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 Swim
Comments: Off we went and I managed to stay calm. My only plan was to remain calm and remember to blow out hard to avoid salt water down the throat. I got to the first bouy, made the turn and headed down the long stretch. The next age wave caught up to me here. I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon but I didn't let that mess my head, I just had to focus on staying calm in the water. I was pleased that I was able to continue strokes without having to stop and doggy paddle to gather my whits like in the past. I only stopped to try and find my way in the waves. It was hard to see the bouys with the water moving so much. I came to a round bouy and unfortunately it only marked a halfway point down the long stretch to the next corner. As I passed it I saw two scuba divers hanging out directly below watching us go by. It was kinda trippy. As I approached the corner bouy I came across a couple men, so I guess I too can catch up with another wave, snerk! Down to the next corner and then the long home stretch. The current got me and pulled me way off course here. I did a lot of counter-productive swimming trying to get back on track. I don't have super great vision so I had a really hard time seeing where the bouys were cause they were so darn far away. But I pressed on. I seemed to have found my zen place in the water cause I really was not too terribly concerned with things. Finally, rounded the last bouy and back to shore. I was full of gratitude, and really proud of myself for overcoming what was once a terrifying event, being in open water. What would you do differently?: Train more in ocean water to be used to waves and currents.  Transition 1
Comments: We had a run on the beach and then through the park to get to transition. I got to my rack and got my gear on and out I went. Pretty un-eventful. What would you do differently?: Nothing  Bike
Comments: I will have "chapters" to describe this section. Please bear with me, as this was quite an experience. Ch. 1: IN THE BEGINNING I mounted my bike fine, got going and fell into a rhythem rather quickly. I checked my speed while heading out of town and I was doing 19 mph average, and I didn't feel like I was putting out that much effort. All good. Up and over the first overpass and on to a long stretch of highway they call the "Liebrimiento". I soon found that my legs weren't quite so strong and settled into a 17 mph pace, which I thought I would be able to hold for the duration. Ch. 2: MONSOON #1 At mile 10, the skies got a whole heck of a lot darker, and then it came. A major rain storm. I was immediately drenched, just soaked. I thought it kind of fun to be out in the jungle in a big downpour, another foreign adventure! But the novelty was short lived, as the skies opened up even more and rained even harder. I didn't think it could rain harder, but it did. I couldn't see for nothing. I wished I had windshield wipers for my sunglasses but I doubt it could keep up if I had them. It was hard to eat my shot blocks, as they were slippery and starting to melt away in the rain, but I was determined to stick to my fueling plan. I approached the first aid station at mile 13 and Chris Legh was casually riding back to town. Apparently he got disqualified for something. My inner thighs were starting to get sore and tense and I didn't like this feeling so soon. Ch. 3 THE FREIGHT TRAIN You know when your out on the open road and you hear that whewhewhewhe sound? The pack of super fast riders were coming up to lap me and I knew they would be coming hard and fast. I got over to the shoulder just in time, and they blew through like locamotive. I hate being such a chicken, but it was also kinda exciting. I made it to the turn around for the first part of the short loops and continued on. My legs were feeling ok at this point. The rain stopped and I was eating shot block remnants. I was hydrating well and continued on. Ch. 4 LEG TROUBLES BEGIN I had made another lap turn and had to get a Gatoraid bottle at the aid station since my Nuun tabs were totally dissolved in the rain storm. I didn't like the idea of using a different electrolyte solution than what I'm used to because my stomach is so sensitive. The other trouble was my legs. They continued to stiffen up and quickly changed from uncomfortable to really hurting. My speed was going downhill and another big rain storm hit. I was getting miserable. I was also getting lonely, as most of the packs of peloton riders had come and gone and I was out there with the few other slower riders in the dark, cloudy countryside. Ch. 5 IT'S ONLY MILE 30! I remember looking down at my computer and it said 30.00 on the dot, which was kinda weird. My legs systematically began to go into severe lockdown. It started from the inner thighs, then