Steelhead 70.3-2008

I'm not sure how to start with this race report. The beginning obviously...the very beginning of the weekend. Watch out...this is gonna be a long one:)
Brent and I made it through traffic to only hit more traffic. So adjustment #1 is the race talk at 6PM is out and the talk at 7:30PM was in. Part of my plan was to eat an early dinner so I would have no mishaps with the Levemir dose at 8PM. At 5PM, Brent and I joined the early birds for dinner, which my choice was bland...4 eggs scrambled very well, whole wheat toast, and pancakes. Yes...just a few bites...it came with it..really!!!
My friend Cindy...who is a friend of a friend and a client of mine, called and said it was very busy at packet pick up so I should head there right away, so that's what we did. By the looks of all the cars piled up around the entrance, I knew she wasn't kidding. We actually got a parking spot right next to the transition area. How that happened, I don't know. As we were parking, Brent saw a co-worker who was there with her husband who was doing his first Half IM too. Small world!! I really didn't want to chit chat, I just wanted to get to the water to see what it was like.
The picture above is at the beach where packet pick up was. I knew my race number, but I had to double check it before I went over to get my stuff. I showed my USAT card and ID to the woman, and she handed me my bag of goodies. I got my body marked and started listening to the race talk....which by the way had started before 7:30. I didn't mind at all, that just means I can get to the hotel earlier!

I anxiously walked down to the beach to check out the water, and to my pleasure I found it like glass and 74 degrees! Could this really be happening??? All my fears of choppy water are gone! I completely relaxed as soon as my eyes saw Lake Michigan. Now I'm ready...now I'm really ready!

On our walk back to the car to get my bike I saw my friend Matt from my old gym that is there doing his 1st Half IM too. We are a bunch of newbies!!! Matt, Brent and I walked back to our cars together chatting about the race and were we ready..blah, blah, blah. I got my bike and pump and set them up in the transition area..which is huge, but I have a very, very small percentage of it for my stuff. Never enough space at big events!!

At around 7:30PM we got to the hotel to check-in, and it was a sea of cars with bike racks on them. This race was around 2000 participants, so they were staying all over the area. I know our hotel was booked, which is why we got a smoking room...NOT what I had reserved. GAG!!! It smelled awful! Determined I was going with the flow this weekend, I let it slip by.

As soon as we got into our room, I started to put "things" together. Then quickly realized that they already were together and packed right where I needed them because I did it before we left. I set my clothes out, set up the coffee pot and then called my diabetes guru Matt. I just wanted to go over race plans one more time. All is good in my head and I should remember all my contingency plans should something arise.
My blood sugar was 98 at 8:15PM and I took my Levemir dose, then lowered the basal on my pump at 9:15PM with a bg at 88. Part of the plan was to eat before bed to reduce the risk of a low during the night, and I would certainly do that with a number of 88!! That Levemir can catch up with you...as I have learned!
I wasn't surprised when I woke up at 12AM...tossing and turning, mostly from excitement. I checked my sugar and it was at 148...a nice place to be! I fell back asleep and woke up at 4AM to eat my breakfast. Bg..101!! Perfect! So far so good. (all bg stats I'll post at the end!)

I got dressed, woke up Brent, ate, then met Cindy (in yellow) and her parents(Dad was racing too), and one of her friends Kathy(in blue) in the lobby. I wasn't sure where we were going and wanted to follow her there. We parked in the Whirlpool parking lot...huge compound! I think they own Benton Harbor...it's the only thing there!:) There were shuttle taking racers to the transition area which was only a mile away..but we took it! I have to go 70.3 today, I might as well take a lift.

As I'm setting up my area, I feel those butterflies come on again when I overheard someone talking about it being choppy. WHAT? How could that happen overnight? I know anything can happen overnight, but really...how choppy could it get? The gang of us are walking down to the race start gazing out on the roughest Lake Michigan I've ever seen. All of them are wondering why they haven't modified the course to a shorter swim. Cindy is now trying to talk me through the swim..techniques and such. "Everyone is in the same situation as you...yada, yada." This is actually working on me..I feel like it's ok, and I'm going to do what I can to finish. Float, backstroke, breaststroke...dog paddle...whatever it takes. A mile later, we got to the start and waited in a long line for the porta-john. Everyone is talking about the conditions. Then we hear over the speaker that the swim was canceled. Canceled??!! My heart sank. This will never be a true Half IM! Is this a blessing that it was canceled, or could I have really done that swim? I'll never know. And won't get the chance to try. The lifeguards couldn't even launch their kayaks, and wouldn't be able to see if anyone was holding up their arms for help...OR even keep their eye on them with the 4-6ft. swells. Extreme disappointment set in. But I had to get that out of my head....which is hard. I so wanted this!

We all walked back to the transition area for instructions on what would happen next.










