I'm not an Ironman (IMAZ=DNF) (Page 4)

You did your very best.  If you hadn't had to fight the headwind for that long, you would have made the cut off.  Sometimes the conditions just aren't going to help you.

You didn't quit though.  You kept going til they told you to stop.

You are not an Ironman (yet) but you ARE someone who knows how to keep going even in the face of almost insurmoutable odds - to try.  You didn't surrender and you fought to the end.

You are ultimately worthy of respect.

Good luck next year!

Elaine,

Readying your post broke my heart and my eyes swelled with tears knowing what it must have taken to get you there.  Then reading that you signed up again for next year?  It gave me chills.

You will be an Ironman, I have no doubt. 

And don't forget, from your race report...

" I just registered for IMAZ 2008. I'll give this another whirl!"  Winner

Elaine, that last lap was the most difficult 18 miles I've ever done. It was incredibly demoralizing. When someone asks you how you did, simply answer with what you learned about yourself, the race and attempting huge goals. And let them know you've already signed up for next year. If you have to feel embarrassment WITH ANYONE after that, you're wasting your breath even talking to them.

Nice to meet and chat with you before the swim!

You've got a year to build your pumpers into mashing machines - good luck!!!

so sorry to hear about your race. stay strong.  you know you didn't quit on yourself and from this you will emerge stronger. 

take some time to reflect on all the things you learned from the day, the strength, both mental and physical, that you gained through all of your training, eat some ice cream and then have some fun racing some short course this summer and then return next year to kick some behind.

k

Way to go Piratgirl - Taking on IMAZ again.  You will definitly do it next year.  It took a lot of courage to face that challange and even more to sign up again so soon after.

Just like Sarah you will rock the second time arround.
 

PirateGirl - You are a winner in my book!  YOu went out there and you took on the elements and you fought to the bitter end.  That is the kind of stuff heros are made of and you are mine!

This is what I did as i was coming back from knee replacement surgery.  Take what ever newspaper clippings or printouts you can get and hang them up near your trainer or workout area.  Use it as motivation to press on and kick that monster's butt next time.

Hold your head high.  YOu have NOTHING to be ashamed of.

Yes! I remember you out there! I had just passed the turnaround on the beeline and was heading into the wind...I coudn't have been more than a few minutes ahead of you at that point. I was the gal in the purple jersey. I yelled to everyone that I saw to keep going, they could make it to the 2nd cutoff. But that 3rd loop and at 4PM the winds were stronger than before. I'm so glad to hear you fought all the way to the end too. And that you signed up for IMAZ for next year. WE WILL beat this thing next year!

I remember seeing you in the car...you rang your bell for me! Thank you ....thank you so much! It means so much to have people cheering for the strugglers at the end. Just knowing someone else is out there in the elements and willing you to go forward means so much. I know it must be hard for you too. Training for an IM takes a lot out of the spouses/significant others that I'm sure they feel the disappointment and defeat as well. I had to talk to my husband before officially signing up for next year's race. I asked him "Are you sure you can take another year of me training for an IM?" But he knew I had to do this. Triathlon isn't a solo sport. Getting through the training is a team effort, and the emotional support means so much.

Thank you so much for volunteering out there! To stand out there and be sand blasted while handing up supplies as people whiz by for several hours is really appreciated. We couldn't have gotten as far as we did without you! I hope you'll get some recovery time as well.

PirateGirl,

My hat is off to you and all the athletes who battled all day in brutal conditions.
I was out there all day volunteering, and I saw and talked to many people who were not able to complete the race due to missing cutoff times, or being so hammered from fighting the wind on the bike.

There were ALOT of people who either crashed from the wind, or got so dehydrated from fighting the wind that they were transported to the hospital, or could not make the cutoff despite heroic efforts. 

I talked to a guy from NJ who missed the bike cutoff by 3 minutes.  He and his wife traveled from NJ for his first IM, and he was also terribly disappointed. 

I told him the same thing I had already said to more than one other person: "Take this day, and remember it....use it as a positive...when you prepare/race your next IM it will pay HUGE dividends".

I know someone who DNF's their 1st IM.  Two years later he was in Kona.  He said that DNF gave him an extra fire that burned so hot that he just tore it up every time he trained/raced after that.

On Sunday, I was walking up Rio Salado and had to lean way forward into the wind to keep going.  I just knew that the bike course had to be insane at that moment.

I congratulate you on toughing it out and your passion that was so evident when you learned that you would not be allowed to continue.

I'm racing CDA in June, and I'm going to use your example of determination and desire to help motivate me over the tough stretches.

BTW, I hadn't thought much about 2008 yet, but after reading these posts, I signed up for IMAZ 2008 - I just want to be out there with you and the others when you guys tear it up next year.

Danny 

Pirate Girl,  I don't really know what to say.  I am doing my first SPRINT TRI and I am worried and you did 2.4 and 112.  My gosh,  I am worried about 400 yd, 12 mile and a 3 mile run.  I will be thinking of you and your determination just to make sure I finish.

GREAT JOB!!!! 

Let me just say this....

I just got off my bike after riding about 15.5 miles of rolling hills in a brisk wind (around 20 mph + gusts).

I couldn't stop thinking about the ride all of you IMAZ guys just did and how it was SO much harder conditions than what I was riding in today (not to mention it was a piddly 15.5 miles).

It defintely gave me a stronger resolve to ride harder, thinking about PirateGirl's (and other's) epic ride over the weekend.

So PirateGirl, if its OK with you, I plan to shanghai some incentive from your heroic efforts as I continue my own training

Thanks,

Dan