like I was body surfing. I took the 2nd turn back in towards shore & the waves were huge! I bilateral breath & everytime I went to the left side I was getting slammed & huge mouthfuls of ocean water. So, I adjusted my stroke! I absolutely LOVED the swim! Having to adjust my stroke & rhythm is a fun challenge for me. I tell you what though, those people were not out there to be nice ... they were trying to beat me up, so I fought back. It seelsm like it is always the guys. If you are a girl & pass a guy, watch out. The don't like that.
TI: It was hard to get my barings as I c
limbed up the ladder, out of the ocean. Made it up & took off running to TA. It went pretty smoothly. I heard my awesome support crew (mom & sis) yelling at me & then I was off!
BIKE: Starting out I felt strong. I always pass people on the swim, but now I was passing bikers & that was fun! It was a flat & fast course; lots of wind though. About 1/3 of the way through the course I started having GI issues. All my nutrition was coming up & I couldn't keep any new gels down. Uh oh! I was able to keep feeling strong & kept a good overall pace. But, as I finished & I could tell my energy was starting to fade. I train w/ a strict nutrition/timing schedule & now I'm feeling the results of not having that normal nutrition.
RUN: On to the run. My favorite part ... NOT! I'm not going to lie, I struggled ... big time. The whole throwing up on the bike did me in. The run was very flat & right next to the water, so it was beautiful. There were s
o many people out in their yard cheering us on. Some even had water hoses & were spraying us down as we ran by. I pulled into the parking lot & was so excited to see that finish line -
it was the prettiest thing ever! And, there was Rebeccah & my mom hollering their heads off & ringing that cow bell for all ti was worth!
Since this race is so big (alm
ost 5
000 participants) they place the top 10 finishers for each grouping. Somehow I managed to place & squeaked out 10th in my age group, even w/ a bad day of throwing up! At the awards I met up with Tracy, who won 1st in her AG - simply amazing! I've got some pretty fast friends. Now they just need to rub off on me! =)
I can's say how much it meant to me for my sister & mom to come down. It definitely made a difference hearing them cheer for me as I was biking or running by. Want to give a big shout out to my sponsors. They are, & have been an instrumental part in keeping me all geared up & ready to go! Also, major thanks to my awesome friend & coach, Nicole, who couldn't make it down for the race. If it wasn't for her,
I wouldn't be doing this craziness!
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