Rehoboth Marathon 2012

So what can you say when your confidence bucket overflows… but the body.. well just does not comply with the request of the mind?

There is no doubt in my mind that I could and should be running under 4 hours for a marathon.. my best time was just a few months ago, and it was a 4:01:50 (9:13 pace).. my fall training.. adequate.. my racing.. faster than I have been in years…my long runs and weekly miles on target... I am truly in an exceptional place in my life right now… I can feel it…I AM STRONG!

But .. the legs got tired quickly… the happy dance became a skipped record, as the pace slipped into a trudge… into a deep, dark hole of nothingness…

The legs would not lift....carefully the mind goes through the process of accessing the situation…. 

Did I start too fast? ....Was I injured?... Was there a fuel problem?... Was the weather bad?.... Did I do too many races?... Or not enough?... Did I taper enough?… What lessons am I to learn!?

I struggled to finish and crossed the line with a 4:42:53 (10:48 average pace).. 42 minutes after what I thought... this is clearly not what my mind set up it to be…

Day three now after the marathon …and I am struggling to find something that I have learned..

What?  That I have no quit?

I have already completed many marathons, ultras, and Ironmans under worse conditions, injuries, lack of nutrition, horrific weather, etc … and never gave up… I am fairly sure my mind is quite strong.. I am fairly SURE I HAVE NO QUIT… ..

I have finished dead ass last in a race before.. and I have won some races before.. its not about that…

I know.. I don’t need the lectures.. some people can't run, my mother couldn’t… not that she would have if she could but that’s besides the point, .. I am quite aware there are many people who can't...but it's not about that.. I get that… I truly do..

…something is missing… something … that I need to learn ..

….So I had myself a little cry at about mile 17… one of those I feel sorry for myself cries..

.. and then again at about mile 24-1/2 when I saw Joe … because I felt that perhaps I may have let him down…

BUT.. There has to be something...  that I need to learn.. A LESSON…on why I believe myself to be so much better than I am...  

So I caulk up another marathon… and sit and contemplate this… and when that light bulb hits…

LOOK OUT…

Run for Diamonds – 9 Miler

Thanksgiving Day - November 22nd
Berwick, PA... I can’t imagine a more properly executed race. Sure it was cold, and sure it was far away, and sure it was Thanksgiving but it is one of those races where you go ...and fall in love.

Was it the elevation changes? .....Was it the 2 hour drive on Thanksgiving?..... Was it the beautiful mountain views?...... Was it the VFW veterans who volunteer and warm you heart?..... Or was it the world class competition that seems to find this out in nowhere race?

This was the 103rd running of The Run for Diamonds and it draws over 1,000 competitors, this year there will be 1,400 people running in “milder” conditions. It is one of those races that draws out the really FAST runners, the super freaks who run up and down mountains in a 4 and 5 min pace.... to make it into the top 5 of the older peeps groups you have to be in the 6’s or 7’s.. ouch.

At mile 2 there is a hill.. it’s one of those hills that you say ... oh yeah that is SOME HILL... it’s over a mile long. In fact, it’s one of those hills that well, just doesn’t seem to ever stop and people walk. It’s SOME HILL.

Waiting for the start, thankful that this year, it was not snowing, recalling how I fell in love with this race in 2009 when I trekked up here that year alone, and how I brought Joe back in 2010 despite the snow and sleet.. and he too fell in love.

This year Joe and I had a competition going, who would beat who? Joe, the uphill runner? Or..Wendy, the downhill runner? SOMEONE was going home crying...

My strategy was to go out at a decent clip, hold the best pace I could for the hill, recover and then let it rip. Unfortunately, I think that was Joe’s plan too. Joe it’s time to meet your maker...GAME ON!

So I take off my warm ups, do some jumping jacks.. and go secure a good starting position. Lost Joe in the crowd, and then we are off. It’s crowded for the first mile, always, but I have a small space to work with and since I lined up fairly close to the front I am with people who are traveling the same rate as I.

At around mile 1, I saw Joe slither past me.. I don’t think he saw me, he later said he didn’t, but I am not sure HOW you can miss me ....!

At mile 2 is the base of the hill, and I knew to keep the breathing calm, keep quiet, keep smooth. I always see people walking portions of the hill and this year was no different. It’s SOME HILL.

As you crest the hill you think, relief I can breathe a bit, but uh no.. I almost for a fairly quick second thought I am not sure I am going to make it ...but I was determined..GOT to catch Joe.

What I won’t realize until after the race, that this year I actually went up that DAMN HILL at a min faster than normal, sure didn’t feel like that WHEN I WAS DOING THE HILL... Once we got to the half way point, I picked up the pace and started screaming and spitting asphalt out my backend... I was going to bring this race HOME and catch Joe!

The miles were clicking off and still no sight of Joe... at mile 8 with one mile to go, a woman passes me. UH oh.. I worked so hard for this.....She is trolling and I force myself to keep her within my sight... and she is gaining a strong lead... I think about it for a sec and realize ...

What do you have to lose? Your legs will fall off? You will die? Really what? So what....!?

