Luray - finally to the actual race

Boy I sure can drag out a race report, can't I? Here's a picture of where I left off. We were all gathered on the beach before the start when my awesome brother-in-law Brent rolled in on his Harley to photograph the event for me. What a great guy, eh? In order of appearance left to right: Megan, Cyndi, me, Aimee, Amanda, Teresa, Molly, and Jill:

All the women were in the fourth and final wave. Each wave was separated by three minutes, so I had the benefit of watching several before I had to do it myself. Fortunately, the water was a pleasant 82 degrees because I totally forgot to bring my wetsuit. I had brand new goggles that I hadn't even tried since I left my old ones in the Hamptons. When I swam last week, I used Taz's goggles which weren't the best fit!

After the third wave went off, Megan grabbed my hand and dragged me in the water . We started about chest deep as you can see from this lovely shot. I'm probably saying something like, "I have to swim there? You must be effing kidding me!"

The horn blew and I watched women all around me start to swim. Finally, I started myself. What the f&^%? There was absolutely no visibility and all that blog talk I've read about a washing machine effect on an open water swim start? True. I saw bubbles and started drafting off the feet in front of me. I think they were Megan's. That lasted about two seconds before I started hyperventilating. I started breast-stroking and trying to breathe normally, but every time I put my head in the water, I freaked out. About that time, I got popped in the head and my goggles started leaking. I would swim a bit, hyperventilate, then dump the water out of one or both sides of the goggles. I seriously considered whether I could turn around and swim back through the masses to the shore.

The course was a triangle with three big yellow floats where we turned and big orange floats at the half way point between the yellow ones. I swear it felt like it took me an hour to get to the first yellow float. I finally got my goggles adjusted properly in the back and stopped the leaking. I talked myself through it by telling myself I could stop after the first lap of the two lap course. Sighting was difficult and I couldn't catch my breath. I breast-stroked a good 90% of the first lap. Som, my swim coach, would be so disappointed in me.

About half way to the third and final yellow float on the first lap, I started doing a little free style. I pretended I was swimming in my friend's pool in Deltaville which was pretty murky. I started noticing a few green caps around me, which were the 35 and up age group men from the previous wave. Boy they must really suck, I thought, because I must be at the back of the pink pack.

As I rounded the turn, I spotted my brother-in-law Brent sitting on a rock watching the swim. Can I really get out of the water and admit to him that I can't do this? Can I tell my husband and kids, who came all this way on Scouter's birthday weekend, that I DNF'd? I couldn't. Somehow, I kept swimming.

The second lap was easier since I knew what to expect. I had a little more room to maneuver although I certainly could have swum a more direct line. My goggles were fine. It took forever to get from buoy to buoy but by then I was committed. I even swam free style for a good bit of the time, mainly because my flabby inner thighs were hurting by then from all the breast stroke. There were more and more green caps around me. Here I am coming out of the water saying to Brent, "That sucked. It was the worst athletic experience of my entire life." "Megan's right in front of you! You did great!" he called back.

I ran up to transition hoping to spot Megan but she had already taken off. I sat for a minute and caught my breathe and hoped the worst was over. I still had the big hill to face but it couldn't possibly be worse than that swim. I sprayed on some sunblock, put on my socks, shoes, sunglasses, and helmet and finally trotted out of transition with my bike.

As I left transition, I saw Scouter and my kids which was a wonderful surprise! I thought they might catch the bike leg from the end of our street but I wasn't actually sure that they would watch at all. Scouter told me later that he woke Rainbow up and tried to get there in time to see me coming out of the water. My kids went crazy when they saw me and I was thrilled to see them. I really needed that boost! I heard someone behind me call out to my husband, and a few minutes later his college friend Brad rode by me. "That swim sucked!" I said. "Yeah," he agreed.

Cyndi described the bike course as a lollipop - out on the stem, two loops around the lollipop, then back on the stem. I hit 40 mph on the big hill on the way out which struck terror in my heart for the return. The loop was interesting - two long stretches of false flats where I was actually working really hard to get up a small incline, then one big ass downhill that was fabulous! Especially since I knew I wouldn't have to go back up it. I hit 41 mph on that baby. Whee!!!

Brent was drafted race morning to ride the course officials around on his Harley, and at about mile 8 he came roaring up beside me laughing and encouraging me. The official on the back of his bike held up his camera and snapped away. It cracked me up.

I was having a great ride, passing more people than were passing me. One cute lady in a skort and I leapfrogged quite a bit. About the third time I passed her, I called, "Let's see how many more times we can do this!" She laughed and sped up. I did a reasonable job with nutrition on the bike. I forgot to bring my favorite easy to eat Uncrustables but I did manage to have a few bites of a Luna bar plus 20 ounces of Accelerade, a Gu and some water.

I had some negative thoughts at various points during the ride about the big steep half mile hill facing me around mile 24, but I finally told myself to get over it. I could torture myself on the ride which would do absolutely no good, or I could enjoy it and face the hill when I reached it. If I had to walk, I had to walk but I for damn sure was planning to ride it. I tried to enjoy the ride and take in the scenery a little bit at least. Luray is a beautiful area.