moved to the hams, the hips and hiney came next, and then the quads. Like an engine that ran out of oil, they just seized up. I tried to stand up and stretch and it didn't do much. I was really hurting and really alone. I made a serious rooky error of having all my nutrition packages open for easy access and my Mojo bar was completely out of the wrapper and they had all been dissintegrated in the storms along with my Nuun tabs. My fear of using the products at the aid stations that may upset my stomach came back to bite me with a serious vengience. I was toast. My stomach woes from the race start were coming back and as I was approaching the last porta john before the stretch back to town I made the descision not to stop because I knew I wouldn't be able to get my legs back over the top tube of the bike to get going again. So I pressed on. Ch. 6 THE LONGEST 13 MILES EVER I was on the final stretch back into town, and there wasn't anyone left in front of me, and I knew there were very few behind me. Another monsoon storm began and I could hear my involuntary moaning through the shower of water. I remembered I had a Gu pack in my shirt pocket. I just hate gels, they don't go down well for me but they give me a quicker boost so I normally take one just before the end of the bike. I got it open in my teeth fine, but when I went to suck it down a big gust of wind came through and I couldn't hold on with my wet hands. Lost in the storm. I wanted to cry but I was on a mission to get back. I was actually beginning to think I may not make a cut off time. I think that fear got me to forget the pain in my legs a little bit and I got out of the saddle to push it a little harder. I tried to keep my head down so the rain wouldn't hit me directly in the eyes since the sunglasses didn't seem to make a difference, and that caused me to swerve around a bit. The rain was coming down so hard it was stinging my skin, and I began to count down each mile as it passed. "Just keep going, don't stop, you can do this..." I was whining to myself. A break in the rain, the over pass to get off the Libremiento hwy, I knew I was close now and I was greatful to be out of the storm. The last three miles were so incredibly long. Where the heck was the park!!!! Oh, there, finally!! I got to the dismount line, unclipped and struggled to get my right leg over the bike. The volunteer saw me having a hard time and she asked "Bien?" I cried back.... "NO BIEN, NO BIEN!" What would you do differently?: Where should I start? I don't even want to go there right now. I gave this a "Bad" ranking but I will give myself an "E" for effort. Also, need to get on a bigger bike with 700 wheels instead of my 650's, so hopefully I can get a little more milage with the effort. Transition 2
Comments: I hobbled into T2 using my bike to help hold up my body. I passed my spot on the rack. Everyone before me just threw their bikes onto the rack wherever so it was really hard to tell where my stuff was. Went back and started to try to read the names and numbers but the rain had washed that away. I spotted my "101" visor and put my bike up. I sat down, dumped the water out of my running shoes and pulled myself together. Off I went... barely. What would you do differently?: Remember my hot pink towel for transition instead of using the white hotel towel that everyone else used.  Run
Comments: From the first step was the "squish squish" sound of soaked shoes. This was going to be a long run. I usually look so forward to the run cause I enjoy running so much and I can normally start to catch up a bit. Carin was there to take my picture and I was not smiling. I got out of the park and made a real effort to just keep on shuffling along. I went a little ways and had to stop. I started punching my thighs and quads. Where's a defibrilator when you need one? Didn't seem to help so I just kept at it, a little at a time. The rain was gone and the sun was coming out. They had aid stations every kilometer, awesome. The water pouches were great; you just bite the corner and squeeze it into your mouth and spray it all over your body. While out on my first loop I watched most of the other competitors coming back my way and I assumed they were all on their last lap. It made me kind of sad that I had gotten so far behind on the bike. It wasn't enough to make me go faster cause the legs just didn't have it in them. They were through with me even if my mind was trying to ignore them. Each step hurt, hurt down to the bone. It got me tense and my stomach got tight again. As I continued on, the tightness and muscle lock down that had happened to my legs began to travel up through my stomach and to the shoulders and neck. After a while, I got tight from the neck on up to my jaw. I had lock jaw, oh shit!!! I couldn't open my mouth to eat so I just squirted the water