In some ways, I do not know where or how to begin this story. So instead, I'll take you all the way back to when I decided I even wanted to do a triathlon. It was three years ago. I asked my sister to do a triathlon with me. I just needed a bike. Well, she got a bike and signed up for a two day sprint triathlon. She did it! I was so envious.
My friend offered to let me borrow her road bike. I couldn't pass up on the opportunity. After riding the bike for 4 months, I bought my own bike. $1000 big ones. I thought that was so much money for a silly road bike. I did three sprint triathlons during the summer and loved it. I decided (in my mind) that I could actually do an Ironman 70.3! So I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells La Quinta!
I didn't tell anyone except my husband.
I kept training and wondering if I could really do it. Then I found out my race was the same weekend as cross county jr. Olympic nationals! I wasn't entirely sure my boys would qualify this year but after their first few races I knew they could make it. I had to find someone to take my boys to nationals so I could do my race. My sweet parents agreed to flying to Reno, Nevada and taking my boys to their race. Then I had to find someone to go with me.
Enter Chelsea Anderson!
She was on the top of my list. And she said YES!
She made my weekend amazing!
After a very hectic November, I really could not believe that race week was here! I left Thursday afternoon after the boys had a cello concert. I spent the entire week going over my lists for both my race and my boys race. I drove to Kingman on Thursday, unloaded my boys and stayed the night. Friday morning, I saw them off to the airport and wished them luck on their race. I drove to Palm Springs and arrived at the airbnb I rented for the next three days. It was right at the start line. I thought that was a great idea. Then I could sleep in on race day and just walk over to the start line. I found out at the athlete briefing that all athletes had to ride the bus to the start line in the morning.
After I unpacked at the condo, I drove over the athlete check in and checked in. I smiled the entire time. I tried to talk to some people but most people were too nervous to make small talk. I thought that was a bit odd because aren't we doing this for fun?
My friend Chelsea texted and said that her flight was delayed. No problem. I spent Friday night alone and just soaking up the quiet. I am hardly ever alone in my life. Especially on a vacation with no where to go and nothing to do. I just finished up listening to a book and went to bed early. Saturday morning I woke up nice and early then ate a delicious breakfast got my stuff ready for bike drop off then drove to the airport to pick up Chel.
We packed up my stuff and headed to the run check in then to the bike check in. All of this took WAY longer than we though it would. Three hours! We aired up my tires and I left my bike to sit over night in the lake parking lot. I even put my hand in the lake just to feel the cold water. It wasn't that cold. All November I panicked about how cold the water was going to be after someone posted on facebook that the water temp for lake Cahuilla was 54 degrees!
After the bike drop off, Chel and I went back to the airbnb and sat in the hot tub! I brought all my own food (sorry Chel) because I was worried I would eat out and it would make me sick. I had made us all of our meals all weekend. We ate dinner then went straight to bed at 7:30 PM!
I woke up bright and early at 2:30 AM on race day! I laid in bed until 3 AM then I got up and started getting ready. I ate breakfast, put on my race garb, put on LOTS of sunscreen (my legs and arms haven't seen the sun in over a month), then Chel woke up and we headed to the buses.
We left at 4:45 and didn't hit any traffic. We parked the car and I headed to the port o potty one last time. GUESS WHAT? No toilet paper! ARGG! If only there had been some list that said "BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER" on race morning. I thought about yelling for Chel because I had packed her wipes and tissue in her race day bag, but then I worried she was too far away. SO I had to improvise. My sister had given me a wash cloth to use on my bike chain and I had that with me, so I used it as my toilet paper. I had to put it back in my race bag because you can't leave it in the port o potty. That made me laugh all day.
I got on the athlete bus after saying good bye to Chelsea. I was hoping I would see her before the race started but I wasn't entirely sure if I would. I chatted up the guy I sat next to on the bus. It was his first race. He was eating yogurt and he was just as excited as me. Everyone else was pretty quiet on my bus. I couldn't help but feel so excited to finally be doing this race after all the work I had put in over the last year.
I check my bike (it was just fine) then went to get my wet suit on. I stuffed my bike jacket in my transition bag because I wasn't sure if I would need it or not. It was a bit chilly but 55 degrees is warm to me now. I have been training in 28-35 degree weather for the last four weeks. 55 is almost hot! I walked down to the race start with my wet suit, booties, and neoprene cap and low and behold, there was CHELSEA standing with my friend Jessica! I screamed I was so happy. That also made my day. Those two were so positive. I didn't have time to get nervous about the swim.
