It has officially been more than 24 hours since my race and I've been itching to write this. Once again I am on my iPhone so please excuse the mistakes. But, here it goes...
Saturday, the day before our race, our coach scheduled a practice day with a 15 min swim, 15 min bike ride and 15 min run all at the beginning portions of the courses, so we could get a feel for the course. The practice swim for me was pretty scary, I got stuck in a gigantic coral reef and got cut on 4 different places on my leg and foot. And, the wind really pushed the waves that day. The wind was also a factor on the bike course. So, I was a little pessimistic after the practice. Before arriving to Hawaii, I was hoping to at least finish in 4 hours 30 minutes. After the practice day, I didn't even think I would beat 5 hours.
RACE DAY. I woke up at 5am local time. Thank lord that's 8am our time b/c it wasn't as bad as it would have been. Anyway, I had all my stuff packed the night before, so all I had to do was get dressed have my breakfast and wake my parents up to get ready. Luckily, my parents actually woke up earlier than me, one thing marked off my list. I had my bagel and cream cheese and some Gatorade and took a banana for a little later. We were scheduled to meet in the main lobby at 545am, so we left the room at about 530am. We met in the lobby and while we waited for the others to arrive I and I had my banana. We walked or rode down to the transition. I had my parents with me so I decided to walk.
I set up my transition area and noticed that all the pros were set up right ok front of us. Then it was time to get body marked. My number was 115, and of course you can see it as tan lines in my arm now. Then I went back to check on my transition area to make sure there wasn't something I missed. Then it was off for our 10 minute warm up run that Coach Paul wanted us to do.
At 7am, I walked down to the swim start. We could have went for a warm up swim, but I decided not to. I simply stood in the water and acclimated. The mc anounced that it was time to get our waves in order and for everyone to get out of the water. It was time to take a cliff shot and my thermolyte.
730am the first wave went in all pros and relay swimmers
733am all men 18 - 39
736am all men 40+
739am all women 18 - 39 <~ that's me!
742am all women 40+
Like all other races, I started slow in the water. I started with a crawl stroke with my head out of the water and moved into a side stroke. When I felt my heart rate start slowing, I went into my regular crawl stroke. I rotated between the crawl stroke and backstroke to calm down and catch my breath. The water was so clear and beautiful. I could see to the ocean floor and I seen a turtle and some fishys swimimg beneath us. The water also leaked into goggles a couple of times so I had to roll on my back and try to get it out hoping it wouldn't leak again...of course I was wrong...I need new goggles! And thank lord for the surfers and other volunteers that were out there mKing sure we were on the right path and not in the coral. During practice the day before, I was stuck in the coral and got 4 good gashes on my knee and foot, which got me really anxious about the swim. Anyway, I got out of the water and looked at the clock. It read 48 something. Off to my bike.
I got to the transition area and ran down the wrong lane, oppsy! So I got to my bike, put all my gear on, ate another cliff shot, drank some water and I was on my way. Made a left out of the parking lot, already I felt the wind. A right onto the Queen K highway and all I could feel was the tailwind...woo hoo! Not too many hills until about mile 12 where we would turn right to go under the tunnel and go back ok the Queen K and back to the hotel. The hill we did go up was a short steep hill bit nothing too bad. I passed the people walking their bikes up and reminded those breathing hardly behind me to take it one pedal at a time. Out of the tunnel meant back on the Queen K and into the headwind. Here we go! I fought the headwind the whole way back. The wind was so strong I had to pedal hard to get down a decline. WTH! Anyway, I made it back to the transition area my bike computer told me I made it in about 2 hours. Good I made my bike goal. I tried to put my bike back into the designated slot, but for some reason, the tire inflated and wouldn't fit. I asked the random guy on the other side, to help me push the tire in. He asked if he could deflate it some to force it down. I, of course agreed. Turns out the random guy on the other side was CHRIS MCCORMACK! He won the LAVAMAN TITLE and finished at 1:49:43. Off to the run.
