Steelhead 70.3 Race Recap

This is my recollection of the race weekend - it is unedited and raw - you are likely to say "TMI" multiple times - read at your own risk!

Main Characters:
Chris Day - first time 70.3 athlete with Hero Support Captain/Wife Molly Day, complete with 3 children, Morgan, Emma and Carter
Pete and Amy Olson - Athletic Supporters extraordinaire
Chuck Alfrey - first time 70.3 athlete and wife Staci
Sara Fauquher - Aquabike athlete rockstar and husband Andy who are celebrating their Anniversary by running this as a relay
Gary Thomas - veteran triathlete and training for 140.6 with wife Amy
Lucas Smelser - Muncie Area Fun Squad (MAFS) founder and faster than fast triathlete with his wife - Lisa Smelser who is equally as fast amongst the women

Location:  Jean Klock Park, Benton Harbor Michigan

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Not a bad place to watch a race!

Hero Support Vehicle is gassed up and ready to roll, we meet up with Team Olson for an 8:30 departure, and race our way to Benton Harbor.  There is a 1:00 athlete briefing that I think we can make even with a quick Pizza Hut lunch stop.  We drive mostly straight to the park, and get parked easily.  Short walk over the dunes and behold the beautiful Lake Michigan!  This ain't Prairie Creek y'all!  Find a bathroom and walk into the meeting as it begins.

The outdoor picnic table seating area was standing room only.  The meeting was very informative and helpful!  I'm feeling comfortable with everything around me and was thankful to have Molly by my side while Olsons took the kids down the beach to the water.  Meeting is over, and time to register.  Smooth and easy with great volunteers, and I'm into the merchandise tent.  One of my favorite shirts from Muncie is the M-dot logo with all the athlete names on the back.  It's soft, comfortable and super cool!  Thankful to grab one for half price via Molly's Ironman connections.  Bump into Chuck and Staci for the first time in the merch tent.  They had just arrived in time to check in, but had yet to attend the meeting.

I will carry it...

...cause it will carry me

Olson's have returned with the kids, and it's time to make a plan - We all walked back to the van and retrieved my bike, my wetsuit, and Pete's mountain bike.  Pete brought it so that he could chase us around the course easily.  I walked the bike to transition and racked it without riding at all.  Pausing of course for the obligatory bike over the head photo!  I had read the course was hilly, so no need to exhaust myself today.



Ran into Sara and Andy who came up last night and had already taken care of their logistics.  Their anniversary was yesterday, and their relay team name is "Happy Anniversary, Honey"!  I found a changing area and slipped into the wetsuit while Pete took off to explore the course for us.  The kids ran the beach chasing seagulls, while Molly and Amy grabbed their chairs and sat on the beach while I swam.  The meeting informed us we would swim South to North with the current.  Didn't take long swimming a couple hundred yards in each direction to realize what they were talking about.  Lots of boats on the water made it quite choppy and I was getting rocked around as much as I did in the Ocean at Kona!  Not fun!  20 minutes is all I need, and I'm out of the water and drying off.

Pete returns to break the news that the run course may require cross country shoes, and a hiking backpack - as I feared, there are some hills!  Changed clothes and back to the car, our work here is done for the day.  We've got some time to kill so we chose to drive the bike course.  Hills are certainly the name of the game around here - 100 feet of gain right out of the gate.  But the road conditions became the story once we turned off the Blue Star Highway.  The best I can describe it is when a road is being grated, and they take that top layer of asphalt off before they repave it.  When you're driving it, your tires make that HUMMM sound the entire time?  Yeah, it's like that!  After about 15 miles into the bike course I've seen enough so we abandon that plan and are now seeking the nearest Target store!

No one "forgot" anything, but we didn't pack the kids' swimsuits because we knew there would be no time at the hotel for swimming - What we failed to realize was that we would be sitting on a BEACH ALL DAY while I'm racing, and the kids can swim - Thank you Target for your 50-75% clearance racks at the end of swim season!  Mission Accomplished and it's dinner time!

Lasagna = Carbs = YUM!

Gary Thomas had made reservations for 17 at the local Papa Vino's restaurant for the MAFS crew at 6:00.  We were first to arrive with Olson's followed by Alfrey's.  They took us back to a private party room set for 19.  Fauquhers showed up, and an acquaintance to many, TJ Tryon came too.  TJ has been helping Chuck quite a bit, and many of know of TJ as being a USAT official.  Gary Thomas (GT) and his wife Amy show up with Luke and Lisa Smelser all sporting their official MAFS shirts!  (should've gone back to the car and put mine on too)  Smelser's brought their hero support too, and Scott Hubbard and his girlfriend Brenda Skoczelas round out our group of 20!  Dinner was awesome, and I may have eaten a little more than I should have, but I had not snacked all day since lunch 6.5 hours ago, and was not eating anymore before morning.

We shared great conversation and stories with all, and it was hugs, high fives, fist bumps, and well wishes all around as we went our separate ways!  It's about a half hour drive to our hotel, and Olsons were 5 minutes beyond that.  They followed us to ours and we coordinated our plan for race morning before checking in.  Once checked in, everyone showered, jammied, and hit the sack.  Lights out at 9:30!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Alarm goes off at 4:20.  I'm up and showering while everyone else sleeps.  Ate a banana, and granola bar, and drinking about 16 ounces of Gatorade while getting ready.  One of my biggest concerns race morning is having a good poop before the race, and I didn't get it first thing, so hoping the food will wake the stomach and get the bowels moving.  No luck yet.  Pete and Amy are coming to the room at 4:45.  Pete is picking me up and Amy will stay behind with Molly and the kids to come later.  Gather all my things, we're out the door, and while in the elevator I realize - oops - I left the car keys in the room, and I'm going to need to get in the car to get the rest of my gear - elevator down - elevator up - keys - elevator down, and now we're loaded and on the road by 5.

It's very cold this morning and I sat out a sweatshirt to bring for this very reason - problem is, it never got packed.  Pete literally gave me the sweatshirt off his back to keep me warm, thankfully he had a long sleeve tech for himself.  Heat was on in the car the whole drive in, and it was a very quiet ride.  I was still in a meditation mode.  Doing mental reps in my mind and thankful to be able to lay my head back and close my eyes while Pete did the driving.  We drove straight to the parking lot which is about a mile South of transition, but near the swim start.  Shuttles were provided to get athletes from parking to transition, and then back for the swim start.  I grabbed all my gear except for the wetsuit which Pete offered to take since I didn't need it until much later.  Pete said he would just walk over while I shuttled over and got set up in transition.

No wait for a shuttle, and as the door closes, I hear from the back of the bus, "Chris Day!" - Smelser's are all smiles in the back of the bus.  I probably looked silly as I was wearing my bike helmet, but my hands were full with bike shoes, towels, nutrition, etc.  "You got your bike helmet?", I respond, "Roger that!"  while shaking my head side to side so it wobbles on my head which draws a laugh from the athletes, I'm truly all smiles, and starting to get a little anxious about the day ahead.  Bus drops us off VIP-like and it's a short walk to transition.

