1/2 IRONMAN DONE!

I cant believe I havent posted since the race!  I am SOOOOO sorry!  I think I emailed and told the story so much, I kinda thought it was on here.

So Wilmington NC was amazing!   The weather was beautiful... got up to 78 on race day.  The sun was shining. The beach was beautiful.  The town of WIlmington was quaint with shops and restaurants that I wish I had more time to explore.  In fact, I plan to go back again next year!   :-)

I got down Thursday night and had dinner at a local brewery with my friend Greg and his wife Candelle.  Carbo loading is important you know :-)  Then to bed to get ready for a long day of prep in the morning.

The hotel was almost 1/2 btween the start on the finish.  We started 5 miles one direction on Wrightsville beach and we ended 6 miles in the other direction in downtown WIlmington by the Convention Center.  So friday start by heaidng over to the convention for packet pick--up, expo and mandatory athlete meeting.  At this time, I had to drop my bike-to-run transition back at the convention center.  Talk about nerve wracking!  What if I forgot something?  Its only friday... why do I have to be ready before race morning?  ACK!  After a quick 1 hour tour of downtown and a quick sandwich,  back tot he hotel to get my bike and great.   Off in the other direction to Wrightsville Beach for mandatory nike racking.  Again, why do I have to rack on Friday?  What if I forget something?  Ok,  I get to come to the bike in the morning beffore the swim start... safe here, I can bring more tomorrow!  Then back to the convention center for the athlete dinner.  Back to the hotel for a beer and some time with my new Delaware friends who were doing the race as well.  The Rebel Runners!  What a FANTASTIC group.  They totally adopted me and have made a whole new set of friends.  Looking forward to doing so many fun things with them!

So saturday arrives, race day!   Up at 5 and out the door at 6.  Drove Greg and I over to the convention center while Candelle got a little more sleep.   I needed to have my car at the finish.  From there a shuttle back 11 miles to the start at Wrightsville.  I was able to tak e my water bottles to my bike and prep everything... shoes open and ready, gloves hooked on bike, helmet propped on seat... etc. etc.   Next, on to a Trolley 1.2 miles up the inlet to the swim start.  The first wave went off at 8:30.  The last wave, my wave, went off at 9:15.   So 45 mins of cheering on those who came before me and then I am off!!!!

What a fabulous swim!  You truely do swim with the current.  Once you get past the dock, you off in a shot.  I felt great.... a little chilly, but not for long.  I have a wetsuit, I have the current.. wonderful!   The only downside was that it took a while to get out of the "pack"... I bumped and got bumped a lot which just disrupts your flow.  But stiil finished the swin in about 30 mins... and amazing time (thank you current!).

Out of the water and off to the wet suit strippers.  They unzip me and stand there.......  so, I start to try to get it off over my feet to which they say, "oh your one of those."    Apparently "one of those" are the folks that dont lay down and make it easier.  "I didnt know I was supposed to I say,"  as I lay down... and I follow up with "I have never been stripped."   If only I had realized what I just said... but I was too high on adrenaline.. Suit off... sprint a few football fields distance to my bike... where Greg's wife was waiting to make sure I got out of the water (thank you!) and shot a little encouragement before I took off on the 56 mile ride.

I changed fairly quickly and was out on the bike.  The ride was fast and flat... not pancake flat like the promised, but a little flat.  I can honestly say I felt good the entire ride.  I definately got tired and could feel a slow down aroudn mile 40, but really a good ride..... and then mile 54 of 56... i felt a pull, no a pop, no maybe a pull... something... in my thigh.  What was that?  Stretch, pound it out, rub it.... ok.. al good .. I am ok.... Time to head into transition.

As you enter the convention center, volunteers take your bike and a I am off to change.  Spent way too long in transition as I decided to wear my compression socks which are not easy to get on... I also stopped to pee, which I NEVER do in a race... but thought I needed to.   Then off to the run feeling refreshed by my short transition break.

The ran went around the inside of the conventions center, out a door, through a short part of a parking lot and then you were on the board walk along Cape Fear.   To the end of the boardwalk was about 1 mile and the rest of the run was an out and back through street and neighboorhoods. Oh this is gonna be difficult...I can do this... and then it hit!!!  Out of nowhere... it felt like someone was blowing up a balloon on the inside of my thight, just above my knee on BOTH legs... big softball size lumps!   Cramps! I could not run.  I stopped and walked, rubbed the lumps, walked a little more. Ok, gone.. run!   2/10ths of a mile and the lumps are back.  WHAT??!!! This sucks.  By the 1 mile mark, I went to medical.   She checked me out and said... "the good news is it is bi-lateral which tells me it is definatley cramping and not serious so you may continue the race.  The bad news is your are behind on your slat and electrolytes and may not be able to catch up."   She was right.   The remaining 12 miles I drank flat soda, took salt tabs, ate a few pretzels... Nothing stopped the on again, off again cramping.  This necessitated on again, off again running.  I walked A LOT.  Took 2 hours and 57 minutes to go 13.1 miles  BUT, I finished!!!!!!!!!  I did it!!!!!!!!!  All told, I finished 7 hours 1 minute and 37 secs.   I hoped to finish in under 7 hours.....
So close!  

This just means,  I will be going back next year!!!!!!!!!!!   :-)