Rated
“R” Race DISCLAMER: Due to the deep dark
mental place I went to during this race, some parts of the race report are
rated R for vulgar language, specifically the Run. The Swim and the Bike are
more PG-13, and the Transitions are G. I decided that since I’m embarking on
this journey in just another mere 8 months at Ironman Boulder, Aug. 14. I must
remember as much detail at I can regarding the level of hurt I had to endure.
Because, frankly, I forgot it two days after the race. And mental preparation
is the key to racing an Ironman. Plus, I may need to call upon some of my newly
discovered mantras for Ironman Boulder, as it’s going to be much tougher then
Arizona. My race report as always is rather long
winded, but it helps me to remember the race in detail. And since I was one of
the lucky few who picked up and intestinal bug from the swim and was out sick for
five days after the race until I got antibiotics on board, I had ample time to
add things that I remembered to the race report. While I don’t have my
professional photos up yet, I will, once I can afford to buy them. I hope you enjoy my journey, for me and for
Sunny on my Second Ironman.
Pre Race Morning
The wakeup call rings at three
AM. I rolled over in bed, to answer it I
think, but later Stacy said she handed it to me. I don’t really remember. I was
just tired and nervous. Expecting that I wouldn’t get much sleep I accepted
this as I sit up and stretched. I seem
to have a feeling of focused calm. Nervous as hell underneath it, but focused
calm. Have I done enough? I do feel too confident that I’m going to do better.
I know I trust my training with my coaches, but still is it enough? Am I just being cocky? I want to finish in
the 13ish zone. Can I do it? I know it’s not about the time; Ironman is about
the journey, about the desire to just get to the finish line. That I know I will do. But realistically you can’t set a time, you
have no idea of the elements of that day, or if you get a flat, or kicked /hit
in the face in the swim, or blow up on the run, or have bad nutrition. You just
never know.
I wonder if knowing what to expect
today because this is Ironman #2 is a good thing, or a bad thing? Can I keep it
focused and have fun? Or am I going to worry about my finish time? I have to just relax and let it be what it
is. It’s really a race for Sunny. So my only goal is to finish, and to honor
her the best way I can, by finish the race strong and within the best of my
ability. Leave nothing on the course.
That’s what it’s about today.
So in the shower I go, dress in my
Team FC Tri Racing Kit, breakfast, review my gear one more time, or two….ok
maybe three times. Breath. Play a little
Eminem for motivation, grab my gear and head out the door…
Got to the garage about 5 AM. Got a “here we go” photo, and we are off heading down to the
race site. Stacy is my eyes and ears for the day, she has my phone to update family
and friends when she can. And also has a few specific requests to meet me in
places for “special” photos I want to remember for this race.
Once at the race site, I get a big
good luck hug from Ironman Sherpa for the day Stacy and I’m off to slip into
the transition area. My bike is racked 8 rows down on the left, 12 spots in. I
stop off there and fill up all my water bottles, my nutrition of Osmo, and my food
nutrition is ready to go with Stash bars, Gu Roctane Gels, Salt tablets,
water. I check my tires…good .No need to
fill them up. Deep Breath.
The energy is the same as I remember
from before, electric. Triathletes moving around, checking gear, filling water,
nervous excitement. My energy feels
different than before, I think because, I’ve done this, I know what to expect,
or do I? I head over to the run and bike
gear bags, I add in my run bag my fuel belt with Osmo, then head over and add
in my Garmin strap, my sun glasses, socks, and a few other things for the day
in my bike bag. I take a short cut
through the changing tent to find some free bathrooms, with no line (SCORE!!!)
...so I use the restroom quickly. Then I head over to drop off my special needs
bags. I drop both off, make a quick pass at the FC Area. I see a few of my
teammates, wish them luck, then I need to walk, I can’t sit as I’m getting cold,
nerves kick in when I don’t move. So back I go to transition, another bathroom
break. Then I head over to re-check gear on my bike, I go and get body marked
by a sweet grandparent couple. One does each arm...842. And then my age. The
last time I’ll race in this 35-39 age group. I head back to my bike and breath, soak up the
atmosphere, and then yes…restroom one more time. J
Once back to my bike, it’s time to get
on the wet suit. I apply my Trislide, right leg, left leg, arms, and neck. Then I pull on my suit. I’m done. I grab my goggles and two swim
caps, a Roctane for the swim and water, my morning clothes/gear bag and I head
over to drop off my bag and go stand in line at the TYR arch. I have 30 min to swim start. And I wait…..
