Dear friends: I have had some problems with my computer so I apologize for taking this long to write this report.
For anyone that has followed me on this journey, sending advise and answering my questions.....Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I am so happy and proud to have such wonderful friends in you all.
Well, this adventure started in 03, really, when I did my first ever Triathlon. I got hopelessly hooked on this sport and slowly but surely, with patience and dedication, I climbed the ladder to where I am today.
I did my very first IronMan Triathlon on September 10th. 2006 and the experience will live in me forever.
I drove to Madison with my youngest daughter (29) and my granddaughter (3) on Thursday, the 7th. wich was also my 55th. birthday and we got to the hotel at around 11:30 pm. My husband and my other daughter (31), my grandchildren and my sons in law, were getting there on Saturday durning the day.
Friday, we went and did all the pre-race stuff, went through the motions of registration etc. Then, we just went shopping for some last minuthe things and to get a jacket for my daughter because she forgot hers at home. Friday was on the warm side, so I thought that we were going to have a really nice day on Sunday. Boy!!!!!!!!! was I wrong!!!!!!:eek:
Saturday, I met with PJT and his wife and some other folks who were going to do this race, also for the first time and we ate a nice lunch, (sheeesh!!!! I ate pasta again.....) talked, took pictures and had a real nice time. I am glad I met with them, it helped calm my pre-race nerves.
By 2:30 or so, we went back to the Convention Center to rack my bike, drop my gear bags and walk around at the Expo, then we went to walk a bit more at the Farmer's Market, this was just so much fun. I got me some delicious Pesto and the most wonderful honey I have ever tasted. I also got me some cookies and I bought the biggest and most amazing looking Egg Plants I have ever seen. We already ate them and they were so good.
By 5pm, my husband called and he said that they were at the hotel waiting for us, they were hungry and ready to eat....NOW!!! so, we told them to meet us at the Parking garage were we had our van and from them, we went back to the Noodle Company for, yet again, more pasta for me. Sheeeesh!!!!!! talk about carbo-loading, my friends. I had been eating pasta and brown rice and all kinds of "good carbs" for 2 weeks straight and I had gained 6lb. no kidding!!!!!!! Yikes, but I do believe this helped me tremendously in keeping me warm on that bike for 7+ hours on race day and then, on the Marathon too.
We went back to the hotel by 8:30pm. and I was trying to go to sleep by 9. It took some time but I guess I finally fell asleep because I woke up, with a jolt, at 3am.
I knew the alarm was set for 3:30 but I just couldn't stay in bed so, I got up and went to get my breakfast. I ate one small container of strawberry yogurt, 2 packages of fig newtons, one English muffin, toasted (did I tell you I brought with me my coffee machine and my toaster?) with PB&J and I turned the coffee machine so it would start brewing.
Then I went to get dressed with my swim gear wich consisted of a pair of old bike shorts and a sports bra. I put my chip on my right leg and the bottom of my wetsuit. I was amazingly calm, I felt my heart beating nice and steady. I remember being more nervous last year, when I did my first Half IM, but this morning, I was at peace with myself. All I felt was happiness and excitement and antisipation and I felt I was so ready for this I could hardly wait to get to the swim start.
We, (the children, who were such troopers getting up so early, my daughters and their husbands and my own husband) were ready and on the road at 5:30am. My daughter started videotaping me and she didn't stop until I crossed the finish line.
I dropped my Special Needs bags at the designated areas and we walked our way to the body marking place. It was cold and windy and, when they were writing my number on my arms, I felt the first rain drop on my face. Just in case you were wondering, it didn't stop raining for 2 days, sheeeeeeesh!!!!!!!!!

THE SWIM: Well, I had been thinking of seeding myself like at the back of the pack. I felt this was safer? errrrrr, hummmm..... less painful? but, by the time I was walking towards the swim start I changed my mind. Heck, there is only ONE FIRST IRON MAN, this day will never repeat itself, not like this, there will be other IronMan races in my future but the first one comes only once in a life time so, I entered the water and swam to the middle of the pack, yes, yes, I wanted to feel the contact of other legs and arms and feel the rush of a mass swim start in all its painful glory. I waited there for about 15 min. then, the cannon went off and we took off swimming. Ohhhhhh, what a rush, what a rush!!!!! I got kicked, hit, swam over but, I did the same, swimming trying to find a place where I could relax and do my thing but this didn't happen until after I reached the first turn,then, all the swimmers were more spread out and I was able to swim with little or no problems. The waters of Lake Monona were very choppy and rough, more on the opposite side, so it was a bit hard to swim without getting a mouthfull of water once in a while. The second loop of the swim was better and I exited the water in 1:35 and change. I honestly was expecting a 1:45 swim time, only because open water swimming.......well, I really don't like it to much, so when I saw my time, I was more than happy.
Another thing I wanted to do was to get my wet suit stripped by the volunteers so, as soon as I got out of the water, I called them and........wow!!!!!!! this is just such fun. I wish they would have this guys at every race.

T1.- Not much to say here, just rush, rush, rush to get your biking things on your wet body, sheeeeesh!!!!!!!, it took me way to long but I was also able to focus on the task ahead.

