GNT

• Posted on 18th May 2009
• in Family, friends, Triathlon
• by Dragonfly

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On the way

  

What an AMAZING two day. I think I am going to take you through the whole thing, From the beginning. You see…there was good and bad that happened up there. There was disappointments and elation. I think overall it was a GREAT learning trip for both of us. For all of us. BUT there was rough things that happened. EVERY RACE CANNOT BE PERFECT! Or we wouldn’t learn how to Over come.

 

So we all traveled up. And it wasn’t a small amount of people. There were LOTS of friends from Kenai going. But with JUST OUR GROUP, we had, my 4 kids, hubby, my mom/dad,and my niece. Than with Missy she had her two kids, her hubby, her mom and dad too. Once we were all up there.

 

Missy and I were able to get over to work on getting bikes turned in. we went out on the trail just about a miles worth.

 

 To make sure that bikes were geared and ready to get up that hill.

(isn’t she beautiful!)

 

Once we made sure all the gear was there, we were off for fun and DINNER with our families. Missy’s mom’s birthday was the 16^th and they were off to celebrate together. From what I hear. They lived it up! My kids/ hubby and me … we all went back to the hotel….that they LOVED by the way….and we all heated up burritos and I had spaghetti. It was a great time of sitting and talking and enjoying one another.

 

 Next morning… I got up at 0330 sick to my stomach. Tell you what. I didn’t care that I was throwing up I was going to the race no matter what. Okay that is what I was saying while I was praying that it would JUST STOP! I was in the shower from 0430 till around 0515. Trying to bring up my core temperature and see how I was feeling. Decided that it was time to get out get dressed WARMLY and head over to pick up Missy so we could head to the transition area… get things ready and get into the pool for a quick swim. Make sure that the BOTTOM of the pool wasn’t too far away causing stress for her. And it was ALL SHALLOW!!!!!!!… after a lot of hooting and wonders of how wonderful that was. Someone let us slip into the pool for a few laps just to get the barrings on what was to come.

 

 After a dip and a talk with such an amazing good listener…. Missy. We were back with our families to get some food in and get our kids ready to head back. We had our times sat and we were ready to hit the pool swimmin’ * G*

 

We got there and watched an wrung our hands. And thought OH LORD DON’T LET ME HAVE TO SWIM WITH SLOW SWIMMERS! I put the call out to God and than realized who all was in Missy’s heat and in MINE! She was with those that were in her range. I cheered and danced with her from the upper deck while she was in line….Until it was time when I needed to disappear. I was headed to the deck to now get my turn in line. Guess what….?

 

 I got to see THIS! (taped by my 10 year old son)

 getting her breath I got to yell for her. Tell her to get her breath and go. It was so COOL! When she was at my end for the last 25… I got to say. IT’S ALL YOU!!!!!!!! I have been saying that for the last one in EVERY practice and this time it was the real deal and I got to be there. I was so EXCITED for her. Her first Tri and there she was the swim under her belt and was on her way to the amazing bike ride she had waiting for her…..

 

So enter me.

 

Once I saw her out the door I went and got my chip and got in line. Got to talk to A. for a while. I haven’t seen her in a long time. It is nice to hitch up with all the tri’sters. I teased her a bit, and let her know i was gonna try to catch her out there that I know she will be hard to get. But you know. 😉 I saw her. But not were I wanted too. LOL.

 

We all did a bit of a warm up.

 

So my wonderful swim was taped by my 10 year old son…just like Missy’s… He did An AMAZING job.

The swim felt good. Passed only one in the pool. That is a good thing. It means that we were all placed well. It meant that it was a successful swim for all of us.

 

Than it was a mad dash out the door. Off I go… I had it in my mind that I might not catch her. BUT A. was in my sights. And I wanted her. So when I got to my station it was all business. I had trained for this transition. I knew what would make it faster this time. I had sat on my bucket and thought long and hard about this. I had visualized it over and over again. I was in and out in no time at all. My swim from the video was about a 4:25. great time. I am looking to see what the full transition time is. It will give a better idea of how that transition went.