SWIM
Standing in line with the arch in
view, I’m acutely aware that I’m surrounded by more men than women. I think the
percentage was 72% men and 28 % women racing today. Over 3000 triathletes in the water. That makes
me proud to be one of the 28% and also freaked out a bit. I’m preparing myself for a rough swim. I was
lucky enough on my first go to get mostly clear water the entire 2.4 miles in
2011, with little contact. I know that I won’t be that lucky this time around,
so I anticipate that I’ll have contact.
That makes me nervous. But I again have a focused calm…I will attack the water,
I won’t stop, I will breath relaxed and calm and swim smart. I wait until about 25 min til 7 am and take
in my Roctane and some water. Then I throw my bottle away, and I wait…
BOOM!!! The cannon goes off for the
pro men, 15 minutes to go time. The sky is starting to lighten up just a bit,
but clouds cover the eastern horizon, so a sunrise on the water won’t happen
today. But that will help to site the buoys better. Five minutes goes by, BOOM!!! the cannon goes
off for the women pros. Next, the line starts moving for us age groupers to get
in the water. I cross under the TYR arch and head down the stairs to the
water. I again am acutely aware of all
the green caps around me. So I step off to the side, take a deep breath and
adjust my goggles one last time. I hesitant for an instant and just watch the
action. Watching everyone jump in the water, three feet out and swim away.
People screaming “whoo hoo” as they jump in. Screams of excitement and nervous
energy. It’s time, and I step to the edge, and ready or not. No I’m ready…..In
I go.
The water surrounds me and
everything goes black, then I pop back up in my wetsuit and I swim away from
the wall. I head for the same spot that I was at the first time around in 2011. The water doesn’t feel as cold to me. It
doesn’t chill me to the bone, even at a chilly 64 degrees, it feels good. Which
mean no cramps I hope! I began my warm
up by swimming up to the first bridge. I head for my spot ten feet out from the
first pillar and this year I want to go just a bit further in front. But the full impact of my decision hits me
when suddenly all I see are a sea of green caps, like ALL GREEN caps around me.
So I tactfully swim behind them. I have no intention of getting run over
anymore then I need to. I find some space just behind them and tread water. And
tread more water, and tread some more. Waiting for the cannon. Deep Breath, Deep Breath, You GOT this!!
BOOM!!!!!!
We are off, I luckily remember to hit my Garmin and away I go. Mass chaos, that’s what this start was all
about. Even with my “strategic” plan to not get in front of a sea of green, I
still get hit from all sides. Mostly by the women it seems. I also am guilty I
think of this. To swim in a race of 72% men, you have to attack the water to
not get run over. So that’s what I did. If I hit someone, and came up, I smiled
and apologized, or they did to me when I was hit. But the first 300 yds was
rough.
I swallowed a good amount of water.
I feel like I kept getting hit by this one girl a lot, hard to really
tell. A few grabbed onto my legs, and I gave a few kicks to get them off. One
really was relentless, so when I felt their shoulder on my foot, well, darn it,
I just pushed off them. Then I powered on through my stroke, and finally found
some clear water. I was able to get in a rhythm then, and I was able to breathe
on both sides. One thing I somehow have managed to do is swim straight for the
most part. And I swam pretty much directly down the buoy line on the way
out. I felt good, I felt strong, I also
felt like I was staying within myself, so I just focused on that moment in
time. My mind tried to wander forward to the bike and run, but I kept bringing
it back to this moment. But I also had
trouble getting my mind out of what time I wanted. Once I would get in a rhythm, I would close
my eyes and swim. It sounds strange, but I can relax better and it works for
me, and when I look up to site, I’m still going straight. So I focused on one buoy to the next. Not on
the full distance. Pretty soon, I was heading under the first bridge. I
wondered where I was in time. I recall being at 45 min my first time out, so I
looked and HOLY CRAP I was at 30 min. That couldn’t be right? I kept going!! I then got myself all excited
on maybe getting in a good swim time. I didn’t know what I would do for time. I
rounded the first buoy then at the second turning buoy, I was at 40 minutes.