Bike: After I took off my wet suit I grabbed my bike back and ran outside to find a chair to sit on. Then I spent 3 minutes debating whether or not to wear my jacket. In the end, I asked someone and she said just wear my sleeves. So I did. That transition took 11 minutes because of that internal debate. HA! I jumped on my bike wet and cold but ready for my favorite part of the race. I started biking and 10 miles in I was feeling AMAZING and hungry. Now, I usually don't eat on the bike until I am half way through my ride. I have never eaten that early on the bike, but I figured since I felt hungry I should eat. I ate. Then I grabbed my water bottle filled with my SOS salt and started to drink a few sips. A few miles back, I saw a girl in front of me drop her water bottle. I thought, "oh that wont happen to me, I have never dropped my water bottle on the bike." GUESS WHAT?! I dropped my water bottle. Right after two sips. I dropped it. 10 miles in. At first, I thought, no bid deal, I have my other water on my bike but it doesn't have the salt. No big deal. Then my mind panicked a little because my other water bottle was my back up bottle and it was really hard to get in and out of my bottle cage. After 10 more miles I finally got brave enough to take it out. I drank a bunch of water because I wasn't sure I could get it back in the cage and if I dropped it I was out of luck. I didn't drop it. I put it in my bottle cage and kept riding. 5 miles later I got the WORST stomach cramp of my life. I have never cramped on the bike. I have never ever cramped on any of my training. I figured the cramp would just work it self out and go away by the time I got to the run so I shrugged it off and kept on smiling. I reminded myself I am doing this race for fun and the bike was my favorite part. I biked on. I made it to mile 45 and the stomach cramp was only getting worse. I knew I could make it 11 more miles on the bike but I could not run with the cramp. NO WAY! So, I did what any sane person would do. I prayed. I asked God to help me relieve this cramp so I could finish the bike and run. As soon as I ended my prayer I remembered I had another SOS packet in my jersey. I pulled it out and dumped it in my mouth. I dumped and drank my water. I did this for the last 11 miles. As soon I reached the transition area, the stomach cramp was gone! 3:24:53! I had projected 3:30 for the bike.
I loved it! I literally smiled all day long! I was so happy to be doing this race. It was truly the hardest thing I have ever done physically. I got my hat, my medal, and took my finish line photo. I saw my sweet Chelsea standing at the finish line. Then I saw Jessica. We all hugged. I told them right away, "NEVER AGAIN!"
Now that my be true or that may not be true. If I didn't get that silly stomach cramp, this race would have gone off with out a hitch. I wish I knew how to get rid of the stomach cramp as soon as I got it. I should have stopped on the bike to go to the bathroom. I think that would have helped but I didn't want to stop.
I am forever grateful to Chelsea for taking the weekend away from her daughter to be with my on this amazing day. I appreciate her sacrifice so much. She made me so happy every time I saw her. She was the best cheer leader! I am so lucky to have met her back in the summer of '99. She is amazing! I love her!
I am so grateful to my husband. He believed in me! He knew I could do this race. He was always willing to give me the time to train. He sacrificed so much for me. He works endlessly so I can have a comfortable life. He is my rock. He is everything. I am the luckiest person in the world. I am so glad to have him in my life. I owe him everything.
My parents ARE THE BEST! I have the best parents EVER! They love me! They really love me. If they could have been at this race, the would have. My Dad and Mom support me endlessly. They took time out of their lives to fly with my boys to the Jr. Olympic Cross Country meet in Reno Nevada so they could race. They were amazing. I am so blessed. They made me who I am. They are my rock. I am nothing with out them. They always believe in me. When I say, "Hey, I am going to start a photography business!" They support me! When I say, "Hey, I am going to do a half Ironman!" They believe in me. I can't ask for more. They love me.
To all my friends who rode the bike with me this summer and fall. I am so blessed to have shared the road with you. You made training for this day the best! I knew I could ride 56 miles because I did 50 miles this summer with Melanie Iverson. I knew I could ride farther because I rode 63 miles with Julie Fuller and Melissa Spencer. I knew I could ride fast because I rode fast every Tuesday with Pamela Tracey. Thank you so much ladies! Your confidence pulled me through on the last 11 miles of that painful bike ride.
Lastly, THANK YOU a million times to the Cougar Track Club. The kids I ran with the last two years have inspired me beyond my own capabilities. I ran a 24 minute 5K a few weeks ago because these kids are so inspiring. To run with athletes who are truly world class athletes is a amazing. I am the lucky one. I learned from the best coaches on how to run properly. I would have never know "cheek to cheek". I would have never got on my toes. I would have never sped up. I love this running club with my whole heart.
Thank you to all my behind the scenes supporters. This was a huge accomplishment and I urge everyone to do something that scares you just a little. You can do it! I promise! If I can do it, you can do it!