So I proceed to push... this is where knowing your skills and belief in yourself can help tremendously. I had now been watching her for the last quarter mile and realized she too was tired... and I was going to execute my race end and unless she too was a sprinter I would win. I WOULD WIN.

I knew even exhausted that I can sprint the last 100 to 200 meters of any race (usually).. and depending on the competition and the course would determine when I would start. Unfortunately, if I made the wrong call out and sprinted past my competition and they matched me, I may run out of air before the finish line and be over taken... so it’s really a precise calculation and sometimes just a risk you must take.

I am back behind her 5-6 feet, and calculated... don’t know.. too soon..i think there is more than 200 meters... I don’t know.. its may be too soon.. I don’t know... and so I made the call out... its like all the blood pulls from your extremities and moves inward and you go... I knew the challenge would be tough I would have to recoup the 5-6 feet between us and then pass her and get a large distance ahead of her...

And I GO... that fire that burns within my soul, FUELS...THAT FIRE... And I put forth a sprint of EPIC proportions...I recouping the distance AND PASSED HER ...I don’t feel she is there.. she didn’t come ...but I don’t know and I cant stop... I see the finish... my lungs are on FIRE... there is that tunnel .. the world is closing in... I see that finish... my right leg hits and falters...the land didn’t support the weight but I’m midair the other leg handles the falter... and I cross the line. 1:13:12 (8:08 pace) A new PR!!!

I can walk now... as I move to the side and put my head between my legs...breathing is good.... the girl I outsprinted stopped by and congratulated me on a well run race. Joe commented on my leg falter and great race and....

Now that is how its done...

Running is SO UNHEALTHY 

OH yeah and back to the Wendy and Joe competition... Joe had gotten in at 1:08:19 (7:39 pace) clearly kicking my arsh in a well executed race..

OH AND YES..we will be back...

Race Results:

http://www.runfordiamonds.com/result.html

My Splits:

 

Philly 8K, Saturday, November 17th

Was jumping up and down on the finish line...

Sometimes things just go so right.

The weather is perfect, the legs feel perfect, the mind feels perfect..

Yesterday I ran what I consider a perfect race

Although things started off a bit skurry... as I forgot my beloved watch and had to circle back to the house at 5:30am... thankfully... I had only traveled a few miles when I realized that the beloved lifeline of specs was not attached to my wrist..jeez us how could I forget the WATCH!!??!

Thankfully,  Route 76 didn’t give me the normal hassles and I arrived in Philly with a quick park and jog to the start. I had plenty of time to start, in fact, I had time to walk in giant circles for 45 minutes. I saw Cecile Tynan, she and her husband were wearing matching warm ups.. I smiled and she smiled back... I think.

It was plenty cold and I couldn’t wait to get this party started. I love shorter races because I can go all out and be done with it. But perhaps I should step BACK OFF THE START LINE.. I check out the handsome super thin Ethiopian/Kenyan dude on my left... YEAH stepping back would be a really great idea... only I WOULD line up next to an elite athlete in the front row... yeah Wendy... let's reanalyze my seeding arrangements and STEP BACK A few feet.

A couple of the Philly Masters Peeps showed up and hung out with me... and then the track girls.. the really GOOD girls lined up and I slipped in behind them. Because I am such a geek I know everyone of their names and stats... I know EXACTLY how fast they can run... and how to proceed accordingly... can anyone say stalker?

The national anthem and then some crazy hippy runner dude screaming, “NO MORE WAR, NO MORE WAR”.. dude will someone kick the Muther-F’r in the head please...

Right before the start Lou (60+ masters runner who is one of our faster masters track runners) looks over and nods to me.. and I nod back.. it was that kinda of nod that says, “Take no prisoners and getter done”... and then we were off... it got a bit crunchy at first and I took a couple of elbows and gave a couple...but I cleared the pack and whipped in the first mile.. thinking perhaps I should RETHINK trying to run with the BIG GIRLS..as I approached the first mile marker I saw 6’s.. high 6’s but still.. OMFG.. I toned it down and hit the 1 mile marker at exactly 7 mins.. STILL too fast.. the goal was to keep up a consistent 7:30-7:45 pace not a 7 min mile..oops

Mile 2 my legs felt good... stabilized the pace..and toned it down... .nothing makes the heart more happy then to be still in the game when you start to feel tired... my head was strong today and so was my heart and I pushed it... it was cold enough this year that at mile 4 I wasn’t overheated and I could push in for a strong finish... I saw Lou who had been ahead of me, he was starting to walk and only had a ¼ mile to go.. I ran up to him and as I passed yelled.. “YO, BABY LETS GET THIS DONE”... and his footsteps behind me... he had restarted to run... Lou will place first in his age group with a smashing time... I don’t remember anything of the last 200 yards or so.. I have soo programmed my body to sprint as hard as I can at the end of races that I get tunnel vision..

For those that are sprinters they probably feel this.. for those that are not....it's like having an out of body experience... at the time when your body hits the plane where you are running completely without oxygen you feel a heightened sense of floating on air.. until you realize that you truly ARE OUT OF AIR ..

FINISH!