packs in. I was truely in my own hell. What is happening to me? I've never had so many physical discomforts, child birth was nothing!! Shortly before the first turn around I stopped, dead stopped. A guy coming up behind me said in an accent " come on, lets go". We held eye contact for a while as if to say "I feel you" and it got me to go again. How many other sports exist where the competitors try to help get eachother to the finish line? Good people. I was heading back to complete my first loop, and it was getting more and more quiet as most people were finishing. Just before mile six a bug flew into my eyeball. I'm serious. "God, are you there?" I got to the curb and tried to blink it out and it hurt like hell, so I tried to scoop it out with my finger.... got it! And once again I moved on. Hit the turn around and I was actually feeling some relief that it was the final six miles. It got really humid all of a sudden. It was like someone had sucked all the oxygen out of the atmosphere. I couldn't get a deep breath in. I got panicky and tried to breath and I was just gasping, hyperventalating. I stopped at the curb again and pulled the attached sports bra in my top away from my chest to see if it would help. Just a little bit better. Is this it? Is my race over right here? I was panicking so much that it almost got the better of me. My inner voice was screaming to calm down, breath slow, sloooowwww way down and try to relax. I looked at my watch and a realized my goal of finishing at 6 hours had slipped away. This was no longer about hitting time goals, it was time for damage control. I had to stop feeling sorry for my pathetic self and just force each step. I shamelessly moaned like a cow. And just made my way down the road. Strangely enough I was most bothered by my locked jaw. It was so messed up. My body was saying "F-you Gina, we don't have any gas in our tank!!!" The last turn around came and I tried to convince myself it was some sort of victory. I kind of got a super tiney spring in my step because I started to pick up the pace just a bit. I ran longer in between walk/hobbles. An ambulance went by with it's lights on and I turned my face from them because I thought if they saw the look on my face they would stop and throw me in too and I wouldn't finish the race. Two more miles, then one more. Thank God. The air felt like it got thin again. I came into view of the park and I was gasping again. Oh please, not again. I'm so close, just make it there. There weren't too many people left to cheer, but the ones that were there were very kind. I didn't really feel the joy, not really a sence of accomplishment at the time. I just wanted to stop. I started to cry before the finish shoot. I just wanted to discomfort to go away. I wiped my tears as I approached the finish line. The announcer was speaking spanish so I don't know what he was saying. I actually managed to crack a smile for the photographer at the line. Go figure. Done. Relief. Post race
Warm down: After laying in the medic tent trying to stop hyperventalating, I hobbled to the massage tent for an ice rub down and massage. It was great. Carin tried to convince me to eat and I still couldn't move my jaw. Not yet. What limited your ability to perform faster: It's hard to say. I'm still reeling from the disappointment that I didn't have better control of my body and things went so terribly wrong. All season I saw myself improve and progress nicely and surpass goals at other races. The hip injury weeks before this race didn't help, but I think it was just a piece of the puzzle. One thing I do know for sure, I have got to get more intellegent about my nutrition all around. I should pay closer attention to my protein intake and avoid refined sugars, which I am addicted to. I think I've been getting by on good genetics and if I'm ever going to do well in a HIM I need to make sure my diet does a better job of supporting that. I also need way more time on the bike. I missed way too many key long workouts due to family conflicts this summer. It really showed. Event comments: I need to come back and have a do over. Next time I will conquer. You haven't seen the last of me yet. Last updated: 2007-07-22 12:00 AM
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Mexico
Ironman
Overall Rank = 555/787
Age Group = W 30-34
Age Group Rank = 24/38
Arrived in Cancun on Thursday, had lunch and assembled my bike. Went for a short ride along the main blvd. and got scared by the crazy bus drivers and cars whizzing past at warp speed. Went back to the hotel and hung out while watching all the athletes arriving. It was quite a sight to see endless amounts of bike cases in the lobby. And I must say that in Latin America they have the most beautiful people in the world! Mix that in with major physiques than you've got quite the sight to behold!