The waves were bigger then they look in the photos...I swear! Some people packed up their stuff and left, most people stayed for the duathlon that was to come! A 2 mile run in place of the swim. Which sucked! None of our legs were ready for that! I can't believe they got the course marked and ready within a hour. Amazing really. The run was going to be done in the same waves we were assigned for the swim. Age group. It was pure chaos! 2000+ people packed on this narrow road. Plus that very same road was part of the bike course...which now has to be changed. Did I say chaos??!!

Look at all of us....it goes WAY back!!

And look at me...I can run 2 miles:)

Brent didn't see me get on my bike...so no photos of that. But I had a solid bike..not necessarily fast, but solid and comfortable. Again, that was according to plan. I was pacing myself! I think my average pace was 17.9. It was rolling hills, with a few climbs. Not too bad, but there were some rough roads....oh my ass!:) There was a crash..not by me, but I saw the ambulance and someone in a neck brace. I hear one person crashed into another. Yikes! 4 bike lengths is hard to do.

On to the run.
I was smiling on the first half of my run.


Everything was according to plan...only if the plan was no swimming...oh crap, I'm suppose to forget about that! I walked through every aid station, which then turned into walking more then running due to the severe calf cramping. Like someone was grabbing onto my muscle and twisting it into a knot. 2 reasons for this...1, electrolytes were off. My E-caps I take for hot weather and such fell out of my back pocket...I had them on the bike, and now they were gone. The water with Nuun in it (Nuun is electrolyte stuff with no sugar in it) had splashed out of my Aerodrink system because it's a piece of crap. ANOTHER yellow mesh top has fallen out due to a bump in the road. That is the 3rd one, and I'm NOT getting another. I'm going to get another bottle cage before I use that again!!!
2...I was under trained. I knew that going in, but the cramps were unexpected! I figured fatigue, but not cramps that make the legs stop moving.

Now I really have to go with the flow. I had about 4 miles left when this all started, and was reduced to walking for 3 minutes, then running until I cramped up. It wasn't ideal, but worked. And beleive it or not, I was not upset about it. I expected something to happen at some point in the race. I'm just happy it didn't happen until the end. Notice I'm not including the swim here..trying to let go.

After 4 miles of walk/running I made it to the finish chute that is completely lined with people cheering. I'm running, more like shuffling at this point, and then the calf goes again. The uncontrollable urge to stop!!! In the finish chute no less. I am NOT walking into the finish. NO WAY!!! I bent over to rub out my calf and a few spectators were screaming " you can do it"..."don't stop, you are there!" kind of stuff. With a huge smile and a bit of laughter I say.." I'm not going to walk that finish...I want to run" and continued to massage the calf.





























I thought it was gone until I was about 100yds. away from the line...but did not let the urge take over....and finished running!
AHHHHH...sweet relief. I went straight into the tent where there were people helping racers stretch. They massaged my calf and off I went to find Brent...who actually saw me finish!! YAHOO!

Here are the details of the diabetes part starting the night before:
5:14PM-88..eat dinner 50cb.-bolus 4.9
7:37PM-98..beautiful!
8:15PM-6 units Levemir
9:15PM-88-lower basal-eat granola bar
12AM-148
4AM-101-eat breakfast 44cb.-bolus 3.6
5:30AM-239
6AM-242-bolus .3
7:30AM-NO SWIM...tested in transition, 175. Pump back on with normal basal
8:30AM-after 2 mile run-307?? WOW. Causes are no swimming, and basal hasn't caught up yet.
START BIKE:
9:11AM-256 at 10 miles
10AM-131-gel and lower basal
10:43-155-gel
START RUN:
11:48AM-93-gel and lower basal
12:18PM-143
1PM-121-gel
2:08-250-.4 units...this is where I'm trying to get rid of the cramping with gel/Gatorade and not bolusing enough...should have square waved! I wonder where my Endurolytes are??? Somewhere on the course in a Ziploc bag!
3:07-276 after race...but not immediately after
I'm happy with the numbers considering all the factors. I think the diabetes part was a success.

There was good, bad and ugly in this race. The ugly was the cramping at the finish. I've told everyone it wouldn't be a pretty finish, but a finish.

The bad was the swim, or lack there of! I don't think I can get over that fact any time soon. I feel cheated, and I feel like I'm lying when I say I did a Half Ironman. It feels like I did a really long brick workout. It's been 30 hours or so since I completed it, and I still feel...pissed. Nothing more eloquent to say there.

Lots of good really. I felt good with the endurance, so my training was good. Not great but good. I admit I needed more. I had people supporting me throughout my training, AND on race day. I can't tell you how many people sent emails and text messages with words of encouragement. But it's not over! I'm going for it again in 2009. I will finish that whole damn thing, I guarantee it!