Maybe I have had too much fun in my life? Hum - it was a fun day. I will start at the end, rather than the beginning. A few years ago myself and Sylvie ran the Disney World Marathon. When we were traveling back home, a man, maybe in his 40s, was wearing his Mickey Mouse finisher medallion, he was so proud, he kept looking at it, you could tell he was hoping people would comment about the medal. Well, I did talk to him for quit a few minutes about his race, his eyes lit up like Xmas. Well today, I was that guy, not the 7 min guy, but the boyesh guy so proud of having that finisher medal around my neck, I did not want to take it off, wear it everywhere.
Race day, up at 3:50 a.m., hours like a marathon, took a benedril to get at least few hours sleep. I forgot my flashlite, the transittion area was on wet grass, could have used the lite to catch worms or better, setup my transisition area, borrowed a flashlite, used the potty a few times. Yes, anxiety about the swim, just cannot seem to shake that feeling.
Ready, set, Go - the swim was off, in muddy old Provo boat harbor water, weird, my arms an legs hitty the underwater vegetation. The swim seemed like two miles, rather than 1.2, I was second to last getting out of the water. Funny thing, these people in the half IM can swim, you cannot fake the longer distances like you can the sprints. I was not too nervious on the swim, had some sighting issues for the red bouyes, the sun from the east caused some issues, swam a couple hundred extra yards. Man was I glad to the swim over with. Wake up call for the IM next May, need to improve big time on the swim. 59 minutes 30 seconds, is slow, double that time 1:59 and the cutoff is 2:20 - (swim = 1.2 miles)
The bike - plan = hammer the bike with everything I had - my goal was to pass 50 bikers, well, with 398 bikers already ahead of me, beating me out of the water, should not be too hard. Stopped counting passing when hitting 70. There is some danger passing bikers, they don't always keep a straight line, give them as much room as possible. Did not see the crash, but seen a male biker laying in the weeds, over by the west side of Utah lake, holding his head and not moving, could hear the ambulance and Para Meds coming, hope he is alright. This stretch of road is dangerous, hard to see the pot holes in the shadows and impatient trucks pulling boats trying to get around bikers, can't wait a couple of minutes. The biking went great, my time was about 2:32, don't have the offical times, maybe even faster, really hammered the ride. I also won an unoffical award today, most color coordinated bike and outfit, kind of funny two people commenting on my garb, I do like red, go utes. Or, was it the hooters on the back of the Tri top? (Bike = 56 miles)
The run - I knew this would be a problem with the calf strain, limped along, ran and walked the entire run. I now know what Mike W. was talking about, tri geeks do not wear ear phones, they actually talk, it was fun talking to so many and getting hang in there, (I must have looked dead dog tired, 3 people gave me one of their gus, how nice is that) I seen eight kid mom from the blog and a lady from Deseret Palms in the race, they both did well. (Run = half marathon)
Overall, my goal was to finish and break 7 hours, met both goals, less a calf strain, I think I might have broke 6 hours with my fast bike time. As I got to the finish line, the annoucer called my name, yeah, Dianamal (long time running and Tri buddy for 15 years) was there to great me with a big hug, she was proud of me as she encouraged me to give Tris a Try - I am not good about following advice, she did not advise I jump from a sprint to a Half IM. Di, took third in her division, tought division and set a PR, she was so darn happy. She did great setting a PR in the heat.
Post Race - Di got my drinks and food, helped me sit down. Another guy, his first half IM, helped me get up. I could hardly walk with the calf injury after the race.
Cosco - went with Sylvie to Cosco, drove one of those electric shopper carts, Sylvie dropped me off at the door. I had only driven ten feet, and one of the managers of Murray Rec. seen me, said: want are you doing, I thought you would be out running today, not in a handicap cart, told him the story, yeah, he has done some crazy things.
Well, time to go, need to polish the finisher medal a few more times.
Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out
Swim = 59:30
T1 = 2:47
Bike = 2:38:15 - avg pace 21.2mph
T2 = 2:59
Run = 3:13:10
Total time 6;56:39
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