 

After the transition it is over the pad and ready to get on the bike than off…. up the hill and keep going. I have this thing I like to do. Count how many I pass and how many pass me. It is my little thing. BUT I do have blinders on my eyes this year…. I am so competitive. ; ) So, here is how it went. I got up the hill without issues. Got all the way to the turn around SAILING by people. It was great 14 down. How many more could I catch. Viola (my bike)  and I were in PERFECT SINK…. Or were we…..? up a huge hill I was gearing for it and THUNK….spin and stop… “UNCLICK FAST” CRUD. Oh NO!!!! okay this isn’t the end… your hubby taught you how to fix a chain. Come on D~Fly you have a race to go….No stopping. Get back on the horse. HILL? Oh crud what am I going to do now? Walk it up the hill. ARGGGGG! Talk about frustrating. RUN … RUN D~Fly… Run that bike up the hill. There there it is … the top get on .. get one. 9 people are past you…. get them….

 

 So I was off again and it seemed that Viola and I had figured out what was wrong and we were determined to catch people on the trail that had JUST passed us. Not okay. So we were on the trail. Oh boy there goes the 7 mile and there is the 8 mile. ONLY one more BIGGUN to go and we are off the hills. I got passed 14 more people and there it was…. the derailment happened again. THIS time I didn’t stop to think I ran for a while. Flipped her up got her chain on… got into a place were I could mount again. Cursed as people flew by and than ran up part of the hill again. Up there. I was on her and you know what. GUN IT ALL THE WAY! I know this is rough but forget it. No changing gears again. Just get home… and there it was the finish of the bike. I gunned it in till it was time to dismount.

 

Once I was off I ran her into the transition and I took off again. It was smooth didn’t even sit. I stood got the shoes off/on got the helmet off grabbed a piece of gum and took off on the trail running. It was beautiful (insert hot as you know were) and I was enjoying how many people knew who I was. I was passed 6 times running. But I passed 15 myself. It was great. And about ¾ mile away was A. IF ONLY my bike hadn’t had the problems it did. She and I would have been a lot closer. But she is an amazing runner. And you know that is were she would have got me for sure. BUT here is the thing about it. If I would have run with her. I would have been hot on her heals just to stay close. I love to be pushed by someone like this….

  

So not only was I looking for Miss A. I was looking for Missy. While I was running I couldn’t find her and it was really getting to me. I kept thinking. WOW! This woman has SMOKED ME! I was searching so that I could find her and give her a HARD love tap and get her to run after me. 😉 I know evil right. But than I never found her and never found her… and my worry turned into HOLY CRAP SHE REALLY BEAT ME. I am gonna have to train EXTRA hard next year.

 

Yet at the finish line I was to find out that were I was able to overcome the chain falling off…………

 

Missy had something happen that was not able to be over come. I want you to know that this is trainer error! She didn’t have a tube in her pack to change her tire. And she had a flat. Two miles in. She turned and walked her bike home and scratched.

 

Trainers are supposed to do Just that. Train for anything that could happen. And I will be getting her versed on this one…. in a few days. I figure we will change the flat she has together. Than she will be ready in a pinch if it is needed. But I don’t think it ever will be.

 

For Missy this was her first race. And for heavens sakes it was supposed to be perfect. The one that made her love this so much that she would NEVER EVER look back and would be in the game forever. That isn’t always how it happens. This time she will overcome, she will work hard, and the same course that she just did…. will be the same course for her in August. I know one of the biggest things she feared was letting people down. I want her to know. And you out there reading this. That there is ABSOLUTLY NO WAY THAT SHE LET ME OR ANYONE ELSE DOWN! Things happen on the trail things we aren’t expecting. (remember the pretzels from heaven I told you about) you just never know what day is going to be SPOT on and what day is going to make you FIGHT for it with all your might.

 

You Missy, swam like a Michel Phelps, you biked like Armstrong, (he gets flats too) and if you could have. You would have run like you stole something. Remember, Philippians 4:15 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This too will strengthen you. God made me realize that were I was training your body/mind, I forgot to train your hands for breakdowns. For that I am sorry. BUT in AUGUST I am going to have to watch out. You are going to own this course. It will be yours. I see it in your eyes. You wont be able to let the road beat you. You need to beat the road.

 

I love you my friend. And I can’t wait….

  To get out and TRI something new….. WITH YOU!

 

My unofficial time is a 1hour 10 min. 10 second. We will see what they have to say Tonight and I will get it posted. 😉

 

D~Fly out

 

Tags: friends, love, overcome, swim, Tri