Race Result

Racer:	Denise Ennis
Race:	Eagleman
Date:	Sunday, June 11, 2006
Location:	Cambridge, MD
Race Type:	Triathlon - Half Ironman
Age Group:	Female 40 - 44
Time:	7:39:49
Overall Place:	1409
Age Group Place:	72
Comment:	Learn from my mistakes!

Race Report:

I hope you enjoy my story. As you know - I've been training for a 1/2 ironman for the past several months. Physically I was ready, willing & able to swim the 1.2 miles; bike 56 miles then run 13.1 miles. However -- the other side to doing triathlons is the mental challenge. I was not as prepared for that. I hit stumbling blocks through the entire race -- but was able to put it behind me & chalk it up to a lesson learned. I managed to finish the race in a little over 7 hours. My time stunk -- but as the sign on the run course said …. Finishing is Winning…

I thought I had my act together. I bought a new pair of running shoes 1.5 wks before the race. I tried the new shoes a few times -- but they made my feet fall asleep even though they were a size bigger. So I head out on Friday afternoon & buy another new pair of shoes!! (BIG NONONO -- NO NEW SHOES BEFORE THE RACE). I rented a wetsuit. I swim in the wetsuit 1 X & practice getting out of it.

I had my bike tuned & tires changed 1 week before the race. (LESSON LEARNED -- HAVE A BIKE TUNEUP NO LESS THAN 2 WKS BEFORE THE RACE; WHEN CHANGING TIRES - TAKE THE BIKE FOR SEVERAL RIDES BEFORE THE RACE).

I went out on Friday nite to the Fairfax County Fair & try to enjoy it. I wear my new sneakers hoping to "break" them in before the race. I was too tired to pack when I got home from the fair -- so just decide I would pack the next day. Because of this -- I could hardly sleep on Friday nite worrying that I would forget something. (LESSON LEARNED - DO YOUR LAUNDRY A FEW DAYS BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND START PULLING ALL YOUR GEAR TOGETHER - ORGANIZE).

I probably got about 4 hours of sleep on Friday nite. I finally decided to get up @ 6am on Saturday morning; do my laundry & get my gear together re: I was meeting a friend @ 9AM to drive to the race. I didn’t want to drive together because of the fear of the unknown - the what ifs - what if I cant finish - what if I don’t want to stay….. (LESSON LEARNED - GO WITH THE FRIEND - DRIVE TOGETHER -- SO MUCH MORE FUN THAT WALLOWING IN YOUR THOUGHTS!)

We arrive @ the hotel in Easton & consolidate cars. We fit both bikes into the back of the truck & head to the expo. We get our stuff for the race. I was concerned about water temp -- so find a used wetsuit @ the EXPO. I try it on & it fits! $50 bucks -- what a bargain for an Ironman brand wetsuit. YOWZA. I buy it along w/ some other gear I'm considering using for the race. (LESSON LEARNED - DO A QUICK SWIM IN THE WATER BEFORE THE RACE TO ACCLIMATED TO THE TEMP) (LESSON LEARNED -- LEARN HOW TO GET OUT OF THE WETSUIT BEFORE THE RACE)

We go to the bike transition area unload the bikes -- pump up the tires (even though mine didn’t need it) and head into the bike area to rack the bikes for the race the next morn. I take my tools off the bike & BENTO bag so I can stuff it w/ food the night before. (LESSON LEARNED -- WHEN YOU RACK YOUR BIKE -- LEAVE THE TOOL BAG AND GEAR ATTACHED -- DON’T REMOVE ANYTHING). I cover the bike w/ plastic in case it rains...

We head out for dinner & some general cruising around - shopping… We head back to the hotel room & start to organize our gear. Between the 2 of us -- there is stuff EVERYWHERE! (LESSON LEARNED -- PACK YOUR STUFF IN THE APPROPRIATE BAGS BEFORE THE RACE) (ORGANIZE!!) Remember -- you're doing 3 races…you need to plan for each accordingly from what you're gonna wear to what you're gonna eat & what you're gonna drink… lots of think about!!

