Yesterday was a long and challenging day….

5:30am ~

Up and ready to get on the road with Coach and Team.

 

6-9:30am ~

Drive to Haines City, FL to pre-race the 1.2 Swim. At least the car ride of 5 women was enjoyable.

 

9:30-11am ~

Swim (without a wetsuit mind you) in freezing water, crashing waves, a kayaker next to me, and an assistant coach screaming at me to swim faster while I scream back “It is too cold! I need a wetsuit!” To which she replies (while in her warm wetsuit) – “Move your A _ _! (you fill in the blanks)” I dig deep to finish the swim while my hands and feet go completely numb.  Once on shore, my teammate is completely frozen and her skin is purple. After warming up we hit the road…

 

11:30-4:30pm ~

Bike the entire 56 mile course (plus and additional 3 since we all got lost) so that is really 59 miles.  A few notable moments:

1) Hydration: I need more water during the race.  I had enough nutrition, but the team had to stop 3 times in random places to get water.

2) Hills: I officially hate hills.  At mile 30 I yell to Coach “Hey, this isn’t that bad with hills!” To which the Mother of all Hills appears and we ride uphill for what seems like all of Purgatory for me.

3) Falling: On that stupid hill I fell, yes going up a hill. My legs were shot and I fell into traffic. Luckily no car ran me over. Although that would have been easier than finishing the rest of the race.

4) Hitting the Wall: Mile 40 my legs were screaming, “This is stupid, you are stupid. Why are you doing this to us?!!” To which my Coach replied “Pick up your freaking cadence. Stop being a Ballerina and Be a Beast!!!” To which my legs reluctantly obeyed.

5) Mile 57: Lost. The team is lost and our Coaches don’t want to admit it, so we turn up and down more hills and I’m about to pass out from dehydration. The heat is burning our skin (Assistant Coach has the photos to prove her sunburn could be considered 3rd degree) – the wind is coming from every direction, right when you think you get a tailwind, it turns into another side or headwind – and finally my teammate is in so much pain from her bike shoes that her toenails are ripping off. Yes, thats the woman who was freezing earlier – so all in all she had a bad mental day.

6) Completed. We arrive at the car and I’ve never been so happy to stand. Just to get off the bike. We change and get ready for the evening.

 

4:30-9:30pm ~

Home At this point we all eat a delicious meal of bread and pasta (for some others – a pint of beer) then we drive home.  Another TRAINING DAY completed but I realize that I have got some serious work to do before next month’s race.

 

Speaking of which…..Time for me to get back on the bike.