I first want to start off by saying thanks to everyone who left nice comments out there for me. I was in the dumps something fierce and while I am still not out of them completely, I am loopy enough on cough medicine to pretend that I see a light at the end of the tunnel and if I just keep going, I’ll get there. Again, thanks everybody. Your support means a lot!
Well…first the bad news then the good.
First off, I am still sick. It’s been two weeks now and everyday I wake up and feel completely great. Then I get out of bed and the sickness hits me.
I can’t wait until I am better. This cold has been so subtle that it doesn’t feel that it’s really there but then the coughs start and I am reminded that I’m still a sicky.
I went out for the race. I felt good for the swim. I was actually able to latch on a guys feet and have him pull me the first 800 yards and we flew past everybody, then the coughing attacks started and I lost him and then I lost the rest of the people. Then I came out of the water, back of the pack. But still it was actually a pretty good time all things considered.
The bike started off good too. I was able to concentrate on getting in the right amount of nutrition, drink a lot of water. Everything was going good. I even passed a pointy helmet in an Ironman kit no less!
However, Come turn around, I was feeling the heat. There were only two aid stations and this one had run out of Gatorade and was serving boiling hot water and GU’s.
I was able to hold it together for a while, but I knew that I was toast. The run seemed forever away and just didn’t have the energy to go on.
The opportunity was there and I took it. At mile 44, I ended my race! My first DNF.
I kept waiting for this overwhelming guilt to come crashing down on me. For something to break and for me to ‘realize’ what I've done. It never happened. I am not saying I am proud that it happened the way it did, but neither am I depressed by it. I think that I gave up too early. In hindsight, I think I should have finished that ride. But I knew there was no way I was going to finish the run so I was OK with ending the ride early.
Later on I heard that the run was a total death march for a lot of people. The temp was 103 and unfortunately, it seems that they ran out of water on some of the aid stations. I understand it was horrible. A lot of people have left a lot of hate mail for this race. Mountain Man Events is quickly earning a bad reputation.
Now the good news:
When I resigned, I was afraid that this meant I was done. Done for the year? Done for the season? Done with the sport? I don’t know. I just had this feeling that I was done.
But, as soon as I got home, I kept thinking of what I could do to get better. It just seems that this distance is a major butt kicker. It’s my second attempt (one race; one self supported) and each time, I am dead.
I REALLY need to work on my bike. I mean REALLY need to work on it. I am thinking of riding the course every weekend. I have got to get my body used to that distance so that it doesn’t even blink come race day.
If I’m going to commit to the distance, I am going to need to shut down some of the other workouts.
It’s about time to start focusing on the run. It seems that lately I loathe the run. I do every thing I can to avoid the run. That must mean that I need to do nothing but!
So for now on, it’s run twice a week (tempo; speedwork; hill repeats, etc) and a long distance run on the weekend.
I am sorta abandoning the swim, but it’ll just have to wait.
My hope is that I can build up enough strength that the 70.3 will be beat able. Maybe it’s the sickness. Maybe I was overtrained. Maybe I needed some rest. Whatever it was, I hope that when this sickness finally wears off, I’ll be ready.
Silverman…I’m gunning for ya!
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7 comments:
I'm glad you are back. It's too bad that Mountain Man put on a bad event because they do well in Arizona.
Ohhhh...Dang it! being sick and giving it a shot-now that was brave! So many don't even start with those circumstances. Just get well-that is the priority. And on thing I remember when I do poorly at at a race-it's only a triathlon!
You learned, you raced, your a Stud in my book!
Swtrigal is right, most people would not have even tried it come race day.
I think you did right, listening to your body and knowing when to call it.
Rest up, kick that sickyness and get back to training. Do realize though that even after you are well, it will take a couple or 3 weeks to get things going again. You had/have a good cold so just make mental note of that and dont beat yourself up once you get to training again.
rockon' bro.
There is nothing wrong with a DNF if it is for the right reasons and protecting your health is the right reason. I think you were smart. Get yourself healthy and I'm betting you will feel 100% renewed.
Glad you gave it a shot.
I'm off training this week sick too, so I feel your pain there!
I'm sure this illness you've had is probably the biggest reason why you've been struggling with the distance. Let's face it, there's no such thing as an easy half iron. It's tough even for someone who's healthy and well-trained.
Personally, I think for a lot of very driven people like us it takes more courage to stop than it does to continue. And with limited resources on a hot day like that, the consequences of continuing may have been quite serious. Live to fight another day, I say. Rock on!!
We'll be watchin' for ya at Silverman. I hear it is absolutely insane! Best of luck on your training.
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