Ironman California 70.3

Almost a year ago I decided I was going to find a 2nd 70.3 race

It was going to be a way to break up the training between Arizona 70.3 and Arizona 140.6

Smart choice right?

Strategically placed around 6 months between my two races

It was a way to keep my training up and stay motivated

I researched 70.3 races in the spring time with in driving distance of Phoenix

Oceanside fit the bill 

plus... fruity drinks by the ocean

This was all decided before I had finished AZ 70.3

I was still blissfully unaware of what it takes to race for 8 hours 

One of the first things I told Scott when I crossed the AZ finish line was 

"Fuck this, I don't think I can do that twice"

He laughed it off and told me I could 

I was in so much pain, so tired, and so hungry I was not happy that I had to do it all again in 6 months

but then a few days passed, my soreness worked its way out, I ate a pizza, drank some beer and decided yep, I should sign up for 3 more of these

and that is the exact moment I lost my damn mind. 

Saturday morning I woke up at 3:45am 

I found the appropriate meme for facebook

showered

grabbed my gear bag

and loaded into the car with some of my fellow members of #TDDS

or as we are better known "Team Do Dumb Shit" 

Why do we have such an awesome name? what is the meaning behind it?

Well. 

It's because we do dumb shit.

for fun

and we usually pay and hefty race fee for it

So we loaded up, made our way to transition and started to organize our gear. 

I set up my gear, checked it, rechecked it, and checked it again

then moved it

because I had put it under the wrong tire

whoops. 

I left transition to go put on my wetsuit and get some moral support from my husband 

If you think that watching a corral full of 2500 athlete lube their nether regions is sexy just wait until you watch people slide into a wetsuit

its not easy

its not pretty

and in my case it requires Scott sticking his hand into my wetsuit and yanking

yes, yanking is the appropriate word

my husband has to yank a rubber suit onto his wifes body

sexy doesn't even begin to describe it

then once it is on and everything has settled I get to rub body glide on the outside of my suit 

(so it comes off easier)

seriously the fun just keeps coming

Once my wetsuit was on 

(a good 15 minute process)

I realized I had to pee

I also had an itch

and I had forgotten to lube up 

I decided to hold out and wait until I got in the water to pee

the lube would have to wait until I was out of the water

We started lining up, I kissed Scott, hugged heather and Jolynn and jumped in line

I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be as I got into line

it was a process I was familiar with and that soothed me

eventually my wave made it to the front and we jumped in, swam about 50 yards and waited for the gun to go off. 

This was my first ocean swim and I was a little nervous that my wetsuit made me look like the seal shaped toy that gets thrown off the back in the boat during shark week 

not a sleek seal either, a slow moving elephant seal. 

perfect for a hungry shark

As I got to the start line I tried to put these thoughts to rest and focus on the fact that I was finally able to pee

(don't worry everyone else was too)

but as I started to pee I remembered one thing

The ankle part of my suit is very tight and the neck is not

also my back was starting to get very warm

sonofabitch

its coming out my neck hole

so here I am a confident and experienced swimmer 

flailing around like a goddamn idiot as my own urine comes out the top of my wetsuit. 

*sigh*

during my flailing the gun goes off

 now I am in a whirlpool of thrashing swimmers who think the fastest way to swim is with donkey like side kicks and closed fists.

and I am still trying to get the pee to go down my leg

I started foward, found a rythym and started to do the job I came out to do.  

Head down, high elbow, find the catch and keep moving foward

Sighting was harder than I expected and once we made the turn we were facing the sun so you couldn't see the bouys, the swells  also picked up so if you were in the bottom of a swell you could not see shit

not the bouys, not the other swimmers, not the shark poised for an attack. 

Nothing

I had some moments of panic but I kept after it and I came out of the water in 42 minutes

not a terrible time but not the time I was hoping for either

I was able to give Scott a high five as I came down the shoot

(the longest shoot ever btw)

I lubed up

Scott made sure to get footage on the GoPro

I grabbed my bike my food and ran out of transition

The bike portion is what I was most worried about

yes I had trained

yes I had done hills

but I had never done these hills. 

its a beautiful course

It follows the Ocean for a large portion of it, you go through the rolling hills of Camp Pendelton, you get to see the Naval Hospital, the Military Planes, helicopters, all around you there is target practice going on, there are marines at every corner cheering you on, and there are 3 big MFing hills. 

The 1st hill is at mile 31

at mile 30 you turn a corner and that big mother fucker comes into view

I was with a group of 10 or so cyclists at that point and I heard a few colorful descriptions of the big beast that lay ahead of us. 

We all put our heads down, switched to the small ring and started making our way up it. 

One lady told me that she heard the only way to make it up the hill was to start using the word Fuck like a comma. 

I agreed. 

I made it about 3/4's of the way up it and promptly decided, fuck this shit. 

I got off my bike and walked my happy ass the rest of the way. 

When I got to the top I was disappointed in myself. 

I got back on and decided that whatever was ahead I was not getting off that bike until I was back in transition. 

I made a few friends out there, screamed on the down hills, almost shit myself on the turns, and finally made it to the turn. 

The turn meant we were done with hills and it was time to head downhill

the turn also meant you were facing an ugly head wind. 

3 hours and 50 minutes after I left transition I made my way back. 

Once again Scott was there to give me a high five over the gate

I changed my shoes, grabbed some more food and made my way onto the run course

The run course is 1.5 loops down the beach and around the amazing beach homes.

I ran, I walked, I was able to see my friends.

Scott walked with me for a large portion of it as did my dad. 

I was desperate for company at that point and any chance to get my mind off running.

As I started in on my second loop I realized I had a chance to PR

If I kept pushing and held my pace I could take off 10-15 minutes

That was all the motivation I needed

As I made the last turn I had just over 2 miles to go and 35 minutes do it in for a PR

I grabbed some redbull and got to work

I was able to hold a 10:30 pace for the last 2 miles

As I approached the finish line I started running along side a guy about my age

He started talking to me and asking questions about what races I had done, if this was my first 70.3, etc. 

We started talking and he explained that he had actually registered and trained for Oceanside 7 years before but right before the race he found out he had a brain tumor and had to have emergency surgery. Surgery he was not sure he would wake up from, after surgery he was not allowed to work out. Doctors were afraid that to much pressure on his heart or brain would lead to a seizure and possible death. Seven years later he was given the ok and this was his comeback race. I was in tears listening to this guy, here I was thinking about my knee pain and this badass next to me who didn't know if he was going to live the last 7 years was pushing his body down towards the finish line. He told me that he was probably going to cry, I told him its ok everyone does. 

The people that you meet at an Ironman event are amazing. 

I only spoke with him for a few minutes and I didn't get his name but he inspired me. 

I pushed my way to that finish line and came in 13 minutes faster than I did at Arizona

I grinned at my family, grabbed my hat and medal and ran out to give them all the sweatiest of sweaty hugs. 

I am again humbled by the Ironman gods. 

I am motivated

I am scared

I am proud

I took 3 minutes off my swim, I added 10 minutes to my bike ride, and I took 30 minutes off my run.

 I will see you in 9 Months Ironman. 

Get ready because I am coming for ya. 

Big thanks to everyone who came out, my husband who supports me and is there for me even when times are hard, my family, my fellow members of #TDDS, my training partners, my sisters, my tribe of misfits, strangers with vaseline, the volunteers, the volunteers who let me use their sunblock, my coaches and my friends. 

I can't express what your support and smiling faces mean to me out on the course. 

I love you all 

and last... but not least 

For Mark