38:04 was the official chip time.. a 7:39 average pace...

MY race...

Is done!

(PS: found out that I placed 4th in age group so will be stalking my mailman for my 4th place award... CANNOT WAIT!  Awards are given out to the top 5 in each age bracket in this race.. WAHOOO)

BRING ON REHOBOTH MARATHON... so then i can rest

Harrisburg Marathon, November 11th

So... I somehow convinced Joe to run the Harrisburg Marathon with me as a long training run on Sunday. We were scheduled for a 21 miler and well, it’s “only” another 5 miles.. right!?.. (he really should never take advice from someone who can run around in circles for 24 hours) ... See Joe, someone would be handing us water, and we will be running with 1,000 of our “closest friends”.. it’s a win-win!

Actually, the marathon was a delight, it was low key enough that we didn’t have to stay overnight in a hotel and we were allowed to pick up our race packet in the morning. So up at 4:30am, in the car, arrive by 7am… pick up packet and wait for start.

Interesting the people you see that do marathons..the smoking dude, the girl who needed to cover up the “puppies” as they were hanging out of her sports bra... and oh yeah the “elites” doing warm ups… really? you do realize we are all going to run 26.2 miles in a bit .. right?

We were lucky..we got to park near the start so we could sit in the car until it was time to run. I was going to line up with the 4 hour marathoners and Joe said just line up here (next to the 3:45 marathon pacer).. um.. ok… I think he knows I can run a 3:45.. I just haven’t yet… and so I thought why not, I will push the pace and see how far I get at this pace… because this is only a training run… RIGHT'O!

And then we were off… I lost sight of Joe within the first hundred yards  as he was well ahead of me... and I ran in my pack of 3:45 marathoners… the pace was fine.. I really had no issues other than I have never run in such a close pack of people before.. I felt like a GIANT SLINKY… .

You are literally smushed up against a bunch of people who are all running the same pace… I could, if I wanted …touch a person on each side of me… it was almost comical .. the pack goes right.. I go right… the pack goes left…I go left… the pack speeds up ..I speed up.. the pack slows down…I DO NOT slow down.. OOPS...

At about mile 7 or 8 the pack started to break up a bit .. and somehow a few of us got AHEAD of the pack.. well that ain’t good.. either the pacer is not going the speed we need (meaning too slow) or now I am going a BIT TOO FAST.. OOPS!

By the time I hit mile 10 I had now dropped down to a 8:31 pace and the higher rate of speed was slowly taking its toll… by half way I started to reel back in and was back at a 8:51 pace and by mile 18, I was at a 8:56 pace. WHICH was still BTW well below my Boston qualifying time… But when the pack RECAUGHT up to me.. it was like I was overtaken by a truck.. the pack came….BEAT ME UP.. and then the pack went.... and now I was BEHIND THE PACK..

And then the hills came… oh yes.. the hills… and yes guess who had to walk?!… I’m glad I did this race, it was a great test on how far along I am in with my training… I finished with a 4:17:03 (9:49 avg Pace)... and I am totally feeling strong.. I can’t wait to see what I can do on a flat course.

Joe being the great companion that he is… finished his race in 3:44:28 (8:34 avg pace)… and then he proceeded to run back and run in the last couple of miles with me… After crossing the line.. I realized that something truly special is happening.. not only did I just run another 26.2 miles… I was feeling stronger than i have ever felt in my life…

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will - Gandhi

Ironman US Championship

140.6 miles

(2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run)

August 11, 2012

"The more challenging the path… the more rewarding the life”

Two months ago I lost my mom to lung cancer…

.. that loss shattered my life …..my world… and my belief.

Competing, racing….. meant NOTHING .............. life meant NOTHING.. I was NOTHING…

And then… something happen… out of the sorrow… out of the wreck of a human being that I had become… I found the strength to crawl and claw my way out of the darkness..

.. And let there be light..

I WAS going to race on August 11th… for MOM!

Trust….

Believe…..

No regrets..

This is a note written by Joe to me that I was not to read until AFTER the race:

I (joe) am sitting on the ferry ride to the start to see you come in from the swim, reflecting over the last 60-days, hell the last 2+ years of our life. After the shattered training I only expressed once that I didn't think you should do this race, because I was scared for your well being. But then you stated your determination TO do it, and I will never stand in the way of that. And so I want you to know, that no matter what happens today, I could not BE any prouder of you...NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. I think i can speak for your dad and safely say he feels the same, that your mom will be with you all day today, and I know in your heart this race is for her...

Sign-Up - June 2011
Looking back.. I remember the excitement and stress of signing up for this race.. I remember it clearly… I remember sitting very quietly in mom and dads camper at the beach as mom and dad napped… and praying that the internet service would hold up... that I would get in.. the race sold out in just 11 mins… with 2,500 people.. and I was IN!!!!

Although I could have done without the omg my credit card wouldn’t go through, frantic call to Joe while he was at work to get his credit card number in the middle of registration… but yeah that should have been a GREAT indication of what was to come!