THE BIKE: I knew I was going to be a bit slow here, only because of the wet pavement. I have a real fear of falling on my bike. I have fallen before, on a race and it is not fun and besides, I didn't want to mess my bike or myself so, I decided to be extra careful and I was. Those hills didn't intimidate me anymore. I rode the course back in July and that helped me to train for them and to get ready for them as soon as I recognized the area. I am proud to say I stayed on my bike the whole time, I didn't walk any of them, heck, I didn't even stop to use the bathroom. My nutrition plan worked to perfection and I made a point to take one bottle of Gatorade and 2-3 pieces of banana at every single aid station. This, plus my GU, (ahhhhhh Expresso Love;) ) and Cliff Shots, sustained me throughout the 112 miles. I never cramped, I never had stomach issues, heck!!!!!!! I was never even very cold at all, even if I was soaked to the bone. Bike time: 7:51 and change, a bit slower than I antisipated, but I am still very happy, my bike didn't give me any trouble, except for a couple of times that the chain came off and this was because my hands were so numb that I couldn't shift the gears properly.

T2.- Well, this was a sight to behold. A room full of very cold, very wet, very beautiful women, all trying to untie their gear bags with very numb fingers, all trying to change and get ready for the Marathon ahead of all of us, still laughing and having a grand time.
Idon't remember how much time I spent here, hummmmm, I think it was about 16 min.

THE MARATHON: Well, here is where the race starts for me. I have never ran a Marathon before in my life and now, I was just about to get initiated and it was goint to be during an IronMan race. I had no expectations what so ever about this. I had swam the 2.4 miles 3 times at the Y, I had biked the 112 miles of the bike course plus 2 more 100 mile rides around here but, I have never ran 26.2 miles, ever. My longest run, during my training had been only 15 miles and I did this on my treadmill, in my family room, with the tv. on, nice and warm, no rain, no wind, the bathroom right there, I mean, all the comforts of home. I was about to step into the unknown.
Well, needless to say, it was freaking cold by now, colder I think than when I was on the bike, who knows? sheeeeesh, what a day!!!!! I started running nice and easy, I mean, I had to run nice and easy due to my legs being kind of numb? LOL My plan was to run between 11:30 to 12 min./miles, run to each aid station, take food, chicken broth etc. walk for about 30 or 40 seconds and then continue running to the next aid station. Well, this worked like a charm, until I came to the turn around and let me tell you, my friends, this is a very, very cruel spot, right here, where you can hear the crowds cheering you on, thinking you are about to finish, where you can hear the music, see the lights, see the finish line but you cant finish, you have to turn around and leave all this and the though in your mind as you leave this place are those 13+ miles more you have to run till you come back. As I was turning someone yelled from the crowds this to me: "Maria, just 13 more miles to go, keep the faith, keep smiling, don't give up". I kind of turned to see who had said this to me but I couldn't find him so all I yelled was: "Ok, I will be right back" Everyone laughed and I felt happy again. Yes, only 13 more miles and I will be here again and this time it will be to run straight into those lights, waiting to hear my name followed by ....YOUR ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!!
So I kept running, I kept smiling, I kept my faith, I kept eating my GU, drinking that delicious chicken soup, running, running. The end was near.
By the time I reached mile marker 24 I knew I had made it. My feet were hurting so bad. I knew I had bad blisters because my shoes and my socks were soaked. I had tought about stopping at teh special needs place and grabb the extra pair of socks I had in there but I though, what for? why bother, it is still raining, my shoes are soaked, the streets are full of puddles, why waist my time.
Well, mile 25 came and I here is where I lost it. I started crying, sobbing, really, because I was just so full of happiness. This time the lights were for me, the music was for me, I had the finish line all to myself and I rose my arms and I yelled: "yes, yes, I did it" I heard my name, the way I dreamed to hear for the longest time: "MARIA RODRIGUEZ, FROM CROWN POINT, INDIANA, NOW YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!!!"
Oh goodness, what a feeling. I was just elated. I know all of you who finished this race as well as all of you veterans would know just the rush of feelings going through you those few yards before you finish and how they explode, all at once as you cross the finish line.
Total time, including transitions: 15:14:48. I cryed on my daughters arms and then my husband hugged me too and said: "YOU did it, you did it, I am so happy for you!!!!!!" Getting that medal around my neck was the culmination of all the efforts and all the hard work we all put into this race and I am grateful for having the opportunity to be able to do something this wonderful at this time in my life.
The next morning, I woke up at around 7am wiht a jolt and the sense that something was terribly wrong. For a moment I thought it was race day and I was miserably late but then, I started moving in bed and the pain in my legs said it all. "it is not race day, girl, it is the day after and you are an IronMan". So, painfully, slowly, quietly I got out of bed, went to the dresser and got my medal, put it around my neck again and got in bed to take another little nap.
Later that monday, my daughter and I went to get my gear bags and by Finishers Certificate and I ran into a friend of mine who congratulated me and said: "Maria, did you know you finished in 3rd. place in your AG?" I just couldn't believe it. Now I would have also an award, I would get up on stage at the awards ceremony and receive my award. This was just the icing on the IronMan cake. What a wonderful feeling, hearing your name again, getting up on stage, my husband taking pictures of me and the other women and getting my award. It was incredible.

I went into this race with only one thought in my mind and that was to finish, no matter what. Finishing and then getting an award was more than what I ever hopped for.

I will go back to Wisconsin next year to volunteer and also, to register for the 2008 race. I am in love with this city, its people and most of all, with this race. There was only one spot for the Kona Championship next year so the woman who came in first got it, I was not surprised. The second place woman was not at the awards ceremony so, if the first place would have declined, it would have come to me and I would have taken it in a heartbeat.
I think my goal for 2008 would be to qualify for Kona. I have 2 years to get ready and I know now that I can do this. I will work real hard to become a better runner and to get stronger on the bike.
Well, my dear Trifuel friends, this is it. I hope this was not too long but I just wanted to put it all down and share it with you.
Congratulations to all who finish. Thank you for reading and God Bless.
Maria=IronMan.