WOW!! I was excited. But I also realized that maybe...I went out just a bit too
fast. But still, I felt like I was okay, I was tired, but I felt like I could
go the pace I was going. So I did.
For some reason the back half of the
swim was harder for me. I found myself having a harder time keeping with the
buoys, so somewhere I added in an extra .25 to my mileage per my Garmin. I
stayed farther to the right to get clean water, but doing so I sacrificed some
distance. Once I was under the final bridge, I was so happy to see that final
turn buoy. I swam right up and around it as I headed home. Then when I was
about 10 yards from the stairs to get out, I suddenly saw stars!!!! Someone elbowed me hard in the corner of my
right eye and cheekbone. When I came up, I looked to my right and a girl was
staring at me like she was pissed at me and I got in her way, but I know I
didn’t because I didn’t swim into anyone. I managed to get out an “are you
okay?” and she said “yes” with a dirty look. Even though she hit me. I almost
asked her if I was bleeding, I had to reach up and feel my face, HOLY CRAP that
hurt, and it disoriented me for a moment. Then I just headed for the stairs. The water
level was lower so I had to boost myself up on the steps. Then I was helped up
and out of the water, up the stairs, down the chute to some wetsuit strippers.
Swim Time: 1:35:19.
While running toward the wetsuit
strippers, I hit my watch and accidently hit the wrong button and skipped
through my T1 time on my watch, it started my bike, so I had to stop it. OopsJ. (Ha my only wet suit photo is me
looking at my watch at that exact moment!)
Once at the wet suit strippers, they did a great job of getting my suit
stripped off, helped me up and away I went down T1 to get my gear bag. Into T1 I went and wasted no time. Off came
my wetsuit, toweled down my legs/feet, on went my socks, shoes, helmet,
glasses, sunscreen, stuffed nutrition in my back pockets. I had a volunteer come over and comment “you
look pretty self sufficient, can I help with anything”. “I’m good” I responded
and with my stuff already in my bag, turned handed my bag to her and putting on
my arm warmers I was out the door and on my way to my bike. I came jogging down the way, and with my
number called out, my bike appeared in front of me. Love that about the amazing
volunteers!! And kept right on rolling toward the Bike Out. I ran into Michelle’s brother who was right
behind me, we wished each other good luck, and out the arch we went.
T1 Time: 9:23
BIKE
Loop One
I headed out onto the course, taking
my time in the bike chute, Saw Walt who cheered me on, and over the ramp and
was on my way.
I focused on taking the first lap at an easy pace. I was to go at my low endurance pace per coaches words of wisdom. Well, that never happened in the end. So I just stayed within myself and what felt like an easy pace. I had to keep telling myself to dial it back, and I would, only to have to tell myself again. People were passing me, so I tried to relax and think like Joby….with the saying “Run Zebra Run”. As in, I was the lion, I was patient, I was on the prowl, I was waiting to make my move, and patience was the key. Of course I would say this in the “Run FORREST, RUN” voice in my head. I have to admit, the first lap was hard. Which made me think I went out to hard, and that I was going to pay for it. I didn’t feel too hot from the swim. Maybe from all the water I swallowed? Or the three hours of sleep? My mental low point was on the bike on the first lap. I just felt so crappy. But I just kept re-focusing on what I needed to do in that moment to stay relaxed and stay within myself. I saw a few of my FC teammates on the ride, Michelle flying by me the other direction, Mike passing me just after getting on the Beeline. And then I met Manny for the first time on our team. And followed him for a bit, before I passed him and headed on. And yes, I saw him get flagged on the bike. (Sorry I couldn’t warn you! J) But I was worried I was going to hard, I hit the turnaround at 1:20 hr/min, I didn’t dare touch my Garmin to clock it like I wanted to, just in case I screwed up my time. Here, somewhere in the crowd, I had a cheering section, another friend surprised me at the turn around.(Thanks Brian for your support, it was much needed at that time!) After the turn around, I was able to fly down the hill. My Max speed down was 27. 4 mph. I was able to relax a bit, and worked on getting my heart rate down, fueled up with nutrition and Osmo. The wind felt okay, but it sure felt more than the forecasted 3-6 mph for the day. Then before I knew it I was off the Beeline, I was heading back into town, zipping down Rio and passed my Team FC Cheering section (AWESOME!!!) and then down further I saw my Tri buddy Walt cheering me on (YEAH!!),
and around the
turnaround where I saw my other friend Dave and his girlfriend Nancy (double
yeah!!). Then I was off on loop two. I didn’t feel good physically on loop one,
my body was not happy, it took a bit for me to get in any kind of nutrition,
and then keep it, I found myself getting Roctane gels from aid stations so I
could just get something in my body. I
got pretty good at grabbing water, then scooping up a gel with the same hand.
