I'm ba-ack

Okay, I am FINALLY back in town for more than 24 hours!
I know you are all on the edge of your seat for that race report, so I'll start with that.

PRE-RACE
IronGreg and I land in boston after a delay in NYC. We pick up the rental car and pull onto the interstate. and we stop. traffic. It took us forever. We go straight to Gunstock to pick up my packet. We get there with 10 minutes left - hurry! hurry! I find my name and go to the line for that number. T-shirt size XL? no - I don't think that is what I chose. And then my USAT number doesn't match up. She gives me the packet to go to USAT table with. Wait - my name's not Jennifer! Wrong number. Turns out I am not the first person on the list with my last name but the 7th - who knew! Now that I have my correct packet and a small t-shirt we rush over to Ellacoya to pick up Diamond. Her computer isn't working so we fiddle witht hat for a bit and head home. Aunt Mich had 5 lobsters ready for IronGreg and I to devour. and that is what we did! mmmm.
Saturday started by cheeringon my cousin at the Short course race. she did really well and looked strong the whole time!

After a lunch break we headed bac over to watch my cousin's son participate int he TimberKids event. how fun. the kids were so nervous. it was well organized and they were off. Then - bam lightenening and thunder - bummer! Some kids didn't even get to start. But they all got their rubber medals! I went for a swim in my borrowed wetsuit. The water felt nice. cold enough so in the wetsuit it was perfect temperature. Back home for pasta, steak, and a good night's sleep.
also - there were fun purchases at the expo

SWIM

The swim was good. We lined up on the beach and watched as everyone went out - including team hoyt. It was time for wave 6 - the pink wave. Lynn and I waded into the water and placed ourselves in the middle on the side. The gun goes off! I take those first fast strokes - there are legs and arms and bodies everywhere! I figured Ironman would be even more crowded than this! Luckily TG Karen told there are 6 bouys between each turn. I am counting the bouys and hey are just flying by! this is great. I feel good and I quickly found my rhythm. I make the first turn and the sun is in my eyes. I have a hard time sighting so i have to not stroke when I look for the buoy, but no big deal. Then I realize that once again my hair is caught in the velcro of the wetsuit - dang it! i thought i made sure this wouldn't happen again. oh well i try to grab the hair out as I stroke - I am sure I looked quite retardo! made it to the next turn and turn green. all of a sudden there are waves! not like the white caps this race had last year (well the short curse had), but i feel like i am rocking back and forth like a boat. vurp. keep going. i know i am slowed, but i jsut need to go with it. i try to "ride" the waves side to side like i heard people talking about doing during IMCDA in 07. then BAM - some guy's heels goes directly onto my cheekbone. yowsers. that hurt. but i figure that means if it burises i will look cool amnd so i chucklt to myself - like that was suposed to hurt or something! ha! finally i make my way to shore. i hear greg and aunt mich as I run out of the water down the line to T1.

Time - 43:15

Place - 42/58

T1

I run into T1 and run through the pools to rinse off feet and flop down on the mat for wetsuit stripping. I love wetsuit stripping. I then head for the trashcan as I am on the verge now...the verping continues. but i am able to hold my stomach together - don't want to lose those calories! I told myself to take my time in transition since I have to dry my leg off and get the compression sleeeve on - and add nausea on top of that. I ran out of transition and hopped on Diamond.

T1 time - 3:03

BIKE

The bike was good. MY word for the bike was "Patience". There were lots of people passing me, but I was passing lots of people too. Since I didn't have any goals and I knew it was a hilly course, I wanted to take my time and not bonk out. I tried to eat, but the nausea from the swim wouldn't let me. I kept on taking in shot blocks, though. I took endurolyte pills a few times - about 3-4. And usually I crave sports drink, but for some reason I was craving water! (I ended up only drinking one bottle of sports drink on the bikle but about 3 of water). There were a couple hills that were killers, but I knew that meant we got to go downhill. Weeeeee. Then we hit one downhill, that I knew I would eventually have to go back up - ugh. Like normal by the end, my back was tightening up so I did hget caught by one TG for not being in aero. I do need to ride in aero more. lots more. there's a goal for 09. anyways, as we were coming closer I tried standing up a hill and fell back into my seat!!! oh sh*t - my inner thighs (not quads but the muscle that is ont he inside by the knee) cramped up. well this sucks i thought to myself. let me take another e-cap. I zoom into transition as I hear the family cheering!

Time - 3:25:26

Pace - 16.4

Place - 43/58

T2

Caution: TMI ahead. I was feeling good as I came into T2. I started to stand and quickly put on my sneakers then remembered I had to pee. So I sat down and I couldn't stop! You would have thought I had just spent the last few hours at a bar. I was ready to start running but I couldn't stand up! Finally! Sheesh!
Time - 1:58

RUN

I started the run and could tell my legs were cramping up. Not again. This happened to me at Patriot's and I thought I knew better than to let it happen again. As I ran past IronGreg I motioned for him to jog alongside me so I could chat with him a minute. We talked about my bike split and we were both pleased with that. then gasp! gasp! I couldn't breathe. It was the weirdest thing. I walked a minute and caught my breath. Coach B said my heart rate probably spiked. Oops. I let IronGreg stop jogging in his flip flops along with me (what! I thought he wanted to do the half marathon with me). As soon as he stops CRAMP! my legs locked up. I must have looked pretty pathetic b/c the guy that was next to me stopped and was quite concerned with watching my legs lock up. I walked for a minute and then sucked it up and knew I had to jog out the cramp. And I did. I took my time jogging from water stop to water stop. I mae it to the turn around. the way back in felt good! There were a couple hills (yeah so much for this "flat" course) I had to walk up the hills b/c of the shin, but whatever. I made it back to Transition to finish the first loop and was feeling good. I wasn't looking forward to running abck up all those hills, though. As I am beginning my 2nd loop a girl starts to pass me that is in my AG. Now I have never looked before and why today of all days when I have no goals do I look I don't know! i pass her back and stay ahead passed the turn around. then I start fading and she gets me and I jsut can't speed up. My legs won't move. then another girl in my AG passes me. Oh well. By now my shin hates me and so do my legs in general. I thought maybe I had taken too may e-caps, turns out I didn't take enough. One day I will learn. I always enjoy one aspect of being slower - talking with everyone. I come down to finish and my family is all there - high fiving the way in. I get my popsicle and medal - all finished. all in a day's work.

Time - 2:32:16
Pace - 11:38

Place - 45/58

Overall Time - 6:45:57

Overall Place - 43/58 (74%)

I will continue with my post-race recap soon.

I retured from New hampshire to be swept off to Pinehurst for a few days for work.

Now i'm back - and FINALLY closing on my condo.

Then I will return to earth.