Wildflower - COMPLETE (4:45:53)

Let's recap for a second what the Wildflower website said about the course......OLYMPIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON - 1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K RunThe Wildflower Olympic Distance Triathlon is an amateur age group and relay team event. This world-class course includes a 1.5K open water swim, a 40K (extremely hilly bike course) and a brutal 10K run course. Remember this for later.

Our Wilflower weekend began on Friday at 5am. We caravaned out with a few of my mentees and arrived around 8:30. It was already a little busy but not too bad. As the day went on it got worse and worse and the whole place had populated. Tents were literally on top of each other because it was so packed. Friday we went down to get registered and walked around the expo and festival. It was a HOT day and this was suppose to be one of the coolest days. Sunday being the worst (my race day). We got a little burnt from being out. We headed back to camp since I was suppose to be relaxing and not walking around in the baking hot sun. We pretty much just sat around and did nothing til dinner. We went to the pasta party which was for all the TNT participants. After dinner I took a shower and headed to bed. I think I was in bed and passed out by 9pm.

Saturday was the Half Ironman Triathlon so we got up super early and headed down to watch everyone start off the swim and then take off on their bikes. It was pretty fun and got me pumped up but I was also pretty nervous thinking that on Sunday that would be me....YIKES!!! After Lael got out of the water and was off on his bike we headed back to the campground. The run part of the race was going to go right through our campground, it would be mile 7 for them. We grabbed our chairs (remember I'm not suppose to be walking around) and plopped ourselves on the course and waited for them to come by. I did get in trouble though when Coach Tim was out on a casual run because I was in the sun :o( so I had to go sit all alone in the shade. Later we found most of our team huddled under some shady tents so we moved over there. It was fun watching all our teammates and friends go by. We even managed to get a smile out of grumpy old Lael when he ran by. There were about 20 of us from our team cheering the half ironman peeps. It was fun. We headed back to camp and we had some time before dinner so I started getting all my race gear ready and got all my numbers put on my bike, helmet and race belt. This brought the anxiety back and the excitement. Then it was off to another pasta party, back to the camp to get ready and to bed for me.

Sunday - RACE DAY
On Friday when I registered I found out that I was in the second TNT wave to go off on Sunday, which meant I wouldn't start racing until 10:55am, way too late. I wasn't worried because of the cutoff times but more because by the time I would be running I knew it would be super hot especially since Sunday was to be the hottest day. I tried to change it since I was suppose to be in the 10:10am wave but they said they had no more room and that's why they pushed some of us into the later wave URRGGGHHHH.

My day started at 6am, I got up, got dressed and ate breakfast. I was so nervous I could barely eat and really thought I was going to throw up. I headed down with Natalie at 7am so that we could get all our stuff set up in the transition area and not worry about it later when it was packed. Being down in the transition area of course made me even more nervous. It was really race day and there was no wimping out and quiting. We got set up and Rocky, Olivia and Karen met us a little later. We found a spot to sit and relax til it was time for us to get ready. We were able to watch most of our team off on their swim. At 10:00am Natalie and I went back down to the transition area to get ready for our race.

The Swim
As we were standing on the ramp and the two waves in front of us were going off on their swim I was getting more and more nervous, I put my hand on my heart and it felt like it was about to come out of my chest. I kept telling myself relax, take it easy and DON'T go out too fast. It was our turn and the horn went off. I did just what I told myself....I relaxed, got into a good rhythm and just kept swimming (Finding Nemo was the source of my mantra). Before I new it I was at the turn around and I was heading back. I felt awesome and finished my swim, .93miles in 39minutes. Out of the water and up the ramp I went into transition for the bike.

Transition 1
The transition I thought was fairly quick but when I looked at my time online it had taken me 4min and 4sec. Oh well, I need to take it easy because I was a little dizzy coming out of the swim. When I got there Coach Joe was there, which I was glad about because he helped me remember a few things....like the sunscreen because it was so hot and as it was I had already gotten a small sunburn on Friday and Saturday.