Fall 2011

Fall was a great conglomeration of races and events and general normal madness with completing another 50 mile race, a marathon, and finishing up a very tough semester in Anatomy and Physiology for my pre-nursing courses. Mom handled her treatments well and EVERYONES birthdays and the holidays came and went and then it was 2012…

2012

2012 started off with good intentions, a race, a polar plunge, and then things went into the shitter… I twisted my ankle AFTER a race walking and was out of commission for a few weeks.. Mom got sicker and we postponed our trip to see Joes parents in Florida…. then joe and I got sick with a two week upper respiratory and then two week stomach virus … for like a month we were sick and trying to train.. ( and we never get sick).. and oh yeah.. Anatomy and Physiology II was kicking my ass…

My last training posting on my blog was on February 28th.. my “Official” IM training had just begun and I was averaging about 4 miles of swim a week, 80 miles on bike a week (on trainer) and about 16 miles of running per week…

To say I came out of the early part of spring alive is an understatement. We ran a number of half Marathons, a marathon, I did a few sprint tris, took mom to philly for treatments, finished up my classes, my grandbaby was born, and I rethought the idea of being a nurse until a lady at work dropped “dead” at my feet and I helped resuscitate her….I knew then for damn sure what my calling was… I had always wanted to make a difference in one person’s life..I was going to be a Nurse!

And then the door slammed shut…….on a stormy night my mom gazed upon me for the last time ever…

Mom died. June 2, 2012

LIFE FOR ME STOPPED. …

Countless weeks past….

Countless weeks and days…

I couldn’t eat… I dropped another 5 pounds…

I couldn’t train ... no will

Smiling hurt…

Life hurt…..

I hurt…..

I really really hurt……

Then…….

I got a notice in the mail that I didn’t get into the nursing program that I was going to school for. DID NOT GET IN. I was #1 on the waitlist and didn’t get in. WHAT! God I saved someones life. You dropped a woman at my feet and I helped save her… you have taken my mother away... 

 

THEN………………..

.. it was announced that my boss would be retiring and I will be out of job come April.. OUT OF A JOB….  Really? And… REALLY!?

REALLY…

Then something grew out of the sorrow.. out of the pain.. out of the hurt… OUT OF THE NOTHINGNESS that I felt… I grew strong…

A fire started to burn …

And it burned HOT…

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF……

This is a note written to me by my cousin:

 “TRY NOT TO GIVE UP ON THE ONE THING YOU SEEM TO REALLY ENJOY ...YOUR RACES. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS NEW YORK THING YOU WILL FOREVER KICK YOURSELF IN THE ASS... LETS FACE IT THE WHOLE RACE IS ABOUT DIGGING DOWN AND PUSHING YOURSELF TO DO WHAT MOST PEOPLE CAN NOT ....SO PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES , STRAIGHTEN YOUR TIARA AND GET YOUR ASS MOVING !!!!:-) I LOVE YOU .."

 

LIFE FOR ME RESTARTED……..
Trust….

Believe…..

No regrets..

SO..OFF TO NEW YORK CITY WE GO!!!!

New York City meets Wendy – Thursday August 9th

To say that it was love at first sight.. not so much.. I am a country gal and don’t really care for a lot of noise and people.. and driving with Joe in NYC traffic.. was hmm.. just say… less than optimal.

We had some logistics that would make our weekend a little tougher, as if the logistics in general for the race were not hard enough as we had to bring our beloved Miss Bessie (pup) with us and we were not too sure where she was allowed to go or not..

Parking $30… walking down the lengthy car ramp in the blazing heat carrying a 10 pound ball of fur because you can’t take her on the elevator.. priceless….

Joe and I took turns going into the expo.. he waited outside with the taxis with Bessie while I went in to do my athlete check in… fill in my waivers.. promise wont sue if I die.. like I could if I am dead… check emergency contact info.. weigh in… yeah .. ok.. and uh huh… then back outside to switch places with Joe who could go inside and buy me some race gear  .. sweet!

Then back up the too long, steep and hot car ramp with the ball of fur and back into the car for the ride to our hotel… HELLO NEW JERSEY..

So I purposely picked the NJ hotel over the NY hotel because (1) I could LOOK AT the New York skyline…I mean how could I really see NYC if I am actually IN NYC!??... and( 2) it was cheaper… !

Check into our hotel was a dream.. we unloaded about 4 elevator trips of crap for our 4 day stay and got an excellent 8th floor room looking out onto NYC.. I had upgraded our room when I reserved it so we could get a view of New York City and it was 100% worth the extra $20 a night…

NOW I WAS IN LOVE…

The Ironman Banquet

The Ironman Banquet was back in NYC… so we had to buy ferry tickets $36 for both of us to get there… although our tickets said $75.. hmm… now to get over and walk the mile to the banquet. Oh yeah and the banquet was $50 for Joe to attend… ALAS…

There was a sewage spill up the Hudson river and the buzz was that they may have to cancel the swim if the water quality checks came back bad… they wouldn’t be able to let us know until Friday around 4pm… crazy… I don’t know if I was happy or sad about that… the swim was always very hard for me but I also worked very hard on it this year… and REALLY what’s an Ironman without the swim?!