Transition area is literally a quarter mile long!  Bike are lined on the left and right with one rack right down the middle.  The sun is no where to be seen, and only the portable halogen spots illuminate the area, but the music is on and announcements are nonstop.  I have until 6:45 to get my things set up, and it's barely 6:00 right now.  My bike is racked near the end of transition, so it's a long walk to the bike, but there she is waiting for me.

First order of business is to get some air in the tires.  I knew others would have their pumps, so I didn't mess with mine.  Unracked my bike, and propped it up against a monument nearby, and easily found and borrowed a pump.  115psi in both front and rear today.  Brakes check well, Gears turn fine.  It's in an easy gear, so I rerack it and start unpacking my gear.  Towel out, Running shoes off and set, Bike shoes out and set.  Gatorade in both bottles on the bike.  Nutrition loaded on the bike.   Gels on my bib belt, and bib...bib...where's my bib, oh yeah it's in the white envelope with my timing chip and swim cap...chip...cap...bib...should be in the bag...this bag...not in ....what....where....  OH NO!!!!!!!!!!

I DON'T HAVE MY TIMING CHIP - OR MY BIB - OR MY CAP!

Think - think - I must have put it in the other sling bag, the one that I left for Molly to use today - in the hotel room!  Grab the phone, place the call, and calmly ask for the whereabouts of said envelope.  "Yep, here it is, I've got it right here, and yes, here is your bib, cap, and timing chip"  - Where are you?  We're leaving the hotel right now - 30 minutes away - It is now 6:15 - transition closes in 30 minutes - This means there is no possible way it will be here in time for me to do anything with it.  Before tucking my phone in my bag I called Pete to inform him of the issue and tell him to stand by and wait for the call.  I'd meet up with him in a few minutes.

Think - think - I don't need my swim cap until I get in the water - my wave doesn't go until 8:05 - she'll make it!  I don't need my timing chip until I start the race at 8:05 - she'll make it.  I don't need the bib until I start the bike - but how will that work if I can't get it attached to my bib belt before the race?  Answer:  There will have to be a coordinated handoff as I come out of the water.  This can work, this will work - don't panic.  Okay dear, call me when you get parked and we'll figure it out.  In the meantime, I'm going to seek out a race official and ask for alternatives.  They have told us before that if we lose our timing chip, just ask for a new one.  Swim caps should be easy to come by (Muncie has thousands leftover every year), but the bib remains the concern.  You must wear it for the bike and the run!

I ask a volunteer where I should go, and they suggest the finish line where the timers should be stationed, but there's no one there - I return to another storage area and ask some other staff who reply it's too early for anyone to be there.  Maybe it was the panic, maybe it was all the walking, but that was when mother nature decided to call!  There were 30 portapots lined outside of transition and the line was moving swiftly.  I jumped in line and took care of business.  Relief!  Glad to have that done.  Probably not eating or drinking anything else, so should be fine.  "Transition closes in 20 minutes" is the announcement followed by, "Early waves should be headed to the swim start".  Now I'm getting panicked that I can't even get an answer - - that's when God threw me a curveball - - in the form of Matt Hay!

Matt is a friend from summer church camp when we were in High School.  We reconnected last year as he made his quest to become an Ironman.  He stayed with us last year when he raced Muncie 70.3 before completing 140.6 in September.  Matt lives in Northern Indiana and came with a friend, but as he says when asked what he's doing here, "I came to see you!" - HUGS!  Matt, meet Pete - Pete, meet Matt - the two of you talk while I find an official.  I finally found a fast walking, radio carrying, collared shirt female that gave me 10 seconds while walking fast.  "I've lost my timing chip, where do I go?" - "They're at the swim start" - "okay, but I've also lost my bib" - "You're screwed!" - No seriously, that's what she said - "You're screwed!"  WHAT!  Are you serious - Shocked, but determined, I offered my solution - "if my bib gets here in time, can someone hand it to me as I get out of the water, and I'll carry it to my bike?" - "Yeah, sure that should be fine" - Should be?  Can you be a little more reassuring?  And with that, she was on the radio to someone else and making her way to the swim start.  "Transition will close in 10 minutes"

Dealing with the reality that there's nothing more I can do but execute the plan, I grab Pete and Matt and we make our way down the beach to the water's edge to begin the 1.2 mile walk to the start line.  Along the way, Matt and I are small talking.  How calm the water is; how big the houses are; how neat the sand dunes are.  He says to me, "I'm resisting the urge to catch up on life with you, realizing you've probably got a lot on your mind" - To which I say, go for it!  Maybe it will help me relax.  He mentions an IU/BSU game that we should coordinate on, and we talk about what he's got coming up as far as races.  Half way down the beach the phone rings, and the package has arrived at the parking lot, now they're trying to figure out how to go straight to the swim start.

We pause on our walk as we are within earshot of the National Anthem, and 2 minutes later, we hear the cannon go off, and can see the pros running into the water!  It's 7:00 and this thing is underway!  2 more waves get off the beach before we arrive and meet up with the package.  All is well, and I can relax.  The plan will work.  Hugs from the kids and a kiss from Molly remind me that we're fine.  I spot Chuck on the beach, he looks ready and has only 20 minutes until he's in the water.  With a deep breath I realize mother nature was calling again - or maybe it was Papa Vino's calling (I knew I ate too much) - bathrooms are over the dunes, so I make the trek.  1 bathroom with 1 stall and 5 portapots.  I opt for the bathroom and it takes me 20 minutes to get through the line, but success is had!

   Chuck is already in the water as are all our females - the pros are out of the water and probably working mile 10 on the bike.  Back to the beach, and finish pulling the wetsuit on.  Hugs, high fives, and fist bumps all around - the music is loud at the start line, I'm hopping, jumping, shaking out the arms, etc.  Morgan asks if we can go put our toes in the water, so we do.  Water feels great, and I get in waist deep.  Back out and we've got time for a couple more pics with GT and Lucas who start in the wave after me (5 minutes later).  At that point I made a promise to everyone - "THIS (pointing to my smiling mouth) stays with me all day, no matter what!"  Thinking back to Coach Armando's final words of advice - "Smile allllllll the waayyyyy, it's easier that way!"


Yellow caps in front of me are in the water, and the fluorescent green caps are in the queue - that's me!  Adjusting the goggles and wetsuit one final time, the announcer reminds us that the water level is very low and we can essentially run to the first buoy - 10 seconds later - AIRHORN and we're off




SWIM

He wasn't kidding - I jogged easily to the first buoy before I was even calf deep, and then continued walking to the second buoy before I was nipple deep and found room to take that first diving stroke into the water.  Once in position it was crowded as I feared.  Had several close calls of flying elbows, kicking feet, and right hooks swinging near my face.  The large red buoy turns us parallel with the beach and there are 8 yellow buoys, followed by 8 orange buoys before we get to the final red buoy to turn us back toward the beach.

I struggled to the second yellow buoy before I felt like I was able to get into a groove, but once I did, I found comfort and was able to focus on my stroke.  Each time I found myself on someone's heels, I held position to see if I could pick up a draft, but often found my long reach would tangle me with them, so I would pass.  I always breathe on my left which is looking away from the beach, and so I only lifted my head forward to spot the next buoy and hold the line.  I made an effort to touch or brush up against each buoy so that I knew I was holding a line closest to the shore and not fanning out into the lake to make this thing any longer than it needed to be.

