Water, the elixir of life...

Maybe the two of you who actually read my blog are wondering whatever happened?  Did she make it past week 15 and a half?  Yes!  I am happy to report that I made it through weeks 16, 17 and 18 too!  As the race approached, life got busier and busier.  Visitors starting trickling in and time got away from me, hence the blog remained here uninspired and ignored.  Now I'm back.  

It's been almost a month since that fateful day - April 4, 2009... I'll spare you the details of the final hard weeks of training (It was difficult).. So starting around the Wednesday before the race, I started to get a little bit of a cold - No big deal.  I kept telling myself I could beat it.  Afterall, I had made it 18 weeks of 5 am swims and 50 mile bike rides. How could a little cold get me down?  Numerous warnings from the tri-club list serve clogged my e-mails - Apparently tapering makes people more susceptible to colds?  Rubbish!  I would defeat the cold mentally.  By Friday, most everyone from out of town had arrived and I had to admit - I wasn't feeling well.  I went to the pharmacy and asked the pharmacist what she would recommend for someone swimming, biking and running 70.3 miles the next day.  She recommended Mucinex.  Ok, I say and buy the Mucinex and Sudafed (my crutch just in case...).  I promptly downed one pill as a test run.  I also began to chug serious amounts of fluids as I knew the stuff would dry me out.  I felt ok and the Mucinex was allowing me to breathe easier.

Friday continued on - It was a fabulous day (outside the near constant worry of my impending doom).   I got all checked in for the race up in Oceanside and my anxiety grew even more.   We ended the day with a bbq with all of my dearest family/friends at the Streams beach house, which allowed me to relax just a smidgen.  I cut out early so that I could get up to Carlsbad and try to get a good night sleep.   Got up to Carlsbad and realized I was a neurotic stress ball.... But, eventually fell asleep at some point during the night....

4:15 a.m.  Alarm goes off.  Really freaking out.  Get on my Athletes for A Cure top (still a little snug with my cupcake top)...Pop another Mucinex... Load up the truck with the bike and all my gear. See many other crazies in the parking lot.  Seriously, who chooses to get up at 4 on a Saturday?  I do, I do!  Got up to Oceanside and it's dark and cold.  I know you probably don't believe me about the cold part, but it really was.  I could see my breath in the air and had on a warm winter hat to keep my ears from freezing.  We reached the parking lot and then I really freaked out once I saw everyone.  Loaded my gear on my back and biked the mile (in the cold - brrrr) down to the transition area.  I got there and luckily this year, was there early enough that I could choose a nice spot in the transition area.  I chose a spot right by the wall so that my family could find me and because, who am I kidding, the extra 20 feet I would have to run to get here was not going to hurt my placement ;)  AJP arrived (having walked the mile alone and in the cold) with my turtle balloon.  Yay - AJP - You're awesome!  This balloon was awesome - picked it up at Albertsons the night before.  I tied it to the bar at my spot so I could find my stuff (often delirious upon exit of the water) and my family could find me too!  AJP also brought food and drink so I could get some calories into my body before the fun would begin...

The transition area started to fill up with all of the athletes.  The first sliver of light appeared to the east.  It was still cold.  I shivered as I had to semi-strip to get body-marking for the race.  The other ladies in my age group were starting to get their wetsuits on so I did the same.  The problem with my wetsuit is that I bought it 5 years and 20 pounds ago ;)  I've worn it many times previously, but the past few uses have been somewhat uncomfortable.  After much work, I finally go the thing on and felt like a little sausage squeezed into a casing (simile complements of AJP) - The thing barely zipped, but got it on...  About the time AJP forced the zipper up my back - my family arrived!  I was so WONDERFUL to see their smiling faces and hear their cheers and Ironman cow bells.  My nephews all sported Ironman tattoos - They got me pumped up and helped ease my nerves!  Soon it was time for me to head to the start.  I pulled on the red swim cap, hugged them all and walked over to the boat ramp....

I stood there waiting at the boat ramp with the other women in my heat, all clad in red swim caps.  The mood was upbeat and full of energy.  Athletes in heats ahead of mine were already finishing up and exiting the water.  It was exciting!  Before I knew it, it was time for me to go.  They let our heat into the water, which was COLD (a crisp 58 degrees F).  We walked down the boat ramp and took our first dip in the ocean.  The race starts out a small distance from the boat ramp so you swim out a little ways first.  We all swam out together and awaited the start.  By this time the nerves were gone.  I hung towards the back as to not get run over (swimming is not my strongest), wished the girls next to me good luck and took in a deep breath.  

At 7:33 a.m., the gun went off and off I went.  

To Be Continued....What happened next?  Hmmm - You know, it's 10:15 and I just got back from an awesome weekend in NOLA for the jazz fest.... The rest of my post is coming soon :)