I was super excited to meet up with my triathlete friends Dan and Jeff and we found both of them and got to eat and talk and get super hyped up about our race. The best part of the banquet for me was the man that sang Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York and oh yeah the Empire States building glamour girl. For not caring about noise and crowds I was definitely in my element.

The night streets in NYC are so alive!! … it truly is exhilarating!!… but I was glad our hotel was across the river as I needed to sleep and sleep was going to be hard with all this FUN going on… Ferry back to hotel and WOW….

DEFINITELY IN LOVE

 
Bike drop off – Friday, August 10th
Joe, Bessie and I woke up to an excellent NYC skyline… I flipped open the curtains and said HELLO NEW YORK CITY!!! They were calling for bad storms all day and so I made sure I put all my gear in double zip lock bags prior to putting them in the appropriate gear bags for the race… thank you mom for all those extra ziplocks I picked up at your house when cleaning up your stuff!

We ordered room service as it seemed easier while I packed my stuff and with Bessie being there… so $50 later for some French toast, fruit, coffee, and omelets we headed down to the ferry to go to transition to drop off my bike.

We had purchased a special pass for $50 for Joe to board the transition ferry but we didn’t know if he would be allowed on the ferry with me the day before so Joe did not come down with his wrist band to get on… when he found out he could get on he had like 3 mins to race up 8 flights of stairs and get it and back down…

NAIL BITER… as I sit on the ferry they were just getting ready to pull away and he makes it!!!!! And off we go… I have never done an Ironman without Joe snapping some pictures and being there and so was REALLY happy that they allowed him to come on the ferry to transition.

This whole experience was so amazing… the ride to transition.. seeing the George Washington bridge… the bridge I would hopefully be able to cross over during the Ironman run…. And seeing the massive cliffs at transition. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine anything being more beautiful and fun…!!!!

When we got near transition it was like out of a scene from mortal kombat.. did you ever see that movie.. where the people take the boat to the island where they fight.. yeah.. it was exactly like that…

I dropped off my bike and run bags, set up my bike.. and checked out the swim start… we walked up the hill that would be part of the run and bike course… and we noticed that the ENTIRE transition area was covered in feathers…

Funny.. how things just .. well .. are… and so we boarded our return ferry and the heavens opened up with rain and thunder…

Back at the hotel …. I was getting antsy.. I just wanted to get this party going… Joe said he couldn’t wait to get rid of me for 17 hours.. I must be a real pain in the arsh!

AND then they confirmed that the SWIM was a go… I would be swimming 2.4 miles in the morning in the Hudson!

Wake – Saturday August 11th 2:00 am

I don’t think ANYONE ever sleeps the night before a race, let alone before an Ironman… so was up at 2am… put on my free to breathe removableable tattoo… this is for you mom!… gear on.. and down to the dock at 3:30am … the ferry for the athletes would leave at 4.. if you missed it then you miss the race.. the ferry for the spectators would leave at 4:30am…

So what did I think about while on that ferry traveling to the start…??? in the dark with 400 of my “closest” friends…??? NOT a heck of a lot… !

The ferry docked and off we go to transition.. I make a quick stop at the bike.. tires still good and so I give her a pat and off I go to find something to do for the next hour until it time to get back on the ferry to the swim start…

Swim Start 2.4 miles: 7:00 am

HOW utterly cool the swim start was…. I snuck my way up towards the front of the line because my intention was to get onto the first ferry .. each ferry carried 400 people to the start.. and I wanted to get in that water towards the front… so I got my place in line and waited… fueling myself with a cinnamon poptart and gateraid… hheheheh.. breakfast of champions…

I see this really tall dude over yonder… YO DAN>. Here … Racing with peeps I know is exhilarating… idle chat and then we are boarding the ferries.. we will do this.. we both made it on the second ferry and up top and started waving goodbye .. bon voyage… and up the river we go….

Did the water concerns bother me… that they had dumped how many gallons of raw “chlorinated” sewage into the Hudson a couple days before… eh.. nah… I used to swim in filthy water on the Chesapeake back in the day when they put sewer into the water without chlorine… did the swim start bother me.. eh.. nah… I am ready.. I know Joe is worried and sure there is that worry always about making the cut off time but I felt really good.. unless someone drowned me.. I got this..

As we were motoring to the start Dan and I were commenting that the slack tide may be over as we pointed out the boats that were anchored and the tidal current was starting to move.. hell yeah. In our favor…

I don’t know what is more cool the fact we were on a ferry getting ready to get on a barge to then jump in the Hudson and swim 2.4 miles in filth while a helicopter was overhead with people all over the world.. or the fact that I really WANTED to swim the 2.4 miles in the Hudson… !

