Marian, July 24th, 2007

Well, just got home from Lake Placid. What a surreal week this has been. It all started when we got there on Thursday afetrnoon. i was in a pretty bad mood as we got there at 4:15 an registration closed at 4. I would have to wait until the next morning. When we got to the cabin Hugh and Denise were already waiting inside and I got a phone call from my cousin that she was stuck in a storm outside of Albany and didn't know if she was going to make it up. We had dinner and I laed down to ice my left knee which had been quite sore. The next morning I met my ironpals Kitima and Dana and we swam at Mirror Lake. That was very relaxing and got my spirits up again. Finally at 10 am, I was able to register. Spent the rest of the day knitting and icing my knee.
Saturday morning was a repeat of Friday, swam at 7 am and the knitted and iced the knee. I packed all my bags rode down the bike and transition bags and went to bed around 8:30pm.
Sunday, I woke up around 4:00am and by 4:10, was ready to go. Got to transition around 4:50 and checked on my bike and added my nutrition and checked the bags. Walked down to the lake around 5:45 and sat ona bench talking to a guy who was there to see his buddy do the race. We talked until about 6:35. Walked to the lake and ran into Jeremy, Glen, Rich and I think Kevin and maybe Doug were there too. I started crying, which seemed to be the order of the day. Walked into the shute and saw Kara and Brock. Talked to them for a little while, then ran into Jay C. After I heard Kevin C. calling me from shore, he was pointing me to where Kitima and Dana were. I really needed to see them. We did a final "Buttscratcher" chant and then the cannon. I felt very calm. I immediatly found the bouy line and just pretended I was at Canandaigua. Very relaxing. The swim was over in 1:33.
T1 went well, wow, the volunteers are amazing, they really go all out
The bike started and the I felt good. My average on the first loop was 14.4. I was taking it very easy since I wanted to protect my knee. On the second loop I strted to feel a little off. It was very hot and my stomach was starting to act weird. I backed off the carbo pro and stated doing more gels and water. My pace had slowed down a lot. The bike almost over. As I pulled up behind the oval to leave my bike an older gentleman who I had seen on the course was also finishing. He told me he had done this race 5 times. He always finished the bike around 5:00pm and he had always finished the race. I must have looked pretty down since I was already convinced I was not going to finish. It was so late. He told me not to worry, relax and walk. As we parted ways, he just said: congratulations kid, tonight you will be an Ironman. That made me feel a little better and got me through into T2.
Then the run started, I was feeling ok and was running and walking the aid stations. I did that up the aid station #4. Then, the walks got longer. My stomach was not ok. I tried eating, it was bad. I tried gels, it got worse. I stopped consuming anything. I just walked. I was great to hear my name called out by people on the race, spectators and specially the TT people. I ran again. Then the second loop. It was really bad now. Tina's dad and mom saw me on the course and new I was in trouble. They ran with me down the hill and told me Tina was waiting at the bottom. I saw Tina nd she started to run along my side. She told me she would stay as long as I needed her. We would run and walk, then we saw Denise, she joined us and also ran along my side. It was night time now and the clock was ticking. Then the power went out on riverside road. It was now pitch black. We kept watching landmarks on the road. Then, I started to vomit. That actually made me feel a little better. I should have made myself vomit earlier. I could only keep coke down. All of a sudden, there was Glen and Jeremy. They joined our gruop. Then Tina's parents joined us and we all trtoed along. Then Rolando, and my sister Tita and my cousin Sandy joined us as we ran along. Coming up the hill I heard a voice say into a megaphone: "is that marian down there?" I sawMary and Rich at the top of the hill. Once we did the final mile it was over. Denise told me: "I don't care how you feel, you will run in the oval, now fix your hair and wipe the boogers of your face". And so I did. I could hear the people screaming and my name beign called out. And then, the uncontrolable crying. It was over.
16:34:33
As I sit here with my feet bandaged up and my sore muscles I feel so greatfull that I was able to share this whole year with teh entire TT team and my family and friends. Mary, you are the best coach ever. Kitima and Dana, I love guys, we will always be the Title 9 Tea Party. Tina, Glen, Jeremy, thanks for the push. Denise and Roalndo for taking care of me all weekend long and all the advice. The rest of TT, both on the course and on the sidelines. I really needed the words of encouragement. Tita, Sandy,a nd Joel, thanks for putting up with me, sorry I was so cranky and emotional.
Until next Ironman, thanks for reading,
~marian