130 was what people called me all day.
I feel like a proper athlete for I still have numbers written on both arms and both legs.
I look a little gormless in this picture. I was. I was tired. I went to bed shortly after for a nap. It was 2pm.
I have tried to save you the intense detail from my journal and document the day as highlights thus:
- Managing a good night’s sleep the night before
- Getting there early – the best parking space and plenty of time to faff, phone the parents and tell them what I’m up to, chat to other racers and generally accumulate Karma. This kind of early start can only be achieved alone.
- Having my arms and legs written on by complete strangers.
- Rubbing suncream into my legs instead of muscle warm-up lotion
- Encouragement from other athletes
- Putting my wetsuit on for the first time since the store, getting it wet and finding out the water’s not so bad after all.
- Wearing a bright pink swim cap (for girlie)
- Recovering from the blind panic that set in after 100m when I decided I couldn’t possibly swim 1.5km in a wetsuit.
- Finding that I could keep up with crawl swimmers whilst still doing breast stroke.
- Seeing a fish swimming along the bottom.
- Hearing a kayak marshall telling me, "Not far". I'm glad because the sun was in my eyes and I was just following the splashing I could see in front through the water sloshing inside my goggles.
- Getting out of the lake running to cheers from faithful onlookers who didn’t even know me.
- Finding out I still did the swim in 40 minutes despite it being in the lake in a wetsuit
- Smooth transition to cycling gear.
- Getting told-off for getting on my bike to early but my genuine mistake being ignored by officials.
- Then being cheered by my work mate who helps the commentator.
- Finding it quite easy to ride a bike after a swim and not to uncomfortable wearing cycling shorts with wet bikini bottoms underneath (no nakedness allowed).
- Getting to “painted rock” (20km) in an hour.
- Getting back again in 40 minutes
- Cursing myself for having too low gears but being glad of them on the hills.
- A less organized transition into running gear because I’d not visualized it as much.
- Being cheered by same workmate again.
- Getting through the first km of persuading my legs to run, not cycle.
- Knowing I didn’t need my water bottle because there were already sufficient volunteers with paper cups on the course.
- Seeing the company accountant and her dog at just the point I needed spurring on.
- Finding I could run up the hill and didn’t need my walk-breaks (I think this was something to do with starting warm)
- Running through a sprinkler that an elderly couple had carefully placed in their garden close to the road for the use of hot athletes.
- Being spurred on by ladies and men running back the other way, “GO 130, looking good” etc. etc..
- Getting a high-five from the man who told me I’d better not pass him later on (I didn’t he was running the other way).
- Watching volunteers emptying buckets of ice water over eachother in the most entertaining wet-teeshirt competition I’ve seen in a while.
- Reaching the 5km turnaround point knowing its all downhill from there.
- Passing people as I went down the hill too fast (sore hips today)
- Finding someone willing to have a sprint finish for the fun of it, hence knowing that I tried my hardest.
- Being spurred on by the commentator who actually knew what cyclo-cross was (I put the Three Peaks down as a previous achievement!)
- Stopping and lying on the ground in the sun.
- Finding I’d finished in under 3.5 hours
- Finding I wasn’t last. There were more people behind me than there are starting your average cyclo cross race.
- Finding out the lady who gave me all the support before the start was the womens 55 – 60 age category winner (and she wooped my ass).
- Eating at a free picnic with other athletes through the prize presentation.
- Finding out that there’s another local race in a month’s time.
I completed the course in 3:26:13 and finished 338th from 380 starters. Still to find out where I came in my age group. I'm just pleased I finished 1 hour before cutoff time and wasn't last. Considering I only really trained for the run, I know where I can gain time next.
said...
Wow! I'm speechless!
Go you!!!
I'm really proud you've bitten the racing bullet again. Good for you :)
jj said...
you're inspirational.
I'm proud of you.
Go gimpgirl!
Trepid Explorer said...
Oh I feel so much more inclined to give you a picture of my chubby rubber butt now.
Girl said...
said...
I'm glad you've found the way of neoprene! You'll be surfing in the UK in winter with the rest of us one day (mind you, you know where that got me!).
V. impressed and inspired - you have always done that to me.
Miss ya.