They docked both ferries 1 and 2 at same time on the barge while ferry 3 and 4 waited… Dan and I on Ferry 2… (which is to the right in this picture)… got off and filed to the plank… we wished each other luck and off we went.. I was given great advice by someone on the boat.. stay large.. put your arms out so you don’t sink towards the bottom when you jump in and then start to swim right away to get away from the barge so you don’t get jumped on..So its what I did.. I jumped in large… and started to swim fast … and I was ON MY WAY…

I couldn’t remember what Dan had said… was it orange buoys for first 1.2 miles and then yellow or was it the other way around…!!?? Damn… I was sighting to my right and all I could see was the shore line so every once in a while I would have to actually bring my head up and look over to the left to see where the buoys were…

Swim .. swim.. swim.. with 2,000 of my “closest friends”…. OMG can swimming get any more boring… … I got smacked in the head once hard..and I was a little ticked about that.. I mean come on folks.. I aint invisible… and I did get bumped and jostled and run over a couple times but no more than usual.. so I started kicking and thrashing about to make sure peeps stayed away.. 

As I neared the finish… the current picked up and threw me into one of the buoys… I looked up and it was like kissing a giant orange.. or was that yellow floaty… so after I wrestled myself off the buoy I swam into finish and in error tried to put my foot down…. EWEEEEE…. Stepped into a large mound of mud and instantly pulled my foot out…… BACK IN… the volunteers held out a helping hand… and I was DONE.. FINIS!

I looked at my watch and had to clear my eyes… 1hour and 3 mins… SERIOUSLY? This is when having a bit of current helps a lot!  I did talk to a few people later who said that their swim times were about ½ hour better than normal.. if that is the case I probably would have swam a 1hour and 30 min swim in a normal ironman swim that would give me an almost half hour improvement on my swim time… all that swim practice worked! It also helped a lot that I was swimming with other people all the time and not alone.. I think they helped pull me some… and that I didn’t have to look up to sight that much since it was a point to point… either case I will take it… my best Ironman swim time ever  wink

I think Joe was IN SHOCK… about my fast finish time… it took him TOTALLY off guard.. his excitement only magnified my excitement… I made that damn swim and made it well!! I didn’t realize that there was a coating of filth on my face from the river.. and that Joe actually snapped a picture and posted it .. I should have kicked his ass on that one.. 

PS: A man died during the swim portion of the race and I wouldn’t find out until the end of the race.. so very sad to think that this person MAY have been one of the people on the boat talking with me, I will never know. Joe saw them bring him in.. bless him and his family.

Trans 1
I have to reflect on the fact that being in the water for only an hour makes a person feel a HELL of a lot better than being in the water for 2 hours… I need to seriously keep working on that swim .. because it will only help me in the future.

I had no problem getting out of my bathing suit and into my cycling clothes.. I felt great.. and had a volunteer help open up my bags and such…in a matter of minutes I was on my bike and ready to tackle 112 miles..

Bike 112 miles 8:30am

Out of transition and it’s a large hill straight up, then a turn and up some more… but I felt great.. my bike does well on hills.. and I was pleasantly surprised that for once I was biking with people… no longer the back of the pack… but with people!

Almost immediately I noticed TOO many people ….in too small of a space… drafting. Everyone was on each other’s wheels.. because there was nowhere to go… I would say for the first 10 miles it was draft heaven .. I tried my best to stay out of zones.. but we were easily 3 across and in packs of 9 or more… the hills didn’t get to me until later… I zoomed down them like a rocket and up them like a small snail… and then I started to see crashes…

I saw three bikers on the return (this was a two loop up and back course) and they SMASHED into each other and bikes flying everywhere.. DUDE!!! and they were crawling to try and get off the course so they were not run the HELL OVER… and then later down the road a girl was covered in blood and in a neck brace off off to the side of the road.

This course was literally the most dangerous course I have ever biked.. the potholes, the open grates, the open sections of road large enough to swallow a wheel.. and the sheer volume of people in a small areas and high speed down hills made for very dangerous conditions… I saw TONS of people with flats.. and tons of debris on road from people hitting the holes and losing their stuff. I saw WHOLE drink bike cages and bags on the ground…

At one point I felt like I was a BMX racer as I was zooming down the hill at 40.7 mph and having to dodge debris and holes and hitting a small mount like a jump and being in the air.. yeah… wishing I had on a full face helmet thanks..

Getting water at the stations without stopping is truly an art… you slow up but don’t stop.. the volunteer slightly runs beside you and you get the water (hopefully you get it)… you then have a few seconds to invert bottle fill it in your front drink holder, while still moving, drink some and put some on your head.. and then oh yeah toss the bottle in the correct throw out zone.. I don’t know.. I guess maybe we had 100 yards for this entire activity… while moving..truly an art…

I felt real good until about mile 35 then I realized..I need to work on my distance.. A BIT MORE! The course was really draining in that it took a lot of extra mental strength to dodge the debris, and fight the wind on the back half.. and by then my nutrition had failed so things were starting to look UGLY.

I was cramping.. I was having excruciating pains in places I didn’t even know existed.. and if I saw one more damn hill I would throw my bike down and scream.

7 hours and 48 minutes… I have never been soo happy to be off a bike in my life.. thank you.. and have a nice day.

Trans 2
In the changing tent I went… it would have been a lot more helpful if they had water left.. UM may I have water.. I am sorry but we are out.. UM.. ok.. but they have some outside at the start of run course.. UM.. ok..

