Kerri and I did Vikingman yesterday. We finished! It wasn't pretty, in fact it was pretty ugly, but we are 1/2 Iron Women!!!
I came to Utah on Thursday, we did some last minute stuff Thursday and Friday morning. My bike had some clicking in the rear cassette, took it to Racer's in Provo and they fixed it on the spot, thank you Racer's. We also decided to buy some toe covers, not needed very often in California. The weather forcast was 37 at 6:00 am and 41 at the swim start at 7:00, it was going to be a cold day.
Got to Burley on Friday afternoon, picked up our race packets, went to the dinner and prerace meeting. I was excited that all women were in the first wave. We went to check out the swim start after that, I guess we shouldn't have, after seeing the entrance and the river I couldn't sleep all night. Because of the weather conditions they had an option not to do the swim, but I didn't come all that way to do a duathlon (probably should have). The swim is supposed to be a downstream swim, but the wind was blowing so hard it looked like it was flowing backwards, whitecaps and all.
Race morning, went to T1 at 5:30 to set up, it was so windy the night before we only left our bikes, also dropped our run bags at T1, since T2 was in a different location they would take our bags and set them on our numbers for us. Headed over to the swim start.
Getting body marked
This was the swim start, you walked down the blue carpet, at the end you had to sit down and slide into the water (maybe you didn't have to sit down, but that's what everyone did), once you were in the water it was too slippery to get out, you were in for the swim. It was very cold, we had on neoprene caps under our race caps and booties. The water was choppy and cold. As we were walking down the ramp Kerri's comment to me was "Mom, some moms teach their daughters to quilt." At any point I think either of us would have backed out if we thought the other would have. It was really a scary start. All I can say about the swim is that it went. It was way slower than I even dreamed it would be, I gave myself an hour to do it (official cut-off an hour 10 minutes) but secretly hoped it would be in 40-50 minute range. i think my time was 1:05 and Kerri's was 57:27. I didn't feel so bad getting out of the water when the Sheriff's boat pulled up at the same time and began unloading people, I felt bad for the ones who were part of teams because that would scratch their whole team.
Kerri coming out of the swim
Me, finally out of that water, happy day!!
Nobody was hurrying in T1
Ran over to the transition area, no wet suit strippers so it was a struggle to get my wetsuit off and into my bike clothes, I decided to wear my warmest run jersey over my tri top and a windbreaker, it turned out to be a good decision, I was cold my hands were so frozen I could hardly buckle my helmet. It was cold on the bike, but not unbearable. Headed out onto the bike, the first 22 miles had a 20+ mph headwind, it was a struggle, this course is billed as flat. It is not flat, I would not even call the rollers, rollers. With the head wind even the downhill was uphill, everytime I thought I could get out of my small ring I couldn't the wind was too hard for me. I kept thinking, "just get to the turn at mile 22, just get to the turn" finally got to the turn and the wind became a crosswind, still struggling. There was one part next to the freeway where we finally had a tailwind, I thought this would bring me in, but no, turned off of this road and the rest of the bike was headwind, turn, crosswind, turn, headwind. Not fun.
And I'm off on the bike.
Somewhere on the course, I think I'm starting up out of a little canyon.
Kael saw Kerri come into T2, he wanted his mom!!
Finally off the bike, into T2, I was so happy, Kerri was already out on the run, I knew I could finish now, it might be slow but I would finish.
Kyle J. and his cousin Tyler at the park, they were having a good time, there was a festival at the park that made it fun for the kids while they were waiting for their family to finish the race.
Not a great picture, but a great moment!!! Kerri finished, Kerri Jex you are half ironman!
Kerri celebrating with Kyle J. and Kael
I got my medal!!! Craig ran out to meet me on the run course, it was against the rules, I made him leave, there was no way I was going to not get my medal!!!
1 comment:
Hurray! That is awesome.
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