I just changed into my run shoes and was on my way. I nearly went out the wrong way, but my sister stopped me and pointed me to the other part of the transition area. We started on a path of loose lava rocks. I lightly jogged through that not wanting to trip and fall, especially so early in the run. We made a left out of the parking lot and here comes the wind AGAIN! I jog/walked fighting the wind and the uphill. At about 2.5 miles was our turn around. Woo hoo tailwind and a downhill...of course this was short lived. The course went through our hotel paths and then dropped into the outer paths of loose lava and coral...oh geez do they really want me to fall?! I tried to jog tbrought it but my ankle kept giving out on the rocks, and the path was no more than a foot wide, so I decided to walk it. There were even trees and branches that we had to dodge. When the trail smoothed out I picked it up and I picked it up again when I hit the sand. Finally, the finish line and the clock were in sight. To my suprise it was under 5 hours and I could still beat my goal and make it under 4:40. I crossed the finish at about 4:37.
Today, my dad found my official time and my splits and I did even better than that.
.93 mile swim - 41:18
25 mile bike - 2:01:28
6 mile run: 1:37:16
Total - 4:26:32
I know if the wind conditions were better my bike and run would've improved. And, if the run path was not so rocky I could've picked it up a bit more, but I am soooo please with my time. I was sooo nervous the day before that I didn't think I was going to beat my last olympic distance time of 4:51 or even 5 hours.
Much mahalo to everyone that supported me. I could
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
1day left
I'm here in my room typing this blog on my iPhone so please excuse any mistakes that may occur.
We arrived here in Kona a little before 12pm. My parents plane landed right after mine. They actually seen me walk down the stairs from the plane. So, I waited for them to get their luggage and we took a cab to the hotel. It was a Filipino guy and of course my dad talked to him the whole time. But, we did get some great tips from him including places for some good local and Filipino food. We'll try those places when we go to the other side of Kona.
The hotel is beautiful and huge. I still haven't gone around the whole thing. We did get to go the Queens' Marketplace and looked around and ate. We still have to visit the Kings' Shops. The original Roy's is there and we will have to eat there for sure. The menu apparently has more Hawaiian food to offer.
So...1 more day before my race. Today, is my very last training before my race tomorrow. We are going for a light swim I'm the ocean where we will be swimming in tomorrow. Then a light bike and a light run. Then I have to pick up my race packet. After that we have a last minute tire changing clinic. Let's pray that I won't need to use those skills tomorrow! Then it's off to the pre-race meeting. And then our inspiration dinner...carbs carbs carbs.
I'm feeling a bit anxious. I couldn't sleep too well last night. I know I will do fine, and my nerves will to away once I get into my swim grove. I've done his distance before so I know I can do it. Let's hope the rain and the wind stay away tomorrow.
Thank you for all the love and support you've all shared with me.
Aloha and mahalo from Waikoloa.
GO TEAM!
We arrived here in Kona a little before 12pm. My parents plane landed right after mine. They actually seen me walk down the stairs from the plane. So, I waited for them to get their luggage and we took a cab to the hotel. It was a Filipino guy and of course my dad talked to him the whole time. But, we did get some great tips from him including places for some good local and Filipino food. We'll try those places when we go to the other side of Kona.
The hotel is beautiful and huge. I still haven't gone around the whole thing. We did get to go the Queens' Marketplace and looked around and ate. We still have to visit the Kings' Shops. The original Roy's is there and we will have to eat there for sure. The menu apparently has more Hawaiian food to offer.
So...1 more day before my race. Today, is my very last training before my race tomorrow. We are going for a light swim I'm the ocean where we will be swimming in tomorrow. Then a light bike and a light run. Then I have to pick up my race packet. After that we have a last minute tire changing clinic. Let's pray that I won't need to use those skills tomorrow! Then it's off to the pre-race meeting. And then our inspiration dinner...carbs carbs carbs.
I'm feeling a bit anxious. I couldn't sleep too well last night. I know I will do fine, and my nerves will to away once I get into my swim grove. I've done his distance before so I know I can do it. Let's hope the rain and the wind stay away tomorrow.
