Than last year's race. I am so happy and pleased with my times. Race day started as usual, wake up at 3:45, ate a PB%J, OJ and a bit of coffee. Waitied patiently for my insides to get the signal so I can go and take care of bussiness. Hummm, no luck yet so, I ate a Power Bar with Gatorade, then, by 5:30...........well, you get the picture.:o. After getting my stuff together (I have raked my bike the day before, when I picked up my race packet) we got out of the hotel at 6am. I figured that was enough time to get to the transition area so I can put my bottles on my bike and get my other stuff ready, but, either I miss a memo or I don't know what the heck happened but they didn't let us pull into the parking right next to the transition area, like last year so, we were directed to an office complex like more than a mile away to park there. We were also told that there were going to be some shuttle busses taking people back to the swim start but the busses couldn't take anyone to the transition area. Well, needless to say, we were p.....ed!!!!!!!! (my daughter and I) because now we had to walk all the way back to transition, carrying the cooler, some chairs, towels, my granddaughter's sand toys and, my back pack with all my race stuff and of course, my granddaughter, who's 3 and solid!!!!! Ughhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! it was a mess, some of the other people were looking around asking questions to the police and other parking attendants and getting nowhere and they too were just as annoyed as we were. Well, to make this a bit shorter, we got to the transition area with 15 min. till 7 and I was in wave #1. I was in a panic, I needed to either run back to the swim start or, well, plea with some of the people that were in that interminable line to board the busses, telling them to please let me cut in because my wave was about to start and I needed to be there. One thing I have to say for fellow Triathlets and that is that they are some of the greatest people on this planet. I don't know who you are that let me in front of you saying: "Oh, no worries, come, get in here and lets go. Don't worry, they can't start without you. There still a few minutes left so, you will be there.". God Bless you all. I made it, just in the nick of time, as they were singing the National Anthem.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then, still huffing and puffing from the run from the shuttle buss to the pier, I jumped into the Lake and took off swimming. I was all warmed up and I felt real good, so good indeed that I swam 8 min. faster than last year's swim, exiting the water at 39 min. Then, there we go, on that long run to transition, Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: but I got ready, got my shoes on, helmet, sunglasses, grabbed my E-caps and sprayed some sunscreen on me and off I went. The bike was fine, changed course from last year, a bit hilly but nice. No mayor problems for me, except on the climbs due to me now being a big climber, but all things considered, I also made the ride in less time than last year's. 2:58:20!!!!!!!!!!! 8 freaking min. less than in 05. Well now, this is great!!!!!! I am so happy, came into transition, took off helmet, put on another pair of sunglasses, ( I change them because the ones I use for the bike always get all sweaty and I can see very well), grabbed my cap, my other packet of E-caps, my straw, (I take a straw to all my races so I can drink without spilling the stuff all over me, it works like a charm, at least for me), and I took off running. My daughter and grandaugter are there, yelling and cheearing me on, I give them a "high 5" and off I went. The run was uneventfull, again, hilly course but oh well, what can I do, I just kept a nice, slow pace, only stopping a bit at the aid stations to grab water or gatorade or grapes and bananas from the volunteers but I never stopped. By mile 7 or so, I started feeling that my feet were like on fire. Every step was uncomfortable, ughhhhhhh!!! I don't know why but I put into practice my mental games, you know? I start concentrating on the road, like picking landmarks and thinking how many steps will it take me to get there or picking up another runner in front of me and trying to catch up or drifting away to my family waiting for me at the finish line and soon enough the discomfort left. By mile 11 I was again elated, knowing it was almost over and I felt strong and happy and I kept telling myself: "ok, only 2 more miles and change, two more miles and change, girl!!" When I turned the corner before the finish I glanced up at the clock and I saw 6:07 and I just couldn't believe it, I was so very happy and my daughter was in tears and then I started crying again. Boy, what a fabulous day. I am very happy with my run time because I was able to maintaing a 10min./mile pace and that, my friends, for me is just HUGE, WONDERFUL, UNBELIEVABLE.
Well, this is it, now, just wait patiently for the Wisconsin Iron Man, I know this finish time is, by no means possible, any indication of my finish time in Madison, but it gave me a shot of confidence in my training so far and in the fact that I will be able to finish this IM feeling happy and pleased.
Thank you for reading.
Maria.