Thanks! And a Race Report

I want to start out by saying a big, huge, gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to cheer me on today. You are terrific people, and I am honored to call you my friends! What a boost it gave me to see and hear you! Wow!

So I actually woke up on time today, which I was stressing about (seeing as how I overslept for the last athletic event I did and almost missed the start). I had a little breakfast, loaded up the bike, and left to go over to one of my worthy teammates' house so we could go together. Her husband gives me a cup of coffee. All is right with the world.

We get there, we get set up, things are sort of rolling along. We go get in the water. I realize that my asthma inhaler is back in the transition area. I go back, use it, and wander back over to the lake. I was kind of hoping that there would be at least one group starting after me, so there would be a sort of outside chance that I would not get out of the water last. No dice. We watch all the other groups go. With a big, deep breath, I go. There is icky grass, but I have decided by this point that the only way to deal with the icky grass is to get as shallow in the water as I can and just go through it as quickly as possible. I do this. It works(!). The first buoy looks an awfully long way out, but miraculously, it gets closer and closer. Round it I go. I notice (and am actually glad that I am noticing things) that one of our Fearless Leaders is in a kayak as part of the Water Safety Team, and that he is lurking near me, shouting out encouragement. This is heartenting. Round the second buoy, and I can start to hear my friends yelling themselves hoarse on my behalf. Time to get out of the water arrives, and I am told I finished this swim in what is for me a record time. Yippee!

I find my bike with a minumum of trouble, seeing as how about everyone else is gone already, get on it and ride. The ride, which I thought was going to be the easy part, is not. The road is not closed to traffic, and there is practically no shoulder. The hills, which are not huge, sure feel like it after that swim. I carry on. By the time I turn around to head back, I know that I am the last one on the course. But hey, a CHP guy was following me and at least I did not get run over. The loooong, gentle slopes UPWARD to the park loom before me. I keep telling myself that I will NOT poop out on the bike. If I was gonna poop out, it was going to be in the water. I will myself not to give up. It would be so embarassing.....and then I discover that I finish the ride in good time.

Transition time again. Mom and the support crew are all shouting and cheering me on. Other racers (some of whom are done already, and look very well-rested) also call out encouragement. The transition area is full of people who are packing up their stuff. Onward. Off with the helmet and gloves, on with the hat and onward! Just three miles, right? I've walked three miles who knows how many times, in heat, in cold, in rain....but not after swimming and riding. Out on the trail, another worthy teammate tells us that the first mile marker is nearby, and that the refreshments are not too far after that. We carry on. The refreshments people are fabulous, encouraging, and helpful. Forward!

The last mile is just awful. And then, appearing out of the dust as if they are a mirage, FOUR of our teammates are headed our way to walk the last mile. I get dizzy and two of them actually prop me up. Where would I be without you, gals? Where? My darling husband comes out with our dear baby for the last half mile! Finally, at last, the finish line looms....cheering, happiness, "you made it!" and a few tears of joy. I came in last, but you know, I came in! I sit, then lay down. A nice EMT guy comes over to check on me and make sure I am all right. I sit, he talks, I start to recover. My wondrous, fabulous teammates and husband load up my bike and all my stuff. Hubby drives me home.

I made it! I doubted for a while there that I had it in me. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, I made it.