I started off feeling okay, trying to be conservative. Evidently not enough...the inhalers had looseded a bunch of stuff in my lungs and I started coughing and wheezing within 300 meters. Kayaker paddled over so I could get enough leverage upright to get the gunk out of the lungs. I spit nasty ick out and started off. He was looking at me like I was nuts to just keep going. I had a few moments of questioning that decision myself but I refuse to allow asthma to define who I am or limit what I do so ONWARD I went.

Finally get to the first turn bouy, it's choppy and I'm getting a good bit of the brackish water in my mouth when I breathe. ICK! Kayaker tries to direct me inward some...ear plugs, it takes a few attempts before I hear what she says. I'm in the midst of the wave behind me by now, lost so much time coughing. Oh well, there are still swimmers from my wave in the water.

Make the second turn, still getting some directions from the kayakers. Not a lot of bouys marking this course. Guy in front of me stands up. I stand too, cough again, dolphin dive, swim a bit...repeated for the last couple hundred yards.

Get up on the beach and decide since it's a long transition run to take my wet suit off. Suit got stuck on the timing chip and I land on my butt. Oh well...

Since not having asthma isn't an option....not much I could do.

Get up to transition and my husband gives me an estimated time. Tell him I'm having a hard time breathing. Almost ran the wrong way out with the bike....

placed 1/8 here!

Got out on the course and my breathing was still rough, not bad...not wheezing, but not 100%. Knew where the rescue inhaler was taped but didn't need it.

Turn onto Greensprings and the less than lady like side came out as I hacked up parts of my lungs and left them along the road. Left a snot rocket along the way too...Yeah, pretty sight....Truck passes me, I look up and there's 2 bikes in front of me, one trying to pass the other and I don't know if he's going to get back inside enough in time for the truck who didn't seem to want to slow down. Little scary there!

Get over the bridge feeling pretty good and I start to work harder. My sensor is out of alignment and I have no clue about my cadence or speed. Just going by how I feel and what my legs & lungs will allow. There's a group of 6-8 bikes coming back towards me and a truck hauling a boat goes wide around them. Just as I'm looking up from aero I see the front end of this guys truck about a foot from me. YIKES!!! Picking off riders here and there...

Make the left turn to get to the turnaround. Up a minor hill. Grab a gu. I've had one chamber from the aero bottle of heed by now. Hit the turn, it's a tight hairpin so I unclip my left toot. My right foot isn't turning the cranks, wheel is stuck. HUH?? Quickly unclip and reclip in then everything is fine. Enjoyed the down hill and start really passing people. Got at least 12 folks on the back half of the ride.

Head back into the park and had to slow down a lot cause there's cars exiting already. Darn sprinters were already leaving and blocking us...AGAIN! Unclip and ride with feet on pedals but still in shoes.



Not much, this was a great ride for me!

No problems, just hard to untape the inhaler from the bike frame. I wanted it with me given how the day started.

7/8 here?

Head out from the park, quick left, cross the street and a short jaunt down part of the bike trail. Turn around and cross the street heading down the bike trail along Greensprings. Police are doing an awesome job of stopping traffic for us at the intersections. However, the bike trail remained open to other users so I find myself saying "on your left" to a man walking with his kid and working my way around bikers...
Passed by the first water station just before mile 1. I have to pee so bad...there's a porta potty but I am the type to refuse to stop in a race to pee and also not the one to pee myslef in the race...So I pass both the water and the potty.

Long wood bridge. I hear the rhythm of my feet and I think "horse hooves". Also think of a few people doing IMOO today and hope K gets to run :)
Make a right turn and head down another part of the path. Hit the turn around there,taking water from the aid station this time. Head back to the intersection and hae to take another right then a left. Still on parts of the bike trail. The macadam isn't very forgiving, my back hurts. Massage it a bit and keep moving. Hit the aid station,drink and keep moving. Pass the man who has been directing the runners through the turns, he tells me I have about 2.5 miles to go.

Long stretch through here. Worst part was running near where a water feature was and hearing the running water with a bladder on the verge of explosion. Keep moving.

Mile 5 aid station, grab some heed to drink and pour water on my head. There's a guy at least 15 years younger than me in front of me. I pass him saying "You aren't going to let an old asthmatic pass you are you?" He laughed and I passed him.

Turn right and head down towards the park. Fans are encouraging...Hit the chute at a good sprint. Still holding my inhaler but never used it...

THey cut off my chip and handed out wet towels with our water bottles. Oh, that towel felt so good!
Mist tent...pee...eat....


Asthma flare


Set up used to have really tight transition security. Not this time. SPrinters startes off an hour before the oly so they were clogging transition when we were coming in from the swim they were clearing their stuff.
Going green, no printed course maps and the run course wasn't posted on the website.