Saturday night, whether I was actually doing the race was up in the air. NOT due to worrying about training but about the weather. Hurricane Isaac, while far away, had pushed a low pressure system in over us. While I and Jayne are very comfortable riding bikes, in the pouring rain, on roads that were still open to traffic, not so much so. Plus, if it was raining hard enough, I would be sans hearing aids. They are not water proof. However, at 4:30 a.m., Sunday morning, I awoke to overcast skies and 35% chance of rain. We were on!! We drove north about 45 minutes north to a small state park, Gifford Pinchot. We knew it was going to be a small race. Just to give you an idea of number of men vs women, there was a line to get into the men's room and NO LINE into the women's room. Now, ladies, how often does that ever happen???? :)
We took the obligatory pre-race photo. I was so grateful Jayne did it with me, it was great not to be totally alone for this race!!
We set our gear up in the transition area and then I went looking for the race director. I wanted to let him know I wouldn't be able to hear very well once the swim started. He was great, told me to trade my swim cap in for another color. So, the Olympic folks had a yellow cap, the Sprint (I told you it was a small race!) folks had green and then there was Robin, with a lovely pink cap!! A couple folks called me "special".
The swim was 2 loops, in the lake, 750 meters each loop. I decided to wear my wetsuit. I knew it would help my self confidence. This was to be my first open water swim race and I wanted that confidence. The Oly men went first, then the Oly women. I started out fine, about 100 feet in, started to doubt that I could do it, took a minute, regrouped, remembered I COULD do it, no problem and kept going. I'm not fast, so by the time I was heading into my second loop, the Oly men were overtaking me. So, I picked up some experience with having folks swim over me and into me. I was, mentally, prepared (thanks, Coach!!) so I didn't freak, just kept going. I was on the last 150 meters when it started to rain.....
Came out of the water and it was raining steady and I didn't know what to do. There was no way was I going to be able to put my hearing aids in and I had never ridden the new bike in the rain. I went over to the timing guy and it was apparent from the look on my face, I was torn. Told him what was going on and he said, "why don't you wait a few minutes, see if it clears". Since I was not planning on winning my age group, I wasn't worried about the transition time. I went back to my bike and instantly just decided, I was there, I had trained, I was going to finish this race. I left my hearing aids in their case and took off. Luckily, my left ear has about 50% hearing, my right is just about completely gone. It was cold, and rainy and the rain was stinging my skin and I thought "this isn't much fun" but I kept going, physically, inside, I was good. I was not going to DNF my first Oly, not for some rain.
The bike course had one very ugly hill at about mile 3. It was a 9 mile loop that we were to do 3 times. So, I am half way up that hill and my head goes "how are you going to do this two more times? You don't have it in you." And, for me, it was like a moment of truth. I had told Wendy that I trusted her training and at that moment on that hill, I realized that what I had been telling her weren't just words. I trusted the training she had laid out for me all these months. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had prepared me to not just finish this race, but finish it with a smile on my face. And with that thought came a feeling of calm and those self doubts went away. The rain finally stopped at about mile 7 and I stopped and put my hearing aids in. The bike ride wasn't fast due to the rain, I just couldn't get the speed up on the hills like I would have liked. I think more saddle time will help me gain more confidence on that bike. The bike performed great, it's a dream to ride.
Came back into transition and headed out for the run. There were only a few bikes left in transition, all the sprint folks were long gone, only a few of us Oly folks left. The run was on a lake trail, it was beautiful, except for the sign at about 1 mile that said "steep grade". I was not loving the person who picked that trail, at that moment! Especially since I knew I had to come back around and do this loop again. But I could picture, in my mind, a dear friend, on top of that hill, urging me to keep going. And I did.
The 10K was more of a walk than a run. My legs were doing ok, but my upper body was tired. I was about 3/4 of a mile from the finish line and it crossed my mind to just sit down. I was tired. And out of nowhere came the most beautiful Monarch butterfly. A fellow triathlete, a good friend, loves Monarch's. And when I saw that butterfly, I immediately thought of her and could "hear" her encouraging me to finish this race. I smiled and kept going and that butterfly stayed with me until I came out of the forest trail onto the pavement, within sight of the finish line.
And when I crossed that finish line, the race director informed me that I had taken 3rd place in my age group!! I just laughed! Jayne, who was standing there, also laughed. She had taken 2nd. We laughed because remember I told you there weren't many women in this race????? There were only 3 in my age group! :) I am still laughing about it!
I learned a great deal Sunday and had fun. Actually on the bike course, a woman passing me said "why do we do this? Oh, yea, for fun!" as it was pouring down cold rain on us. But it was fun, it was fun to do something that I always dreamed about but didn't know if I had it in me to actually do. And I learned that my desire to continue on can overshadow my fears. Each fear that I dealt with, having folks swim over me, not being able to see in the water, riding on wet roads, and not being able to hear were pushed aside by something deep inside that wanted to go on. And as I crossed that finish line, I realized, that I had accomplished my goal, I didn't "just" finish, I finished with a smile on my face.
Seriously gave me chill bumps. You are such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! Loved reading about it. And the bling is awesome!
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