Change to my super cool Ironman Gear that Joe bought me at expo… and NOW TO GETTER DONE.. I really have to tell you.. I love running.. running is my strength.. but right then and there I didn’t want to run not one lick.. not one single step… but I knew I had no choice.. and so I marched my sorry ass out of the tent, back into the heat and smiled… .. Joe was there wildly screaming for me and then reached over and gave me the biggest kiss ever.. heck .. I think I like these ironman races!

SO up the big hill I go… with “just” a marathon 26.2 miles left. .. and life is… good… I walked.. and I jogged a bit.. and I walked.. and I jogged a bit more.. I calculated what I needed to do to get this job done… double section here up and back twice and then up over bridge and some miles in NYC and then done..

I started to wonder why I hadn’t seen Dan yet , last time I saw him was when we jumped into the water.. I thought for sure I would see him on bike since it was a two loop out and back and so I began to worry.. worry that something happened.. worry that he didn’t make cut offs.. worry .. worry.. and then I saw him! HI DAN!

I had seen my buddy Jeff during the bike.. as he went past me thank you very much.. and then on the run as he was ahead of me thank you very much.. and now I finally saw Dan.. GREAT!!!! All the buds are out and about… we are doing this!!!!

Because my nutrition was off , I kept up this walk, jog thing.. jogging the downhills and walking the uphills… eating oranges, grapes, pretzels, and ICE… chewing the ice was my favorite.. it gave me something do to do as I walked and jogged and kept me cool…

When I started this race all I could think about was getting to the bridge.. I couldn’t wait to say, “I SEE THE BRIDGE”… and was NEVER so happy in my life to make it the steps in order to get up to the bridge… Mile 16… only 10 miles to go!!!>.. I told myself I would run half the bridge and walk the other half.. and I did… I was IN NYC!!!!

I AM IN LOVE!

When I came off the bridge we entered a section of the course that was in a park and it was dark and I wonder if they thought about the peeps who would be running ALONE in the dark in a NYC park late at night…. BECAUSE I don’t care how Ironman I am .. I AM STILL a female who ran unescorted through a New York City Park at NIGHT with groups of non racing men milling about for their “evening strolls” .

This was the first time in my life that I felt REALLY UNEASY about my surroundings and was wishing I was packing something more than gummy bears..

NOW realize I did NOT have any specific problems and the two groups of men that did pass me where gracious enough not to turn around and try and rape or kill me.. but the feeling of being so vulnerable in the desolate sections in the dark made for a lot of mental unrest…

When I did the 24 running hour race in Philly someone got mugged and that course was well lit for the most part but thankfully we were allowed to have an escort. NO woman and maybe no man should run through a New York park alone at night. BUT it is kinda funny that someone got mugged in Philly AND NOT in New York.. just saying..

OH yeah and did I mention I saw my first New York City rat at around 9pm on the run path... I was like oh my God oh my god a rat look.. look a rat.. pointing at it.. the only dude near me didnt speak any English and didn't seem to notice or care as it scurried off the path …. .. Not cool..

I was disappointed at the snail pace of my ironman run this time but given that I had absolutely no nutrition going at this point and was struggling to stay upright.. I will take the 6-1/2 hour run time and kiss my lucky stars..

The finish – 15 hours and 43 mins

After zig sagging through the park a GAZILLION times I just wanted to know where the damn finish line was.. and finally I saw someone who could tell me.. one of my best pals Jen and her daughter Chloe had driven up to New York to see me race and to experience New York in all its finest and they were waiting in the “dark” on a NYC bench waiting for me.. I hear this voice.. is that Wendy.???. I am like who the hell is that.. then they ask again is that Wendy????.. I am like yeah… and they run to me and I hug them and said I AM NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN >> EVER>.. Chloe calls Joe to tell him I am near finish.. I feel like someone who just came home from the war… to feel so special and loved by family and friends..

If I am ever going to get a coach I am getting Jen.. she knew exactly what to say to me.. she briefed me on how much longer I had when to start my run again and so on… and so then I was off.. to finish my race.. as I came near the finish I saw Joe.. and I waved and entered the finish shoot.. and then I heard it..

Wendy Mastripolito you are an Ironman…

I was done 15 hours and 43 mins later…

The volunteer came up to me and held on to me as perhaps I may collapse and walked me… and talked.. are you ok she asked… I was thinking maybe this was a trick question… ?

I said I was fine.. and thanks for asking and I smiled… and she said you have done this before haven’t you.. I looked at her and said yeah… smile.. but this may be my last time..

she smiled and said.. yeah I heard that before..

I smiled again and said .. really I am fine.. and thanked her and finished my walk to get my gear bag.. finisher shirt and find Joe because I WANNA GO HOME.

THE END

I didn’t cry.. I didn’t have any type of emotional release… why… I don’t know.. because maybe I left it all on the course.. or maybe I was just too damn tired.. or maybe because I was soo damn happy…

We had to jog to the ferry and Joe laughed and said you can still jog.. ?

I smiled and said.. OF COURSE I can…

Trust….

Believe…..

No regrets..

