YOU ARE AS GOOD AS YOUR LAST RACE

AmeliaIsland– Atlantic
Coast triathlon 2011 –
RACE REPORT

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For real, I am sitting here with writer’s block… unlike me I
know, but “Where do I begin… to tell the story of how great a love can be?”

… fast forward…  twenty four hours….

I titled my Amelia 70.3 race report “You are as good as your
last race”. This seemed most appropriate to me, because it was the first time
in my own history of triathlon that I was one hundred percent excited for this
race, and 0% anxious. It is usually the other way around. So why does “you are
as good as your last race” play a role in this… well, having just completed an
Ironman, and a rather hilly one at that, I felt like a flat, gorgeous day in
Amelia Island, for half the distance would be a nothing in comparison.  In hindsight, it is never ‘nothing” but yes, it was a most enjoyable day… A few challenges to face, yet with the confidence
of a newly anointed Ironman, they were fears consistently being conquered. So
here goes “nothing…”

First was the choppy ocean swim. The water appeared
calm at a glance. The race director even announced how fortunate we were to be
diving into LAKE Ferdinando.
It was no lake, thank you very much. Falling off of waves, swallowing
electrolytic salt water long before electrolytes were supposed to begin in the
sports nutrition strategy, and managing the bright sunrise directly into the
eye of the beholder began my day. Lake Ferdinando returned back to Atlantic Ocean, like Jekyll turns into Hyde without any
prior warning. No worries, this Ironman, sharply on the look out for sharks and
jellyfish, got onto the beach in almost record time. (Well record time for me,
and for me in an ocean swim… )

Running out the water on the sandy beach probably could make
a record viewing on YouTube. Feeling some what wonky, not only from the
overdose of salt, but swimming in a washing machine simulator always adds to
the fun. At least getting my wetsuit off on this day turned into a sleek
performance. That is usually the one thing that is laughable, and again, as
good as your last race, having the aid of strippers at Ironman, I was now alone
in my endeavor to strip and get on with the day, like I had somewhere to be !!

Hopping on to my new tri bike Dori, was one of those fears,
on its way to be conquered. While in the ocean, I could hear Dori calling me…
“Just keep on swimming, Just keep on swimming” (Dori; Finding Nemo).

My Dori was referring to extreme
excitement to be participating in her first triathlon, what she was born to do,
and could not wait for me to get out of the ocean!! (Unlike Dori the fish, who
was praying to get Nemo out of the whale – similar, but different).

I was so proud of my aerodynamic,  dynamic and  pretty Dori, and of course me too, managing to be comfortable in my aero bars,
and able to change gears efficiently and effectively simultaneously. Yes,
having flat Amelia at our disposal was an aid appreciated, but there were those
few intercoastal bridges and curvy traffic circles, one cannot forget. We did
it! And again, in record time. I don’t think I have averaged 19 miles an hour
before in any circumstance, let alone riding a tri bike, for the first time in
a race circumstance. And, remember, I still have to stop to fill my water
bottles, which does not stop the clock when calculating the mph. I feel like my
last race – Ironman… look out Robert Downey Jnr, you are going down!!

Dismounting was a turning point in emotion. I had to bid my
hero Dori goodbye. We had gotten out of the whale safe and sound, and now the real
challenge of my day was to face my own stress-fractured run. It was hot, and
although I felt on top of the world and invincible at this point, I had
promised the doc that I would not run. So I prepared myself emotionally to put
the swim and bike behind me, and just enjoy a leisurely rest of the day. I had
been chanting all week leading up to this day “swim bike walk, swim bike walk”
and yes, it is what it is !! I embraced the fact that my time is not important
today. It is about being out here with my tri buds, Dori and Amelia even if the
sun goes down while I am walking the walk. I progressed into a very low impact
afternoon, enjoyed cheering on the rest of the Sofa King team as I passed each
one on the out and backs. Okay, I didn’t really pass anyone, but you know what
I mean – out and backs mean they are far ahead, passing me on their way out, as
I was in my way in.  Doc, I confess, I did run some, but honestly, it would be an embarrassment to call THAT running…
it was extremely low impact, and I lived up to my tri team name – SO-FA-KING slow !!!

In summary y’all, I managed to begin and end the story of
how great a love can be. I have learned to love triathlon over the last few
years. I have conquered fears and embraced the entertainment factor of training
and competing (or should I say “completing”). I feel like an Ironman, even
though my last race was half of one. My friends all know it, because they think
my ironman gear is actually painted on my body!! (They gave me two months to
revel in my accomplishment of the year, and I extended the privilege to three,
can you blame me? It was Lake Placid y’all, and that somewhat simulates the
Gaps of Georgia…  go look at the elevation graph… )

I always like to include the things I have learned from my  last race – after all, that’s all I am good for 😉

1. There is no such Lake called Lake Ferdinando
2. More and more people can appreciate the Sofa King tag line – while my team
   mates are all “so-fa king fast”, I am “so-fa king proud” to be a part of such dynamics,  even if I was the odd man out not standing on the podium
3. Some people still think we are sofa potatoes versus couch potatoes – I will
   have them know… we are “so-fa king” NOT !!
4. I know  I am so proud of Dori when I got called out at a meeting last week saying
   “okay, enough about me, now about my bike…”
5. You  know who is going to tell you that I am one of the coolest chicks on
   earth?? Other Ironman chicks 😉
6. When I look at a bumper sticker advertising how to find a local radio station, my
   first thought is “that’s a funny distance for a race” (like 88.1).
7. I have  great friends, always willing to be Sherpa’s… when I say “lets go for a
   walk” they grab a handful of sports beans and gels and respond “ok, lets go!!”
8. I am  known for my White potato and salt tip… I was out there eating a potato, and
   a racer I never knew said “you must work with Ilana, the sports dietitian”?
9. Fiber one cereal is not the best pre-swim breakfast, even if it is just a swim practice.

Neoprene is the best stripper material… seriously, it can be just as sexy as spandex.