Friday the expo and packet pick-ups began. I got my packet and went to get my fleece jacket (I know it's weird for an entrants swag in Mexico!) and they only had men's sizes. It looked like a dress on me, so hubby gets it. Darn, cause it looks real cool. I brought my bike down for the bike check, and neither of the mechanics spoke english, but hey, it's just a bike. After some adjusting with the chain and tinkering he deamed it ready to go. I saw Chris Legh at the expo, a real cutie in person! I bought some souvenier shirts and hat poked around the hotel some more. My family didn't end up coming to Mexico with me due to major schedule conflicts with hubby's work and projects, but it ended up being a blessing because I was able to just relax and not have to take care of anyone but myself, but I was kind of lonely. In the afternoon I went out to where the taxi's arrived and looked for other competitors to share a cab to the race sight for the bike course tour. I met a guy named Rex from Colorado and he suggested we just catch the city buss for 7 pesos (70 cents!) so I followed him out there. It was a fun adventure since I never get a chance to ride transportation like that at home in the suburbs. We got to the "Wet N' Wild" where the race was at and loaded onto the tour buses. The RD, Armando, was our guide. Part of the lure of the race was the description of riding past Mayan ruins. I was looking for them, but it ended up being more like shanty hut ruins where people actually lived! We experienced a little rain while on the tour, but when we returned to town and the main blvd. where all the hotels were, the streets were flooded. Apparently the rain came down much stronger here. You could smell the backed up sewer water and I was concerned because that was on the run course and I didn't want to get skin infections if it wasn't cleared up by Sunday.
Saturday morning I got up early for the swim training on the course. The waves were pretty big and the skies were dark. It had rained all night and had stopped breifly while we swam. The day before I had set out my nylon swim cap to dry because my defogger solution had opened and soaked the cap. Smart me left it in the hotel room. Luckily a nice guy named Bryce from Dallas has a spare + goggles to lend me. We went out into the water and the waves were more than I was looking forward to. I got a little sea sick figuring out how to navigate them. We went out to the first bouy in a big group and I was the last to arrive. The others all started heading back to shore and I went too. I was struggling pretty good and being thrashed around, but some of the guys stopped to wait for me and make sure I was ok. I just love triathletes, such nice people. We got back to shore and the water immediately calmed down. The next batch of folks were entering the water and I was jealous that they didn't have the waves. We got our clothes on and walked back to the park entrance and then the skies opened up and dumped rain. We were soaked to the bone along with all our belongings and a bus never arrived to take us back to the hotel. Some of the guys went looking for a cab, and they stopped to let me into the suburban cab they found. Later we all met for breakfast at the hotel. It was getting more fun now. I had new friends from all over to hang out with. That evening we walked through the rain to the Shrimp Bucket for the prerace pasta dinner and I really enjoyed the company. Saturday night I packed up my transition bag, double checked everything, stretched and went to bed early.
Up at 3:30, ate a Mojo bar, drank water and went down to the lobby. I sat with a guy who was doing his very first tri, ever! The shuttle came at 4:30 and off we were to the race sight. On the way I almost couldn't contain my nerves. I was going insane with anxiety and I just thought I was going to explode! It was pretty uncomfortable. We got to the transition area and it was already rocking with excitement. The volunteers were there in full force and they came to my rack to body mark me, very cool! We had assigned spots on the rack and our names and competitor info was in our places. The sky was not clear, pretty overcast, but it wasn't raining, so I was happy. I took my time setting up and I wandered around a bunch to try to get the nerves out. Didn't help much. At 5:30 my dear friend Carin arrived! I was so happy to see her. She had flown in the night before to cheer me on and had taken a cab from her hotel. I gave her my camera a she walked around with me and was excited about everything that was going on. I made several trips to the porta, cause the nerves really did a number on my stomach. Not great. I checked my pack in at the bag check and headed down to the swim start. Techno music was setting the tone. It made it difficult to try and calm myself down. Many more trips to the porta, oh crap!!! The first waves were underway and I was still trying to resolve my stomach issues. The time finally came for me to line up with all the ladies in my waves. An Aussie chick made a comment on how this race was full of shorties. It kinda pissed me off but I let it roll off me. We don't all have super longs legs! We went down to the water and while when they announced 20 seconds for us I wished the girls around me good luck and then everyone got in on it and we let out a huge roar! And so it begins....