Toughman HIM - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Overall good swim - had I known what was to come I would have stayed in the water!lol

Race did not give T times on results but this felt good considering it was my first transition with bike shoes and clipless pedals. I also noticed severla folks in my row were not back yet so I knew I was ahead of the pack for the moment.

So, around mile 20 I was looking up from the road to "check out' the hill situation ahead and when I looked back down the shoulder of the road just stopped, concrete gone, gravel ahead - @ 17mph there was nothing I could do but wait for the impact, which came on my left shoulder//shoulder blade and back of my head - once again thank you helmet! Took about 10 min for the stars to go away and then another 5 of someone saying "oh my gosh your shoulder" before I realized the damage I did. Some angel out of nowhere brought some gauze and wipes and cleaned me up, By that time I realized I was probably ok to keeping going, but that I better HTFU or I might miss the cut off. As I started to get on the bike I realized my chain dropped so I spent another 5-10 minutes and finally another biker stopped to help me out. Got back on and kept on going. The adrenaline rush must have kicked in because the pain did not start until the run. Funny thing, if you back out the accident time, I would have eclipsed last years bike by almost 15 minutes, so even though the course was tough I have improved since last year!

Make sure the road out front is clear before looking ahead - too much traininer riding this training season (thanks NYC weather)!

So, once I got back to T2 I knew I was pushing the cut-off so I ripped off what I could quickly put on the sneaks, grabbed the water bottle and went. Had to go to the bathroom but didn't want to lose anymore time

Should have taken some Advil - thought about it several times on the bike but forgot due to being in a hurry.

So, tore through the first mile out of the park, got to an intersection where athletes were coming in but because I was one of the last competitors going out there was no one to follow, so I asked 2 teenage girls in toughman shirts (who appeared to be volunteering as they were cheering everyone going by) which way to go and they said straight down that road, I said "are you sure" and they said "yep" so off I went for about 1/2 mile and came straight to a dead end. WTF!!! So back I went, went to an adult volunteer who I explained what just happened and I got back "Well you look fresh, just go back the right way it's right over there..." I almost punched him! At that point I was ready to quit - I figured I'd be pulled off the course anyway, but I remembered this was a moment to act like an Ironman in the making and finish the race or be a wuss and give up - so off I went. At this point the shoulder pain was excrutiating and the headache was increasing by the minute, but I powered on. As I approached the loop at Mile 8 and swung around I saw a man riding w/ a bike next to him and as they approached I noticed the sign said "Last athlete of the Toughman", If I made it to the finish, I was going to finish 2nd to last, I almost started to cry, but I though about my friend Kristin who was doing whatever it took at IMWI at that same time and I thought about what she had gone through and decided at that moment I would finish, all I had to do was stay ahead of the man in the bike, so I started running again and I ran and walked and ran for the rest of the course. Everytime I ran my head felt like it would explode (I didn't know I had a slight concussion at the time) so I just kept walking fast, cussing alot and moving on. The aid stations were closng down and I could tell people were annoyed I was still out there, so often I felt like I had to explain myslf to them "Yea - crashed my bike earlier just trying to fininsh the race" - then they would be nice, but I realized how hard it must be for BOP just trying to get their race done and people annoyed at them about it. Anyway, managed to find my way back to the park as all the signs had been taken down and this great man Rob saw me coming from the Toughman staff - he asked if I was ok and I started to tear-up, I said I was but I probably needed to get to medic fairly quickly. He saw my shoulder grabbed my elbow and held it up and walked with me to the top of the chute then he said you go finish this race young lady and I will meet you on the other side at take to you right to the medical tent - you are one toughlady - this race was named for people just like you! I wanted to give him a big hug, but I couldn't lift my arm. So I crossed the finish line 2nd to last got my medal and collapsed in Robs arms.

Nothing, I have never been more proud of myself in my life!

So after getting the clear from the EMT's to leave on my own (yes, no one was here with me)and told to have my family wake me up every few hours through the night just to be sure I was OK, and getting alcohol poured on my wound (that was almost tougher than the race) and told I likely had an ACL strain and should get to a doc this week. I packed up my stuff, walked 1/2 mile to the Metro-North and rode back to Manhattan,then took another hour subway ride home cause I live in stupid Brooklyn now


Umm let's see, bike crash, ACL strain, bleeding open shoulder wound, slight concussion, wrong directions - oh and the swarming bees at transition, but that was all :)


Overall, despite the logistics issue of getting to the race it was a great race and it is really "tough"! The staff and voluteers (for the most part) were supportive, gracious and helpful and the race director was very patient as I'm sure I drove him nuts leading up to the race with my pestering about the travel arrangements. I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a challenge, a beautiful race site and who has a car to get there! lol