Today I'm doing the swim and bike and FCA Endurance
Director, Chris Anderson, is racing the run. I hope I can give him a
good start despite being tired from family stuff lately.
It rained yesterday but it's nice today. I grab my
gear and join the throngs of athletes making their way to Lynch Hill
to descend to the transition area. Instead, as I do each year, I take
the back way to Beach Hill. After using the lone porta-potty at the
top of the hill, I stop for a moment overlooking Lake San Antonio and
contemplate today's event and "Why I Race". I have a greater purpose
than just pedaling my bike around the lake. I pray that I will be
attentive to answering the call and showing an attitude of gratitude
throughout. I now cruise through the sleepy volunteer town and see the
large tarp-draped speakers of the previous night's musical
performance.
Arriving at transition, I carefully lay out my area
and start some very-needed stretching. It's only women around me. They
agree that my men's relay team must've gotten registered in the
women's division. That's ok. After the legs I start the arms. Oh! My
left arm is still sore. I forgot about the muscle I strained lifting
the kids above my head last week. I hope I don't let Chris down by not
being able to swim because of the arm. I do my best to work it out.
We have plenty of time. We start 1-1/2 hours after
the pros so I get a good spot watching them race through transition.
Wow, there's Andy Pott's. And our favorites, Kirk Nelson and Brad Seng
right together. Chris is great teammate, enthusiastic and encouraging.
This run will be hard for him but he's really stepped up for it and I
have no doubt in his ability to rock the course. We take some time to
pray.
Near the water, I'm all ready, and the adrenaline
starts pumping. I jump in for the 5-min warm-up we're allowed. The
water is only a little cold. The arm doesn't feel too bad. Suits on
good, goggles are right, watch is set... now take my spot. Julie Moss
is announcing and says, "These are the relay swimmers so we're
expecting to see some fast times here!" I take a step back from my
normal position near the front.
Swim Start: Go! The start feels good. I'm staying with the
pack. But then close to the first buoy I feel the surge all around me
as I'm getting overtaken and pushed wide. Now it's a straight shot to
the boat that marks the ½ way point. I swim hard and keep a good
straight line. But I don't work the draft as well as I used to. I
don't have the 3rd gear it takes to catch one so I just continue to
try being efficient and straight. I'm happy with how the swim is
going. Almost to the turn. Why am I getting cold? Usually swimming
hard you never get cold in a wetsuit.
I make a good turn while it looks like everyone
else goes wide. I bump into a struggling swimmer and stop to tell them
that they're doing well. Some of these swimmers might be
Team-n-Training, or even the Biggest Loser cousins who are here today
to take on this ½ Ironman! The swim back seems twice as long. I keep
trying to go faster but the speed is probably the same. Finally I see
the people hanging off the end of the merchant pier. I imagine I'm
swimming so fast and that they're all clapping for me. Really they
might be thinking, "Is that guy even trying?" Really I am. I make my
final sprint to shore. I see my watch is close to 30 min. I want to be
about 32. A few other guys are sprinting next to me, too.
T1: I stand up, goggles off, suit off – kick – kick...
little struggle, ok hit my watch, 34:30 and go! The lake level is low
so the boat ramp is LONG. I huff and puff, holding my wetsuit across
my shoulders. I hear cheers for me and try to thank them. I get to my
bike and Chris is there to unrack it for me and hand it to me. Good 2
minute transition and I'm off!
The Bike: I put my shoes on while I ride through the chute. I
hear girl riders telling me to "watch out", "be careful". Strange,
normally I'm good enough at this that I don't get in others' way. Then
I realize the mountain bikers are racing and they always put their
shoes on first. As I look up, there's Robin, Anna and Ariel
cheering for me!
I work hard going up Beach Hill. I'm definitely
warm now after the swim. In the past I've climbed it sitting but now
I'm standing most of it. I'm flying along the flats now heading out of
the park. I see Lynn and Jack Rosser cheering. I'm drinking my Hammer
Heed and thinking I've got to pace myself today. I see the inspiring
FCA Endurance signs along the road, reminding me that God is in
control and always the main objective.
