5:05:20 - Part Two

Small snowflakes started coming out of the dark sky as I pulled into the parking lot to meet my teammates a little before 6:30 AM. I ran to the restroom there to avoid the lines that were sure to be at the transition area restrooms. That would have worked had my nerves not been acting up and making me feel like I had to go all the time.

We said hello, grumbled about the weather, and drove to the parking lot by the transition area. We unloaded bikes and gear and changed into warmer, waterproof clothing. The kayaking leg was first in the race, and we wanted to avoid being soaked in the 38 degree weather. I must have done something right, because I never felt cold until I made the mistake of taking off my windbreaker before the biking leg. Preparation is a very good thing.

After heading over to the transition area, we talked a little about the race and prepared as much as we could. I loaded my Camelbak with bars and gels and went to the restroom one last time. Then we jogged around the parking lot a bit to warm up and went to choose our kayaks, top them off with a little more air, and get in the starting line for the race. That was one of the fastest half-hours of my life from the time we got there to the time the race started.

We were close to the actual starting line, which meant a whole lot of people passed us right away. We had to carry our kayaks for about a quarter mile before we got on the lake. I ran in front, so our pace was much slower than if I were behind and being dragged along. As the cool morning air burned my lungs, and my shoulder burned from carrying the kayak, I already feared what I'd gotten myself into. We made it to the lake in a decent amount of time though, and Brian and I got in the double kayak while B went solo in the second kayak.

Inflatable kayaks are not even close to real kayaks. I couldn't sit in a good position for paddling. I had to paddle over my knees, and I had a hard time keeping a good sitting position. We got into a pretty good rhythm though, and Brian could steer well, so we even passed people on the 1.2 miles of water, including B. We finished strong, but my arms were jelly, and I could hardly get myself out of the kayak to start deflating. I finally did it though, and we waited for B. This would be the only time I would find myself waiting on someone else.

I helped B deflate his kayak and started feeling a little better until my teammates ran off ahead of me to dump off kayaks and life vests while I lugged kayak seats and paddles. I met them in the transition area where I stripped off my wet pants and plastic jacket for the run. We took off running, but I was left behind again. I decided to plug away at my own pace despite the swarm of people passing me. I couldn't get burned out so soon, so I ran until I twisted my ankle and fell.

I was a little shocked to find myself thinking, "This is your way out," when I fell. It was a part of myself I never liked and what I've fought the whole time I've been training for this event. How could I stop less than one mile into the trail run? Almost everyone who passed was making sure I was ok, and when one guy told me to get up and move now before I couldn't, I listened. I got up and started walking, and the stiffness eased up enough that I could start running again. I ran most of those three miles but for the steep uphills. Brian ran back to me every so often to encourage me, and we all met at the next special event.

This event required us to pass a railroad tie (minus the nasty creosote and tar) through the squares in the board without touching the sides or ground. Then we had to pass it back over the top. This wasn't a very difficult event for us, since Brian wore gloves and wedged his hands in the space between the tie and the board. We were able to slide the tie right through, and then passing it over was a breeze.

We were back in the transition area before 10:00 to change for the mountain bike leg. I took off another layer of clothing, which was a mistake. I needed the windbreaker during some of the fast descents when the wind was slicing through my clothing, but I survived that. I didn't have special shoes to put on for riding, so I took off ahead, knowing I wouldn't stay there for long.

Both guys passed me within the first mile, but I caught up with B again when he suffered leg cramps and had to get off and walk. I was walking by that time too, because it was a nasty hill, even though it was paved. The first four miles of the twelve was on the road. Then we headed into the woods to the world of rocks. I think I did pretty well overall. I pushed the bike through most of the uphills as did all the people around us, but I flew on the downhills, making up a lot of time and catching up to people that were more leery than I was.

Brian met me after the four-mile technical portion of the ride where everyone had to carry bikes across a log over a small stream. Brian carried my bike over the log and up the steep hill for me. We started riding again on the next four miles of paved trail. He stayed with me for a while until I fell behind on a small incline. Thankfully the rest of the ride was pretty easy, but I was slow due to cramps in my calves and plain, old weariness. The clouds thickened, and little pellets came down as I made my way back to the transition area.

Before we could go into transition, we had another special test to complete. We had to remove the front tire of our bike and take it over the cargo net. The cargo net was hard enough as it was, especially after a long bike ride. I was last to go up the ladder, and I was exhausted, so it took me two tries before I could heave myself up over the log and onto the net. The rope ladder wiggled and tried to go out from under me as I climbed, making an already difficult task even harder. Once over, going across the net was fairly easy, and climbing down on the two-by-fours wasn't hard at all until I landed on my aching ankle. Relief outweighed pain though. The difficulty of that special test did make me question how I would ever get over the other rope ladder or the twelve-foot military wall.

