Austin Half Ironman

Finally getting around to writing about the big triathlon last weekend!  I trained for 4 months for my  1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, then a 13.1 mile run.  Goals were to go under 7 hours and place in the top half of my age group. Guess you gotta wait until the end to see how it turned out!

I went up on Saturday with Heather.  James had a soccer game, so Jack and and he came up later that day.  Heather hung with me as I checked in, turned in my bike, and went to the athlete brief.  Jack and James arrived later and we went out for a nice Italian pasta loading dinner.  I finished all the last preparations on my stuff and it was lights out at 9PM with an Ambien to make sure I slept peacefully all night.  With my eye cover and ear plugs to make sure Jack could keep watching tv!

Up the next morning at 430, I think.  Ate about 700 calories so they could start digesting 3 hours before the race.  Then I hopped in the car and headed out to the race site. Parked the car in the dark (remember that!) and then hopped the shuttle to the swim site.  This was a two transition race- had never done one of those before and I don't like it one bit.  that means that you pick up the bike in one spot and drop it off at another.  Your stuff has to go in all these different bags and all your stuff has to go back in the bag before you can leave for the next leg.  Then they haul all your stuff to the end of the race.  And you hope your sticker stays on the bag so you can find it later (remember that, too!).

The water was 73 degrees, so it was wet suit legal- that means it would be faster because the wet suit adds buoyancy, so you don't have to work as hard.  We waited in the cold and saw the pros start.  Then it was our turn!  We dove into the water and I tried to keep clear of the other swimmers, but be aggressive when needed.  My plan was to go moderately hard on the swim... I got my face kicked once and had to stop to put my goggles back on, but other than than, and having to readjust course a few times, I finished strong and loved my swim. Finished in 43 minutes.  Out of the water, then run up a hill (why is it ALWAYS UP A HILL!!!!!??) and get the wet suit stripped off by a helper. Then run to the transition area, fling off swim stuff, put on bike stuff and sunscreen and then ran with the bike to the line where it's legal to jump on and then took off like crazy! My goal was to go as hard as I could for the whole bike race and then to survive the run.  I was flying!  I was set to do a 3 hour bike and then I went in to the last 10 miles.  It was straight into the wind!!  OMG.  I ended up going 3 hrs 17 minutes.  Oh yeah- and at one point I was riding along getting ready to pass a girl (I was on the left ) and another guy passed me on the left.  I held my line so he could pass and then she noticed I was there just as he was passing me.  She freaked out and squeaked something and then swerved left into me.  I had nowhere to go because the guy on my left was still passing me.  Then as I passed her, her hand hit me on my rear or upper thigh and then I felt her front wheel connect my back wheel and then I heard a bit of a commotion behind me.  I didn't look back.  The guy passing me dropped back.  Later he caught up and said "she tried to take you out!".  Turns out, she went down, but she was OK.  I heard later that someone else had crashed and broken their arm.

 I got into transition #2 with my bike, flung off my bike gear and then put on my run gear and headed out on the run.  I was NOT looking forward to the run.  For the first two miles, I had a stitch in my left side.  That was awful.  Then it went away and I was finally able to settle into a hot (about 87 degrees) miserable run with some big hills. I ended up walking up most of the hills.  Then it got worse.  I had to count.  When I am counting steps- it's bad!  When I am counting 100 run steps and 50 walk steps, it's really bad!  I walked through the aid stations, drinking water and gator aid and trying to grab cold sponges, Every mile got slower.  I finally finished the run, in the arena, chasing down a woman who had a "40" on her left calf- meaning she was in my age group.  I beat her!!!  I about collapsed into a volunteer's arms, got my chip taken off, and then looked for the beer.  Oops!  I forgot to get my medal!  I walked back a few steps and got it.  Then Jack was there to meet me.  That was such a nice sight!!  Then I got some food and some beer and went to sit with the kids.  I stretched and ate. My run time was 2 hr 37 minutes- slower thank my last half-ironman, but faster than my first ever half marathon 4 yrs ago- I've come a long way!

