Race Reports
And there was the half...
Let me prelude the race with the weekend. On my way up to VA, I
rear-ended a lady at a stoplight. Nobody hurt (only 2 mph) but
damage to her car…grrrrrr!!!! Jacob learned his first profanity.
Well, maybe his second...ok, ok...
Got to Williamsburg, it was beautiful and our place was nice. Mary
got an upset Jacob to sleep and we proceeded to play cards. My
body became achy and I started to feel like I had a fever. I did.
I ignored it. This was a half ironman, damnit, and I was going to race.
Friday came with some epic cribbage with Dad and I still felt a little
under the weather, but I promised myself an easy pace. The night came
with more fever and more aches. Annoying. I wasn't going to let this
stop me, but I told my Dad that if I felt this way in the morning I
would withdraw. However, going to register that night brought the
adrenaline and I suddenly felt great. Curses to my biochemistry!
Race Day:
5:00 am Woke up, felt great, but found my appetite was gone.
Although this is not unusual for races and me, it was completely
gone. Really gone.
6:00 am Arrived at the site and started to feel the buzz. Didn't
have my normal pre-race routine of music and focus, but I was
still in a good place. A little panic getting a water bottle
cage screwed on and tires pumped up, but solved pretty quickly.
They changed the swim course due to some freaky current shift,
so it was a walk to the beginning of the race.
7:14 am In the water and ready to go. Started to feel chills.
Attributed this to the fact that I was one of the few without a
wetsuit. It is truly amazing to see how far you will lie to yourself.
Then, the horn. The gorgeous rush of the start of the race came over
me. About the 17th stroke, I started to feel dizzy. Dizzy like…vertigo
dizzy. I still swam. If I looked forward while I swam it would mitigate
the effects. I figured that I was dizzy once in a really wavy race,
for 18 seconds or so, so this was no different. I finished the swim,
in record slow time. Slow pace, right? Try 10+ minutes off what I can
do. Again, the lies. I got to the bike and was determined to go on.
I did. Mistake #23 of the weekend. Started the bike and was averaging
20+ over the first ten miles. What? Who says anything is wrong? I was
hammering. Oh, yeah, there were some definite gradual downhills in
that stretch. Lying like Nixon now. Mile 15...my stomach started to
hurt. Not the hurt from too much Hammer Gel. No, more like the
hurt from too much Taco Bell. (I should be a rap star with lyrics
like that) By mile 20 I couldn't stay in my aerobars due to the
stomach pains. Heed tasted gross, water tasted grosser and gels
tasted grosserer. I forced it down. Heartrate was still good,
my pace was down to 16+mph. By mile 40 I was a wreck. I had sat
up the past 20 miles and I felt terrible. I was motivated.
I convinced myself at this point that I was only going to walk
the half marathon portion. Heartrate was now 190+, speed was 14+mph.
I was going the wrong direction. However, the end of the bike came
near and I was elated. As I rolled toward the dismount, the cheers
of the volunteers and family were overwhelming. I felt that surge
again. As I dismounted, my world started to spin. I just focused
on getting my bike racked and sitting down. I didn't care about
transition times. Mary was there, my Mom was there, and so was
Jacob. I was trying to focus, but I had nothing. My hands were
shaking so badly as I tried to put on socks. At one point a
volunteer thought a medic should be called. I was determined to
continue, but I just couldn't seem to get my other shoe on.
Mary told me that it was okay to quit and Jacob said 'Yea, daddy!!
' I couldn't help it...I was so tired, so sick, and so
frustrated that I just started crying. I trained and I
trained for this event, only to have some random sickness
take me out. Reluctantly I took off my ankle strap and gave
my timing chip to Mary to turn in. I had failed. Though,
now, I realize how smart it was to quit, considering the
options. Mary and my family were amazing support and though
they kept telling me that the swim and bike were amazing,
I know they sense my disappointment. I really wanted to cross
the line running with Jacob, but I know there will be another race,
another day, and I look forward to its challenge. White Lake,
next year? I think so. The one thing that is constant among
us triathletes is will. We may be nice, caring people, but
don't get between us and our races.
As the weekend waned, I fought some crazy fevers that came and
went and I could not put any food down. I reminded myself that
little Jacob suffered from this very condition about a week before
and I am sure with the insertions of his hands into my mouth or
nose assisted in me catching whatever bug I have. Despite my
understanding of science, I was so willing to deny it nearing race
day. Lesson learned. Lesson learned.
Thank you to all who gave me words of encouragement and still
celebrated when I failed. We must all humble ourselves at times
and admit defeat and understand that just being there is pretty
amazing. I will see you all at the next race, wherever it may be.
Charlotte for me.
I must also say that it has been one year since I jumped on this
triathlon train and all of you who I met and befriended, I truly
thank you. Coming from the place I was to here, well, it has
been a journey. Honestly, I have never met such a great group
of people as I have through multi-sport. The people are honest
and caring, and we all same that same goal and love of crossing
the finish line. I am sure this little 'fad' and
'mid-life crisis' is going to last.
Cheers.