I had a perfect swim. I felt great, I sighted almost perfectly, managed to draft a good bit, swam at what felt like an easy pace, breathed every 3rd stroke (which I only do when I am very relaxed), and really focused on getting distance per stroke. I remember thinking, “I might look back and think I could have swam harder, but just stay in your zone”. I bumped into a tiny bit of traffic, got clocked in the face once with a closed fist (?) but it didn't even phase me. As I exited the water and saw 1:08:something on my watch, I laughed out loud! Waaaay faster than I anticipated and I felt fantastic. Now no matter what the day gave me, I had a fantastic swim.



Not a thing. Or maybe swam a tiny bit harder.

Transition was fast and smooth, except for the fact that I got sent out of the change tent the wrong way and had to run back. Just put on helmet, and number and carried my shoes to the bike.

Bike start was great! Lots of fans! I was in fast company though...all the aero-helmet guys were whizzing past me...just as I thought to myself, “Wow, I'm never on the bike course with guys this fast!” someone road past me and complimented me on my swim time. Had a really hard time getting my heart rate down. Kept telling myself its cuz I was excited and really spun easy, but couldn't get it to the planned zone. I was about 10 bpm higher, but RPE was quite low, so I just went with it. I got passed by about a million people (actually it turned out to be about 1300) but just kept telling myself to stay in the zone. Was right on track with nutrition and at this point, did nothing I hadn't done in training (except took a salt tab at the start of the bike, instead of after the first hour, since I'd been swimming for over an hour). After about 1.5 hours, I heard the dreaded “pop” and calmly did the whole rear-tire flat change that I am now a professional at. Had to stop a few times after to check since I was paranoid it wasn't holding air. Stopped at bike support, had them top it up. They gave me another tube and sent me on my way. Stayed calm throughout the process (or so I thought...though my HR spiked every time I stopped). For the first four hours, I pee'd every hour (which seemed like a lot) and I couldn't get myself to do it while riding (after all the practice in training, I got stage fright!). So, I had to stop and stand over my bike. Not a huge delay, but annoying. At about hour 3 though, is when it started to get ugly. Halfway up Richter pass, I got the most sudden, and intense abdominal cramps...something I have never experienced before. I knew it was not a good sign. I ignored it for about 30 minutes, but then knew I needed to do something, or it was only going to get worse. I racked my brain trying to think about possible causes. The only thing I could come up with, was the fact that I'd just started drinking the G-ade off the course (which I've done a thousand times before), or that I was washing down solid food with dilute g-ade (which I have also done a thousand times before) or that I took my first salttab at the start of my bike. I spent the remainder of the bike focusing on one thing...how to fix my cramps. They came in waves....it was like my kidneys were ceasing up or something. I thought for sure I was having something internal organ related go really wrong. So I'd change one thing every half hour and see how my body responded. Nothing seemed to help and eating made it worse. I reached about a 6/10 for thinking I might not be able to finish if I didn't fix it. I knew I needed to get calories in if I was going to survive the marathon, but my stomach wanted no part of it. I avoided the G-ade completely, and tried to take in food whenever I thought I could manage it. I was in such a zone, that when people were talking after the race about how hard the wind was, I literally had no recollection of any of it. My main goal was just to finish the bike and be able to run the marathon without walking. I had pepcid and other stuff in my special needs, but didn't want to take it, since I'd never done it in training (or EVER, for that matter) and didn't want to make things worse. I finished the bike still in good spirits considering my split was significantly slower than I'd hoped for. Lots of crowds and funny signs...
“Smile if you pee'd on your bike”.


Avoided having stomach issues and a flat tire. :)
Or taken the pepcid....which I learned on the run.

Transition – another quick transition and I even stopped to use the potty.

Run – first mile or two were ok, there was a lull in the pain so I thought maybe things were turning around. Saw friends, family and my name in the chalk on the road! Chris happened to videotaping me when I glanced down and turned around to look at the road where some of the Bters had written our names! Anyway, about mile 3 or 4 of the run, the cramps were BAD. So, I took the pepcid, knowing if I didn't do something, I wasn't going to make it. It was like magic. Thank you HEIDI! My cramps essentially disappeared and for the first time in many hours, I could think about something other than pain. My first half of the run was right on track for HR and pace. I was sooo happy that I was back on track! I tried to eat as much as I could, knowing that my half full bento box meant that I was pretty far behind the nutrition 8 ball, but didn't want to over do it. I took at least one thing at every aid station, hoping I could take in enough to get me through the last half. I felt pretty good until the turnaround. If someone gave me the choice between one full year of training OR running miles 14-23 again, without a doubt, I'd rather endure a year of training. Omg. It took every thing I had to keep running. My pace slowed alot, but I was dead set on not walking. Those 9 miles were indescribable. Gruelling...digging deep....wanting to quit. The lack of nutrition was catching up to me. My legs hurt, I couldn't focus, no one was talking, there were no crowds, you couldn't even SEE the city you had to run back to. It feels like a drunken haze when I look back at it. I took anything at the aid stations. Coke was my new best friend. My stomach didn't love it, but it kept me going. I kept hearing Jorge's race plan for me, “this could be the hardest part of the race” and something else I'd read, “no matter how you feel at this point in the race, good or bad, it's probably going to change soon” and that's what kept me going. Mile 23 we were at least back in the city...the crowds started to grow, though still pretty spread out. There were 2 different guys, with their medals and their families at the outskirts of town, where it still felt like you had a long way to go, cheering people on. They inspired me. So did the one old guy who said to me and another racer...”There are 15,000 people right down there on Lakeshore Drive waiting to cheer for YOU. And you deserve every second of it. They are just at the end of this road...you WILL make it. Go and savour the moment!!!” He made me cry.
As we got closer and could hear the crowds and announcer, the adrenaline masked the pain. The last few miles definitely did not fly by, they still seemed looooong and hard, but the crowd helped so much. Right before the out and back on Lakeshore, I fixed my hair (as per Jorge's race plan,lol) but knew I had to do it while running, cuz if I stopped, I might not be able to start again. Down the last stretch, I spread myself out so there was no one with in 20 seconds on either side and then coasted through the chute. Indescribable.


Taken the pepcid on the bike. :)

Did the whole "finisher photo, recovery drink, foil blanket, hang out with a catcher" thing and then called Chris. It all feels like a drunken blur. As I stumbled to the car, got calls from in-laws that had been watching on-line. Got back to the room, sat in a cold bath and drank a diet coke (I'd given up soda pop while training). Had no appetite, but ordered room service just in case...which I devoured when I woke up at 3am.



Stomach issues hindered me.
Flat tire hindered me.


I'm pleased with how close I was to my goal time considering the issues I had and how much worse the day could have been.
Fantastic race, the IronCrew were AMAZING and the crowds rocked! Definitely worth the camp-out in line fiasco!