The Bike
UP, UP and UP Lynch Hill I went. This was only one of the many hills I had to climb although Lynch Hill is the worst of all of them. It is a 1 mile climb to get out of the park. This is how I got to start my ride. I do have to admit that I felt better climbing it on race day than I did on training weekend. I wasn't sure how the rest of the ride would be since training weekend I only did 15 miles because I felt sick. I made it to the turnaround no problem and was till on pace for finishing in the 2 hour goal I had set for myself. The way back was a bit tougher on me and although I did not walk up any hills I did have to stop twice at the top of two of them to catch my breath and drink some gatorade. I moved a lot slower than I had wanted to so I finished my bike ride in 2 hours and 29 min. 29 minutes slower but oh well, I finished that darn BRUTAL bike ride. They weren't kidding about those hills.

Transition 2
Hee, hee, look like transition number 2 was even slower. Not sure why but this time it took me almost 6 minutes to get out of there. By this time it was insanely hot outside. I took a sip of my water to take my gel before heading out and my water and gatorade had gotten really hot from sitting out :o( not good.

The Run
Hilly on a dirt trail and the dark black asphalt, temperature about 90's and no shade. I can usually do a 10K in a little over and hour. Although I knew that it would probably be a bit slow because I just don't do well in the heat. Boy little did I know it would take me almost and hour and a half to finish my run. I left the transition running and only made it a few hundred yards before I had to walk. I just could not run, I was overheated. I tried to drink my water and gatorade but that was hot and didn't help. I new there was a water stop at .8 miles so I would get some cooler water there. They not only had water but a hose to spritz you with and I basically took a bath there, it felt so good. I ran down a few of the downhills but for 4 miles pretty much walked. This was nothing like the marathons I usually do where you have spectators lined up for miles. Here there was no one in sight and it was tough on me. There wasn't going to be anyone meeting me and running me in because it is not allowed. All I had was my spirit hat giving me inspiration (given to me by the East Bay Run Team) , Coach Al and Mama Lisa in my head telling me to do the damn thing, there are no wimps and all the advice they've given me throughout the years, our awesome honorees and knowing that there were people at the finish line waiting for me. Right before I hit the 4 mile marker I saw Coach Tim...phew....I needed that at that point. I was really feeling like I was going to collapse. He said "Hey girl, you are doing it, you did this thing and you are almost done, you are doing awesome, run the rest of this race with your heart because that is what you have a HUGE HEART" aaaaahhhhh talk about making me emotional. I needed to see him and I needed those kind words. I walked for a few seconds more and picked up the pace and next think I knew I was running and heading for that finish line. When I got to the top of the last hill I saw a bunch of people from our team including Lael and Bill (damn them for convincing me to join the tri team) they gave me the extra push I needed and down Lynch Hill I went where I knew that Rocky, Olivia and Karen would be waiting for me. I saw them and the pink sign Olivia had made for me when I came around the corner and of course like the baby I am I started crying and 1 hour and 26 min after I started that horrible run in the 90 degree sun and 4 hours 45minutes after I began my Wilflower Triathlon journey I crossed the finish line.

It was one of the hardest races I've ever had to do but it was also one of the greatest. I finished one of the hardest triathlons in the country and my most special friends and awesome boyfriend who's been so supportive this season were there to see it. THANK YOU Rocky, Olivia, Karen for making the trek down to Lake San Antonio and supporting me and standing for hours in that horrible heat. I know that the rest of the team was also very thankful to see your happy, cheering faces at the finish line especially since a lot of them had no family and friends there, thanks for adopting them. I know that many of our other friends were there in spirit and many of them sent me happy wishes for a great race day....thank you for all of your support throughout the season.

THANK YOU to my team also for being out there for us especially after most of them had done their own much longer race on Saturday. CONGRATULATIONS to everyone.

My mentee, Natalie and I after the race

I will post more pictures as I get them :o)