I actually found myself matching an identical pace as another green cap, and I hung on his right hip so that as I took a breath on my left I was looking right at his legs.  This was a great position and I stayed with him for several buoys and minutes.  I think I may have gotten too complacent in this position, and stopped "racing".  I was just sort of swimming, but was feeling good as I caught the slowest of the yellow caps that went off 5 minutes ahead of me.  It was about that exact same time that the orange caps behind me caught us!  There was a pack of 3 or 4 that went by so fast they left a wake, then a bigger pack behind them before a stream of them were mixed in with us.

At the first orange buoy I checked my watch assuming I was halfway - it read 24 minutes - I had said I'd like to do the swim in 45 minutes, so if this were true I was a little slower than I preferred.  Sticking with the plan, and reaching longer and pulling harder at times, by the time I got to the 4th orange buoy a stream of red caps were coming by now!  These were athletes that started 10 minutes after me!  Wow!  These guys are fast!  Somewhere around this time I looked around and counted at least 6 different color caps in the water with me, and that's just what I could see.  By the time I reached the sixth orange buoy, I was ready to be done!  Bored isn't the right word, but I'm just going through the motions at this point, and thinking ahead about "the handoff".

As I hit the final red buoy and make the right turn toward the beach, I'm wondering how long I will swim before I hit sand.  I had read that I need to continue swimming until my hands are dragging bottom before I stand up with the idea that you can swim faster than you can walk in water.  But at this point, as soon as I see someone standing, I'm reaching for the bottom.  I finally find it, and stand right away.  Pull my goggles off and try to gather myself and focus on the shoreline to find Molly.  She was wearing a colorful sweatshirt that made her easy to find.  I was expecting her to be half way up the chute that leads to transition, but she was at the water's edge.  It occurred to me that I should go ahead and pull my arms out of the wetsuit so that once she hands me the bib I don't have to risk ripping it or getting it wet by pulling it through - came out of the wetsuit easy enough on top and get a successful handoff!

 

Running up the beach was difficult as the sand is very fine and loose.  The chute is surrounded by cheering fans on both sides, and with the relief of having my bib and being done with the swim I am once again smiling ear to ear - so much so that I hear people commenting, "love that smile", etc.  The swim was long and arduous, but I'm not too upset with the results. 

Swim = 47:15 - 934 overall - 696 men - 124 division

Heading out on the bike

Into T1 - I make the long quarter mile barefoot jog to the bike.  Over the fencing I spot Amy Olson and Matt Hay both running with phone/camera in hand.  They were able to get inside the finish chute to stand on the other side of my bike as I transition.  I also spotted Luke at his bike which meant he'd made up the 5 minutes on me in the water, and then some as he was about to exit with his gear - First order of business - get that bib attached - it probably only cost me 15 seconds, to bend down and secure it to my bib belt - then get out of the wetsuit - push and pull and then just step on it - threw it toward the fence and sat down to put on my bike shoes, helmet, and sunglasses - grabbed a drink of gatorade - is that it?  yep - I'm out!  Short jog to the bike exit and ran past the congestion at the mount line to hop on the bike - T1 time - 4:33

BIKE

I felt pretty good coming on to the bike, but I knew there was a long climb ahead of me in the first 5 miles, so I kept it in the middle ring and kept the cadence high to get my legs under me.  Took my first gel right away and just a swig to chase it.  The first big climb was challenging, and I can see on my Garmin data that I only managed a 14.5 mph pace on that climb.  Somewhere around mile 7, I heard a familiar voice -  and here comes GT.  Just like at Muncie, he caught me quick, but he's moving much stronger than I am and he and several others were by me in a hurry.  I'm getting killed on the hills, but am reminding myself to settle in for a long ride.  While mile 3 was the slowest of the entire ride with that first hill, I got a pay off at mile 13 with a downhill that Garmin clocked at over 35 mph!  Now that's movin!

My nutrition plan was executed flawlessly - Every 15 minutes, I'm drinking - Every 45 minutes, I gel - and at the 1 hour and 2 hour marks I eat half a payday candy bar!  The aid stations were spaced pretty well, 4 in all, and I took water at the first one but pitched it immediately, and took water again at the second one, and kept it while pitching one of my own bottles, then pitched that empty water for a full gatorade at the third one.  Skipped the 4th.

The Blue Star Highway was nice to ride on despite the hills, and before we turned off of it, I spotted the leader coming back - he was working mile 45-50 and I'm barely past mile 10.  But once we turned East onto the county roads the rumbling began just as I had suspected it from the drive yesterday.  The rumbling was so bad that gear was flying off of bikes everywhere.  water bottles, gatorade bottles, CO2 cartridges, flat kits, etc littered the road and became obstacles on the ride.  As many are talking as are not, other than the obligatory "on your left" passing comment.  Mile markers were out every 5 miles, and the course was well marked.  The only interesting thing that made me smile, was at the halfway point, someone had painted the road with the words, "56 divided by 2 = 28"!  Somewhere around mile 32 there was a stupid steep climb.  For the first time I actually geared down to the small ring.  It didn't last long, but it was painful, and my cateye showed I was down to 7 mph at one point!  That's slow!

The remainder of the bike course was a struggle to stay in good aero position as my back began to ache more than usual, and my man parts were rubbing raw.  I applied the skin strong slather before hand, but between the swim and the sweat I'm sure it was wearing thin - probably didn't apply generously enough - the other realization was that the chamois in my bike shorts (that I train in) are a little thicker than the chamois in my trisuit - this caused some discomfort in the saddle that I wasn't used to in miles 40 and beyond.

I kept thinking I would catch someone I knew - maybe Chuck or Sara - they had started 30 minutes ahead of me and maybe I could have such a good bike that I could make that time up, but as I turned south onto the Blue Star Highway for the long stretch back, I was met with a headwind that remained the entire last 15 miles!  This was frustrating as I was now working much harder to maintain the same speeds.  I was doing the math in my head early and thinking I might break 3 hours on the bike, but knew it would be tough to do so now.  I traded positions with several riders off and on with legal passing to break the wind.  I can only assume they were working with me intentionally, but after doing most of the work, I left many of them behind.

Within the last 6 miles, I began to think ahead to T2, and opted back to the middle ring for a higher cadence, but with 3 miles to go I found myself about to charge down that same first hill that broke me early - back to top gear, and one last push, but with the wind, I could barely get it to 25 mph.  Geared down and made the turn toward the beach.  They funnel us up on a sidewalk that is marked "No passing Zone", this is a good half mile stretch on a narrow sidewalk with sharp turns.  I decide that since there is no passing, I will use this opportunity at a slower pace to come out of my shoes early.  I've done this successfully before and believe I can do it.  Unstrap right shoe, and grab heel, pull out and land the foot back on top of the shoe.  Around a corner, and do the same with the left.  I'm out of the shoes and rolling smoothly to the dismount line.  Even overheard some comments from spectators pointing at me "Look he's out of his shoes already too"  Both socked feet on the ground and dismounting when the rider in front of me (shoes still on) dismounts his bike by throwing his left leg up high enough to clip my right wrist - OUCH - he apologized quickly and sincerely, but I was fine.