One down, two to go. I’m coming for you mile marker 70 sign!!!
Lap time: 2:22 AVG Pace :
16.0
Loop Two
Lap two started and I started to
feel better physically. I also got pissed as I wasn’t where I wanted to be on
my race time. I was hoping for 2:10 per lap. So somewhere, I got really
focused. I basically put my head down and hauled ass if you will up the hill. I
increased my speed going up the hill from 14-13 mph the first loop to 16-15 mph
on the second loop. I am not sure if I
had a tail wind going up the hill. I think I did, but basically it didn’t
matter which direction I went on the course, it always felt like I had a
headwind. I passed a lot more people on
the second lap, and again it seemed I passed more of them going uphill. Funny moment on the course was when I was
heading down McDowell Rd. and a guy zipped by me riding his motorized bicycle,
but he was down in aero position “passing” us like he was racing and looking at
us with a crazy smile on his face. It did give me a chuckle that I needed
during that moment. And then as I passed
people I would ask them “Where’s the tail wind?” which got a few more chuckles
from people. I made it up the turn
around this time in 1:09 minutes, and then I turned and hauled ass back down
the hill. But it felt like the head wind kicked in so I felt slower going down.
I hit the Special Needs stop. I was in need of a Coke. So when I got there and
called out my bag, it was waiting for me. The funny part about this is the
volunteers were “very” helpful, so much so they literally opened my bag, and
started digging through it. What do you need? You want this Coke open? And
boom, it’s open and in my hand, while the second one was stuffing Roctance in
my back pocket for me, and refilling my water. LOL, It actually felt a bit
intrusive at the time, but I was very thankful for their help afterwards. I was not there for very long. Then I was
back on my bike and off down the hill into that darn headwind. Back up and over
the final stretch and down Rio for my cheering section once again with Walt,
Stacy and Team FC. I make the next
turnaround, and was off on loop three.
Lap Time: 2:17 hr/min. Avg. pace 16.5 mph
(ha---at the time on the course, I
was trying to add up numbers in my head and thought that I did this in 2:00.
But it was still a negative split, I’m good with that J)
Loop Three
I still felt strong as I continued
around on to loop three. Here I saw Joby who cheered me on. I hollered out
“What did you do with the tail wind?”
LOL I’m not sure he heard me, that or I flew by so fast he didn’t know
what I said. I was determined to stay
just a focused on this last loop. My body felt good, it was sore, but it felt
good, I was so thankful at this moment for my Adamo seat that I forked over 200$ for at the beginning of the year, I
wasn’t nearly as sore in the girly parts, but
I was ready to get off the bike.
I continued my pursuit of hauling ass into the “never ending e’ffing
headwind” and was happy to tick off 80 miles. Here is where I was getting all
excited because I only had 22 miles to go. ….
WELL, in my head I thought 22 miles, but I finally was able to do the
math in my head (a miracle by this point) and realized that actually would be
at mile 90. Grrrr…that was a long ten
miles to get to those 22 miles to go. A REALLY LONG TEN MILES. Going up that hill
for the third time was somewhat never ending, but the mantra continued…”put
your head down and haul ass”!! Then
finally I was there!!! And soon I was
flying down hill. But I also was passing a lot of people!! My “Run Zebra Run”
moment came back to me. Especially when I passed four extremely fit guys….
going downhill….. on my road bike. I kind
of felt weird cheering them on saying “good job guys, keep It up”, but I can’t
lie, I got a bit of a boost from that pass.
