Vineman Ironman 70.3 - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

I think I had a pretty good swim. Navigation was good - stayed to the right but not too far. I got run over a little bit by the last wave of men that came through - a guy really knocked my head with his arm and left me sputtering but other than that it was good. I felt great getting out of the water.

I really don't know the exact times for any part of this race. I got my gear on - sunscreen too even! Walked my bike up the hill out of transition and was off. I was smiling and laughing. I remember that because a guy mentioned it as I rode past - wow look at that smile have a great ride!

Not much I think I did okay.

I was glad I had on my bike shorts over the tri shorts for the ride. It was worth the extra 2 minutes it took to put them on in transition as the first 15 or so miles were bumpy. I have greatly improved on my bike and this time I had somewhat of a plan to follow. I followed my nutrition to a tee - endurolytes every hour, a swig of perpetuum about every 20 minutes and water. Worked out well. I didn't feel hungry or empty the whole ride. I did not blow my legs up on the bike. I stayed on it for every hill except for Chalk Hill which I had decided to walk up since by the time I got there it was soo HOT I knew if I did that hill it would probably be the end of me at that point and I still had a half mary to do. Last year, I walked a good handful of the hills on this course. So to only walk the one - yay me. Plus I have a new bike that I've fallen in love with and fits which was not the case last year. The last time I felt human and good was at the last aid station on the bike course - I stayed there probably a good 15 minutes in the shade trying to cool myself off a little bit and was pouring cold water into my bike helmet and putting ice in my shirt. My good friend caught up to me here and we rode together and walked Chalk Hill together. At the top of the hill I was scared - I'm not scared of climbing but I am of the big downhills. She went first and I followed. I hauled ass! I was scared but I did it and I continued to do it for the rest of the bike course. My friend dropped her chain at that left turn at the bottom of the hill coming off of Chalk and she waved me on. WE were chasing the cut off. Lucky for me, I'd be seeing her sooner than later.



My saddle is questionable. It's new - I've ridden it a few times but not 56 miles and my butt didn't like it on Sunday. Other than that I think I did okay. Plus did I mention it was freaking HOT!!!!

I remember looking at my watch and it said 1:20 p.m.. As I sat there on the grass in the sun putting on my HOT shoes, I so did not want to do this. It was so HOT. I was sweltering. I put sunscreen on and I tried not to cry. As I was leaving my friend came in to transition with that same look on her face...I told her don't cry! there's no crying in triathlon!

Hose myself off? Lay in a tub of ice? Fly to Alaska? Jump in the river? It was so hot.

I walked out of transition and into everyone else coming in from the run. I cried. Yes there you have it - crying in triathlon. I was so pissed. I saw my friend Ray on my way out and he told me to put ice in my hat at every station and on my wrists and in my bottle. I had more perpetuum in there. I ran about 15 minutes before the nausea started and thought okay I'll walk the first mile get it together and then re-evaluate after the first aid station. By then the nausea had passed and I was able to take some nutrition. The nausea turned to diarrhea and from here on out I only moved as fast as I did to get to the next porta potty. My friend that I left crying in transition caught up to me coming out of the one at mile 3 I think. We walked together the rest of the time. I am so grateful that she was there. She had me laughing and joking a bit instead of being mad and you know misery loves company. She was not doing so well herself. We got screwed this year with the late start. It was her birthday even. Argh!! When we got to the halfway point at La Crema the guy came sweeping the course it was about 4:20 p.m.; he offered to take us back or we could continue with no course support on the way back as they were closing it down. They had already pulled up the timing mat and turned off the mister at La Crema. By this time I had started to feel only slightly better and was able to walk past that last porta potty and not go in. Did I mention it was hot? Well imagine how hot it was inside of those freaking things. Miserable. I told the guy no way I'm not quitting pick me up at 5:00. My friend said are you sure? You look like you're about to hit the deck any second plus do you realize you're slurring a little bit? No, I didn't realize I was that bad and that it was noticeable too. It was that mile in the winery where I decided I had to be done. We would have no course support for the last 6 miles. We didn't know the way back. Turn right at this vineyard, then that one - I didn't have the slightest clue. When I race, as I think most of us who do, I don't give a rat's ass about the directions or street names or any of that - we really don't have to. What would happen to our bikes? Then there was the road - that bloody hot, not shady fucking road which was now open to traffic too. I couldn't bear the thought of walking on the road another step. I cried. I was so disappointed. This run took everything I had - I thought of everything I could to help me keep going. My friend Lawrence who'd give anything to race or even train in any conditions and I am lucky enough to do it. Chris too. Stop complaining and quit being a pussy I told myself. I got in the car with my friend and he took us back to transition. I finished 7.1 of the 13 miles. It took 3 hours I think maybe a little less. I didn't realize how jacked up I really was until I was in the car and had the sun off my head for more than a second. I didn't eat much either the entire run and I had a few chips in the car.

Find a way to turn off the sun. Carry a parasol? Now there's a thought.

WARM down? Really?


heat. hot. sun. summertime race in mid July. HOT. People said different temps ranging from 97 to 104.


I loved this race last year. I am the broken record that says "last year I finished this race.." I hated not finishing. I think they could start everyone a little earlier - say daybreak. We're triathletes for goodness sake we get up at the crack of dawn ALL THE TIME to train so why not race day too? You know you were up at that hour anyway!