Bike = 3:03:14 (18.3 mph) - 844 overall - 669 men - 123 division

Into T2 I'm running like a champ - shoes still clipped to the bike - running in my socks - quarter mile jog all the way -  I spot my fan club cheering loudly - I'm still all smiles and waving - I hear a "How do you feel?" and simply yell back "AWESOME!"  I really did feel good.  Made the long jog to rack the bike and again sat to put the running shoes on - helmet off, visor on - check the glasses and go -- but first, I need sunscreen!  Sadly, the aid station was behind me and not at the exit, so I had to jog back about 25 yards.  I yelled ahead "who's got sunscreen?" and someone turned around with their gloves covered and slathered my neck, shoulders, upper arms, and even the tips of my ears (thorough) while another volunteer handed me a cup of water.  Chug it, pitch it and go - T2 and out in 2:46 - very efficient!

RUN

As I exit T2 I spot Amy Thomas taking pics, and I yell out with arms in the air and a smile on my face!  "Look at me, I'm really doing this!"  It was a crazy good feeling to have the bike done and know that equipment issues would not ruin my day (lots and lots of flat tires out there today), it was only my legs that could fail me now.  I'm into a good groove early, but recall Pete reporting about the monster hill at mile 1.  If he's right, then I've got to run well to it in case I need to walk it.  As I cross under the Blue Star Hwy bridge, I recall the best sign of the day - simply said - DO EPIC SHIT!  Go Gabe -  I smiled and laughed and pointed at her - she pointed back and yelled, "It's not just Gabe, You do epic shit too!"  As funny as it was, it meant a lot!

The Garmin beeped at me exactly as I crossed the mile 1 marker - 10:26 - and then I turned the corner to locate "the hill"  It wasn't super long, but it was super steep - No question I'm power walking this one.  Others are running down the hill and are only a mile from their finish - I am 4 hours into my race, and these people could have had as much as an hour head start on me, so they could be 5 hours into their race - Lots of respect for these athletes.  At the top of the hill, I get a short jog in before I hit the first aid station.  It is well stocked with water, ice, gatorade, cola, and snacks.  My routine would be the same for every stop.  Grab a water and the ice, mix the two - drink the gatorade, then swig the water - dump the remaining water on my head and dump the ice in my trisuit.  Add in a swig of cola for miles 5 and beyond.  I committed to walk every aid station and run well out of each one.  This allowed for some consistent early miles - the first four were all between 10:26 and 10:56!

Pete found me around mile 3 on the run, and updated me on who all he had seen (nearly everyone), and was enjoying riding around watching us.  He anchored himself at the entrance to the Whirlpool World Headquarters where we enter their campus and run a walking trail inside the campus.  As I entered the campus, I spotted Luke who was on his way out...for the second time.  The course is a double loop about 5 miles around and I could easily calculate that he was working mile 10 and was therefore almost an hour ahead of me.  As I entered the campus and walked the next aid station, I did the quick math in my head that with less than 10 miles to go and being 4:30 into the race, I could run 12 minute miles in and finish under 6:30 - this would be a dream come true since I had said all along anything around 7 hours would be okay with me.

I could take nothing for granted knowing that my late run miles are often much much slower than the early run miles.  I pushed on and continued out of the campus passing Andy who was working his second loop confirming that I am the last of the MAFS out here.  Coming out of the campus, Pete was still waiting on me as I faced the dreaded hill!  I could see everyone was walking the hill, and I was comfortable to do that as long as I could run again after.  I continued to make jokes with people as they passed me - "Is this your third or fourth lap?" - "This is so much fun, I think I'll take a third lap", etc - Anything to make myself and others smile!

When I got the merge point, and faced the sign that said 2nd lap straight, finishers turn right, I was a bit dejected thinking of doing this 5 mile loop again, but I felt plenty strong enough and continued on.  I spoke first to almost everyone I passed, but one female in particular was walking and spoke to me first.  We had just passed the mile 7 point, and exchanged a short howdy, and good luck.  10 seconds could not have gone by when I hear this woman behind me let out the most blood-curdling scream I have heard since I don't know when.  It crescendoed from oh, to OH to OOOOOH to an all out AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!  As I turned to look she was already flat on her back with her leg in the air gripping tightly to her calf muscle.  I stopped in my tracks and turned to walk back, but 3 others raced past me (in the wrong direction) to get to her first.  One gentleman in particular yelling as loud as he can "PUSH AGAINST IT - PULL YOUR TOE UP!"  I paused momentarily debating what I could do, and chose to continue my race and offer a quick prayer for her.

As I neared the next aid station, the athletes around me were communicating the news to the volunteers who passed the word on to the police blocking the intersection who responded swiftly to her.  Would love to know if she was able to continue.  I grab all the aid I need here and a little extra ice (TMI WARNING:) I have been feeling like I needed to pee for the last mile or so, but don't want to take the time to stop at a port a pot to find out, so for the first time in my life I achieve the amazing sensation of urinating...on myself...in my trisuit...while walking...yes...while walking...just little bowed-legged shift and it's running down my leg - Again, I grabbed extra aid, so a quick rinse of water down the suit, and chased it with ice as always - hey my socks feel a little soggy now too.

After turning this corner, I spot a familiar pair of neon compression socks ahead!  Those were unmistakable, as they stuck out in my mind when they raced by me at mile 7 on the bike, but could it really be?  "GT?!" I yelled, and without looking he throws his hand in the air as if to say, "yep, you got me".  As I jogged nearer I became greatly concerned for what he was dealing with, and searching for the right words I said, "That was nice of you to wait for me" - okay, probably not the right words, but my goal was to make him smile.  No such luck - he may have rolled his eyes at me.  "What's going on? Stomach, Legs, What?"  He replied that he had fought a hamstring injury for quite some time, and today it got the best of him.  He'd had an amazing bike split (over 20 mph) said he had a rocket 8:20 first mile, but that was about the extent of his race.  I reminded him that he was wise to slow up as there was a bigger picture out there for him (140.6 in November), but then he started speaking of quitting - No, I said you can't quit - But then he said that he had nearly fallen twice, and I knew this was real.  We exchanged conversation about how others were doing, and how my race was going.  I told him I thought I could get in under 6:30 and he said "well you won't get it done walking with me."  I asked if he'd like to jog just a little with me, but he said he could make it 4 steps and would surely have to walk again.  With that he gave a firm hand grip and I told him as sincerely as I could - "I can't thank you enough for helping me get here - I don't know what's next for me, but whatever it is, I need you."  He humbly snickered, but I repeated myself - "I NEED YOU!"  I still don't think Gary knows how much he means to my motivation.  I look up to him like a big brother.  Thanks GT!

