Ironman Lake Placid

First of all, I want to start off by saying that the support that I have had throughout these past several months has been more than I ever imagined.  It seems that so many people that I know became my personal cheering squad and I can't thank you enough for believing in me.  Although I didn't log those last two miles, the 138 that I did tackle were indescribable.  This is what I want to share with you.

Before the start:

4:45 am. The first stop was body marking.  #205 was written on my arms and the front of my legs.  My age was written on my calf.  I walked over to transition to drop off my last items, headed to bike special needs drop off and finally run special needs.  I was ready to go.  Our team had a meeting place and I was the first one there.  This gave me time to pray and visualize my day.  I felt really calm about things.  My coach showed up and gave me some last words of encouragement.  

My coach, Bob, gave me all the confidence in the world. 

We took one final team picture and all headed to the swim start to our pace groups.  

Swim:  

I kept scanning the crowd for my family and when they started singing the National Anthem I spotted them.  This was huge for me.  I felt like I needed to see them one last time before I began.  The cannon went off and the pro men were in the water.  A second cannon and the women were off.  Little by little, every pace group ahead of me was gone.  It was my turn and I was actually eager.  I normally have to take several minutes to get going to let my anxiety pass and I didn't need to.  It was such a relief.  Before I knew it the first lap of the swim was over and I was exiting the water just to enter in one last time.  I was grinning ear to ear because I enjoyed it so much.  The second lap was even better than the first.  The only hiccup was that I had to go to the bathroom...bad!  Apparently, not everybody pees in Mirror Lake!  Once I was out of the water, my coach was there stripping wet suits, he instantly saw me exit and helped me on my way.  I started up the transition chute and about to turn the corner and saw the whole crew.  I stopped for quick words and hugs and was on my way to T1.  Ryan and I got to chat on the way down the chute, which was great! 

Notice how big my smile is??? 

Bike:  

T1 took a little while because my change of clothes kept sticking to me so I had to get a volunteer to help.  Once I got on my bike I kept telling myself over and over "take it easy, the second loop is harder".  I felt like I did a really good job with that.  I just took all of the scenery in and enjoyed every moment.  I was very careful about drinking and eating because I knew I still had a long day ahead of me. The mountain climbs were the hardest part for me, but I was going to make it. I was mentally prepared to tackle them and I did.   The second loop was more challenging than the first, just like I was told.  I stopped to eat a sandwich, stopped to stretch (probably more times than I should have), laid down on the grass and stretched some more.  My lower back was giving me fits.  Of course, I didn't have this problem before, but I wasn't going to let a little bit of pain stop me.  Well, my brain finally realizes that I better get moving if I'm going to make the 5:30pm bike cut off.  I climb the last of the hills and start booking it into town.  I have about 10-15 minutest before the cut off!  Way to cut it close, Ang.  I made it and was so stinking excited!  I knew that once I got off the bike that the marathon was mine!  I'm a runner and I can run a marathon!!!  

Side note:  The last 3 miles of the bike I met a wonderful angel named Anna.  She was doing her 17th IM and is only 31 years old.  She didn't plan on running the marathon, but after I shared my story with her, she asked if she could go ahead and run the marathon with me.  She wanted to get me to the finish line in under 17:00. I agreed, but I didn't want to hold her back.  She is doing Kona in October and was simply using Lake Placid as training. 

Notice how my smile is STILL big??? 

Run:  

Still SMILING!!!! 

T2 doesn't take as long as T1 and before I know it I'm on the run course.  Happy as a lark!  I knew I was good to go.  The first loop was going pretty well at first.  My back was hurting still and I stopped to stretch a couple of times.  I walked the aide stations, took in Gu, water, etc.  and walked the hills.  I was trying to stick to my plan.  It started raining at about mile 9 or 10 and if you know me, I get cold really easily.  I got a long sleeved shirt to help with the cold. Something happened in between mile 13-14.  I felt sick.  Next thing I knew I was throwing up.  I was really puzzled about why because I really thought I did well with my nutrition on the bike.  Suddenly, when I took anything in, my body wanted it right back out.  This continued for the next 10 miles. In all my years of running marathons, I've never had to stop to throw up.  I started walking almost the entire time.  I would run a little bit and then have to stop.  My energy level was nonexistent.  I finally convinced Anna to go ahead.  Once she saw my family, she told them I was in bad shape and my mom, Gary, and Katelyn appeared out of nowhere.  They managed to keep me going a bit further, but I was starting to stagger, I was getting dizzy, my legs began to buckle.   My mind was screaming "keep going".  My body and spirit said "you've done all you can today".  I wanted to listen to my mind so bad.  I kept thinking "it's only two miles", but I knew.  I knew it was over.  The volunteers gave me a chair and I cried and cried.  I was so close.  Next thing I knew the race director was there and we were zooming to the medical tent.  They weighed me to compare my weight from Friday.  They took my temp, which was 95.  The nurse took it twice-I guess she didn't believe the first reading.  In an instant, I was hooked up to an IV.  My coach and my mom must've sprinted back to that medical tent because they were there in a flash. Dave came in to check on me.  The rest of the gang was waiting outside of the med tent.  I was in the tent until 12:40.  40 minutes after Ironman closed.  

Aftermath:  

I discovered later that my team was waiting right around the corner where I stopped -ready to cheer me on.  I'm talking about people who just finished their Ironman waiting for me.  People that were out there allll ddaaayyyy loonnnggg.  One of them was even waiting to run the last two miles with me to get me to the finish line.  She completed her IM earlier in the day.  Tell me that isn't the best team ever!  What a feeling!  

Yeah, my day didn't end the way I wanted it to.  I have two ways that I can look at it.  Crawl in bed and get depressed about the whole thing or think about the entire experience and be blessed.  I'll take the latter.  No, I didn't become an Ironman and cross the finish line, but I achieved what I set out to in other ways.  I gave it my all.  I spread awareness.  I raised money for research.  I met some amazing athletes and people.  I conquered more as an athlete than I ever thought possible.  I did all of this because my little girl goes through so much. Because of a disorder that she didn't ask for.  A disorder that so many others need a cure for.  And you know what?  I'm going to do it again.