Lioness on the hunt? Finally, I
was off the Beeline, and heading home, just about eight miles to go. Then before
I knew it, I was heading down Rio and saw Stacy with a huge cheer, and then I
was into the bike chute, rolling down the final stretch of the bike, and then I
was off, handing over my bike and on to T2.
Third Loop: 2:13 Avg Speed: 16.8.
Overall Time: 6:52:37 hr/min/sec Avg Speed:
16.3 mph. SWEET!!!!!!
T2
I was off the bike and in to T2, I
grabbed my bike to run bag and headed into the changing area. Here, I tried to not
waste much time, but a restroom break was in order, since I didn’t have the
skill or desire to pee off my bike. (It wasn’t in the training plan!). Helmet
off, shoes off, socks off, new socks on, running shoes on, visor on, bathroom
break ...(pause)..........fuel belt on, water over head. I handed my bag off to the volunteer and
through the changing tent I went with a quick stop to get slathered with sun
block, then off I went on the run, the final 26.2 miles of my race.
T2 Time: 7: 32 min/sec.
Overall Race time: 8:37:19 hr/min/sec.
RUN
I started my run physically feeling good.
I had to slow my pace down on the run,
so that was good. I was going at a 10:30
pace, which I knew I wouldn’t hold the entire time. I fought the first few
miles to just get it down to 11:00 min/mile. I knew at that pace I would have a
good shot at getting in my 13 ish goal. I would be close, but I would be able
to do it. So I kept slowing it down. My Mantras included “slow it down” “stay
within yourself” “don’t be stupid”. Somewhere at the start of the run I saw Tina,
or I heard her and knew she was to my
left. I was so happy she came, but I wasn’t able to stop. I was focused on my
goal, I wanted that 13ish finish time so badly, I wanted it for Sunny too. I
really wanted it for her. I had 5 hours plus some odd minutes to get my time.
Which meant if I stayed on pace, I could do it. My body felt strong, nothing
was hurting too much at this point. I
continued on down the path and at the first aid station ran into my Ironman
friend Dave who lives in my subdivision!
Then at the first turn around, I was surprised by Dave and Nancy
cheering me on!! I was hot, so when they found me I was dumping ice down my
shirt and sponges on my back. (Probably one of my
favorite photos here! Thanks guys!)
I yelled out hello and kept going. I wanted to enjoy this race, but
again, I was focused on keeping my pace, it was a bit harder as I so far hadn’t
found a pacing buddy to run with. But I was in the 11-12 pace zone. I was happy with that. I was still on track.
I made it back up the path, past
transition, another shout out to Tina, and
headed on up around Priest and down the other side. I keep my pace as even as I could, stopped
and walked aide stations and dumped ice down the shirt, sponges on the back.
And hit the first loop and turn around on the back side, and then things
started to change….
Right around mile 8-9 ish, my right
knee started to hurt. Dammit!! I thought
I was in the clear!! But nope, my knee
was making itself known. (I had this issue on my first race in ‘11. When I
started getting knee pain at mile 10 on the run, and by the finish I had “20
plus stabbing knives type pain” in my right knee, I seriously thought I tore an
ACL and it swelled up so bad I couldn’t walk for two days.) I thought I was in
the clear this time when I had some minor pain at mile 90 on the bike and then
stretched it out and it went away.
But I knew what it was, and I knew that even though it was going to hurt, I would be okay, so I kept running through it. I ignored it, I cursed it, and I focused on my pace, on Sunny, on what I needed to do at that moment to get the job done. I was getting pissed, I worked so darn hard, physically I felt good, mentally I was good, my training was good, and my HR was in the 1.6 Zone, so my cardio felt good. And it was all going to crap cause of this damm knee again.
I then went into a dark mental
place. Really dark….
Commentary of some of my thoughts that ran
through my head in the dark, dark, place…
“Fu#$ , Fu@#, FU@#ing KNEE”
“Your going to feel the hurt, just
suck it up!!!”