Thank you for all the love and support you've all shared with me.
Aloha and mahalo from Waikoloa.
GO TEAM!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
just about a week to go
today for training we met at sports basement in the presidio. we went for a beautiful 40 min run. the sun wasn't out but the air wasn't too cold and the breeze was light...perfect weather for running.
after our run, we got to pick up our information packets and our race jerseys. WOO HOO! i'm so excited. i'm gonna go through that packet as soon as i'm done with this blog.
but, i have just about a week to go for race day and this time next week i will be in HAWAIIIIIIII!!!! wish me luck and thank you for your support.
if you still would like to donate please click on the link at the top of the page.
ALOOOOOOHA! and much MAHALO!
after our run, we got to pick up our information packets and our race jerseys. WOO HOO! i'm so excited. i'm gonna go through that packet as soon as i'm done with this blog.
but, i have just about a week to go for race day and this time next week i will be in HAWAIIIIIIII!!!! wish me luck and thank you for your support.
if you still would like to donate please click on the link at the top of the page.
ALOOOOOOHA! and much MAHALO!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
training 3/16
yesterday, i dropped my bike off to get shipped to hawaii for the race. woo hoo! we are officially 12 days away from race day.
last night for training, i took my much missed spin class with elaine of course. it was such a good workout, i haven't sweat that much in a pretty long time. we were out of the saddle most of the time and did many many many sprint drills. i thought i was doing pretty well with the 30 second sprints and 15 second recoveries...and then we moved on to the 1 min spints 30 second recoveries. the first two i did really well, the third was getting a little harder and then it all fell off from there. i was still doing the sprints but it just seemed like the minute was lasting longer and longer and my legs were beginning to slow down...but i kept it going and sped them up as soon as i felt like i needed to. we did acceleration drills after that and i don't remember what else.
great class...i will be back on wednesday.
last night for training, i took my much missed spin class with elaine of course. it was such a good workout, i haven't sweat that much in a pretty long time. we were out of the saddle most of the time and did many many many sprint drills. i thought i was doing pretty well with the 30 second sprints and 15 second recoveries...and then we moved on to the 1 min spints 30 second recoveries. the first two i did really well, the third was getting a little harder and then it all fell off from there. i was still doing the sprints but it just seemed like the minute was lasting longer and longer and my legs were beginning to slow down...but i kept it going and sped them up as soon as i felt like i needed to. we did acceleration drills after that and i don't remember what else.
great class...i will be back on wednesday.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
training 3/3 short blurb
last night as we were driving to the gym, i realized i forgot to drill list. oopsy, i did know that the beginers were to swim 1000 meters total and intermediate 1600 total.
i decided to take it easy since i was already tired from earlier and just do the 1000 meters (40 laps). so i decided to do the drills that have been helping my improve my stroke (14 laps, 350 meters) and just take it from there . so i started with a 50, and then a 200, a 300, a 200. then i stopped and did the math...hellloooo i already swam 1100 meters. i didn't have my watch and the clock on the wall is wayyy to small and far to read...but i knew not much time had even passed at all. so i just kept swimming...a 200 here, 300 there, 200, 100. i don't know exactly how much i swam last night, but i guess i'm much faster than i thought i was. and i just felt like i was a little fishy going much smoother through water.
i decided to take it easy since i was already tired from earlier and just do the 1000 meters (40 laps). so i decided to do the drills that have been helping my improve my stroke (14 laps, 350 meters) and just take it from there . so i started with a 50, and then a 200, a 300, a 200. then i stopped and did the math...hellloooo i already swam 1100 meters. i didn't have my watch and the clock on the wall is wayyy to small and far to read...but i knew not much time had even passed at all. so i just kept swimming...a 200 here, 300 there, 200, 100. i don't know exactly how much i swam last night, but i guess i'm much faster than i thought i was. and i just felt like i was a little fishy going much smoother through water.
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