As I walked my bike around to transition, I saw my family for the first time, and the picture-taking ensued. I was excited and happy to see them, but I was less than pleased with the cameras pointed my direction. I was tired and rumpled, not quite sure if I wanted to remember myself like that.

There wasn't much time to worry about that though. We still had another three mile trail run ahead. The run was a repeat of the first run, but we had several special tests waiting for us at the end, including the rope ladder and the military wall, which were going to take a lot of my strength. I set off after sucking down a gel packet, chewing an energy bar as I walked. B and I walked most of this leg. He was tired and sore. I too was tired, but I was more concerned with conserving as much energy as possible. I did run some of the flats and downhills, and I regret not running more of them, because my slowness allowed another team to pass us. A little extra running would have brought us in ahead of them at the finish line, even with what happened. Lesson learned.

The run ended at the rope ladder special test where Booie met me to show her medal she won in the Hi-Tec Adventure for Kids. I wanted to hug her right there, but I had to go on, and I didn't want to risk getting disqualified for being a sappy mommy.

Brian was already sitting on top of the log beam when I reached the ladder. This time, I got to be second to go up while B held the ladder steady. It figures I wouldn't need it this time. I got up and over the ladder without a hitch and found it to be much easier than I thought.

We went right over to the next special test. On this one, we had to have one team member remove the tire from the post. Another team member had to put it back on. Since I didn't think I'd be good for lifting, Brian lifted B to get the tire off, and then B and I lifted Brian to put it back on. This one wasn't very difficult at all, but I think it took a lot more time than it should have. As we finished this test, the team that passed us on the run took off and said they'd see us at the finish line. Brian felt a challenge and said we had to beat them, so we took off toward the transition area at a full run.

We all shed our packs as we ran through transition, and I found myself struggling to get mine off. I ran with everything I could muster, but I knew I was draining much-needed energy to get myself over the wall.

Being the lightest, Brian and I had B climb up our shoulders, but he still couldn't reach the top. We had to grab his feet with our hands and push him up as high as we could. With that extra boost, he was barely able to reach the top and had the strength to pull himself over. I was next, but I had little strength left. Even with Brian lifting me as high as he could and reaching the very top of the wall, I couldn't get a grip on the rope between my feet and expended all my energy holding onto the top of that wall with my arms. I had to come back down. Meanwhile, the other team had help from one of the elite teams and got everyone up over the wall. We asked the elite team to help us afterward, but it was too little too late to get us over the finish line before the other team.

Our helpers told Brian to go over before me, so he could help lift me over the wall. Then, they lifted me as high as they could. I grabbed the top of the wall again and lifted my leg, Brian grabbed it and pulled it over, and I was over the wall. We climbed down the back of the wall and crossed the finish line at 5:05:20 from John's report.

I was met with hugs and many congratulations from kids, husband, in-laws, and even my running partner and her boyfriend. I was so happy to finish, and even though we didn't get ahead of the other team, we weren't last of the coeds to finish the race. There was at least one other coed team behind us and at least a couple all female teams. Some teams that we passed during the mountain biking portion didn't seem to finish, so I feel pretty good about how we did. I know it was hard for Brian who has run the Boston marathon and several Hi-Tec races, but I know B was more like me and just pleased to finish.

We all packed up and said good-bye. The kids and John helped carry my things, since all the tiredness I was fighting finally rushed in. My ankle had time to ache, and the bruises I didn't even know I had let me know of their presence. I was cold from the damp sweat in my clothes, but I still almost fell asleep on the car ride home. Home brought a warm bath, a nap, and some needed care for my ankle.

I can't say I'm surprised I finished. It's what I set out to do, and I knew I would do it barring major injury. I think finishing set a big impression with John and my in-laws though. I don't know if they realized how hard it would be. They all let me know how happy they were for me, and I almost cried as they cheered for me at the end. I've gotten even more congratulations from all the people John sent pictures. He shared them with everyone he knew, which made me feel really good and really embarrassed. I'm glad to finally see such support from him.

There is a huge sense of relief now that it's over, and there hasn't been time for post-event depression to set in. I have several things to keep me busy, so I don't feel a sense of loss from not training and fretting over this race anymore. I won't stop exercising either, since I plan on doing this again next year and maybe adding the Pittsburgh Marathon to my race schedule. There isn't that sense of urgency in training anymore, and I feel good about that. In fact, I feel more like doing it now. Of course, there's a swollen, bruised ankle and other bruised body parts that are preventing that at the moment, but it won't be long, and I'll be back out there.