This was the event a year in the making. Last November, a group of friends and I took a little trip over to Panama City Beach, Florida to volunteer and register for Ironman Florida. This wasnt something that had just popped in my head...no, it was an event I had been wanting to do, the second after I finished my first sprint triathlon back in March of 2007. I figured 2009 would be the perfect year for it, it gave me the opportunity to get comfortable with the sport, get used to riding a bike for prolonged periods of time, and just gave me time to mentally prepare.
A group of us who signed up at IMFL2008
So the journey began last year at Ironman Florida and continued for a full year. So much has happened in that year! But that is beside the point.
Last year I decided that I would join the Janus Charity Challenge for Ironman Florida 2009 and fundraise money for Snowdrop Foundation http://www.snowdropfoundation.org/ . I began my fundraising efforts early on and had amazing results. Me along with family, friends, and coleagues were able to raise just over $2000!!!! I am so excited and so proud to have been able to help Snowdrop's cause. So thank you to all of you who supported!!
On to training...I began training a LONG time ago...not necessarily the heart of training, but building a base. A lot of my friends participated in Ironman Couer d'Alene in June, so I was going along for bike rides and runs early on (but not nearly as long as what they were doing!) ... Let's just say that I got some reading done while I waited. I was very comfortably doing 50-60 mile routes and running 13 comfortably. The hard core training started in July...adding a few miles here and a few miles there....by the end of August I had done a 100 miler and run numerous miles. My weekends were filled with lengthy workouts that left little time to rest and relax.
Taper finally came around in mid/late October. Wow...it was very difficult to think that there was not much i could let myself do....the training was done, the only thing i could do now is injure myself. So with lots of advice from my friends (and experienced ironmen) I put less miles on my running shoes and less miles on my wheels. Time to put my feet up and rest!
We left for Florida early on Wednesday morning. By early I mean 5am! It was definitely the right thing to do, since we wanted to avoid any and all traffic. We stopped a few times to get gas and use the little girls roon (Josh used the little boys room) and we were well into our trip by midday. We arrived in Panama City Beach right around 3pm! Great time! We decided that I should go ahead and do the registration right then, this way I would avoid long lines on athletes the next day. I walked right up to the registration booth and got my stuff without wasting any time. We walked around at the expo and the Ironman Store...no i did not get a thing! That would have been a curse!
Me at IMFL 2009!
As it turns out, I am SO glad we went as early as we did, it was really nice to get there and get accustomed to the environment and just get used to being there, without getting caught up in all the hoop-lah. Thursday morning, I was of course up before 6am and couldn't sleep another wink...so i read my book "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown which I cannot put down. It was a little chilly so I did not have my fantasy of drinking coffee and reading out in the balcony facing the Gulf. Later that morning, I wetsuited up...and went for a quick swim. I just wanted to get loose and make sure that the wetsuit was in check and ready to go. After that swim, I decided that it would be in my best interest to get in a little warm-up on race morning, rather than just go for it. I felt so much better after having swam a few hundred yards...i loosened up quite a bit.
The rest of the day was spent resting and relaxing...we had lunch and dinner in the condo --- a must have luxury for any future Ironman races...having a full kitchen was the best thing and definitely worth every penny! We read and we watched the Hokies game. Oh and I also started to prep my gear!!! That is so stressful! I am so glad I already pretty much had everything pre-packed :)
Also went to the prerace meeting that night...glad i went! I found out some important info about the transition being in a different location than last year, as well as, found out drop points for special needs bags race morning and most importantly ... port-o-potty locations on the course! Got to see my Tripsy teammates at the meeting as well!
The next day...I woke up early, yet again! Agh! Can I please sleep in?!! This was the day before the race...by the way...not a nervous muscle on my body...very odd, since I am generally a stress magnet. Josh and I had a bagel breakfast and then we went to meet the Houston crew for a group picture, it was certainly great to see everyone and chat about how preparations for the race were going.