I'm on with my race, and feeling good.  When I reach the campus entrance Pete looks confused - why is he seeing me before GT?  He asks, Did you see GT?  I reply yep, he's coming up behind me here - Don't let him quit!  He has to finish - no matter how bad it hurts, or how slow it is, he can't quit!  I worked my way into and around the campus loop and as I hit the 10 mile marker I do the math in my head that I only have to run a 40 minute last 5k to break 6:30 - I got this!  One last peek at Pete as I exit and he escorts me to the base of "the hill" before I begin walking up it and he retreats to encourage GT to the finish.  Walking the hill proved to be costly as mile 11 clicked off as a 13:02 mile, my worst of the race.

Once to the top of the hill, I resume my pace and my conversations.  The next couple to speak to me first was very encouraging, "Looking good!" he said as I jogged up on them and with them for a bit.  The wife asks me "How many of these have you done?"  And I laugh replying, "This is it, my first and...well...I guess I won't say only" - They reply that it's their first as well, and we have a 5 minute "how proud are we of us" session!  Ultimately my pace was faster than theirs, so I went on.  Next to the last aid station, and I take on all the fluids I need, and press on quickly feeling strong and knowing I can make it under 6:30.

The last aid station is near the mile 12 marker and walking one last time I'm committed to running it in - double fisting ice and water, and...well yeah, I may have pushed a little more out of my bladder (I'm telling you I could barely control any of my muscles), but feeling the ultimate relief I begin the last jog of the day.  Remember the big hill at mile 1? - now I get to go down it!  I'm now passing more than are passing me, and I am listening intently for the finish line music, but first....I hear Pete - yep here he comes one more time - what are you doing?  where's GT?  He's fine, I wanted to see you come into the finish chute and then I'll go check on him.  He rides ahead and jumps off the bike for one last photo as I cross my 70th mile of the day!

As he leaves, I hear the obnoxious sound of Amy Olson's cowbell (don't you dare get my kids one for Christmas) and alongside my favorite Hero support photographer Amy Thomas!  Nothing left to do but continue what I've done all day - smile and wave!  I can see the finish chute - I can hear the music - And as I make the final turn into the chute, every comment means 70.3X more than the one before, "Way to go" "You did it" "You made it" "You're here" "Congratulations"

Somewhat overcome with emotion I'm grinning ear to ear.  I check my shoulder and there is no one behind me - The spotlight is all mine - The moment is mine - I'm pumping my fists in the air, and looking for my family - I hear them first - Then see them - They're all there - I'd love to stop and chat, but we'll settle for a high five - this starts a chain of high fives from dozens and dozens of fans down the fence row, and then I actually hear it "Put your hands together for Christopher Day from Yorktown Indiana" - I think I jumped in the air - still pumping my fists - still smiling!  Still smiling!

Run = 2:30:17 (11:28 pace)

OVERALL = 6:28:05 - 911/1499 overall - 694/1057 men - 127/159 division

I traveled 70.3 miles for this!

As I lowered my head to receive my finisher medal, I grabbed my face, but there were no tears - I'm not sure there was enough liquid in my body to cry, but the emotion was very raw and very real.  I heard my son yelling, daddy, daddy, and when I went to the fence to give him a hug - he said "Daddy, you forgot to high-five me when you won!"  You can bet I gave him that high five, and a kiss, and another and another!  How lucky am I to have had my wife and kids there today.  I admit I didn't want to bring them for the hassle of it, but looking back at these pictures of the fun they had, I'm pleased they were able to share the moment with me.

We took our time packing everything up, (she made me throw my socks away) even enjoyed one more dip in the lake.  We got to see Gary finish, and got all the hugs and congrats from our MAFS friends that stuck around.  Many had a great day.  Several PRs (Luke by over 11 minutes) and even some hardware for the incredible Lisa Smelser - 5th in her Age group!  Congrats Lisa.  And couldn't be happier to share my first 70.3 with Chuck finishing his (and crushing my time at that!)  The car ride home was long, the muscles were tight.  We shared the driving responsibilities, and Carter caught a few Zzzs.  When we finally got home and tucked in - I asked him if he had fun, and he answered in that 4 year old voice "Yes, And can I do an Ironman Race Sunday?"  Too which I smiled and said, Maybe not Sunday, but definitely someday!

Steelhead 70.3 Prerace Final Thoughts

I asked Coach Armando if he had any final words of wisdom for me,  and here is his response, "it's your first 70.3 enjoy this one! next 70.3 you are going for the win...;-) have fun and smile allllll the wayyyyyy..it's easier that way."

Friday night, and getting everything ready but taking a little break to journal my thoughts.

Injury Report:  I pulled something behind my left knee last night as I was standing up out of my chair.  No clue what or how or why it happened, but I grabbed it immediately.  It remained very tight and I iced it before bed.  Each time I woke up last night it was still painful when I tried to straighten it.  An easy 3 miler this morning loosened it up a bit, but as soon as I stopped, it came right back.  All day it has remained tight, and now I sit here with it on ice concerned that it may not loosen up.  Not that it matters...I ain't got time for pain!

Gear Check:  Bike is wiped down, tightened up and loaded.  Gear and nutrition are laid out and ready to go.  Bus is gassed up, and the family is busy practicing their cheers!

Papa Johns in the belly, and Gatorade by my side.  Tomorrow night we will have Italian with the entire MAFS crew!  17 of us in all, and half of us racing!

My drive and motivation has come back in the last few days, and I believe when my feet hit the beach nothing else will matter.  The weather appears to be near perfect, very cool, low humidity, calm(er) waters, and winds.

I have told myself that I'm willing to push my body to a place it has never been.  I'm ready to lay it all on the line and let it all hang out.  There are no other races firmly on the calendar, and there's no reason to save anything.  That being said, I have to run a smart race.  Push too hard too soon, and suffer early.  Don't push hard enough, and ask "what if" all the way home.

Excited to have my biggest fan, my wife, on this trip with me; and appreciative of her decision to bring the kids.  I can't let them down.  I might be their hero.  Also excited to have so many of my best friends and workout partners on this roadtrip.

It's going to hurt, I'm going to cry, but it's going to be worth it!

10 days to Steelhead

Happy August 9!  Kids went back to school today which means I officially no longer have a summer birthday!  With summer over, and fresh back from a long Hawaiian vacation, I am ready to rest.  Ready to be done with the miles and hours of training.  Ready to focus on something else.  I mean, this was all supposed to have been done - 5 weeks ago!  It just doesn't feel right to still be doing this at this level.  With 10 days left, it feels like there is still so much work to do, and yet, rest should be a high priority.  The heavy lifting was done before vacation, but the remaining workouts are somewhat daunting. 

This is no time for self-doubt.  I am confident in my ability to complete the distance which I have said all along is the only real goal.  But I can't help but think about the possibilities on my finish time.  Today's run and yesterday's bike were dreadfully slow compared to where I was before vacation.  I'll rest up tomorrow and hit another long bike and run this weekend, but I plan to scale the workouts back next week going into the race. 

My body is ready.  My muscles are ready.  Now I've just got to prepare my mind!



P.S.  Here are a few "VACATION PHOTOS" from our trip to KONA!

Steelhead training underway

Steelhead:  noun - The anadromous variety of the rainbow trout, having silvery, unstriped sides.

