^{PLACE & TIME:}  Troy  - 4th;

2:20:27 (24:43-1:16-1:13:24-1:10-39:54)

Previous Wildflower PRs or Personal Records:

Wake up and open the tent to a beautiful morning. Supposed to be warm today. Anna and I have oatmeal, my typical pre-race meal. Vitamins, grape seed extract and a cappuccino Powerbar...there's my secret, plus a lot of water and the resulting 3 bathroom trips before the race start. I bike a little extra on a peaceful road on the way to the start. I want to be really warmed up in each event. I haven't trained enough but I have gotten a lot of rest these last few days camping.. it's been great. I rack my bike at 7:15am, then join the church service at the stage - wow! So cool, the Campus Crusade band is playing & sun's shining through the trees. Anna & Robin arrive. Anna dances to the worship music. Terry (the race director) speaks. Later, Terry introduces us to Jim & Dianne Felt, the makers of Robin's race bike, and neighbors in Auburn!

I warm-up with a 1mi run and a few fast strides - went pretty good. See Kiet Tran wearing a "Jill Mason" support shirt! She is making a tough come-back from being paralyzed by a drunk driver (www.racingawareness.org and www.jilllmason.com)

Meet with Lori & Carl Abrams for a group prayer before the start. I'm working on faster transition times today. I warm up 3 times before the swim, in between each wave start. I stand next to Scott Machado and Gary Chan fellow Cal Poly alumni triathletes. I line up 2-3 rows back in the middle (usually I'm on the left side). I pray.

Start not that good. Neck feels constricted in wetsuit. But feels better by the 1/2 way point. Now I get a good draft behind a big swimmer all the way back. The water is great! I push hard the rest of the way in. I work the wetsuit removal well but again I struggle to get it off.

I sprint to the bike and get out of transition quickly! There's Robin and Anna. Up the big hill. A guy with a red stripe goes flying by up the hill - I tell myself, "I'm going to catch him somehow.. by the end". Breathing really hard. Focusing on bouncing on the pedals.. with purpose. At 4mi I can't see the "red stripe" guy anymore. I shift up to the big chain ring for the descent.. and my cable breaks! I look down and think, "I don't need the big chain ring" and I motor on!

Working the uphills more than the down hills now. Different than usual strategy. Passing a lot of people. Only the "red stripe" guy has passed me so far. Tail wind back from the turn-around. See Carl Abrams. He started 2 waves back. I find out later he unfortunately flatted after I saw him.

I did well on the bike. Drank big bottle of Heed quickly & re-filled w/Gatorade. Drank that, too by 20mi. Then drank bottle of water. Should've drank more. Pete Kain blasts by me! I stretched / rested on the downhills (different approach from usual) because of limitation to small chain ring.  But it worked well for me. Final blazing descent into T2 - quick change & sprinting out as the overall winner is finishing the race.

My foot is OK! Thank you, Lord! Feels difficult to run but I know it will be less hard after a mile. I'm thirsty. Miss the cup at the T2 exit. Grab 2 cups at 1 mile but throw them both away after only a sip because the trash can caught my eye and my reflex was to use it (my brain is not working). I eat Gu at 1 and 3 miles. I read all the FCA signs that Robin helped put along the run course. Sometimes I read them out loud in case others are too tired.  They are encouraging, knowing that Jesus can make us strong and steady if I seek Him first. 

Now I see the "red stripe" guy on the mile 4 hill! "God, if my heel fails before I crest the hill, I'm ok with that". After the crest I can go as hard as I want. Muddy Waters cheers for me. I made it over the hill and now run harder and pass the "red stripe" guy. One  final hill.. I pretend it's the finish. Donna & Sandy are there cheering for me! I Fly down - no pain.  The foot-slapping descent is making some abrasion between my feet and shoes.  A spot on my bare feet is getting rubbed raw.  There's Robin & Anna! I sprint down the chute and finish in 4th place. It's a great finish, what a good feeling. I find Robin & Anna and we celebrate. Then I actually do .8mi cool down... thanks, Lord, for letting me run without pain.
 

Carl Abrams

Laurie Abrams

Paul Moore