PS: This is my 3rd full Ironman and who knows if it will be my last but it was one of the most memorable experiences in my life…

Thank you to my family and friends who stayed up late watching me come in.. and tracking me all day… … dad, heather, chuck, di… cine, connie.. and all my friends.. THANK YOU.. knowing you were “watching” MOTIVATED ME .. kept me going

Thank you to Jen and Chloe for coming all the way up from Delaware to watch me finish… special people like you are one in a million.

A special thank you to my mom in heaven because for the first time ever you got to see the whole thing from above and for keeping me company when I was alone!

A special beyond belief THANK YOU to Joe.. who without saying is my soul and rock… who believes in me even when I am not sure I believe in myself…

.. God thank you… because .. I know you were there..



Free to Breathe: Philadelphia, PA - November 4, 2012

Free to Breathe: Philadelphia, PA - November 4, 2012

IM Training for Week of 2/19-2/25

IM TRAINING HAS BEGUN......(actually its been going but officially this is my first official week.. I had a nice almost month and half of base, coming off a not too shabby 2011 season and now I'm ready)..

2/19-2/25 Totals
Swim: 4 hrs (4.5 miles)
Bike: 5 hrs (80 miles)
Run: 3 hrs (16 miles)
TOTAL: 12 hrs

Special Workouts for week:
**2 mile swim work out
**10 mile hilly repeats
**30 mile bike trainer

Realized I need extra carbs because my blood sugar tanked during my run, and yeah MAYBE this is no time to diet... special run of the week was a 4:20am 2 hour run before work, where I ran the same hilly mile loop.. lets say 10 times in 2 hours..CRAZY... temperature was low 40's, rain, and dark. Headlight kept bonking out and paperman almost ran me over, oh yeah and the whole I should probably have had more than one glass of carnation instant breakfast before I ran for 2 hours.. yeah thanks... intelligent. Gelled at mile 8 but couldn't recover the sugar drop.. By the time I was done working a full day I could barely get in a piece of pizza... but i did my 1 hour bike on the trainer and then passed out...

This the elevation for the run course for the IM... just wondering what that drop off is at mile 13?? Like will I need a parachute? 164 days to go.....

Tussey 50 Miler Recap - Oct 2011

Dead f-cking last.

….A place I thought I would NEVER be.

…..A place I’m glad God ALLOWED me to be.

…..A place that has CHANGED…..ME.

Last October…. October 23rd 2011 to be exact, I ran the Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler in State College, PA. It would be my second time completing the course and my 5th ultra run. Joe also ran but cleared the mountain in about 9 hours and some change…

….ME, well just say, I was the person with whom the medical vehicle followed. The person that everyone whispers and says, “Thank God I am not.. THAT person”. It took me almost 12 hours to finish....

So let's be honest here… “Wendy, how DO you feel about that?”

Well let me tell you…..…… God… its been a little while since we talked.. I know we used to talk a lot but ever since mom got sick, I kinda been a little angry about that… so I’m really sorry that I’m calling on you now but we need to talk…

….I don’t need to win…. I don’t even need to make the time cut off ….but I do need you to help strengthen my mind to deal with this pain so I can keep my legs going so I can get me off this F-cking mountain!

…The lower half of my body was toast… my right hip flexor destroyed… 4.2 miles to go with less than hour on the clock … and its getting dark.

I have been out and moving for 11 hours now … and I am coming to realize.. I’m LAST… there is no one else behind me. The verification came at the last aid station when the wonderful volunteers acknowledged it.. YES ,THANK YOU VERY MUCH…

.. now it's just me and this hour.. and 4.2 miles to go… ALONE….…DARK.. COLD.. PAIN… ALONE… DARK .. COLD .. PAIN…

… 3 miles to go…

…and I see headlights… and the car slows besides me… and it’s Joe… he looks terribly worried and tells me to get in the car… I felt so bad for him. I know I looked like shit and if I were he, I would be scared for me… but the BOY DOES NOT KNOW ME TOO WELL… NOW DOES HE!?

“No, I’m ok”.. as I shuffle along… “I am going to make it.”

He said, “PLEASE get in the car, it’s COLD, you don’t have the proper clothes on, it’s DARK.. and..”

“NO… GO AWAY!”

I am sure it was more for my safety and health and he was right.. it was getting soo COLD… and it was SOOO DARK… and I was exhausted and in PAIN..BUT… there was no way… so with some wild jesters of my hands I swish him away.... and he turned around and went back down the mountain… and now I realize…. that there really was NO ONE ELSE OUT HERE… I WAS ALONE….DARK.. COLD.. PAIN… ALONE… DARK .. COLD .. PAIN…

2 miles to go…

Then a light behind me…it was the sag wagon and they trailed and provided light for me for the last 2 miles off that mountain… I see the finish… and I see Joe….I drooled a SMILE… he’s screaming to get in within the cut off…poor Joe…

Finish time… 11:54:47… cutoff was 12 hours.. I had less than 6 minutes to spare…PLENTY OF TIME…

49:47 for the last 4.2 miles (11:51 pace)

DEAD F-CKING LAST…..

So now let me tell you a little story…

.. about how HIDEOUS that mountain really is….