I finished the second loop and headed back towards the stem. As I approached a right hand turn leading back to Lake Arrowhead, I felt something funny on my bike. After I turned, I realized that my front tire was not right. I stopped and saw that it was going flat. F%$#! F&^%, f&^%, f*&^! I pulled my bike off into the grass, took the tire off, pulled out my repair kit, and sat there pretending like I knew what to do. I even played with the tire pull thingies for a few minutes. A cyclist rode by and asked if I needed help. I said yes, if you don't mind. I think he seriously regretted offering right away. He had fallen and said his day was over anyway since he wouldn't place. About then, Brent rode by on his bike with an official on the back who wouldn't let him stop. "But that's my sister-in-law!" he protested as they rode off. Soon after, my helper got the tire off and replaced the tube but couldn't get the tire back on. Finally, he told me to put the wheel back on and ride with it like it was. Okay, I said. He rode off and I cursed some more.

I was trying to get the tire back on my bike, thinking I was probably going to have to walk it in, when another guy in a truck asked if I still needed help. I showed him the half-ass tire change job. He said I couldn't ride it like that. Turns out he owns the local bike shop and was doing race support. Good thing because the bad tire change had punctured a hole in my only spare tube, and this wonderful guy had another spare. He changed the tire for me and got the wheel lined up properly on the bike. I really need to learn to change my own tube.

Brent came back sans nasty official just in time to photograph the event. I seriously considered flipping him off in this picture.

The volunteer at the turn rode by me just as I was getting back on my bike. As I rode past her, I asked if I was the last person on the course. "I think so," she replied. F&^%!!! I thought again. I was stiff and pissed.

Brent rode past me and stopped to take some more pictures. As I hit the mother hill, he roared by and said he'd see me on the run. That hill was a beast. I was in my easiest chain rings back and front, standing pretty much the entire way. I passed one woman who was walking her bike and one or two guys who were riding. My breathing sounded like a freight train but I was determined to get back to transition.

I rode back into the Lake Arrowhead area to see my family again. "We heard about your tire!" they called. "Poor Mommy!" That made me smile. Or maybe grimace. I felt like such a loser.

When I got to my rack, all the other bikes were already back and there wasn't room for mine. I tried to jam it in there and knocked over the bike beside me. F&^%! "I've never said that word so much in my whole life," I said to a guy beside me who was finished already. And I've said that word a lot.

I took some time to calm down again in transition, changed my shoes, grabbed my visor, Garmin, and a Gu, and set out on the run. I got to see my kids again which was beautiful.

The run was also a double loop. These Luray people love themselves a double loop. The first leg was not bad and in fact I was surprised when my Garmin beeped at me at the one mile point. That's going to suck on the way back, I thought - ever the optimist. I ran past a woman who was walking and said, "What made me think this was a good idea?!?" She replied, "We're already beating all those people still sitting on their couches."

What a great attitude. I was ashamed of my negativity and resolved to say only positive things to people - and myself - from that point on. One advantage of the double loop was that I saw most of the TriGirls on the course except Cyndi who was probably already finished. I saw Megan on her last stretch and she looked strong. I chatted with a few people and thanked the volunteers at the turn-around. "You're almost done!" they shouted. "Oh, no, I'll be back," I replied. I grabbed whatever course beverage they were offering and the volunteer said, "This is a woman who likes her pink!" Brent was at the turn around, snapping pictures and offering still more encouragement. He rode by me a few times on the run and it helped enormously to see him.

On the first return run loop, I walked a little on a steep hill but tried to keep moving. I chatted with a man who had a 61 on his leg. He told me he was actually only 60; wouldn't be 61 until October. I met Amanda and made the turn with her. We saw my family again and high-fived Taz and Rainbow. "Can I run with you Mom?" Taz asked. "Not this time honey. I still have a ways to go," I told him.

The second loop was better only because my attitude was better. I knew I was going to finish. It wasn't going to be pretty, my time wasn't going to be what I had hoped for, but I was going to make it. I saw Aimee and Teresa on the course and chatted with them for a few minutes. Their dedication impressed me. When I got to the water stop, I teased the volunteers that they had moved further away since the first time I was there. Brent was there again to offer support.

I walked the hills more on the final leg. As I ran toward the finish line, I pictured myself crossing with Taz and Rainbow. Taz was jumping up and down as I approached and I grabbed him. Rainbow was playing on the other side. I should have stopped and waited for her but I didn't have the mental wherewithal to think to do it. Here I am crossing the finish line with Taz. He was so cute and excited running in with me. He asked me if he pulled me through and I told him honestly that he did.

It felt great to finish that race. We hung out for awhile afterwards to chat with all the TriGirls and some other friends and to enjoy the venue. It was a beautiful day and in retrospect, while I didn't perform as I had hoped, I am so fortunate to be able to do this crazy thing and to have the support of the people I love.