I am loving being able to say that. :) I landed last night around 10pm, and I got home around 11:40pm. Thanfully, I had laid out my clothes before I left and I made a checklist of the remaining items I needed to get. I was very organized (for once!).
I stretched for a while to try to help ease the groin pain and hoped that it would cooperate for the run. Stupid adducter muscles! They are not my friend, and they are very stubborn.
We got up this morning at 4:50am. WHOA...really? Already? Seriously? I struggled to wake up, but then excitement hit and I was up and getting ready. I got the kids up (Katie, Michael, and Morgan all got up at this crazy hour just to come cheer us on - what great kids we have). It was 52 degrees. OMG that is freezing when you live in Florida. I grab a sweatshirt.
We arrive at 6:02 which is a miracle as we planned to get there at 6. Mike drops me between the parking lot and the registration building (the town hall building in LongLeaf). I walk and try to keep my teeth from chattering. I go in and get my packet. I am number 574. Here we go!
I walk back to the parking lot. It is about a half a mile I think. I am very cold by the time I get there, and I am very thankful that I grabbed the sweatshirt. It is dark, and I almost twist my ankle. I am very cold and starting to get very nervous.
I get to the car, and Mike pumps up our tires. I was standing there trying to use my cell phone to give enough light to him, and this nice man in his truck turned his headlights on. It made it MUCH easier. The kids stay in the car as they want to sleep until it is light/warmer/closer to the race. Mike and I take our bikes toward the transition.
When we arrive behind Florida Design, they start marking us. That is a weird experience. They put your number on both arms and on your left leg. Then, they put your age on the back of your right leg (although mine was a LIE since they use your age as of December!. Not that I am bitter...). After we are marked, we head into the transition area. I find my rack where 574 is, and there is not much room. The girl with 575 moved down some. I hang my bike from the seat and lay out all of my stuff. I practice with my helmet as it always is difficult for me to remember which way it goes. I see several of the girls from my tri club. Stacey, Nicole, and I are smart and head to the restroom. Then, I lost them. We wanted to take a group picture, but I couldn't find them. I did see Aleida. We wandered all around trying to find them, and we even went down to the lake. It was SO cold out and the lake was steaming as it was warmer than the outdoor temp. I think they said that the water was 77 degrees. We look at the buoys, and then we head back up. As we get to the top, we see our group.
We give Holly and Jen their medals, and then Heather V gets her medal. I am so happy that she was there to be part of the team. Aleida read a poem she wrote. The Extreme? part is because early in the training, Holly said that you have to be a bit extreme to get into triathlons (meaning that we should stop being whiny I think), and we laughed that our team name should be Extreme? since we weren't sure yet.
At times we were nervous & whiny & scared.We weren’t sure we could do it, that we’d be prepared.
Three months have gone by and we are all here,Anxious and nervous in our dreaded tri-gear.
Our transitions are ready, our bikes set to go.We know what to do and we’re ready to go!
So we’ll go the distance and we’ll finish this race.We hope to make you proud and put a smile on your face.
You’re the two BEST coaches that we’ve EVER known.So, what’s left to say but “THANKS, WAY TO GO!”
I stretched for a while to try to help ease the groin pain and hoped that it would cooperate for the run. Stupid adducter muscles! They are not my friend, and they are very stubborn.
We got up this morning at 4:50am. WHOA...really? Already? Seriously? I struggled to wake up, but then excitement hit and I was up and getting ready. I got the kids up (Katie, Michael, and Morgan all got up at this crazy hour just to come cheer us on - what great kids we have). It was 52 degrees. OMG that is freezing when you live in Florida. I grab a sweatshirt.
We arrive at 6:02 which is a miracle as we planned to get there at 6. Mike drops me between the parking lot and the registration building (the town hall building in LongLeaf). I walk and try to keep my teeth from chattering. I go in and get my packet. I am number 574. Here we go!
I walk back to the parking lot. It is about a half a mile I think. I am very cold by the time I get there, and I am very thankful that I grabbed the sweatshirt. It is dark, and I almost twist my ankle. I am very cold and starting to get very nervous.
I get to the car, and Mike pumps up our tires. I was standing there trying to use my cell phone to give enough light to him, and this nice man in his truck turned his headlights on. It made it MUCH easier. The kids stay in the car as they want to sleep until it is light/warmer/closer to the race. Mike and I take our bikes toward the transition.