I wake up the next morn @ 3:50. I actually had a solid night sleep because we had done so much running around the day before - I was exhausted. Since I was in WAVE 10 -- I opted to head over a little later. I neglicted to print out the info on the race when I was home & also neglicted to go to the race mtg @ 5pm. So -- I'm basically going at this blind. I leave my hotel room around 6:30 & head to Cambridge. I stop to buy a camera. I get down to the race area & there is no parking; so I have to go to an alternate lot. (LESSON LEARNED -- GET TO THE RACE EARLY FOR A PARKING SPOT). I lock the car & start heading down - the gut is churning now -- nerves are kicking in. I think about the tools in the back of the car & run back to get them. (LESSON LEARNED - SEE ABOVE -- KEEP THE TOOLS ATTACHED TO THE BIKE).

As I'm heading into the transition area to set up -- they are kicking people out cause transition closes @ 7AM! OH boy -- it's starting….I quickly pull the plastic off the bike. People are yelling @ me to get out. I'm shaking @ this point trying to lay out all my gear. I don’t have time to check the status of my bike; my gear is a mess; I run out of the transition area. (LESSON LEARNED -- GET TO THE RACE EARLY, ORGANIZE YOUR GEAR & MOST IMPORTANTLY ---CHECK YOUR BIKE IN THE TRANSITION AREA!)

My swim wave is about an hour off -- I walk around. See a few people I know -- but go about doing my thing. I get the wetsuit 1/2 on (first time in it!). They call my age group - we gather in the water…. Then we're off!! Whew hoo. I start swimming. I'm not used to swimming in a wetsuit. All of a sudden all hell breaks loose in the water. The waves / current kicks in. I'm unable to track where the buoys are. Thank god I have a wetsuit on. I ended up getting pulled off course a few times by the current & look around to see I have a ways to get back into the race. I got pummeled at one point and my goggles came off. What a mess! I get the goggles back and & continue swimming. I keep looking to try to stay on course but was all over the place. On my way back the waves are so high that I cant see the boat ramp. I just keep pumping along. My arms get are getting tired -- but I just keep pushing because my day has only just begun. I was so hot in the wetsuit -- I was cursing myself for using a long sleeve wetsuit when the water was so warm. (LESSON LEARNED -- LONG SLEEVE WETSUIT ONLY WHEN THE TEMP IS BELOW 70) I got stung by a jellyfish on the face…I just keep plugging along. Finally I'm at the end…. Swim time: 50:12

I get out of the water & start running to the transition area. I unzip the wetsuit and try to pull it off. It gets stuck on my watch -- I untangle that -- it then gets stuck on my chip. I cant get the damn thing off!! I finally do & run out of the transition area…transition time: 4:42 (LESSON LEARNED - PRACTICE GETTING OUT OF THE WETSUIT)

I'm out of the transition area & I hop on my bike. This is my favorite favorite favorite. I start to ride -- it doesn’t want to go…I look down. CRAP - a flat! For a split second I panic. OH MY GOSH -- I left the tools in the car….Then I remembered I had grabbed them @ the last minute. I pull off to the side, take off my shoes & my chip & run back for the tools. I get the tools from my bag, run back to the bike, take the wheel off & attempt to change the tire. Uhhhh -- I don’t know HOW to change a tire so….(LESSON LEARNED -- LEARN HOW TO CHANGE A DAMN TIRE)….Finally some of the race volunteers help me. They are having problems too. I had 2 spare tubes. My one spare gets a hole in it; my tool breaks. Finally a nice photographer comes over & changes the tire in about 10 mins. I lost 35 minutes & at this point - I'm back of the pack. My heart drops….the mental challenge begins….

