Next step: find a bathroom. Check. Put on wetsuit. Check. Forgot to lube up at the condo, so... Hmm. Well, too late now. My Bodyglide and Aquaphor all packed up in my transition bags. I thought about asking a stranger to borrow some, but... Nah.
Time to head out to the beach. Yikes! The pros will start in about five minutes, and the rest of us will follow ten minutes later. Only time for one quick pic, a prayer and a kiss from the Hubby, and that's about it!
The gun goes off, but I hang back a bit. No need to get in the middle of the madness!
I was actually surprised to find that the swim wasn't too congested, since I'd heard horror stories about the huge mass starts of Ironman swims. Perhaps it was because I waited a little to get going, perhaps it was because we were all so spread out, or perhaps it was because it was easier to see in the clear water and easier, then, to avoid running into each other. Regardless, I was thankful.
As I got farther out into deeper water, though, I started seeing jellyfish. Lots of them. Big ones. Most were well below me, but every now and then I would look ahead and see one just in front of me. I'd swerve quickly to the left or right, but it was crazy scary! I think that's why I had more chaffing higher up on the back of my neck than I expected: because I was constantly looking left and right and ahead to avoid running into one of these "pink meanies."
Finally, I was heading back toward shore, back to shallower waters and fewer sea creatures. Swimming in seemed harder than going out, though! Finally, I made it to the sand. But then I had to go back out to do the loop again! Not thrilled with the two-lap swim course, but I was glad to get some fresh water in me after gulping several large mouthfuls of saltwater...
After the second lap, with my wetsuit down to my waist, the volunteers instructed me to sit on my butt, and they pulled it off the rest of the way. They helped me up and handed me the wetsuit, then I rinsed off quickly in the showers before making my way to transition. One volunteer shouted out my number as I came through, and another found and handed me my bag.
Into the building I went, where another slew of volunteers were waiting to assist. I sat down, dried off, lubed up, changed shorts, put on my socks and shoes and jersey and helmet and gloves and watch and sunglasses... And I was off! (I make it sound quick, but I was actually in there for 20 minutes. The way I figured, I'd rather take a few extra minutes now to be more comfortable for the next 6+ hours!) After a quick stop in the portapot, I got my bike from another volunteer and exited transition.
I felt good as I began my 112-mile bike ride. (This is my favorite part, because it's the only time in the race when I actually get to pass other people. :-) The course was as flat as everyone said: not even many rollers except one bridge we had to go up and over. The headwinds were pretty strong at times, though, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to maintain the average speed I needed to get finished in six hours... Oh, well, I thought. All I can do is my best, and what will be will be!
I drank Gatorade from my bar-mounted bottle, adding more super-concentrated Gatorade from my down tube bottle and water from the aid stations as needed. Once again, the volunteers were amazing! I rode right through the aid stations every 10 miles or so, and didn't stop till the midway point for my special needs bag. I took some more ibuprofen and grabbed my baggie of Oreos, and on I went. My bum wasn't feeling great, but I pressed on. Out to the last check-point and back, over the bridge again at mile 100, and back to Front Beach Road with a nice strong headwind. Lovely. But I was almost there! So close I could taste it!
Back at transition, I handed off my bike, grabbed my next transition bag, and went back in to change. Same story: lube up, change clothes, stop at the portapot... Out onto the run course. And there's Derek! O.k., I'll stop and talk a bit. No need to run just yet. :-) It was so good to see him and tell him about my race so far. He tried to film me, but it was hard to hold the camera steady as we walked and talked. Oh, well. O.k., guess I should start running. Bye, love!
I started with my usual longer-course triathlon 2-and-1 run/walk pattern, but my feet were kind of hurting by mile four, so I decided to switch to a 1-and-1. That felt much better, so I stuck with that. I even had no qualms about skipping a run here or there if I needed to eat something or stop off in the john again. I figured I should be able to maintain at least a 15-minute-per-mile pace that way and still make my 15-hour goal. I was feeling good!
It was starting to get dark as I completed my first lap and got my special needs bag at the midway point. I tied my jacket around my waist because I didn't need it yet, but it was new and expensive, and there was no way I was going to leave it in the bag! Deja vu as I headed back out on the course. Didn't we just do this? I don't really feel like doing it all again, but... I've got to to get to the finish line. And there's really no reason why I can't. I feel o.k. Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be fine. One minute at a time, one mile at a time, one hour at a time. I still have three more hours of this?!? Sure, but in the grand scheme of things, you're almost there, you're 80% done! Yeah, o.k.
And on I went. I talked to more people on the second lap. One guy was trying to earn the tattoo he'd already gotten, not realizing you were actually supposed to COMPLETE the 140.6 before getting the M-dot. D'oh! And I kept looking for Carla, the girl I'd swum and ridden with on Thursday, but I never found her...
As I was on my way back toward transition, I kept seeing people still making their way out toward the park. At some point, I thought, I'll stop seeing people coming toward me, because they'll be out of time. But even with only two or three miles to go, the latecomers were still heading out on their second lap. I tried to calculate when they might finish, and I almost started to cry thinking that some of the folks I was passing wouldn't make the midnight cut-off... But I was definitely on target to make my goal, so I tried to think about that instead.
When I made my last turn, I heard Derek call my name! He was there, encouraging me, cheering me on, running me home. I'd made it! I was done! I accomplished everything I'd been working all year to achieve!
I tripped as I crossed the finish line, so I didn't really hear my name. :-( (I was too busy worrying whether they'd gotten a good picture of me...) But I felt fine, and I was thrilled with my 14:38:01 time! I got some water, my medal, a t-shirt, and a finisher's hat, then had my picture taken one last time. I got some pizza, and Derek and I started walking back to the condo. (He'd already taken my bike and gear bags back, so we had nothing else to do when I finished!)
<Sigh.>
I just wanted to sit and rest a bit before getting cleaned up and hitting the sack. Halfway through the run, I thought I'd like to go back out to cheer for the last finisher's at 11:00 or 11:30 on, but now that I'm home, no, not gonna happen. I'm exhausted. Can't imagine why! And my plantar fasciitis foot hurts pretty bad. I think I'll need Derek to help me move from the living room to the bathroom and bedroom... But I'm also overjoyed! What a day!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment