Wildflower: The race report of a lifetime!

Ok, the race report you've all been waiting for! Let me just start out by saying...it was AWESOME! I had the best time ever! Ok, now for the narration with illustrations...

Woke up at 6:00am feeling ok. Not as sick as the night before. Relatively good nights rest. But VERY nervous. I tried to convince Wes to let me go home, but he wouldn't let me. Ate some cereal bars and a banana, packed up and was on my way.

Around 8, we arrived at transition and I promptly racked my bike and started to set up. It was all I could do to busy myself and distract my nerves. I was FREAKED. Wes went to fill my water bottles and I unpacked the wonderful transition bag he bought me the day before as a present. It was great to be able to put all my gear in one spot. And when I was done, this is what it looked like:Much more professional than any other race I've done. You have a spot set out for you, you don't have to fight for a good one, and thankfully I was right by the bike exit, so I had ease of maneuvering. After I set up I was still REALLY FREAKED. Wes tried to calm me, but I wasn't really listening. I was trying to find Elizabeth and deliver her the team socks I had bought for she and Pattie and I. While waiting Wes and I took this picture. (Don't let my calm face fool you...I was FREAKED!)Finally Elizabeth spotted Wes. Thank goodness he is tall. I jogged around looking for Pattie and didn't find her amidst the crowd. We watched the collegiates start, and I jogged around some more. My shins started hurting so I quit jogging. Finally it was time to go to the bathroom before suiting up. Pattie spotted us in line! Yay! So we got a picture with her before I headed out. By the way, at this point...I am still FREAKED!! What am I doing here???
Ok, I suited up, and parted ways with the girls and Wes and went down to join my wave. I started chatting nervously with a woman next to me. She was nice. It was good to talk instead of standing around freaked. I knew once in the water I would be ok, but man I was freaked. SOOO many people. My age group wave, women 25-29 had so many people they had to split us in 2 waves. The yellows and the pinks. I was in the pinks.

After the yellows went, we got to get in the water for a warm up swim. Then back out of the water to wait. Then a countdown, then we were off! Thank goodness the waiting was over and time to swim. The water was sooo warm compared to my training swim. Very comfortable. The buoys were easy to see, and though it was hard to swim with so many women around me, it was easy to go in the right direction...just stay with the crowd. After the crowed thinned I got my rhythm and just kept swimming. Here's a picture of the 1 miles swim course I was in the middle of.

Time just seemed to stand still, I had no concept of how long I had been in the water. I finally rounded the half way point and then the speedsters from the next wave started to swim over us slowpokes. Hoping they would go by fast, I just kept swimming. I felt strong and steady, and finally the finish was coming up. I was dreading that hill on the bike so much that honestly, I wished I could just keep swimming.

I got out of the water, pulled my cap and goggles off, and as always I realize I should take off my wetsuit first! It's hard to switch hands with your stuff while you are running and pulling the wet suit off. I found my row of bikes and ran down to my bike. There was Wes and he got a great shot of my butt while changing into my bike gear. Chugged down some sun warmed energy drink and I was off on my bike hoping to have energy to make it up that hill!









Lynch hill its called. I wonder why! You want to hang yourself instead of ride up it...well it wasn't that bad, but pretty close. I knew if I could just get over it, I could have a breather and gear up for the bigger hills to come...Although it is either the biggest or second biggest on the course. It was slow, but I was steady and I made it to the top. Coasted down a bit, caught my breath, and the rest of the ride was AMAZING! Up huge hills, and flying down them! I was fast! It was fun! The rolling hills were so beautiful. I saw the most amazing wildflowers. I got a picture after the race of these cool purple flowers I saw, but I don't know what they were called. Any ideas? They were amidst the yellow/orange golden poppies! Oh I love them. It was amazing.

I knew where all the hills were and I was READY for them. I did have to pee like crazy and it was really uncomfortable, but I made it. I think I ate too many cliff blocks, which made my tummy weird, but hey, I'll remember for next time. I felt soo cool as I slowed down to grab water and gu from the aid stations.

Finally headed down Lynch hill back to transition and I knew I was over halfway done! I got to transition and who was waiting by my hill angel Sean! He had talked me through all the hills on the training course. He found me in my transition and reminded me that I had already done the run, so it was no problem. Easy for him to say, he had already finished the race in 2:38. But I was so glad to see him. I put on my shoes and bandana, grabbed some water and I was off again.









Not long till I realized how crazy tired I was and my tummy was not happy from all the blocks. I found a bathroom...thank goodness..a 2 hour bike ride when you have to pee is not fun. I walked most of the big hills...man those were big hills..and I ran on the flats and downs. My quads started cramping, which hasn't happened before...probably cause I used them so much on the bike hills. I knew it was going to be a long run, but never once did I feel like I just couldn't wait for it to be over. Almost any other race, I reach that point where I just CAN'T WAIT to be done. But not this time. I was enjoying it even though it was so hard. I was watching my time and I knew I was going to beat my long estimate of 5 hrs...and maybe ever before 4:30!

When I got to the top of Lynch hill, I had over a mile to go, and I was running down that huge hill. The view was amazing! I wish I had my camera then. I got some shots similar to that, but it wasn't quite the same. But it looked something like this.
It was a long down hill, and as I was heading down, I was thinking...I'm doing it...I'm really doing it! I'm going to finish and Olympic distance triathlon! It was an awesome feeling. I passed this guy cheering and he said "Praise God!". It took me a second to realize what he said, but then I was like, "Yeah! Praise God! I'm doing it!". And down the hill I went.

Right before the finish they weave you through this blue path to get to the finish. I think right when I entered that route my calves did their thing. Cramp cramp cramp. At any other part of the race I would have stopped to stretch for fear I might fall or something, but then I saw Wes with the camera. And I knew I had to run to the finish...OUCH they hurt so bad. But I kept going. I thought I would look ridiculous in the pictures, but it wasn't so bad. I almost stopped again just before the finish cause they hurt so bad, but I kept going.
And then...I FINISHED!!! With a total time of 4:10! So much faster than I had thought! Not that I was very competitive with my age group, but I beat all my goals! Even during the run I was thinking...Next year I'm gonna do so much better. Next year I'm gonna run this whole thing... I was so pumped. And I still am if you can't tell.

Well after the race my legs cramped some more, and that was painful, but I lived. Elizabeth and I went and stood in the lake to cool off. Ahhhh...it was wonderful. Then I got a short massage to try to work out the kinks. Still hurts, but better. Then I went to get my free pasta and they were out! Bummer man. Next year remember to eat first...then massage. Pattie found me in line for the massage. She sure is good at finding me in a crowd! So I got to see all my friends at the end. It was awesome.

I had so much energy. My legs were tired, but I was so pumped up. Normally I want to be fed my steak and put to bed. But I was still going. Finally Wes and I trudged up the hill to the car. Poor guy, he worked hard too. A good sherpa. He carried all my stuff and my bike back up to the car and loaded up. Then he even carried all his stuff and his bike up too.
We took some more pics of the view, and then we were off! We stopped at In-n-out on the way back and I had a cheese burger, fries, and a chocolate shake. MMMM. Indulgence! And in the end, let me say again. It was AWESOME! I had so much fun! What a wonderful gift of God to be able to be strong and celebrate that in such beauty. Here's one last pic of me before heading home with the beautiful hills in the background. Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement. I loved every minute of it and honestly, I can't wait to do it again.