8 hours 13 minutes 49 seconds!!!!!!!!!!
this is me at one of my weekly track workouts (pre-haircut!) in the ubiquitous orange long sleeve shirt
me and my teammates rob and jean at our practice triathlon
riding in the rain at the practice triathlon one week before the big day
finishing the run during the practice triathlon
lorne, asfaneh, and me. most of my mentor group
lorne, asfaneh, and me. most of my mentor group. again
the swim that resulted in us being covered in mud, scraped and cut up, and wounded enough that it could have jeopardized our race
a map of my 56 mile bike ride (note how tiny the lake looks. it's not!)
a map of the 13 mile run and 1.2 mile swim. that swim may not look far on the map, but trust me, it is!
the transition area. holy crap! that's a lot of people
this is the beginning of the swim, swimming out on the far side and returning on the near side
my wave begins, with lemon caps, i'm in there somewhere
out of the water! you can't tell how psyched i am to have finished the swim in less than an hour
headed toward the transition area to get on the bike and head out for a 56 mile ride
i'm right behind that guy, headed through what will eventually be the finish chute, on my way out on the bike
around the turn and i'm off...
almost to the end of my bike ride, about mile 55, with a really messed up right foot...
a strong start on the run, which didn't last long as my foot was killing me and it was 102 degrees...
mile 7, a little over halfway, going right by our campsite
like running through the desert, already removed my longsleeve shirt, trying desparately to stay cool and fight the stifling heat
still running...
heather runs with me for a little while. makes me feel a little better...
almost to the finish, legs dying, every step a different muscle trying desperately to revolt and get the hell out of my legs
around the corner, and i'm almost there...
almost....there....
got my medal, a cool wet towel, and immediately collapsed in the shade. didn't move for over an hour. tried to get up but my legs wouldn't allow it. could barely talk, or eat or drink.
did muster enough strength to let my friends now how i felt
hours later and i am still stretched out and sore. and sooooo tired
the day after the race, i ate NON STOP for the entire day. literally non stop. this is the giant eggs/biscuits/gravy/bacon/sausage/potato breakfast i came back with when i went looking for an ATM. and i was already planning what to eat next!
relaxing at our campsite on sunday with my teammate steve, after everyone who didn't do the half ironman on saturday had finished the olympic race
ready to drive the four hours home to my bed (after two days of camping), but not before getting pulled over before we're even out of the park, by a cop who mistakes my slow, exhausted, just-dying-to-get-home driving, for drunk driving. funny. sort of.
couldn't have done it without heather, who was with me every step of the way. and has been for the last ten years. i am a very lucky man.
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