Ironman:  noun -  A male athlete of remarkable endurance or durability.

Triathlon: noun - An athletic contest consisting of three different events, typically swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

Steelhead Ironman 70.3 Triathlon:  noun - August 19, 2012 - Begin with a 1.2 mile swim in beautiful Lake Michigan, and transition to the run at Jean Klock Park. Next is a 56 mile bike course through parts of Berrien and Van Buren counties. This area is known as Michigan’s fruit belt, and is home to berry farms, orchards, and vineyards. The 13.1 mile run winds through a Harbor Shores golf course and the Whirlpool Corporate campus.

Yes, it is official - and has been for weeks, but my intense training schedule has not allowed me to post much here.  After Muncie 70.3 was cut back to a 37.2 Olympicish distance, I really had no choice.  Ironman made it right by offering discounts for the Steelhead race in Benton Harbor Michigan on August 19.

There are some significant differences between the races:
The swim - I hear Lake Michigan is just a little bigger than Prairie Creek - and seriously waves up to 3 feet in the open water!  They don't even determine which direction we swim until the day before based on the currents.
The bike - Instead of fast and flat, it's hill work!  Muncie Gain = 528 feet vs Steelhead Gain = 732 feet;  And instead of closed highway, it's through the country including county roads
The run - Instead of a hilly out and back, it's a double loop with even more hills!  Muncie Gain = 161 feet vs Steelhead Gain = 203 feet

All of this has significantly impacted my training and with the help of pro triathlete Joanna Lawn and her coach (and husband) Armando Galarraga, I have a day by day plan that I've been following to a tee since they left town!  It's exhausting, and very time consuming, but also very worthwhile.  I know I am stronger (and smarter) than I was before Muncie. 

I have 2 more hard training days, and then Molly and I are off to Kona on vacation.  How fitting that we chose to vacation in Kona, the home of the Ironman World Championships, at this time!  I am hoping to find a way to swim on the swim course, and get plenty of runs in, but still unsure how I will get the bike time in. 

Stay tuned for an update upon my return! 

What if...

We won't call this an official announcement, but yeah, I wrote it on the calendar!  Aug 19 is just 6 weeks away!

Ironman 70.3/37.2 Race Report!

Due to an Excessive Heat Warning issued by The National Weather Service, IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie was shortened for safety reasons.

Yep!  That's what it says at the top of my results - but we'll get to that...

Pretty girl next to me got out of bed at 2:59 a.m. to prevent the alarm from going off at it's 3 a.m. set time, which means she was watching for several minutes already, and also means she got less than 5 hours of sleep!  She was out of the house by 3:30 and of course I'm wide awake at this point!  Good thing because she didn't reset the alarm!  So I reset it for 4:15 just to be safe, but simply lay there counting the minutes going by until 4:14 when I execute the same "save the alarm" strategy that she did!

Nothing unusual, trisuit on, socks and shoes, some light stretching, check facebook (addiction), only ate a granola bar and a large glass of Gatorade and I'm tip toeing out the door in time to meet the pros at Molly's mom's at 5!  They are running a little behind, and scurry to load everything and we're off by ten after.  No traffic at all until we are on the main drive in, which was nice because Armando and I rode together, and like any good coach, he is pumping me full of good mental health!  The sport psychology is the racer's edge that I need, and Armando is very good at this!  He's telling me to focus on myself in the moment that I am in during every minute of the race.  How is my breathing, heart rate, position, posture, line, etc.  and not to think too far down the road - No point in worrying about what's coming, only focus on what's happening NOW!  Replace every negative thought with a positive thought!  Instead of how hot it is, it's how quickly can I get to that shade up ahead!  You get the idea!  It helped A TON!  I'm already confident, now I'm ready to race!

We VIP our way to a close parking pass, by me yelling in a very authoritative way "I've got a pro and two more behind me" - Before the volunteer could think about protocol, I was already by him and headed to a closer spot!  We unloaded quickly and they rode their bikes into transition.  I got there soon enough, and the first order of business was to find a bike pump!  I didn't want to carry mine up so I'm asking around to borrow one!  No problem, and I'm aired up and set up by 6:10 - Head to the port a pot and take care of business #2 (if you know what I mean) - thankful to have that out of the way, I'm off to the beach to see the pros off - men go at 6:30 with women 4 minutes later, and I'm there in time to yell a final GOOD LUCK to Jo, and get a thumbs up.  Pros are off, and I take a dip in the 88 degree water!!!  I've taken colder baths than this!  Unreal!  Run into some friends, make a few new ones, and move over to watch the pros out - Men's leader is out in under 20 minutes and has almost a minute lead on the field - I linger long enough to see Jo come out as well - she looks strong and I'm inspired! 

Over in the staging area, they line us up in waves based on age, so Men 35-39 with last name A-L is a late wave, so I don't start until almost 7:30!  Find another port a pot and squeeze out some more business (TMI?) and head to my area - FINALLY Molly and company find me, and we get a Team Day photo at the start line!  I seriously can not explain how or why I am so confident, but I assume it's mostly because I have done a similar distance on this similar course before and I'm motivated by the what if's of the weekend!  Armando and I are in the same wave and as we enter the water, I see him already jockeying for position up front - He will be competitive today for sure, so I think why not me - I go right to the front of my wave and take a starting position like I'm going to win this wave!  The horn sounds and I'm off!

The swim start was unlike ANYTHING I have ever been a part of!  I've heard stories from the vets before about mass starts and the kicking and punching that goes on, but had never experienced it!  IT IS REAL!  It took me a good 100 yards or more to even get one REAL swim stroke in!  And it didn't end there - seems there was always someone clipping at my heals, are burying their fists into my sides!  Thankfully I never got kicked square in the face, but I know many did!  Made the turns in good time, and dealt with the sun in the eyes coming in.  I breathe on my left, so this was especially tough as the buoys are always on my right with the clockwise swim!  I have to spot more often, but that's not all bad.  My official swim split was 40:19 which is about what I expected given the first time without a wetsuit in the open water!

I promised myself I would jog to transition, and so I did passing several on the charge up the hill - it's nearly .2 of a mile from beach to bike, but the jog helped to wake the legs up for the bike.  Was pleased to see Molly waiting for me at the top of the hill, and barely time for a wink as I grabbed a cup of water offered to me, and am focused on finding my bike!  I went with the bright orange towel today which was smart for ease in finding the bike!  I chose to sit to the ground to put the socks and shoes on - fuelbelt full of gel, helmet, glasses and I'm off!  My T1 time was 3:29 which was great considering I spent nearly 2 minutes of that jogging to the bike!

Mounted the bike, and charged past a handful of folks struggling to get clipped in!  Flying down the first hill and really opening up I was excited to get to the Mile 1 marker where my YRC friends were stationed - not to be disappointed, I let out a big YYYYYRRRRRRCCCCCCCCCCC as I cranked past them and got a crescendo of yells in return (goosebumps) - The race course congestion is heavy as runners are on my left and bike traffic is all around me - Female leaders are just coming out on the run, and I even see Chuck escorting the lead female (what a job) - Once we clear run traffic, I reach for my first gel and really suck down quite a bit of Gatorade.  Better to slow the bike down a bit and get hydrated than blow up on the run again today!