“You did this before, you didn’t
hurt your knee, just had a world of hurt after, just run, you’ll be fine in a
few days”
“Holy Sh#$!!! Did it really hurt
this bad last time? “
“ What the hell and I thinking, IM
Boulder in 8 Months? I’m screwed if this knee is going to do this on every e-ffing
race!”
“Maybe, 70.3’s are what my body can
handle, have just found my limit with my
knee?”
“Fu#$ this shi#, Just run dammit!! “
“I just lost my 13 hour window,
e-ffing knee!”
I’ll be dammed if I’m not gonna PR
at least for Sunny, move you’re a$$!!!!
“Come on Sunny!! Give me strength! “
So, this went on for oh…yeah the
last 15 plus miles. When I hit the first lap and had to turn left to start lap
two, I think I almost whimpered like a baby. I decided I didn’t like the two
lap course, wishing I had my three lap course. I was down to running for a
mile, walk a minute. I hurt, I wanted to be done. I was so deep in that pit of
mental frustration, but I kept going, this wasn’t for me, it was for Sunny. I
made it back to transition, I was given a glow necklace because it was dark by
this time. I ran past transition, and into Run Special Needs, just what I
needed for an up lift of my spirits. Got
my bag and I had to stretch my hamstrings, so I was trying to bend forward and
put my bag on the ground, but I had helpful volunteers who wouldn’t let go of
the bag so I could lean forward. I finally had to tell her “let go, I need to
stretch” and pulled it out of her hands. LOL. I hope she didn’t take any
offense as I’m sure it was kind of abrupt on my part. I grabbed out of my bag a
Gu, and my sign for Sunny. I had pre planned to meet with my support crew
for a “photo moment”. As I ran down the
way, I got lots of cheers from the FC tent on the right, I was a bit dazed and
focused on what I need to do, so I’m not sure if I actually acknowledged them,
but I heard them, now looking at my pictures...the FC tent was right behind me. I am bummed I didn't turn around and give them more high fives :( I found Walt on my left, telling me where Stacy was about 30 yds away,
and smiled (maybe?) , and kept running, and ran up to stop in front of her to get this special moment captured.
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It was my way to honor Sunny during my race,
a photo of her and that I was doing this race for her. It lifted my spirits
within all the pain I was feeling and exactly what I needed. I chatted briefly with Stacy, Dave, Nancy and
Walt. I made a comment about my knee acting up (they remember from the first
year), but I was going to do everything I could and not stop. So off I went on
my last loop around. I got somewhat emotional as I ran away, and “threw away”
my sign. (Strategically of course, Dave picked it up for me so I still had it).
All the voices and demons came back during this out and back loop of the run. I
ran into Dave D at the aid station again and he got me what I needed for nutrition
and support. I made the loop, and headed
back….I was at mile 15? I got teary again, thinking of Sunny and how I wanted
to honor her, and how I wanted to do good for her, and then I got pissed again.
So I started running, and I locked out the voices, the pain, and this
discomfort. I was not going to get my 13ish goal, but dammit, I was going to
get a PR for her!!. So I shut down the voices, the pain, and I ran. I focused on run a mile/ walk a minute. NO
EXCEPTIONS!!! When the knee and voices
tried to tell me otherwise, I told it basically to “Fu#$ OFF, WE ARE
RUNNING!!!” Yeah…I cussed A LOT on that
run in my head, It wasn’t pretty. (It was actually worse than what I’m
typing. But if my niece/nephews were to
read this…I don’t want to teach them any new swear words J)
I remember running by my support
crew again, I couldn’t stop because I was on my plan, not at a mile so I
couldn’t stop. I recalling yelling something to the effect of…”My leg hurts
like hell, but it isn’t broken, so I’m running!!” And off I went. See
the burr??
