Irongirl

Irongirl

First - I want to say "THANK YOU" to my bellas who came out and cheered their
hearts out! that was so great to see you all out there! (Marjie, Kate, Laura, Brooke - you all rock!)

Ok, here's the report ---

The day starts out like any normal race day; alarm goes off, I dread the fact
that I have to get up, but I make my breakfast, load the bike, drive to the site. I find my spot in transition - -
- this doesn't make any sense to me where I'm located. The "bike out" and "bike in" is at the TOTALLY opposite
end of the transition area, so that means that I will have to run barefoot or in my cycling shoes for a very
long distance!!! crap. I lay everything out, see everyone I know is going to be there, and get ready. I am
lined up with the Elites - What the??!? Ok, I can hang as long as I want :) The Aflac duck tells us we're off,
and we go --- I didn't hang with the Elites very long! ha! I see about 30 people pull ahead of me. I see Laura
cheering just as I was going out of the run, then about 0.25 into it, I see none other than Marjie and Kate!
They gave big bella shouts, and I knew it was going to be a fun day! I get to the 1 mile marker and I'm running a
7:30 pace! WOW! I think those gals put a spring into my step! I don't usually run that fast! 7:40's are the
fastest race pace I've gone before - do I keep going? do I slow down? will I be spending everything I have in these
first 2 miles? eh - what the heck - I keep going, don't break stride and come into Transition 1 at 15:08.
About 30 seconds better than last year! Onto the bike.

Clip clop, clip clop for about 0.02 of a mile and finally I can saddle up and
ride. (that was brutal!) Although, the funniest part was when the girl who I was trying to catch for the longest
time on the run is heading out of transition area before, me - she mounts the bike (illegally), get's in trouble
for that, then the next race volunteer points out to her "Your helmet is on backwards! The number goes in
the front!" hee hee. Sorry - that's funny! I get going and hear more bella cheer as I start rolling on the
bike. Marjie even pointed out to me that I can 'Take that girl in front of you!'...I shout back "I got her" --- by
the next turn, I had passed her up. Then I realized, UGH! My legs are cold and tight! CRAP! I can't help but
mutter under my breath "I should have done more cycle training this year!" I feel stupid at this point and kick
myself....especially as the first hill starts to kick my butt. Then, I let my mind wander - why am I out here anyway?
That's right - because some women I know are fighting things much larger than "a race I chose to do!" I'm
here because I can - I'm here because if people can push through some things out of their control, I too can
push myself to the next level! (the race benefits a charity) I pedal on...I make a mental note that I will thank each and every volunteer on the ride in loop 1. They don't have to be out here. I stick to that, thank each and every one of them, and
begin loop 2 - my watch said "50:00" when I started lap 2. Not bad, but not what I totally wanted either.
Oh well...pedal on. As I come down the fast hill, I started to slow down because last year we had to...this year, I
could have kept flying --- oh well...a few seconds...and I'm back up to 35 mph for a bit. I get around the
first turn and see some cop lights in front of me - there is no way I've caught the elites...hmmm....AH...I
see...it's the LAST cyclist on her first lap. OK, I tell myself that I have to pass 10 cyclists...I stopped counting at
15...go me! Every cyclist I passed, I did my usual Bella Encouragement of "Keep the pedals moving" or "forward momentum!"
"Keep it up!" "Looking strong!" I love being a Bella and having the "Love the jersey" comment come
from behind me as I pass someone... I never played leap frog with anyone this year. If I saw someone in
my sights, I reeled her in and took her over....left her in my dust. I was only passed by 2 people in the
first lap, and no one else. Not bad...although, I should have trained more. Next year....this was after all, my
"year off".

Into T2...I'm going to try something new...I hear my bellas cheer me on through
the last little part of the ride, and here I go...undo the shoes, pull feet out, feet on top of shoes...ride into
transition...hop off....without falling! I did it! yeaye! First time for that! I totally need some Tri
shoes! Next on my shopping list.

Pitter Patter, Pitter Patter....all of the way to the bike rack (OWIE! I stepped on SO many stones...). Rack the
bike, change the shoes, don't forget to take off your helmet, put on the hat...go! Out of the transition area
under 2:00 each time! First time for that too! Out of the chute to the las 2 miles....Bella Whoot Whoots and
high fives to be given ;) I'm feeling dead legs...but I push on. 1 mile marker...huh? what? are my eyes reading
that right? am I malnourished? what???? 7:30 pace again?!?!? I'm kidding myself, right? Last year I was
almost at 9:00 miles this part. Ok, don't think about it, keep going how I feel I can go. Seems like the finish
line approached quickly, and I was making the last hair pin turn...that's when the emotion of "fighting" really hit
me, I give a shout to my bellas - "this one is for you" (you know who you are)...I crossed the finish
line with my last typical "kick" and my arms raised upward - just like the Irongirl Logo Grace - fight strong.

I did beat my time from last year by a minute, (I was slower on the bike this year - doh!) 9th of 138 women in
my age group, 61 of 802 overall. I think this year there were more elite athletes or something was different -
the fastest person this year was 1 minute longer than her time last year, the person who finished 3rd overall
last year was 3 minutes longer and thus in 10th place this year...

Thanks bellas for the support and encouragement.
Thanks to my Thom for the great hug at the finish line.
Thanks to Judy for being a super coordinator of the race.

Next weekend is my last duathlon and race for the year---then it's onto Sweden where I'll begin another
challenge. Next year - Border to Border with Paul - ride 200 miles on the first day, ride 200 miles the 2nd day,
run 50 miles the 3rd day, canoe 50 miles the 4th day. Southern MN border to the northern MN border in 4
days - that will be a great race!

Ride on,
KP