After chilling out for a little while, I went to collect my bike.  Then I gave my bike to Jack and he left and went home. I took the kids to collect my other bags.  My after race clothes bag and my first transition bag with my wet suit in it were supposed to be together.  Only one bag was there.  Then someone pointed out that there was a bunch of loose stuff separated into piles. Sure enough- I found all my stuff, wet and grassy and gross and lying in neat piles.  Even my wet suit. I'm surprised I recognized it- I think I'll write my name in  it now!  Apparently the sticker had come off (despite my making sure it was well stuck on).

I went and changed my clothes and then we went off to look for the car.  Remember how I got there in the dark?  We went to the parking lot I thought it was in (based on it being near a road).  Carrying bags and the kids had some stuff.  We walked all over the place and could not find it.  Then on to the next parking lot.  No car.  Finally, I realize maybe it's the wrong road.  So I pull out my phone and sure enough- the road I came in on was in a different place.  We finally made it to the right lot and there was my car- right where I remembered it!  And right next to all the bikes,  We never even saw it when we were getting my bike.  Oh well.  The kids were super patient and didn't complain for 25 minutes in the heat carrying all that stuff.  I told them Dairy Queen was next on the list!

Off we went.  The phone found Dairy Queen, James got a large Blizzard, and Heather and I got something.  James said later he was afraid to ask for a large (I usually only let them get a small), but he figured he'd try.  I told him he could have had whatever he wanted!  I was just so happy they were pleasant to be around.

Heather drove home and we had a great time listening to her iPod and me being semi-shocked by what the heck they listen to and the fact that they know all the words.  There were a couple of songs where I literally understood maybe 1 word in 4. It was all in all a great afternoon with my kids.

I finished the race in 6 hr 49 minutes (14 minutes faster than the last one).  The last one was pancake flat- this one had hills!  I finished in the 48% ile of my age group and 42% ile over all of all the non-pro women.  So I made both my goals!  I was so thrilled.   Then I had a week off and now I am training to run faster on my PT test in November. Then a half marathon in February and then my next Half-Ironman in June.  In Hawaii!!!!!!!!

Glass half full. Or is it half empty???

It was only a few years ago that I figured out which was which.  You know, when someone says their glass is half full, that means they are an optimist.  I think.  Someone explained that a "half fuller" is optimistic because they believe that it's possible that if the glass is half full now, then there is the possibility that it could be all the way full eventually.  Hence, they are optimistic.  And a person is a pessimist if they think that their glass is half empty, because they are pretty sure that it will eventually be all the way empty.  I never saw it that way and I think that's why I never understood that stupid saying.  And I still never use it!

Here's why.  I think of it the opposite.  (What a surprise, right?)  I think of my glass as having chocolate milk in it.  Chocolate milk is the nectar of the gods.  It is the best drink on earth.  If all that existed was chocolate milk and beer, I'd be fine.  What chocolate milk doesn't work with (pizza, crabs, steak), beer is awesome.  And the other way around.  Anyway, my glass is full of chocolate milk.  I drink half of it.  Now my glass is half empty.  Awesome!  I have drunk half my milk and I'm optimistic that I can drink the rest in another two seconds or so. Now life is great because I have drunk an entire glass of delicious chocolate milk.  Say my glass is only half full.  Well, I'm pretty optimistic that I could easily fill it the rest of the way.  Or am I pessimistic because that's all that was left in the jug and half full is all I'm gonna get?  Dang!  Now you can see why I get confused.

Or maybe it's a matter of  control.  Half empty- I emptied it and I'm optimistic I can empty the rest.  Half full- I'm pessimistic that anyone else will fill it for me.  I just don't know.  So I avoid it all together.  I'm an optimistic and I'm just not sure what's going on with that glass.

Don't even get me started on the fact that bimonthly can mean two times a month or every other month.  I don't even allow that word.