When we arrive behind Florida Design, they start marking us. That is a weird experience. They put your number on both arms and on your left leg. Then, they put your age on the back of your right leg (although mine was a LIE since they use your age as of December!. Not that I am bitter...). After we are marked, we head into the transition area. I find my rack where 574 is, and there is not much room. The girl with 575 moved down some. I hang my bike from the seat and lay out all of my stuff. I practice with my helmet as it always is difficult for me to remember which way it goes. I see several of the girls from my tri club. Stacey, Nicole, and I are smart and head to the restroom. Then, I lost them. We wanted to take a group picture, but I couldn't find them. I did see Aleida. We wandered all around trying to find them, and we even went down to the lake. It was SO cold out and the lake was steaming as it was warmer than the outdoor temp. I think they said that the water was 77 degrees. We look at the buoys, and then we head back up. As we get to the top, we see our group.
We give Holly and Jen their medals, and then Heather V gets her medal. I am so happy that she was there to be part of the team. Aleida read a poem she wrote. The Extreme? part is because early in the training, Holly said that you have to be a bit extreme to get into triathlons (meaning that we should stop being whiny I think), and we laughed that our team name should be Extreme? since we weren't sure yet.
An Ode to Holly & Jen
by Aleida
You painted a picture that we’d never seen. You said we’d be “real” athletes and members of a team that’s extreme?
You painted a picture that we’d never seen. You said we’d be “real” athletes and members of a team that’s extreme?
At times we were nervous & whiny & scared.We weren’t sure we could do it, that we’d be prepared.
Three months have gone by and we are all here,Anxious and nervous in our dreaded tri-gear.
Our transitions are ready, our bikes set to go.We know what to do and we’re ready to go!
So we’ll go the distance and we’ll finish this race.We hope to make you proud and put a smile on your face.
You’re the two BEST coaches that we’ve EVER known.So, what’s left to say but “THANKS, WAY TO GO!”
I loved it. It was perfect. After that, we took one MILLION pictures, and then we headed to the lake. I was really nervous. The international distance people went first, and they had to do farthre than us and then they had to do it twice. WOW. It was amazing to see. Then, they started the sprint people into the water. We went in three seconds apart. Holly and Jen were there when we got into the water. :)
I went a little to the outside in the swim, and I enjoyed it. It was warm. I did run into several people in front of me (3 or 4), but otherwise, I think it was alright. Morgan kept my shoes and sweatshirt while I was in the water. When I came out, she was right there, and then she ran with me to the transition. It is about 1/4 mile to the transition. I ran in and started getting ready. I sat down to put socks and shoes on. I wasn't sure I could do it standing.
Mike, Tim, Mark, and Abhi yelled to me as I was transitioning. It made me so happy. I got on my bike, and about 2 miles in, my leg started to really hurt. The wind is really strong (they said 14 - 16 mph), and I am not sure what to do. So, I just started pedaling with only my left leg. I did that for 2.5 miles. I actually passed quite a few people which made me happy. There was a speed bump near the turnaround. This would have been ok, but the people in front of me stopped to a halt. There was a gap that I went through, but then I had to get started again from a dead stop. I finish the rest of the bike and head into the transition. I guess because of the wind my toes were numb. Also, I could hard walk getting off my bike. I felt like I had been riding horses all day. I needed to pee before I even started the bike, and now I really had to pe.
I did a pretty quick transition in the bike to run, but I could have knocked a little time off.
Then, I went to get water. I couldn't find my water bottle, so I just went. Amy was already out the door, so I was behind her. About a half mile in, I was next to her. She said, "Thank GOD you are here. I need you to push me!" We ran the whole rest of the way together, and we crossed the finish at the same time. It made it much better to have her to run with.
The finish line is really weird and you can't see it until you are right on it. I was soooo happy to make it! We helped push on a Kristen from USF to finish too. The last .1 mile, Mike, Morgan,Katie, and Micahel were cheering for me. Then, I saw Couach Jen and Coucah Hollly. They were yelling for the Amy's. We DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After the race, we hung out and had pizza, cookies, and drinks. I got 3rd place in the Womens under 40 Athena category. WOW! Mike got second place with Mark McCune! They did really well. They did it in honor of heather who couldn't do it. So, Heather got a medal! :)
I even won a shirt in a door prize drawing. What a great day. Holly and Jen gave us certificates, a water bottle, and a new bag to carry our stuff in. THEY ROCK!
What a fantastic day.
Things I learned...
1. If it is cold, bring a windbreaker.
2. Stop to pee in the portable potty if needed. Being miserable and having to pee that long is not fun. Maybe the lake next time?
3. Figure out the helmet issue.
4. Figure out how to bring garmin without water ruining it because the run isn't well marked and it would be nice to know how muhc farther.
5. I can do it!!!
6. My team and coaches rock!
7. I work with some amazing people who did a great thing today for a co-worker. :)
8. I think I like triathlons!
This was the LongLeaf Triathlon, and I did the sprint. My times and my own PR (persnal record)
Total Time - 1:29:09
Swim - 6:18
Transition 1 5:47
Bike (with transition 2) - 36:46
Run (cough, jog) 40:19
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