My hip had been very very dodgy leading up to this event so my training volume was waaaay down two weeks prior, and almost nil one week prior with hours in cars. Yikes. So I approached this as a particularly high-volume training day. I like to be done with breakfast 3 hours prior to starting any distance event, so my plan was to get up at 3:30. HAHA my brain was like good chat, bro, stupid plan Imma start bothering you to hang out at 2a. THANKS BRAIN YOU ARE A REAL PEACH.
I had plenty of time. I got bodymarked RIGHT at the opening of transition. 4:30am. I did what I always do, which is immediately strike up conversations with everybody around me. Makes the morning go quickly. The morning itself had a bit of a chill. Ok fine. I was cold. Even after I got the bottom half of my wetsuit on and my throwaway ancient sneaks for the 600m (!) walk to the swim start, where I lined up all optimistic in the 50-50something minute group.
I thought, golly, those waves look kinda, uh, vigorous. That current looks, uh, opposite where I want it to go. Ladies and gentlemen, the swim was a beast-monster. 2-3 foot swells, I was so seasick, I barely swam freestyle, and actually I sidestroked most of the time. Word after was that 70 people had to pull out of the swim for any number of reasons (dude, I was really close after the fourth swallow of seawater, but somehow miraculously I just kept swimming, like Dory, but less coordinated). 59 minutes people. 59 minutes. Felt like e-ter-ni-ty.
Wetsuit strippers are a nice touch, and then there's another one of them long-ass jogs to transition but there was a nice mat down. I "jogged". HA HA HA I ambled like a little old lady. I was soooo thirsty. I sat my butt down and drank 20 oz of water/Skratch, thought well I'm so going to have to pee on this bike ride BUT....I DIDN'T. And the bike course was picturesque enough, very well marked, open to traffic but lots of friendly officers directing traffic and volunteers designating turns.
I had such drama (posted previously) learning eating and drinking on the bike and YOU GUYS, I did it! I did not stop. I took gels! Out of a zipper pouch (WHAT), ripped them open with my teeth, took 'em in and stuffed the empties back in my pockets. And biggest thing: I actually managed to grab water from the awesome volunteers at the aid stations. I thought as I was rolling up "am I going to try this.. am I.." And I did! And I didn't swerve or mess anyone up. Thank heavens.
My T2 was slightly quicker than T1 but I needed a sunscreen refresh. And a thing I didn't correct- I PUT MY DAMN SOCKS ON UPSIDE DOWN. You read that right. UPSIDE DOWN. The heel cup was on top of my ankles. Who does that? The answer is me. I do that, apparently. I finished a water bottle off my bike and thought, well now I really will have to pee on the run. And I did. That was annoying. But I guess a positive in terms of being well-hydrated.
Sidebar: Chips Ahoy cookies. Barely food, but so delicious while running.
I can't in all honesty call it a run. It was more an amble. A light jog/walk. I wanted to be not miserable at the finish and I was so undertrained in terms of running that I needed to chill out extra much. Worked. Was able to "sprint" my finish. And I can still walk. I can't walk fast. I think normal walking speed won't return for a couple of days.
I had plenty of time. I got bodymarked RIGHT at the opening of transition. 4:30am. I did what I always do, which is immediately strike up conversations with everybody around me. Makes the morning go quickly. The morning itself had a bit of a chill. Ok fine. I was cold. Even after I got the bottom half of my wetsuit on and my throwaway ancient sneaks for the 600m (!) walk to the swim start, where I lined up all optimistic in the 50-50something minute group.
I thought, golly, those waves look kinda, uh, vigorous. That current looks, uh, opposite where I want it to go. Ladies and gentlemen, the swim was a beast-monster. 2-3 foot swells, I was so seasick, I barely swam freestyle, and actually I sidestroked most of the time. Word after was that 70 people had to pull out of the swim for any number of reasons (dude, I was really close after the fourth swallow of seawater, but somehow miraculously I just kept swimming, like Dory, but less coordinated). 59 minutes people. 59 minutes. Felt like e-ter-ni-ty.
Wetsuit strippers are a nice touch, and then there's another one of them long-ass jogs to transition but there was a nice mat down. I "jogged". HA HA HA I ambled like a little old lady. I was soooo thirsty. I sat my butt down and drank 20 oz of water/Skratch, thought well I'm so going to have to pee on this bike ride BUT....I DIDN'T. And the bike course was picturesque enough, very well marked, open to traffic but lots of friendly officers directing traffic and volunteers designating turns.
I had such drama (posted previously) learning eating and drinking on the bike and YOU GUYS, I did it! I did not stop. I took gels! Out of a zipper pouch (WHAT), ripped them open with my teeth, took 'em in and stuffed the empties back in my pockets. And biggest thing: I actually managed to grab water from the awesome volunteers at the aid stations. I thought as I was rolling up "am I going to try this.. am I.." And I did! And I didn't swerve or mess anyone up. Thank heavens.
My T2 was slightly quicker than T1 but I needed a sunscreen refresh. And a thing I didn't correct- I PUT MY DAMN SOCKS ON UPSIDE DOWN. You read that right. UPSIDE DOWN. The heel cup was on top of my ankles. Who does that? The answer is me. I do that, apparently. I finished a water bottle off my bike and thought, well now I really will have to pee on the run. And I did. That was annoying. But I guess a positive in terms of being well-hydrated.
Sidebar: Chips Ahoy cookies. Barely food, but so delicious while running.
I can't in all honesty call it a run. It was more an amble. A light jog/walk. I wanted to be not miserable at the finish and I was so undertrained in terms of running that I needed to chill out extra much. Worked. Was able to "sprint" my finish. And I can still walk. I can't walk fast. I think normal walking speed won't return for a couple of days.