Ironman Florida 2001: I've come a long way!

As I was cleaning out my inbox at work, I found my very first Ironman race report. I've come a long way in both training and racing since November 10, 2001. It wasn't by luck that I took 3 hours and 49 minutes off this time, but a lot of hard work, learning about training, nutrition and mental aspects of this distance and an awesome coach and friend who understood me enough to deal with my ups and downs of training.

My Ironman started out in Virginia on Wednesday morning as we packed up the van for the 950 mile road trip to Panama City Beach, Florida. My father drove for most of the day as my Mother, boyfriend and I talked most of the way! We arrived in Panama City at 1 am.

Thursday morning I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and beautiful weather! We went for a swim, got registered for the race and checked out the expo! I took a swim in the Endless Pool....it was really cool!

Friday was much the same except a little more relaxing! I kept thinking that it would hit me that I was down there to do an Ironman, but it didn't and I felt like I was on a cloud!!!

Saturday morning..RACE DAY!! It still hadn't hit me! I am about to do an Ironman! I was a little nervous, but mostly very excited about the day that was ahead of me. I kissed my parents and boyfriend good-bye and told them I would see them around midnight.....boy was I NOT kidding! My friends Joanne, Theresa and I found our places on the beach and the cannon went off!

SWIM: I started a little too far back so the whole first stretch of the first lap I spent trying to get through some slower people in front. No problem! Once I got through the first lap, I was able to find my own place to swim! I exited the water in 29:42....YES!! I WAS GOING TO BREAK AN HOUR!!! Actually, I was a little slower on the second lap just due to the nature of the course and I finished in 1:01:39 good for 233rd (37th female). I even beat 9 Pro Women! It felt great! I was very happy with my time!

T1: The wetsuit strippers were awesome! I walked some of the way to the transition. I just didn't feel the need to rush! It was going to be along day regardless! I was out of T1 in 6:20!

BIKE: The bike felt great for the first 85 miles! I felt like I was out on a training ride! Everything was going well and I was eating and drinking enough! The race wheels that I had borrowed from a friend felt great. My legs and butt felt great and everything was ok! Even the last 30 miles were good, windy, but good! I definitely couldn't wait to get off the bike, but was getting really nervous about the marathon! I finished the bike in 7:13:37 which was great because my goal was 6:45-7:45! Perfect!

T2: Not so good! Luckily I met the most wonderful volunteer named Tanya! She sat with me for almost 15 minutes and convinced me that I could do this! My legs and the rest of my muscles felt great! It was just that I felt so dizzy and sick! She got me coke which helped! I asked her to walk with me to the run start and she did! Thank you, Tanya! We saw my parents and boyfriend on the way and I am sure that they were worried! I got the pictures developed yesterday and I didn't look so good! Time for T2: 14:47.

RUN: I felt horrible for the first few miles, but my body just wouldn't let my mind give in! I figured that if I could get to 13.1, I could do it! At mile 4, Theresa caught up to me! I was SO happy to see her that I cried.....Yes, I said I cried!!!! Theresa walked with me. She said that she would walk with me until I felt better and then we would run! By mile 5 we were running! We were passing people! At mile 12.1, I knew that I would finish! We ran until about mile 14 where we just couldn't run anymore. We walked the rest of the way! At mile 19.1, Joanne (with her Peeps), caught us! She had calculated that if we walked 20 min/miles, we would finish in under 16 hours. I was so thankful that she could still do math because my brain was fried and I couldn't figure out if we had enough time to finish before midnight! The three of us walked the last 7 miles together! Who would have thought that would be how our races would end???? According to our estimates, we weren't supposed to finish together! At 16:24:35 we finished together holding each others hands up in the air! It was a magical moment when I knew that I had the two best friends ever! How many people would slow down to help a friend cross the line? I don't think that I could have done it without them! They all said the same thing! We trained together and in the end finished together! It was amazing! My run split was 7:48:14, but that's irrelevant! I had the best time out there with my friends! They are my new Heroes!! I get chills just thinking about it!

Overall, I learned a lot about how to train for and compete in an Ironman event. I will do it again! I learned a lot about my friendship with Joanne and Theresa. We stuck in there together! It was a great weekend and I am sad that it is over! But I will do it again...We are already planning for 2003! If you have ever had an inkling of an urge to do an Ironman, or whatever it is that you dream of doing, Go for it! You can do amazing things when you set your mind to it! According to John "The Penguin" Bingham..."The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

Thank you to Joanne and Theresa! You are the best Iron-Friends ever! All of the hours that we spent training paid off! To all of the FXCM triathletes: Thank you for believing is me and training with me though good and bad days! You helped more than you know!!!! To my friends who I have hardly seem over the past 11 months,Thank you for being patient and understanding! Mom & Dad, you have stuck in there for me through 20 years of swimming and 5 years of triathlon! You are the best fans I could ask for! Thank you for encouraging me to always do my best! I sailed on Silver and my time came to shine! I love you!