A day in the life of an official triathlete

The day started at 0430 when the alarm on my phone went off, and I thought....here we go!! I had a great nights sleep and even dreamed about one of my honored teammates Matt, I have never done a TNT event without him, but in my dream he was here, which also means I am doing this for Matty!

I met up with my dad at 0515 and we rode our bikes on a dark trail to meet up with the team on the grassy knoll in front of the hotel, there was a definite feeling of anxiety and nerves running through the air, mixed with disappointment when Coach Cathy told us that the winds were not going to be easy today.....you could hear the collective groans blow through the wind. At 0550 we took off to A-bay to rack our bikes in the transition area and get ready for the race. We all got inked, and I mean the kind that washes off (however with a sunburn the numbers are still there), and I was surprised when the woman putting my age on my leg used the entire surface area of my calf.

Next....setting up the transition area, pretty close quarters when over 900 people are doing the same thing. 1. place TNT transition mat on ground 2. empty backpack 3. start from the top with the items you will use last, running shoes, race number, hat and gu 4. sunscreen and extra water 5. singlet, bike shoes, helmet, gloves and sunglasses 6. grab my goggles and swim cap head to water for team picture and race start.

Aaahhh, the race start. For the previous two days we had mini practice swims, to the striped bouy and back. My first day swimming in the open water was a bit interesting, but it got better, the 2nd day no problem. And race day....wow there was a lot of people in the water at once. I had every fear I was going to get kicked in the head and beat up, well I did get kicked in the head and it pulled up my cap and goggles, pause to adjust, I got passed over (literally) by a couple of women, of course I thought, really you couldn't go around me instead of over me, how rude. The swim was going really well and I was taking the advice of the great Dave Scott, just live in the moment, I went into scuba dive mode and started looking at the coral and the fish. I saw a turtle swimming underneath me, a trumpet fish and angel fish. That was pretty cool, but found myself getting a little distracted, so back to the task at hand. I rounded the first bouy and was having a hard time getting around a couple of ladies that were doing frog kicks and treading water, its a challenge to avoid those flailing feet, and before I knew it I had beached myself on the back of the lifeguards surfboard, did I mention she cut me off, how she missed the girl in the bright pink swim cap I am not sure. Fast forward to the end of the swim when I had to literally fight off a fellow swimmer who kept climbing up my right side and I had made it to the finish, and had some trouble finding my land legs when I got out of the water, which means the first time I got up I fell back in the water. I was a bit disoriented. Swim time 46min.

Transition....rinse feet in dirty kiddy pool, run to bike, dry feet (sort of), shove semi-dry feet into socks, put on bike shoes, dowse with sunscreen (fat lotta good that did me), helmet, sunglasses, and gloves, run/walk bike to MOUNT line....take off! Go 25 miles in heat and intense wind, turn around at mile 12.5, ride last 12.5 miles in killer head wind. Hit mile 17 and wonder what the heck am I doing, I can't see anyone in front of me and nobody behind me....all alone. It made me think of the video introduction of the Ironman in KONA, when they talk about the stretch of the ride when they find themselves alone, however they fail to mention that they have cameras and support cars following them. Started to get really discouraged, strong headwind, sore back, sore feet, thought back to Dave Scott...live in the moment....then said to myself, or maybe it was outloud, all the people I am doing this for..In honor of Matty, Tracy, Jim, Megann, Jonelle, John, Emily, Jerry, Vicki, and in memory of Patrick, Matt Yost, Cassandra's MOm..and it brought me back to the moment and I made it through the last 8 miles. Bike time 2 hours.

Transition.....DISMOUNT at line, almost fall over when I start walking, so thankful for all the TNT supporters cheering! Saw my mom..hi mom! Re-rack bike, off with helmet, shoes and gloves, slip into running shoes, sunscreen again (once again, not much use), eat a gu, put on hat and started off on the 'run'......rubber legs, sore back and aching foot. The first 2 miles felt the longest, all uphill and in a headwind....AGAIN! Made it to about mile 2.5, saw Coach Cathy....she put ice in my hat....aaaahhhhh!!! Made it to the mile 3 turnaround, met a girl from Alaska, who decided to just do the Lavaman on her own!!! Way to go Ashley! (I had also passed her on the bike in the hardest part of the headwind, told her to keep going we were almost there). Passed teammates going the other way...cheered them on. I was actually feeling pretty good despite the aches and the wind. I was just pretty excited to be almost done. Turned to go behind the hotel and saw Megan running towards me.....had to go up a slight incline and about fell over...but was thrilled to see her. Ran through the resort and had the hotel guests cheering for us, that was pretty awesome! Saw Amanda many times throughout the race and loved hearing her yell and cheer. Made it through the lava and coral and could hear the band playing.....the finish line was close. Ran into some kid on the trail and he said..keep going, you are almost there...I said, I know I can smell the beer:) Hit the finish line and my team was waiting and yelling and screaming and encouraging me to the finish......saw mom and dad at the finish.....collapsed!!

So that would be a day in the life of this triathlete....let's do it again tomorrow.