Sorry for the rambling in advance. I’ll try to hit the points that played major roles in the day.
Training leading up to this race did not lend itself to any kind of strict schedule. I relied on some basics that I’ve picked up over the last few years, what to stress over and (more importantly) what not to.
Family first, I let this point get away from me when I was training for LP '08, not gonna do it again. Weird work hours, made each training ‘week’ unique requiring a different focus each week. And then, in March, mom was diagnosed with metastatic lung ca. I chose to continue training, not as a distraction, but to keep my sanity, because s/b/r is fun to me, not work. Knew I had to stay open minded about ANY plans/changes coming up in the next year. Lots of travel. This is when I quit caring about peaking for anything and just aimed general fitness. Don’t get me wrong, big miles, hard intervals, big general fitness. But ‘get it when u can’ became my tri motto. Mom’s details are for a different time, a different thread, but she did die a week before the race and my taper was spent doing things that I never thought I’d have to do, and workouts weren’t even on my mind for the week. My family pulled together in ways that I am so proud of. And, of course, I don’t know how I could’ve gotten thru it without my wife. I stayed open minded, ok with not showing up to Augusta. But the day after the funeral, i went for a pretty long run and felt ok with it. Not physically, but emotionally. After a few days, we returned home…
To find the A/C wasn’t working. So, I go into the attic to check it out. That’s when I placed my left foot on that f’in nail sticking up thru the insulation. I didn’t even yell, I actually laughed. I thought this would go great with my prized collection of blisters that I had been holding onto since I tried breaking in my new shoes 2 weeks earlier. Made a tight hamstring look ez.
Got into Augusta late Friday night. DoubleTree Hotel was nice. Close to plenty of food an exit away. And I liked being away from the tri epicenter and the surrounding nervousness.
My checkin was very crowded. You’ve probably heard this already. Lots of stressed triathletes and families packed into small foyers, waiting, very funny. We’re programmed to move forward, not stand still! Did get to talk to Tara (from Biggest Loser) for a few minutes, she was pretty cool, and just as overwhelmed as any other newbie. Not sure how (or if) she finished. Then the trekking to and from the checkin down to transition. Plenty of aerobic activity doing all of this, no need for a day before ride/run.
We spent the entire evening hanging out with a ton of crazy drunk kids at Wild Wing watching the Dawgs game. This may have been the smartest thing I did all weekend. I mean, you can only move that gel packet on the spare queen bed so many times, right?
Sorry for the ramble.
4 hours sleep, but ez waking up. Even Sheri was up and at 'em. Oatmeal/PB/Honey/Cinammon b’fast early, powerbar and G’ade closer to start. Went ez with the setup. G’ade/HJ, with gel & endurolytes & half powerbar in individual baggies for each hour for the bike. Went ahead and put the baggies under my tri suit before the wetsuit so that all I had to do was slap my helmet on in T1.
Pro start was really cool to see. Thanks to all the pros that came down.
My swim was brutal. I’m an average to below average swimmer. I knew that the current would help my time a little, but not my standings in the AG. That would still suck. Somehow I found myself in a pack of swimmers that I just couldn’t get away from until about halfway. I was swimming that whole part with a reach that was more of head protection than it was of hydrodynamics. Oh well, I survived once I swam over to the SC side of the river, where the gators were. I hate it when the other waves start passing me. 30:xx. Not the benefit others got, but any current help is appreciated in my case.
Thanks to the advice of a good friend, I didn’t settle for lollygaggin’ to/thru T1. The wetsuit strippers were so proud that they ripped it off on the first try. Thanks guys. 2:30ish.
I headed out on the bike wanting to be aggressive. I can’t swim, and I can’t run, the bike is all I’ve got. It ain’t great, but it’s all I’ve got. I enjoy it, so I’ve got to push it, at least until I blow up! Considering the weeks leading up to the race, I was surprised at how I felt at this point, that’s the power of low expectations. First 1/3 of the bike route was fast, middle 1/3 required patience on rollers and false flats, and last 1/3 of the course was fast, fyi. Remember my nutrition baggies. Each had 1/2 powerbar, 2 endurolytes and 2 sportslegs supplements. By the second bag, the powerbar had melted around the supplements. I couldn’t wash them down, I had to try to eat them with the powerbar. No Go. Blew chunks at 23 mph. AWESOME. Looked worse than it actually was, but I’m sure the guy behind will be telling his buddies about the dude who purged in front of him. Went light. Just 2 bottles, aerobars and aero bottle on downtube. No spare/flat kit. Gamble, I know, what the hell. 2:31. 22.1mph. really wanted that 2:20 something.
T2: smooth, changed quick to visor, belt, K-swiss, and picked up Amphipod full of Red Bull/HJ and gone. 1:30 something
Off to the run. Despite the foot/hamstring issues, I felt confident I could finish the run. Spent the first 6 miles with stride lengths that were so short, it had to comical. Just kept telling myself ‘short, quick, light’. Looked at my watch and noticed that my splits were actually quicker than my 9 min/mi goal. And I wasn’t hurting yet, no bonk, no foot pain, no hammy pain. That was weird. The crowd helped. And I saw our cop friend from Wild Wing the nite before, big high five, keep it quick. Next 6 miles were a little tougher, just time to hold pace, dig deep. This was the first time I was disciplined with my OWN pace and I didn’t try to keep up with some joe who passed me. Now, it felt like everyone was passing me, but in reality, I held my own and caught a few over the last 2 miles. One mile at a time, 8:40-9:00, surprised to neg split the run. That last turn, that last straightaway, when you hear your family and friends…can anything beat that?! Funny how aches and pains go away and paces pick up. 1:57, 8:59 min/mi.
Into the chute at 5:04. PR. Grab a bottle of water, grab the medal, get a hug, and hit the road. Grass needs cuttin’.