No nerves at all race morning. Amazing! Maybe that was the no expectation part of my preparations. I woke up around 5AM with a blood sugar of 76(not ideal for race day).
I eat, and bolus for all of it…only 25carbs anyway. I also raise my basal rate based on all the testing of this method I did last year for sprint races. And I check often to see where it goes in the next 2 hrs. The Dexcom is dead so no continuous monitoring this time. Bummer!
They had been predicting rain and way cooler temps for Sunday so I checked the weather first thing. (who are “they” anyway???) It looked like there was a lot on its way via the radar. I’m thinking this is not going to be good…especially if there is lightening/thunder. They will cancel for sure. But I kept packing my gear and thinking that at least it won’t be the 90 plus degrees it has been the past week. The water will be warmer then the air. I made a pot of coffee for Brent to take…and amazing enough he was awake before I could wake him.
We were to meet our friends Shannon and Jim around 6:15-6:30. Brent and Jim were all bundled up with chairs, cameras, umbrellas, and coffee in hands. They think triathlon is not a spectator sport, but you could have fooled us. Brent has been to enough of mine to know the ropes. This event I’ve done every year since it started. Right here in Clarkston. They know where to sit to see Shannon and I several times. (Although I might add they gave their chairs to 2 women with babies watching their husbands…chivalry is not dead!)
As I’m setting up my transition area I’m seeing all sorts of friends of mine. Nice to see them all! (By the way…the new bike looks great racked at an event. Hope I do it justice!) We all seem to be talking about the weather, which at this point has not started yet…just super cloudy and 60ish degrees. It’s been about 1.5 hr’s since I ate. I do a blood sugar check, and I’m at 105…perfect, but scared again of a low I eat 10gm. I get my swim stuff and we make the trek to the beach, about 700m away. Once there I make the obligatory porta-john stop….along with everyone else. And now the wait begins.
Shannon and I are in second wave to start. Now I’m realizing that I have the only white swim cap among the women…clearly a mistake at check-in, but no one says anything so I ignore it. Turns out to be a good thing for Brent…he can see me through the whole swim.
I see my training friend Steve who is anxious to start, and wish him luck. Which he won’t really need…he is a SUPER athlete! Maybe it will rub off on me!
One last blood sugar check, and I’m at 117. I’m happy and hand my meter and pump to Brent who will be waiting to hand my pump to me after the swim.
I’m in the water and dunk under several times to get the body used to the temperature. I hate how my heart rate goes up so fast at the beginning of the swim and hope that this helps a bit. The horn blows and we are off. I get my groove early…and it surprises me. I’m feeling really good…sighting the buoys, breathing on both sides, just smooth. I’m trying not to worry about my pace so much and keep trying to remember that I’m not really racing this one. As I’m coming out of the water , someone is screaming my name. I look over to see my friend Dana with her boyfriend Travis. This really motivates me!! I was wishing Dana could be racing with me, but after quite a health scare, having her there is wonderful !!!
I quickly hook my pump back up, and slip my shoes on for the 700m run to transition. I hate that part of this race! When I get to my bike, I’m fumbling around a bit because it is now just starting to drizzle and I covered all my gear up with a plastic bag. I check the bg’s and I’ve peaked to 190. I’m a little deflated by this, but I continue and happy it isn’t higher. I think that 10gms I ate are showing…plus a little anaerobic swim.
I couldn't wait to race on my new bike!!! The day is here…on a course I know like the back of my hand! It was just great! I averaged around 19-20mph. Other then the few MEN who didn’t call out “on your left” and pass you at very close range….the ride was great. The real rain held off. So I didn’t worry too much about slick roads.
I’m in transition once again and check bg’s once again. Now I’m at 200. Not bad considering the 190 to start and a pretty all out effort on the bike. (I just couldn’t hold back..it was too fun!!) As I’m poking my finger there are people watching right next to me and I do a quick explanation, they give a few WOW’s and I’m off again. I think I bloused .5 to correct and I anticipated a more anaerobic run.
Running has been dog slow for me lately, so what will happen here I don’t know! It’s a 2 loop course with one big hill that I curse every time I get to it! I kept the pace down a little to get the legs used to running. Just when I get to the bottom of that hill a guy passes and says..”You’re tough!…You’re diabetic?” I say yes and thanks. Either he saw the pump or he overheard the small explanation in transition. (Sorry Tony…no jersey worn today to promote Type 1 Rider….I was hot!) Tough I thought? I’m not feeling so tough on this hill. Then I started to think about tough….people like Tony, Mari, Marty, Mike, Kathy, Dana who know tough….and then the names got to be too many…and it suddenly became not so tough. I go through for the second loop and see Brent, Jim, Ann, Bob, and Janet too cheering me on…then see Dana again. I hold my hand out for a high 5 and take some of the awesome strength of hers for the last lap. This lap now feels faster and stronger. The finish was sweet and I gave it all in the last mile. Steve finished right behind me and looked fantastic. He asked how my blood sugars were when he couldn’t even catch his breath…now that’s a true training friend…scratch that…true friend. I can’t even describe how that made me feel! We went to grab some food and water and then went to find our families. (by the way, blood sugar was 230. Bolused for the correction and a bagel)
I went back to the finish to wait for Shannon…then low and behold my friends Matt and Gary cross the line then Shannon. Great finish for Shannon! She hasn’t done a triathlon in a while…she looked terrific!!
At this point it is starting to really rain and we cut out chatting with everyone to get our gear in the car and go to breakfast. Bob and Ann, Jim and Shannon, Dana and Travis all head to the coney island. I think we all deserved a pancake or 2!!
I finished 11/25 in my age group. Which I’m trying not to be disappointed about…because I was not racing…right??? But I really thought that run was faster…that pace is 3 years ago pace!
11/25 Nancy Eastman
swim rank 4- 18:23- pace 2:18- 800m
bike rank 9- 50:05- rate 19.2 - 18miles
run rank 19- 44:01- pace 10:01- 4.4 miles
Total time 2:00:17
As I came into the finish chute I heard my name and almost wish I could have heard.”Nancy Eastman, diabetic, from Clarkson.”
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