And I kept this up
for mile 16, 17, 18. I ran around Priest and down the back side, saw Laura from
Team FC and somewhere I saw Marc as well. I started to slow, more so because I
felt my knee starting to give out. I walked a bit, then I’d get back to running
only to have my knee lose strength, I could feel myself losing the ability to
“feel” my leg, like it was going numb. I
starting thinking nerve pain, I could be getting nerve damage from this. “SHUT
UP AND RUN!!!” and I ran. Slow and Steady, I made my way around the
back side of the course, I made the turn around with three guys, little did I
know, one was pacing off of me. The only
reason I knew this is that one of the volunteers caught me on my walk part of
my run and was encouraging me to keep moving, I gave him a smile and said, “I’m
on my walk break”. When I started back up, he was cheering me on saying, “Go, I
know you can do it” “Check her out!!” To another athlete. That athlete, responded…”Oh I know, she has
been pulling me around the course for the last 10 miles!” That was nice to hear, especially with the
way I felt. As I came around the back
side of the Curry Hill, I was still trying to run, my heart was there, my
desire was there, I was in a whole lot of hurt with my knee, but I was four
miles away. I was going to get my PR. So at the end of my one minute walk, I
started to run. And my knee buckled….
Fu@#, Fu@#, Fu@#!!! I tried again,
and my knee buckled again. I walked….what else could I do? I walked….I tried again….it buckled. But I could walk. So I walked, I walked as
fast as I could…a 13- 15 min pace. In my head I did the calculations…if I
walked 4 miles at 15 min each…I’d get to the finish before my old time. I’d get
my PR. I think? Maybe? I walked faster…I
tried to run again…buckle. E-ffing Dumb
A## Knee!!! Also, I was done with food by mile 20, I think
I managed one more Gu, and I sucked it down with a swallow of water in one
gulp, any other way it would come up. I swished water at the final aid
stations. And I walked, and I walked.
I came back on the final path from
Curry, and I walked up to the first turn back onto Priest, I was almost
there!!! I was excited, but I was also
literally spent. I went into my focus mode. I would tell fellow athletes good
job...but I was just telling myself to move…I tried to run again…buckle. Darn
it, I wasn’t going to walk thru that finish line, I’d run if it killed me! At the end of Priest before the last turn, I
was walking up on a group of people and suddenly heard a familiar voice!! One
of My Washington Stripper Crew!! I
hollered out “Jason?” As I expected them all to be done before me. And it was
him, and we then walked together. He had
a mechanical on the bike, and blew up on the run. So he was walking too. Finishing
was the goal. It was so nice to run into a familiar face, his attitude lifted
my spirits as we both chatted our way to the last aid station, refusing all
nutrition. We talked about what our day
was like, how we were happy to finish, the main goal. We walked past the turn
that took us to the beginning of our second loop, and were so happy we didn’t
have to do that one again. And we walked straight on toward the finish!! We decided to cross the line together. We decided should we run or walk? HA..That
was the dilemma, we both were in a lot of hurt. I want to walk, and then no,
let’s run, then no lets walk. Then yeah, f-it lets run, we earned it!!! But I
joked that if I fell, he had to catch me, and then we’d make the IM videoJ. But seriously, I
was worried I would fall, so I kind of wasn’t kidding. As we got closer, we could hear Mike Reilly
calling the athletes home. We rounded the corner, only to be greeted and cheered
by the Washington support crew!!
Joe was there
with a huge group of people, it was a good feeling. And before I knew it…we started around and into the chute.
I’m like, oh yeah…we are running
let’s do this! And so to the sound of “Stayin Alive”(very appropriate at the
moment)… I started to jog…I hollered out, I high fived everyone I could in the
audience, threw my arms up in the air… and I ran toward the light. I heard the Voice of Ironman calling me home.
A brief moment I closed my eyes, and said…”For you Sunny!!” And I ran across the line, arms raised high!!
Kristie Dodge…YOU are an IRONMAN!!
I got to the
volunteers who handed me water, wrapped me in a blanket, took off my
timing chip, and put that amazing hard fought medal around my neck. I walked back to the back of the finisher
chute, and got my photo taken first alone, then one with me and Jason. I saw Dave and Nancy. And then headed in to
the athlete food area. I ran into a guy who I was racing with most of the race
on the bike and run, we talked for a few minutes and congratulated each other,
he was racing for his mom who passed away just that October, I gave him a big
hug and told him she would be very proud. I told him about who I was racing for
and he congratulated me. Then I found Dave/Nancy and Stacy. And got big hugs from them, and a photo
or two holding my medal.