As we get to the highway, I am fired up by the sheer number of people and the speed at which they are zipping by!  We turn North and merge with bike traffic that is working mile 18, while I'm barely at mile 2!  The congestion is maddening and yet, you feed off of the energy!  I am turning the crank like never before!  Garmin shows I ran 6 straight miles over 20 mph heading out.  I can hear some bells ringing near the Greenway, and as the trees clear, I can see Benji Koontz running with 5 support bikes around him.  Benji is running from Losantville to WesDel today as part of the Berry Long Run fundraiser to assist the family of Tony Rolli today!  Hot day to run a marathon!  Hope he's well!  At mile 5 I drink pretty heavy again and at once more at the turn around.  Now we're headed South and the traffic is still buzzing in both directions, but I don't seem to be going as fast - Garmin confirms it, but I'm still clicking off high 18s, low 19s on most miles!  At mile 10 I grab half of my payday and choke it down with drink, as we hit the bike aid station, I'm looking for Clay and when I find him he is assisting a down athlete, so I just grab a water keep my head down.  At mile 15, I take my second gel.  We hit the turnaround again near the merge zone, and are now headed back north.  Head down still working hard, but feel like I'm getting killed on the hills.  The traffic is thinning out primarily because very few are coming South - Being in one of the last waves means, not too many behind me, but we're all racing the clock today!  A familiar voice yells out behind me and Gary Thomas is drafting off me for 2 seconds before passing me!  I can't let him get away, so I'm working hard to keep him nearby, but at mile 20 I let him go as I eat the other half of my payday!  Grabbed another water from the bike aid and yell out CLAY ARNETT FOR PRESIDENT which gets more laughs than cheers!  Debating when to take the third gel, I decide to wait for mile 25, but never saw the marker, so once we're on the Northside of the lake, I take it and finish off my second bottle of Gatorade.   I stand to stretch the quads out a bit - I can feel them tightening up, but try to keep the cadence up.  Over the last hill and I can see transition - unclip and coast right to the dismount line and again I'm trying to jog in, but there's too much congestion to jog through with the bike in hand.  Good news - THERE'S MOLLY!  Loving her so much right now!  Bike split was a 1:28:53 which they break down as being 20.25 mph average!  YES!!!

Bike racked quickly and this time I don't sit - shoes slip off, shoes slip on, down on one knee to tie, helmet off, change knees, double knot, grab the visor and I'm gone in 2:09!

Coming out of T2 the legs feel good, but I'm notorious for coming out fast on the run and crashing so I've got to find a rhythm I can maintain!  Chuck was standing by and captured this great pic of me, and I was excited to get to those aid stations which were spaced roughly every half mile!   The first aid station at mile 0.5 was run by Rebecca Swander and I also recognized Jason Roberson there!  They were loud and yelling my name enthusiastically!  But they could not compare to the energy I felt when I got to the YRC station at mile marker 1 - I heard Pete first - "GET UP HERE", (there's a hill to climb to their station, figures) and then the whole crew just SCREAMED my name!  The cheers were incredible (goosebumps) and Garmin says my first mile was 9:39!  While I don't think I can maintain that, it's not as blazing fast as some I've opened up with!  I push on dumping ice in my shirt, shorts, and every crack I can get it to (and repeated this at every aid station) - and sipping the water so as not to chug it!  And continue running to the top of the hill (amen corner I call it because there is a church there), and decide I need to walk this aid station (again, repeated this at every aid station thereafter) - but the other great thing about the frequent stations is that after walking through each one, you could see the next and knew that you could run to it!  This really helped in my ability to run more than usual.  I was feeling good but grabbed another gel anyway.  It had been about 35 minutes, and I was hoping to get one more in me.  Mile 2 showed 10:31 and Mile 3 at 11:04.  Race timing captured my 3 mile split at 32:14 (10:44 pace) - I grabbed some cola for the first time ever at the turnaround (Armando said it would help) and felt strong running back - in fact I ran a 10:32 pace coming in!  Very pleased to be able to run that well.  Again, coming back was all about keeping the rhythm and walking the aid stations, but as I came into view of that YRC station, repeat previous goosebumps!  I was all smiles!  Grabbed 2 waters and a sponge, and unzipped my shirt to let Melanie shove two handfuls of ice in!  As I pushed through the last half mile stretch I heard Chuck's voice again!  He was relentless with his comments - YOU LOOK GREAT - CHARGE UP THAT HILL - YOU KNOW EVERY MINUTE MATTERS - YOU GOT THIS - I turned over the legs as hard as I could and really enjoyed the winding finish chute that dumped me out right into the waiting arms of my wife!  Pumping my fists!  Both hands in the air!  I felt like I was on top of the world!  High fives from every stranger I could reach, and Karen Siefert slowly poured an entire bottle of ice cold water on my head while I smiled ear to ear!

From R to L:  Top 4: Kelly Williamson, Jodie Swallow, Rinny and Jo

Molly walked with me to recover and got me some bananas and pretzels.  I rested for a few and then kept moving - found several friends to share stories with, and finally found Jo and Armando (TEAM YOMANDO) - Jo was pleased with her 4th place overall female pro finish at 2:18:33 - And Armando was only a minute slower than she grabbing him 4th place among men 35-39!  (I was 183rd in the same AG- no prize for that) It was fun to hang out at awards with them!  They all know each other so well and are very respectful and chatty with each other.  I find this to be one of the most common threads in this sport, and perhaps one of the things I love most about it!

This continued tonight as we gathered at Gary Thomas' home with many athletes from today's race.  We shared our war stories as well as our well wishes on future races!  Such great local support for such a great activity!

Here are my official stats!  If you would've made me guess coming into today, I would tell you to expect a 3:26 - so needless to say very happy!  Highlights are certainly the bike pace and the steady run in.  Not disappointed with the swim at all.  Pleased to see the consistency in placing within each discipline also!

Many more pics to come - especially when the professional ones are up - you know me - I had to pose for the finish photo!  Should be a good one!

Race Week - Friday

Woke up early again today - Didn't sleep as well as I would like - Layed there as long as I could but was still up by 7:15.  Molly was up and gone shortly thereafter with heavy responsibilities at the expo all day.  I debated going out for a little walk, but Molly talked me out of it.  It was 88 degrees by 9 a.m. and reached 100 by noon!

I spent the morning resting, watching Ironman videos, and focusing on hydrating!  Only left twice, once to get Morgan to swim club, and once to pick her up!  Sara hand delivered me some YOU ROCK balloons at that point, and I updated my facebook status to the following:

About this time tomorrow I will enter the water for my first Ironman 70.3 - For those still unsure what that means, here is some perspective: I will swim 1.2 miles (distance from Muncie Meijer to Muncie Walmart), bike 56 miles (distance from Yorktown High School to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis) and run 13.1 miles (distance from Daleville High School to the Muncie Mall). While I've done all 3 distances many times, I've never attempted to put them all together at once! Thanks so much for all the calls, texts, messages and well wishes! It's going to be a great day!