Mile
10: Because
the wave ahead of me was all women, I'm now surrounded by some of the
best female triathletes in the race. Hardly a competitive guy
anywhere. I still have my work cut out for me. I'm only doing the
relay, and girls doing the whole triathlon are passing me. I go back
and forth with a couple. Encouraging each other as we push the pace
faster and faster. I finally notice who they are. Tina La Plount and
Edie Heideman from Tim Sheeper's team. Tina is scarfing down some kind
of "go" packets and grabbing more fluids at stations. Every time I get
ahead she just powers past again. I keep telling her she's doing
terrific.
Mile 20: I see another fast girl ahead. She's
out to the left which means she's moving up through the ranks. I check
out the bike – "Seven" – and immediate call out "Tana!" as I go by.
It's good to see each other. At this spot over 10 years ago, on a
training ride, Tana rode by me and encouraged me to hang with her but
I couldn't. I was having a bad day and turned back and almost quit
biking forever. But, thanks to God, I "Pressed on" and experienced
many great moments on a bike over these years.
For me, the "back stretch" at Wildflower is made up
of 5 rollers and a speed section. I try to encourage Tina and tell
her, "5 rollers... fly down the descents!" But she probably has a
better plan I shouldn't mess with. I take the rollers well and then
hit the speed section. I want to reach 21 mph ave by Nasty Grade and
am only at 19.3 now.
Mile 30: I start to feel the groove and begin pushing real
well. It's flat for
almost 10 miles. I'm working up to 19.5, 20, and almost 20.5 by the
time I hit the "canyons". But my back is starting to hurt so I take it
easy and just spin.. loosing some of my average. I see Sean
Gettman cheering from atop his truck. This is the 2nd place I've
seen him on the course. He's a great supporter! Another girl goes by
me just flying. She's so small. I gotta try to at least match her
speed. With another big effort, I get though the windy vineyards and
across the metal bridge. But now I'm really hurting. I imagine how
painful it will get by the climb back into the park – a critical
section for making up time.
Mile 41: Starting Nasty Grade I'm at 20.5 mph
which means I'll finish at 19.5 mph if I climb well. For the last,
hardest mile, I stand the entire climb because of my back. I see
James, an old teammate from the STARS. He says thanks for getting him
into triathlon and that he's been doing Ironmans every year. We have a
good chat, despite my back killing me, and then I continue ahead,
eager to crest this tough hill. At the top is John Dougery, cheering
everyone on. His powerful legs always left me in the dust, and now
they were just sitting there... "I want your legs, John!". The guy I
just passed behind me says, "Then can I have yours?"
We go by the Energizer Bunny banging on her drum.
One more tough little climb, and now it's a screaming 2 mile descent.
An ambulance is waiting along the faster section. Later we read about
a guy who flew off the road at 54 mph before I had gone by.
Mile 48: 8 miles to go and this is the tough
part. But I get strength from God and my back is feeling a little
better. I make a great effort, get some Gatorade, and power into the
park. Again, encouraged by the verses and quotes on the FCA Endurance
signs that Robin and Marilyn posted along here yesterday.
Mile 53: I'm trying to break 2:50. Just
before the final descent, I pass one of the girls that blew by me
earlier. Again, she's doing the whole race and I get to quit in 2
minutes. I admire how strong these women are.
T2: At the bottom I make a good
dismount and run to where Chris is waiting for me. Bike split is
2:52:00, 19.5 mph. He removes the chip strap and I cheer him
off, "Go Chris!"
Done: Then I collapse to try to stretch the
pain and soreness out of me. I gave it all I had and I am so glad to
be done and sit down. Ouch. Thanks, God, for helping my back retain
one final push to the end.
Chris' Run: Chris went on to run a 1:40 ½ Marathon on this
tough course which got us onto the podium with 5th place in the Open
Men's division. Dan Perkins also got 5th place so FCA Endurance was
represented well at the Wildflower Long Course :) I'm glad to have
gotten the chance to race as earlier in the week it was possible we
weren't going to be able to come. God is good.
Waiting for Daddy!