Then I snagged some food, which I wasn’t hungry
to eat, and wandered back out to find them. I hobbled over to Jason, Joe and
their families to give them a big congrats hug and pose
for a picture, their parents made a sign and added my name to it, so
sweet of them! Then I was back over to
meet up with and celebrate with Stacy, Dave and Nancy.
 |
| It took me a long time to hobble to that shower. |
 |
| I would of done and ice bath, but I knew I wouldn't of been able to get out of the tub. |
That was BY FAR the most mentally
challenging race I have EVER done in my life. I hit my lowest point mentally in
a race EVER, should I repeat that again? EVER!! And yet, still, I did it!!! I had a personal record by 22 minutes. Funny
thing thinking back, I don’t remember my time. I never looked at it when I
crossed the line. I even forgot to turn
off my Garmin until I was getting my picture with my medal. It wasn’t the
purpose of this race for me. For me it was about honoring Sunny! Finishing for her, taking her with me on this
amazing journey. I think in some way,
the struggle I went through was a small way to understand the struggle she had
to go through. That I wasn’t going to give up when things got bad. Just like
her, in the brief time I knew her, she was so strong and had an amazing spirit
to deal with what was happening to her.
She never gave up, no matter how hard it was for her. She was a fighter,
and I fought for her during this race, just like she would have if it was her
racing. I hope I honored her memory and
that somewhere in heaven she knows she is an Ironman….”This One’s for You
Sunny!!”
I can’t thank my teammates and
friends and tri family enough. Dave and Nancy, Stacy, Walt, Tina, Dave D and
Brian, your support “strategically” placed throughout the entire course was a
huge boost to helping me get through this race and lifting my spirits when I
needed it. And for being my Ironman Sherpa crew, getting all my stuff, carrying
it and me back to the Escape after the race.
I am also so blessed and thankful that Joby and Jillian took a chance on
a lone AZ triathlete to join their Team FC family in California and let me
train with all of you. I really felt part of a family, and it felt amazing to
have such support from people that I only met just the day before, Mike and
Michelle at Soma, out on the course (Manny), and during the entire training
process online through Facebook. Having others to vent frustrations with when
training was going rough was such a good outlet, and again made me feel part of
a family. My Washington Stripper Crew
(Joe, Jason, Louisa, Vicki in spirit!) Who
I hung with before the race, after the race, and also ran across the finish
line with Jason, while Joe cheered us on. Your families who adopted me for the
day since my parents weren’t able to make the race and then finding out they
put my name on your sign. I think that the support I received from every single
one of you, that was there physically, and online following me, and cheering me
on across the country and through the updates from Stacy, was what made this
one of the best races for me. I know
that I gave this race everything I possibly had.
OVERALL RESULTS/SPLITS:
Swim
1:35:19
T1 9:23
Bike 6:52:37 16.29
mph
T2 7:32
Run 5:48: 55 13:19
/mile
Final Official Time: 14: 33: 46
Some other fun photos
 |
| TEAM FC took Second Overall for Tri Clubs!! |
 |
| Support on the home front from Mom and Dad |
 |
| Support on the home front before the power went out. |
 |
| Lots of Tri Gear!!! |
 |
| Flowers from Sunny's husband thanking me for racing in her honor! |
Things I learned from this race:
I must stay in the moment; I cannot
get lost in the future thoughts of the race.
I found myself constantly comparing
my times from this race to my previous one in 2011. I found myself focusing too much on my finish
time. I haven’t done that before. Maybe it was the distance and having too much
time on my mind to think. Maybe because I was told to not to think about it… I
thought more about it. Maybe it was my desire to do better because I had trained
and felt stronger and better and I wanted to do it for Sunny.
I must get my knee checked out to
figure out what is causing the real pain behind my knee. Otherwise Boulder will
end up the same way.
I was successful with having a
coach. I’d like to keep my coaches. Any chance you’ll take on and train a lone
AZ athlete for Boulder IM for 14? I can give you detailed info for ‘15 when the
team races.
I need to get a tri bike, it will
help with my bike speed, and plus I can feel cool.
I need a power meter for training on the bike, another way to make me faster, and help with all the hills I’ll experience.
Join Team FC for Whistler in ‘15. I
loved racing with all of you. I want to do it again. J