It garnered even more posts of good luck, and I am now feeling as confident as ever!  I had a great lunch with pulled pork (protein) on a big fat bun (carbs) and some potato chips (salt) - Gatorade all morning and no reason to doubt my abilities at this point!

Picking up Jo, Armando and another pro Julia who is now staying with Jill Brand.  We met up at 1:30 and heading to the expo.  We're already sharing stories of what might happen when I get "THE TEXT"

Knowing full well, that this was not something my wife would joke about, I read it in disbelief and all I could utter were the words "NO, No, no...."  With Jo asking what's wrong, I could barely speak what I was reading from my wife..."Bad news baby...We are Olympic"

I can't tell you what anyone said next, but let's just say it was not G rated!  In total disbelief I maintained anger for less than 60 seconds, and then it really began to sink in - EVERYTHING that I have worked SO hard for to be able to FINISH this distance and call my self an IRONMAN 70.3 FINISHER was just ripped away from me less than 24 hours from the moment I would cross the finish line!  With a lump in my throat, I sit in silence.  That was when the true character of the athletes in my vehicle really showed through.  They get it.  They understand.  They become overly  compassionate with me knowing that this was my A race for the year, and this reality/destination/goal just got postponed indefinitely.

As we enter the expo, we maintain ignorance as we go through the expo and registration.  This has not yet been made public and we can say nothing until the 2:00 athlete meeting starts.  Armando and I get registered, and Jo and Julia head to the Pro checkin - We get thru pretty quick (those volunteers are amazing), and I enter the meeting literally just in time to hear race director, Brian Myrick, make the official announcement.  Our official distance will be a 1 mile swim, 30 mile bike, and 10k run.  And thus the Muncie 37.2 race is born!  It still doesn't seem fair or right, but I'm starting to understand it more.  As Medical Director, Dwayne Adrian gets up and explains the conditions and rationale, it sinks in a little more.  There are spectators and volunteers that are not "trained" to be out in this heat and humidity, AND this heat is truly unprecedented!  In all the years of this race, the water temp has rarely been in the 80s, and it's already 85+ degrees.  The air temp is half the story, but heat index is projected to be over 110 tomorrow!  I continue to believe that I'm strong enough, and smart enough to finish the full distance, but what's the point in beating myself up over it now.  It's done.

As the meeting concludes, I'm moping around, reading everyone's thoughts on facebook, when I run into some of my biggest local supporters.  Lucas and Lisa Smelser are standing with Gary Thomas, and as I approach them I can see their disappointment for me in their eyes.  No one had to say anything, and I could feel myself about to cry.  We hug it out, and the rationalizing begins.  Some are still in the anger stage, others have moved on to the understanding stage, and a few have reached a stage of looking up the next closes 70.3 on the calendar (With Ironman, it's Steelhead on Aug 19 in Michigan - I know because it was my plan B race all along)

It's 2:30 now and time for the pro panel.  I've been looking forward to this for days.  Our homestay, Jo Lawn along with top pros Mirinda Carfrae, and Kelly Williamson are joined by last years winner Ben Hoffman, and Greg Bennett!  I was the first nerd to walk right up and take their pic as soon as they were seated!  And afterwards, Molly and I finally got a great pic with Jo!  It was refreshing to hear them speak, and yet you could also hear the disappointment in their voices.  We are triathletes!  This is what we do!  We love to race!  Pro Basketball players don't play half court.  Pro Baseball players don't play with 1 out per inning.  Pro Football players don't play on a shortened field.  Pro Triathletes shouldn't have to race on a shortened course! 

Jo had a pro meeting at 3, and by 3:30 we were ready to get out of there.  As soon as we hit the car, Armando continued with his supportive ways.  We talked about how this changes the nutrition plan, as well as how our bodies will feel at certain points.  I asked Jo if this favored her, and sadly it does not.  I had them home by 4, and back to the house to get the kids and relieve the sitter.

The kids and I headed to the expo to pick up Molly and some pizzas to take out to PCR for the bike checkin volunteers.  I went ahead and left my bike there for the night.  Transition is impressive and the race site is buzzing already.  Tomorrow is going to be hot and it's still a long race, and you know Ironman is going to do it up right, so I've got to get my head straight!

We dropped Molly off at the expo and headed out to Fazolis!  Might as well carb load like any other race.  Extra Breadsticks, Extra Salt.  The kids were good and we were home by 7.  For the last hour I've been reading all the facebook posts I missed today and reflecting on my notes from the last Olympic distance race I did last month.  I've got this distance down with no worry of finishing, but how hard do I push myself?  With another 70.3 to come now, I don't want to hurt myself so it's virtually a long training day for an unknown race on an unknown date at an unknown location! 

I'll be fine.  Today, Tomorrow and always.  I'm not an Ironman yet, but someday I will be.
Time for bed...

Race week - Thursday

I'm pleased so many of you have chose to read my story this week - thank you! 

I did not set the alarm, but woke up on my own at 6, and laced them up and headed out for a solid 30 minute run!  Was very pleased with it!  Felt great, and didn't push hard at all!  However, I did have some gas discomfort, so obviously ate something yesterday that didn't settle as well as usual.

Lots of drinking and opted for a bigger breakfast to replace the fluids and calories fast!  Then off to the office EXCEPT - - A DEAD BATTERY - - ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?  I guess I'm glad it happened today and not Saturday morning!

Had a great morning at work, and was home by 1.  Molly was busy with volunteers and such, but made time to bring home lunch for me from Arby's when she dropped off the kids to me.  She went back to her responsibilities and the kids and I relaxed for a bit before we headed to THE MOVIES!

I had read that going to see a movie was a great way to rest and relax in the A/C while munching on some popcorn (carbs) and sipping a drink (hydration) and allowing your mind to get lost in the movie instead of worrying about the race -- IT WORKED!  Was a great decision, and am wishing I could go again tomorrow!

After the movie I popped into MC sports to grab a couple powerbars that I like before the race and then we headed to the convention center.  Molly was there setting up for the Captain's meeting and I was meeting Abby there to hand off the kids to her.  From the second I walked in it was GO GO GO, but I didn't mind - again, whatever I can do to keep my mind busy is a good thing.  The dinner was catered by Scotty's and so I opted for the pulled pork (protein) and macaroni (carbs) with just a little bit of salad and a brownie.

As the meeting got started, the staff went around and gave their two cents about Saturday and there was one common theme - IT'S GOING TO BE HOT - Additionally, many commented on how hard the athletes will push themselves regardless of the weather (they're right) - captains were told to encourage athletes to slow, stop, and rest, or offer SAG out of the race.  While I appreciate the message, I didn't come out here to slow, stop or rest!  I am committed to running a safe race by being smart first!  I have learned what my body can handle, and I know my limits, AND I WILL BE PUSHING THOSE LIMITS!  I will be leaving it all on the course, I do not have another race on the calendar at this time, and for all I know, may never have the chance to do this again! 

I'm going to try to get some rest now - In bed before 10 is the plan!  I am so ready for this!  Yes, it's all I can think about, and I'm okay with that!  Thanks again for sharing in this journey with me!