OLD Post Finally Finished.

Well, its taken me almost 2 weeks to get this blog about the 70.3 out...why? Well, I'd like to say its entirely b/c I was just busy. I was busy, but I think the main reason was that its taken me two weeks to almost stop freaking out that this race was only HALF of what I'm supposed to accomplish in what is now 8 weeks! I guess I was hoping that this race would make me think "70.3 is easy, you are in a great position going into the full IM." I was wrong. I should have known better.

I like to say that I don't have high expectations of myself when I go into races, but I just don't tell people what they are. But, I always have numbers in the back of my head; and in this race I was a little off those numbers. I mean, overall, I am VERY happy. I was a 1/2 hour faster than my previous two half irons! So, I really can't complain...I guess in the back of my head I was hoping for a 6:00 (I got a 6:14), and I just wanted it to be easier. I've done WAY over the training needed for a half...but guess what? It's still hard! DUH!

So, to start out, one of the best news of the race was, that I wasn't that nervous. Often the night before the race, I cannot sleep at all, and that morning I have a VERY hard time eating breakfast. This race, I slept fairly well, and I ate breakfast no problem! I really didn't feel nervous until standing and waiting to get in the water. SO, that was AWESOME! I would LOVE for that to happen before IML...we'll have to see.

So, waiting for my swim wave, I really felt like I needed to go to the bathroom one more time, but I didn't feel like there was time. Usually when I start the swim it goes away anyway, so I just didn't go. Got in the water, and the water was gorgeous: crystal clear, nice and chilly, smooth as ice. Felt long and stretched the whole first half. Saw some girls really take off, but I was still pretty much in front of the girls. After the turn I felt great. Decided to pick it up a bit, and cruised on past most of the wave in front of me.

Out of the water, onto the bike, kept in mind to take it easy and let my HR settle in the first 15 minutes. Also had to remind myself that all those people FLYING past me were used to hills, so I just had to bide my time. Still felt like I needed to go potty, but passed the port-o-potty on the first loop. I thought well, I'll just get it the next go round. What that meant is for the next 40 miles I felt so Gassy! (sorry for being so frank). By the time I got to the potty, I felt nauseous...but I had kept my pace steady and even split the bike...so that was good.

Off the bike, I went back to the potty, and actually felt a BIT better for the run. Tried to keep it slow and easy pace. I also decided to just walk the aide stations. I've crashed my two previous runs at mile 6 and mile 8...So, I was just hoping to make it to mile 9. I should have convinced myself to make it to mile 13 beforehand, but I didn't, so I made it to mile 10 and then switched to a walk the hills, run the flats or downs. Ended up with a smile on my face and the race was lovely...

After the race, besides the being incredibly busy with swim meets, I went through the stages of grief...

1. Denial – I don't have a FULL Ironman in 8 weeks! There is NO WAY I can do this.

2. Anger – I can't believe I was DUMB enough to sign up for this! What the hell was I thinking?

3. Bargaining – Maybe I can get out of it somehow...or only get to the run and "break my ankle" to get out of the run! :)

4. Depression – How did I ever think I could be good enough to do this?

5. Acceptance – Ok...I'm in it now, and I just have to finish right? So, I can finish.

Problem is, I constantly rotate through these feelings from "I can do this" to "what the hell was I thinking." I just hope on race day, I am in the "I can do this" zone.