Pumpkinman Half Iron Race Report

count the number of times i've said "okay this is my last race"  you will run out of fingers and toes very quickly when answering.

i signed up for a half ironman two weeks before the race.  this makes me smile.  it makes me smile for two reasons.  1.  because i never thought i'd be "that person" randomly signing up for a half ironman 2 weeks before race day.  and 2. because i can't figure out if i'm stupid or just crazy.  as many know i started this triathlon game two years ago.  i never rode a bike prior to then, i hadn't swam since i was 8, and my running was whenever i felt like the swag in a race negated the entry fee. until i met my friend marci, she patiently (emphasis on patiently) answered all my questions about that "crazy ironman" race she was doing in Wisconsin.  and i was in an instant inspired, thinking maybe one day i could do that too.  maybe one day.  so i'd casually log on to the ironman website looking at race locations.  then something else happened and spite kicked in.  i logged on again and wouldn't you know registration had just opened for st george utah ironman.  i knew nothing about the course, nothing about training, and certainly nothing about what was to come.  

and so i finished st george with one sprint and one olympic under my belt and signed up for cozumel.  

in between i met these crazy kids from utah who pretty much all place in every race they do.  they are in a word.  incredible.  i brag about them (probably close to 20 of them now)  in every conversation i have about triathlons, marathons, and life.  their hearts are as big as as my competitive drive and they seem to always keep track of every race everyone is doing and offer support.  i mention this because this is why i found myself once again signing up for a race i swear i'd never do.  Pumpkinman 70.3. 

Friday.  

I bailed out of work early to head up to henderson, nv.  i met up with tori (one of these amazing utah gnomes) we grabbed our packets, ate some carbs and headed to bed.  in between i flagged down the powertri guy at the hotel for a pair of goggles since guess who forgot hers??!  at least it wasn't my bike this time.  

Saturday.  Race Day. 

Tori and I got there early and had plenty of time to get ready, apply sunscreen, and enough time for Tori to convince me that i'd be okay swimming 1.2 miles with no wetsuit.   it was an in water start guys before girls. once again i was amazed at the number of women competing, just a handful of us.  already i was feeling accomplished.  the swim went great.  that water in henderson has always been kind to me.  i don't know what it is but i always feel so calm when i swim there.  i had my mantra "everythings gonna be alright" in my head the entire way.  i sighted well and felt great getting to the bike until i saw that most of the half bikes were gone at that point.  the negative thoughts started creeping in my head, i cursed a few times, got on my bike and was off.  in one word, the bike course, HELL.  elevation is 7,000 with a 6% grade for the last 6 miles.  i felt myself starting to lose it at mile 52, this was after i had to stop TWICE to fix my chain.  

i finished the climb and thought i was doing okay but there seemed to be less people on the course with me at that point than i anticipated.  what was going on?  i pushed on to T2 and started the run. josh left me some socks, since of course i forgot mine and i smiled at once again the amazing amount of support my utah crew brings.  

i thought for sure i was one of the last on the course.  whatever you do just keep moving forward, do not quit.  it was probably 100 degrees, no shade and literally running in the desert.   i started off well probably about a 9:30 pace.  i used my "walk a cone, run a cone" tactic my two "friends" in st george taught me.  then came the cramping, the feet started to hurt and i swore i was never going to be able to get through 13.1 miles.  i passed my friend josh finishing as i was starting and got discouraged thinking "this is supposed to be my strength!???"  today just wasn't my day.  i was in pain. major pain.   the rest of the miles were a lot more of the same but i somehow managed to cross the finish.  

it will go down as the hardest race i've ever "competed" in but it will also go down as another race i've completed.    final time 7:08:32. 

so as i "swear i'll never sign up for another one"  i'm thinking i wonder what i'll do different for next year.  plus we still have NYC and Cozumel to conquer.   

baby steps, baby.  baby steps. 

if only

if only i wouldn't have stopped for water or for that cramp that got me on mile 3.  if only i would have sprinted a little harder at the finish.  if only my garmin was as accurate as i needed it to be.  if only those damn "ed hardy/bedazzle"  shoes would have increased my cadence by the mere 13 seconds that i missed my PR on today.

a year ago this would have brought me down, it would have made me question my ability once again.  today (even with a pathetic philadelphia eagles loss post race)  it made me happy.  happy that i came that close to my PR in the first place.  A year ago I didn't even know what the hell my PR for a 10K was,  i didn't ever push myself that hard to care.  this time around i started and it certainly changes ones stride.   so i didn't make it this time.  last time i was in a place i thought was perfect.  the last time i made 49:13 (yes i realize this is some people's practice runs)  i was in what i call the "old curry" phase.  then life  happened and the caring went down a bit, i signed up for an ironman, i completed and ironman and the "old curry" started to care again.  i started to care about myself.  me.  i took in selfish and embraced it.

yes, its true i'm always in a "friendly" competitions with the guys during these runs, its just to much fun when i pass them not to be.  but for once, today i took it to a new level.

a new level that had me puking at the finish line, exactly 13 seconds shy of my "new curry"  PR.

pumpkinman half?  you're up next.