After the photo, Josh went to pick up our friends at the airport. So excited to see them!!! Them being here made it that much more real! The race was almost here! We spent the day lounging around and Shellie and I went to the grocery store to get stuff for dinner. Lisa ended up coming over for dinner as well. So Lisa, Shellie, Randy, William, Josh, and I, had a great pasta dinner at the condo, good friends and good food :) I wish my family had been there as well, but I know they were thinking of me :) That night was I guess a bit short...i think i woke up once in the middle of the night as was so ready...there was no grogginess when i woke up, i was just ready to go! I completed getting my stuff together...force fed a banana down my throat and then I was off to get body marked! Shellie was up when we left so I gave her a big hug and then we were off!
Josh came with me that morning, we dropped off the bags and got me to body marking. I made sure that someone with nice and neat numbers was in charge of writing on me :) She did a great job placing the number 82 on me. I was then off to double check my bike and get the fluids and nutrition ready...there was no stopping time now...the race was fast approaching. We went closer to the beach to get my wetsuit on. I applied A LOT of body glide on my neck before doing the final wetsuit zip up...Josh and I hung out on the beach until about 6:35 ... at which point i went off to through the chute for my 140.6 mile journey. I kissed him bye for now with a couple tears in my eyes and a certain smile on my face.
I went into the chilly water and swam a bit to get loose. I postioned my goggles and repositioned them about a zillion times. Josh had told me NOT to let ANYONE get in front of me when I lined up to swim...so I did not. It was obvious that the other front rowers were swimmers...they all sported their sweddish goggles...haha! I chatted up with a lady from Amarillo and a dude from Austin, cue the National Anthem...cue the count down...less than 1 minute....the cannon goes off!
A sea of people awaited me...if not in the back row, in the front row, on the side in the middle, underneath, and up on top...people...people..people...was I pulling water or body parts?! there were 6 buoys on the out and 6 buoys coming back in...in all the commotion i missed one...so it was great to see the big orange buoy sooner than i had expected. I remained very calm through my first lap...really really calm. Just stay relaxed and get through the swim. I did...at least the first loop. I came up onto the beach and head Josh, I waved, got a drink to get the saltyness out of my mouth (I drank a significant portion of the Gulf on Saturday) then I was off to loop numero dos. swim swim swim...oh wait...there was an enormous sand bar....they should have served cocktails cause i spent what seemed like a lifetime trying to get through it! I finally was off onto the second loop...the water was a bit choppier by now, but at least i had space to swim in now...the crowds had dispersed...or maybe it was my awesome swimming powers leaving everyone behind! as I made the turn to come back, it was very clear that the water was getting choppier...i started thinking that I was getting a bit seasick, but i stayed focused and just told myself to keep going and stay relaxed. I did and before I knew it...i was onshore! Out of the water...on the ground with the wetsuit strippers taking my suit off! I did it! 2.4 miles down!! On what seemed like a marathon transition i saw Josh, William, Jon, and the rest of the crew off to the side...i ran by....with a smile on my face and went on to grab my biking gear...the biggest challenge was just ahead.
