Sunday, June 14th
Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run)
SWIM: 58:47Results: http://www.tricolumbia.org/Eagleman/
SWIM TO BIKE TRANSITION: 4:35
BIKE: 3:24:55 (16.5 mph)
BIKE TO RUN TRANSITION: 4:50
RUN: 2:18:12 (10.30 pace)
FINISH 6:51:17
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We were up at 4:30am and heading to transition by 5:15am. The morning was a bit cloudy and the storm the previous night had cooled the water so now wetsuits were legal for sure. I should listen to Joe more often... but for some reason probably the same reason Joe does not listen to me, I did not listen to him and it almost cost me my swim.
See I changed my goggles at the last minute.. I am saying 5 minutes before I was to go off in my wave I choose to switch my goggles.. originally I was going to wear my tinted goggles but then decided they were too dark and thought my swim mask would be better..
I had used the swim mask when I did the full ironman swim (2.4 miles).. so it should do well for this swim (1.2 miles)... when Joe said that there was a space that water could get in .. and I said I used them for Chessy Man (don’t bother me) .. I should have listened to him... as soon as I switched my goggles, my wave was called and I was in the water warming up.. water was nice.. not cold at all.. as soon as I put my face in water with goggles I noticed water filled them.. and I didn’t have time to tighten them or get them to lock and we were off.. SHIT!!!
I swam two strokes and my goggles were COMPLETELY filled with water.. I stopped and emptied them.. and off again.. and then three strokes and stop.. I did this for a bit then I thought about taken them off completely and tried that but that didn’t work.. and so back on they were... I was SOO F-‘ed! .....I barely made it to the first buoy and I wanted to cry... the entire field but me and this other gal were heading away...
Finally I determined if I would just close my eyes completely even when I had my eyes up out of the water (because there was so much water in the goggles) that I could just ignore the water until I needed to site the next buoy.. then I would just stop and empty them. That appeared to work for a bit until I was run over by a couple torpedoes..
Just when I got comfortable in my rhythm I was literally run the F_ over by the men in the wave behind me and they were fast swimmers.... you cant tell me they didn’t see a giant pink cap in front of them...especially since they have to watch for the next buoy... they just don’t care.. why should they.. I am insignificant to their quest... I personally like mass starts better the faster swimmers are in front and don’t run you over.. when they place faster swimmers in waves behind you its just freaking horrible getting punched in the head and swam over...
After most of the yellow caps were past and I got my heart rate back to almost normal and back into a rhythm of swimming blind and then emptying the goggles ....I almost gave up... I thought for sure that I was not making time cut off... and I so I started to doubt why I should continue on..
But I am not a quitter and I figured I would tough this out.. this is one thing in races.. DON’T EVER THINK it's over.... because you never know... when I was coming in the chop was so bad every time I tried to take a breath I swallowed water... F_!!!.... I need to remember to learn to bilateral breathe (breathe on other side)..
I was last out of the water for my age group.. #86 out of 86..(not sure whatever happen to that other gal I left behind.. perhaps they just picked her up with a boat?)... but I looked at my time and was pleasantly surprise.. no I was FREAKING ASTOUNDED that it was only around 4 minutes worse than last year!.... I couldn’t believe it.. I mean it felt like I was out there FOREVER ... So NEVER GIVE UP!
But I was kinda mad.. mad that I hadn’t listen to Joe.. Mad that I almost F- up my entire swim wearing defective goggles...note to self.. maybe listen to Joe more..
On the way to transition we encountered large vats of mud... and I am not talking a little mud..but large quantities.. enough to cover your foot to the ankle ....if you stepped right.. I stepped right..
I took my time in transition.. I wanted to make sure I got out on the bike and did well.. the bike is usually a good strength of mine... and off I go... I was feeling not too bad... and keeping up a good pace...I knew since coming out of the swim in near last place or last place in my age group there weren’t many people behind me... and so once again I was in the back of the pack.. but it was ok.. I mean mostly being in the back you ride alone.. not seeing many other competitors but the ones you do are usually quite pleasant and nice.. I mean back here.. no one is trying to kill each other to win... obviously... .
