Here is my race report from the Ironman, Fitz and I will post photos as soon as we find time. But in other news, we recieved an offer on the house and are currently looking for an apartment near my work to inhabit. And after much debate, and tears; we are going to return Sophie to the Rescue where we got her back in January; she is not able to get along with any other dogs and this puts me on edge. I would have to say the wise Joe Carpisassi put it best when we said "A dog is suppose to make you happy, not put you on edge," so soon we hope to have a new doggie running around with us, one we will have raised from a puppy.

Enjoy the Race Day Coverage: and to see my finish, www.ironmanlive.com click on athlete splits, then my number 1729 and scroll down to "watch me finish," I'm the one in the pink hat.

I managed to sleep a few hours the night before the Ironman, but I was up at 3:45am (Hawaiian time, which is 9:45am EST) to eat a bagel with peanut butter. While trying to calm my nerves I listened to a little O.A.R., and reminded myself that I was ready to go. Gathered up all of my race day things (clothes, shoes, special needs bags, goggles, swim cap, etc.) and started walking down Ali’i Dr. with my family waiting for the bus to pick us up. During our walk my dad kept stopping in the middle of the street to write encouraging words with chalk. On the bus and to the King Kammahuahua Kona Beach Hotel tennis courts to get body marked. While there they weigh you in, 122.2 lbs, mark you and send you on your way. Next to transition to load food/drink on my bike and just check that all is well. While in the transition area, I notice that everyone is pumping up their tires, and I start to get nervous because I don’t know how to pump up my tires. Then I find my family and a wall to sit on and I just sit and mumble about how everyone it pumping up their tires and I’m not, and should I, but I don’t really know how… and on and on. Finally 6:15am rolls around and I head in to transition to check my bike one last time (and I don’t touch the tires), hit the port-o-johns, and head for the water.

I know from past races that I really should swim a bit to warm up, so I ease in to the water and head out. I notice the water is a great temperature, and is looking calmer then the past few days, but still rough. After the pros head off at 6:45am, we are told to swim up to the start and tread water. I think I might have been a little eager beaver since I was one of the first people out treading and we still had over 10min until the start. The race started before 7am due to everyone being ready to start, the gun goes off and there is mass chaos. I have never been hit more times in a race then in Hawaii, it was rough. I was able to swim with a couple of packs of people and I thought I was moving along really well. I checked my watch at what I thought was the turn around (33min), and I remember thinking, “well I might just break 1:05, since I’m heading back in and it should be easier, right”…..WRONG! I’m not sure where the waves were coming from, but I ended up out of the water in 1:10:49…..

In to T1, I knew I had to change fast, so in and out in under 4 minutes.

Off on the bike, sporting my aero helmet. The first part of the bike is a 8 mile loop through town, I really got pumped seeing all of the people cheering. Then up Palani Rd and out on the Queen K Highway….and you just keep going. I notice that my computer is not working so I am relying on my math skills to try and determine my speed…not the best idea. I was also concentrating on my nutrition and fluids, since I did such a horrible job with that in IM FL. I had my plan and I stuck to it; salt every 30 min, food every 35 min, plenty of Gatorade and water. I even managed to get bottle at every aid station. Off the Queen K and on to Hawi….there is where the head wind came in to play, up the hill to Hawi, then a tail wind for 5 miles. Back on the Queen K, and here is where I lost my focus for a few miles (like mile 70-85), I had convinced myself that there was a head wind, and so I slowed down. Then between mile 85 and 90 I just told myself to go and I did. Off the bike I saw I was at 7hr 15min, I was going to really have to work to break 11hrs total.
In to T2, I managed to get one foot out of my cycling shoe, but not the other, so I clicked the other out bent down too it off and handed it to the volunteer. Off and running to the tent, and it was a LONG run to transition. Less then 3min and I’m off and running

The marathon always my nemesis….I felt great out of transition and once again stuck to my nutrition/fluids/ice in my hat plan and it was working. Out to the little blue church on Ali’i Dr and head back. Then at mile 9 I notice my knee starting to hurt, I had IT band pain at the end of my final long training run, but I thought it was gone….nope. This was not the place to start walking, so I did a quick stretch and hoped I could just finish. I passed this lady who was cheering “just keep running, just keep running” not exactly what you want stuck in your head for an entire marathon, but it did have a good beat to try to run with. Up Palani Rd again, and out on the Queen K, I think there must be a ton of people around me named Becky because all of these people are yelling “go, Becky!” Then I realize they are looking up people’s numbers in their programs, so they really are cheering for me….sweet. Through the lava fields, I starting to think that under 11hours is not possible, but can tell I am holding close to 9 min miles. In to the Natural Energy Lab, and turn back to head back to town. This is when I think I might be loosing my mind because I think I see Peter Reid…. “The Peter Reid” handing out water at the mile 19 aid station. As I run by, this Peter Reid or the could be look-a-like offers me water and being such a tri-geek, I reply with some corny comment like “From you, I’d be honored” (Later I find out it was actually Peter Reid, and I had not lost my mind). Up the Hill and back on the Queen K, at mile marker 24 I see my under 11 hour dream fade….10:59 with 2.2 miles to go. So I muster what I have left of strength and want to break my IM FL time of 11:34:22. I think to myself that I can do that, and I will be really happy since very few people (other then pros) have their best IM time in Hawaii. Then last mile is the worst, it is actually 1.2 miles which is really, really long. Back down Palani Rd. I have now resorted to that “weird, my IT band hurts, hubble run,” but I’m moving. Finally, I can hear the crowd…and I try to correct my stride enough so I look normal…I can see that if I go I can be under 11:20….pushing, pushing….ahhhh 11:19:36.

Time to retire from competing for a few years (maybe three) then come back and go under 11 hrs in my third Ironman. Thanks to everyone for their support and good vibes on Saturday, it was a great day and I hope you each have a chance to live your dreams.

Until 2009…. ”swim like there is no bike, bike like there is no run, and run like there is no tomorrow”