I had NO clue how i had done on the swim because in the massive sea of people swim, someone maanged to hit my watch and really i didnt see what my time was...Lisa was in transition and I ran in screaming her name...she was right there ready to help me get my stuff on. As soon as that was done .... i hurried out of there and on to get my bike. I got on it and started my nutrition timer. Nutrition was the key to this race. Staying on top of it. I looked at my watch and I was on the bike before 1:12 into the race...no idea how long i was in transition, but that meant that I had had a pretty descent swim. I knew going into the race that the bike was going to be tough...especially because i am a great swimmer...and all those folks that are behind me on the swim...are pretty good cyclist...they started coming and coming and coming...i was getting passed non-stop...predominantly my men named Michael (the race numbers had the person's names on it). The miles were coming slowly...teh wind was pretty strong, but like I had done many many times before...i just kept pedaling...10 miles turned to 30 and 30 turned to 50...before I knew it i was halfway done with the bike portion. I bypassed special needs...there was nothing special that i needed except the end of the bike course! Just before the out and back, I saw JOSH! I spotted the yellow hat and immediately knew it was him! I was so excited to see him! I had been waiting almost 70 miles to see his shining smile! I rode by and soon after saw Jon and William right around mile 70....the next 4 miles were BRUTAL! The road sucked! there were breaks on in the asphalt or cement or whatever the surface was every few seconds. that and the head wind...agh! I finally saw the turn around! I unclipped and carefully turned (at Redman, I fell on a turn just like that and I wanted to be sure that history didnt repeat itself). After the turn around...it was marvelous! On my way to mile 80 and to see everyone again! I rode fast by (the wind was at my back :)) Saw Randy and Shellie told me to "Focus" so i did...mile 80 came by...and then...that is when the cramp hit. My left calf was screaming at me. All i could do was stop for two secs to take an e-cap...following Josh's advice to listen to my body and the moment i feel a cramp to pop one in. I did and was on my not-so merry way .... the road was long, but fortunately smooth. The miles inched by...I just kept telling myself that all I had left was an out and back ride from Belin...then Just less than a Belin ride....then from fulshear to Belin...I knew that it was 12 miles from the GIGANTIC bridge back to transition...it finally arrived. Only 12 miles to go. Piece of cake. I prepared myself for a slow 6 back in...seeing that the wind was coming from the east, but it must have changed because i was still coming in at 17.1 mph on the way in. It was awesome. I saw the condos where we stayed when we went to watch Sandy, Lisa, Chad and Kevin in 07 and thought to myself...this was only like a 1 mile walk! I am almost there!!! Then...i saw it. The Waffle House and Circle K. I was bawling. Tears were rolling down my face as I rode the last half mile in. It was amazing and no one could have erased the smile from my face.
I gave my bike to a volunteer and ran over to the bags --- i quickly found mine and headed into T2 where i sat next to Ingrid who was doing so great! Lisa helped me again and soon I was off onto the run. I saw Josh right as I was about to turn the corner and I gave him a hug and a kiss and I kept on going...running. I saw the rest of the crew cheering us on. I ran with Ingrid for a bit...and then after about 2 miles...the cramps in my stomach were really making themselves noticeable. I was having trouble taking in deep breaths and the cramps on my right side were killing me. I decided to walk for a bit to see if that would help the breathing and cramping. I took some e-caps to see if that would help. Kept going...tried to run again, but was unsuccessful. I decided at that point that it was going to be a walk for the rest of the way. I didnt realize that I did not train to walk the marathon...i trained to run it...which means ... totally different muscles hard at work. The marathon was VERY Painful. Along the 26.2 i met one of the originators of Ironman. His name is dave. He was one of the first Ironmen in Hawaii. It was amazing to have met him! I thanked him. Out of the park on my first loop, i met Mike. Mike was having cramping issues as well and was walking...so we walked together...all the way. Our goal was to get out of the damn park --- it was soooooooooooo dark! We got out of there and then it was just two loops of Memorial Park...too bad it was going to take twice as long as it normally would! We kept our pace...and soon we saw mile 25! OMG we only had 1 mile to go. We turned right on Surf and with smiles on our faces kept putting one foot in front of the other. My condo! After that the tears of joy started coming...just a quarter mile more...i didnt think i would be able to run...but as we were approaching the chute, i started running, smile on my face, tears welling up....i ran under the ironman sign...soon i heard..."there's a bunch of them coming! blah blah blah, blah blah blah, a butchered Agustina Fogleeeeta, Mike Blah Blah...." did he even say "YOU are an Ironman?!" I have waited so long to hear that and I NEVER did! agh! Josh was coming towards me, someone gave me a shirt and a medal and a hat. Put that on sooooo quickly. Timing chip off. I was done! I was an Ironman! I hugged Josh so hard, tears in my eyes! I quickly got in line for my finishers photo (which turned out great! and is already framed) I realized I couldnt walk any more...but who cares...after a year...countless miles....tears and smiles....Now, I can call myself an Ironman.
I talked to my mom soon after and gathered with everyone! Everyone did so great!!! Congratulations to all the first time Ironmen, Congratulations to the veterans, and most importantly...thank you to all of you who were supporting me from the sidelines or from home. This was an amazing experience that I will never ever forget. THANK YOU!
~Ironman Augie