But there is always that one exception.. I will call her.. Ms. Asshole... I believe she may have been a part of a relay team as her race bib was a different color but I was not sure.. but Ms. Asshole.. must of thought herself "THE STUFF"... because she SCREAMED at me going around a corner... she knows she has to pass on the left and I am ahead of her and she is pissed she has to take the corner wide because I am on the inside.. and so she screams for me to get out of her way..
LIKE WHAT BITCH do you want me to do ..??! ...get off my bike and wait until you pass????!!... YOU aint winning no F_IN awards unless you attach a rocket to you’re ass and with that sunny disposition I am most certainly sure you will win a one way ticket to hell.. And if you are on the relay.. you don’t have enough BALLS to do the full event... .. F- you.. A-HOLE! .... I soo wanted to catch her and just throw her off bike and start slapping her around a bit...
I was averaging around 17-18 mph speed until around mile 40.. then hit some really bad winds.. so bad that I was reduced to 11 and 12 mph at times.. I couldn’t believe it...is it possible to go that slow and be moving????!!!... I handled the cross winds exceptionally well , low in my aero bars.. and just streaming right but when that winds hit us head on for like 8 miles it was like a dentist drilling into my SKULL .. I think I lost one of my lives...
We passed the spot where I had competed the Chesapeake Man Full Ironman Run last year and it was kinda surreal to see it in the daylight.. since when I did the Chessy Man Run it was all at night... so that being said I kinda thought PRIOR to this race that I may want to do Chessy Man (the full Ironman Distance Triathlon) again in September.. BUT THANKFULLY you have these types of things to convince you that I AM OUTTA MY MIND!!
The mental demons are out full force.. questioning everything from why I am doing this... to if I should continue.... to why bother... and what do I have to prove.. nothing... then this saying from my friend pops into my head.. buns of steel..
That’s right....!!! I almost forgot... I am also doing this for buns of steel..!!!.. I continued on....
When I got off bike... I REALLY DID NOT want to do the run.. I thought if there was a way to just hide for two hours and PRETEND I did the run that would make me happy.. the thought of running 13.1 miles after swimming 1.2 and biking fast 56 miles well was NOT appealing... every part of my body was screaming NO WAY... but I went on.
Seeing Joe waiting for me and cheering me on gave me strength..... .. I was determined to run.. not sure how fast but to run neither the less... and so I did...and par for course around mile 2 I encountered an idiot... and he just soo happen to be a cop.. or rent a cop or whatever... he was suppose to STOP traffic and allow the runners safe passage across a section of the road... all traffic was stopped.. and for some reason when me and another runner came upon this intersection he told us to STOP and wait there...
Now mind you we were in THE MIDDLE OF A RACE..... and I am MOST CERTAINLY am sure he did not STOP the leaders in any way in order to let a car go by and I was NOT about to stop... so I slowed enough not to be stupid and get run over... but I did YELL OUT to the rent a cop... “ YOU GOT TO BE F- KIDDING ME... !!!!“ (mind you the traffic was STOPPED already... its not like I was about to run into the middle of I-95,.. it was a back road in Cambridge!
I think everyone including the guy in the car heard that.. because the car did not proceed and I continued on... man don’t F- mess with me.. I just had a bad swim.. my legs are cooked and now I gotta run 13.1...now get the F_ OUTTA MY WAY..
I continued my run without any additional event... stopped at the rest stops for ice and water..it was hot out there but thankfully not as hot as last year, and my heat acclimation training helped... I ran strong... . when I came in to the finish I saw Joe and he is always such a wonderful sight... I cant believe his dedication to me and what I do... .. I am not sure if I would have finished this one without him...
Once I stopped I said, “Never Again”.... I have never said that after a race..
So....I have to take a step back and re-analyze my future... .there are two things that I know for sure..three years ago when I started this shit (the biking, swimming, and running).. I thought I would be qualifying for Hawaii.. three years later and a thousand reality checks later.. I realize that not only am I NOT gifted enough to make Hawaii.. I am damn near the last person coming in at every triathlon that I do... I need to understand this. ....... but I do love swimming... biking..and running....and then there are those buns of steel.....!!!
PS: Someone stole my pink Ironman race issued swim cap in transition.. go figure (they should have just taken the goggles too) DAMN THIEVES
PSS: I actually did alot better than last year time wise!
PSSS: Never EVER give up.. there is always a reason to finish... and don’t let the demons win!
PSSSS: When is sign up for next year????