I start riding -- I had a small chapstick in my side pocket - it drops out. The tools are loosely attached to the back of my bike. I had an extra CO2 in case my wheel goes flat again - that drops out too. I have to stop the bike, pick up the canister, zip up tool case & continue. (LESSON LEARNED…GET YOUR SELF TOGETHER GIRL!!!)

I hit the 5 mile marker & decide to start my 56 mile picnic. I've heard you need to take in calories the entire race. I havent really trained like this. Typically I have a bottle of water & bottle of vitamin water - maybe some eudrolytes. BUT NO - today I decided I'd feast on a CLIFF bar & some Vanilla GU. The CLIFF bar would serve as my solid food for the ride. The GU would just be my calories. I open the CLIFF bar & yup -- it drops on the ground. Screw it. I leave it cause there are food stations & I'll just get solids that way. Well -- I didn’t realize once you pass the run area - no more food stations….(LESSON LEARNED -- LEARN HOW TO EAT & DRIVE; LEARN WHAT TO EAT & WHEN; NUTRITION MUST BE A PART OF THE TRAINING).

The ride was long & lonely. Of course did I mention there was a 25 MPH headwind? The wind was NEVER behind me - NEVER pushing me -- I was pushing towards it. I passed a few people who were also struggling. 40 miles into the ride - I start to feel the affect of no chow & a tough ride. I suck the GU & take some Eudrolytes….and just keep pumping. The last few miles I see all the runners coming in from there run - in other words -- ending their race. That was a little depressing knowing my worst event is the run & I still have 13.1 miles of that ahead of me. I end my bike ride uneventfully & a little bummed that I was so far behind. Bike: 3:56:41 *** take 35 mins off of this :)

Given all that had gone wrong so far -- I also had a new race belt for the run. I opt out of using that & figured I'd just eat/drink what they had along the way. I decided all I want to do is finish. If I have to walk - I will -- this race is for me….Transition: 3.23

OH boy the run. I have new shoes, new socks (nononononono). The shoes actually ended up holding out ok. Minor blister on my toe. Socks were kind of bugging me. As I'm heading out on the run -- there is a sign that says …. Winning is finishing….that was my motivation for the rest of the race.

Since I had no nutrition on the ride -- I figured I should probably eat something - right? So I grab a cookie -- hmmmm not a great idea -- but I think I digested it really quick. I then grab a 1/2 banana -- that's a little better. I stop @ each station & mix gatorade & water, take a few sips then toss it. Around mile 5 I start to get the dreaded feeling of the calf wants to detach from the leg….oh boy. I had this in Ocean City 1/2 marathon. I ended up walking for 4 miles. The run was so long & lonely. Most people are done the race @ this point so I was one of a few straglers. As I'm walking - I remember the eudrolytes -- I have about 6 of them left. What the heck -- I start popping 3 at the next couple of stops -- there was one stop every mile. I walk over the 1/2 way point. And think…ok -- 6.5 more miles to go. I can do this. I figured I'd try the run thing again to see if the calves start cramping. They don’t!! YEE HAW -- I figured out something facinating!! The calf problem was because I was dehydrated. OK - I can run the rest of this race. As I'm coming to the finish area -- people are leaving, but cheering me on. I'm just happy I'm finishing & I didn’t give up. The thought of DNF passed my mind for a fleeting moment when I came in from my bike -- but I realized this race was against myself - nobody else. It was all about how far I could push myself; overcoming a huge mental challenge, and finishing. (LESSON LEARNED -- TRAIN FOR THE RUN!!! RUN MORE THAN 10 MILES) Run time: 2:44

On the long and lonely ride -- I was wondering how I could ever do this again? The training was brutal, the race was brutal, so many things went wrong. But then I look around at all of these people that are doing this race. If they can make it through this - so can I. This was an unbelievable challenge that almost got the best of me. But - I learned about my limits and now need to figure out how to go beyond because yes - I'm signing up again next year…..My final time: 7:39.

I'm an 1/2 ironwoman :)