Hi all. I know you've been waiting for it...so here it is! My race report! And the tale begins....
So it all started at 4:30am. I got up after about 4 hours sleep. That is really not enough, but what can you do? I got out of bed...woke up Wes off the couch, and then started getting into my clothes. I had some coffee (can't forget the coffee, even at 4:30am) and some cottage cheese and peaches. Wes got out of the shower and loaded up the car and we were off...to pick up Sarah. Picked up Sarah a little after 5:00am, and then we were off...like a screaming herd of turtles...off to Santa Cruz.
We arrived around 6ish, and I got in line to pick up my race information. Got my bib and shirt and race bag, got body marked, and then went to set up transition. By this time my buddies Elizabeth and Judith had arrived, so we got started setting up our transition. For you non-triathletes, this is where you set up your bike, running shoes, helmet and all that stuff in a quick way so you can run in, get your gear and go on to the next event. Here we are setting up...in the DARK! How crazy are we? You can see me behind my Tigger balloon Wes got me...balloons are helpful at tris, so that when you are running into transition in a crazy exhausted stupor you can find your stuff.
So, we set up...then we waited. I had a banana and energy bar. Elizabeth and I went for a jog around the area to get a little warm. It was freezing! And we prayed...man ocean swims are freaky. But God is good!
So around 7 we got in our wetsuits and headed down to the beach. When I say down...I mean down...we went down 152 steps, which yes....we had to run up to get back to transition. Here they are in the dark before the race started.
They gave the directions about the swim course and then started the first wave. We got another chance to pray with Judith, then again with all of us and Wes and Sarah...we all needed as much prayer cover as possible for this one :).
We saw Judith off in the first wave. Then there was some time before Elizabeth and I started, so we went in the water to warm up. I think the term warm up is a little ironic here...I should really say...FREEZE OUR BUTTS OFF. It was sooo cold! My face felt so numb! So we swam out...saw a sea lion about 20 feet away...and then swam back. That was enough warming up.
7:50 came and Elizabeth's wave was off....then I ran over to the exit area just in time to see Judith exit and cheer her on to give her courage to run up those crazy stairs! 7:55 came and then it was my turn. I was behind some pretty intense looking ladies, but I kept my cool. ;) I went in the water and it was so calm. Felt almost like lake swimming...except the cold. Sighting was easy around the pier and the ship. I felt strong and steady...just keep swimming. When I got to the edge of the pier I looked out at the huge ocean out there...I thought it would look vast, but it was so cloudy you couldn't see far. It feet like we were just a few people swimming way out at sea. Swimming back was much easier than in our workouts...probably cause of less waves. My arms were kinda sore so I wanted to kick more, but I remembered that the stairs were coming so I should use my arms out. After this I didn't have to use anything but leg! So here I am exiting the water. Keep in mind wetsuits are not flattering ;).
I went up the beach, around the pier, over to the stairs and up up up! I was pooped at the top. But I made it. I got into transition and out of my wetsuit without much trouble. But putting on my shirt was a pain being all wet and cold and salty. It took some time, but I got it on, got on my helmet, socks, shoes, sunglasses, chugged some gatorade and off I went. Here I am leaving transition on my bike.
So the bike started out good, though I knew the big hills were to come. I headed out strong and then down a big hill...that was only the beginning cause I knew I had to come up it again! But I went down and around and soon I was at the first big hill. I rounded the corner and started to go up...and I saw a small group of women walking their bikes up. As I inched towards them, I kept thinking, "I can't do it...I'm going to have to walk..." but then I remembered this was only the first of the big ones, so there was no way I was walking at the first one. So I don't know how I did it...well I do...it was God...but I made it up that hill. I went pretty slow to recover, but I did it. So up and down some smaller hills, but on the straight aways, however few there were, I felt fast. My max speed was 24.9 mph. It was awesome.
Soon enough big hill #2 came up. There was just one woman ahead walking her bike and to keep my mind off that option I just kept my head down and focused on one pedal at a time...and praise God I made it again! More cool down from the burning quads and soon I was screaming down the first big hill I came up. And Wes and Sarah were waiting cheering at the bottom. Then just a few more turns and I went up the last hill...the first one I came down. I rounded the corner knowing this was the last one, and I pounded up it. Man did that hurt...but once I was at the top, and completely out of breath, I just wheezed some praises to God, cause the worst was over.
I made it into the last transition, got my running shoes on, ditched the helmet, drank more gatorade and grabbed a mini Luna bar and some gel. I was out of there and then headed down the hill to run by the beach, and yes, that means I have to come up it again. Seriously, who planned this course!
The down hill felt good, a good use of different muscles, but my legs were tight, and my feet were numb from the cold and the bike. Once I got down to the bottom I realized I was in lots of pain. My calves were really tight and just burning. I stopped to stretch shortly, then back to running...or half run half limping. I ate my mini bar, and held on to the gel. The running was so painful. I passed Wes and Sarah and asked them to pray for my right calf. I kept at it, and was almost to the turn around...I downed my gel, desperate times call for desperate measures. That stuff is so gross, but I was hoping the electrolytes would keep my calves from cramping. I made it to the turn around and water station, gulped down some water and coughed most of it out. Then I was back down the home stretch...my calves hating every minute of it.
I finally made it back to that infamous last hill, and up I went. There was no way I was walking at this point...I was almost there! So I ran...very slowly, but I ran...and Elizabeth and her family was at the bend cheering me on. Once to the top, I saw Wes and Sarah at the finish line, so I sprinted...or something like that...in to the finish. Then I walked and wheezed my way to transition to get my water. I walked some and stretched some...and I was done! Soon my asthma died down so I could talk. Then I felt glad I made it. All I could say was, " I didn't walk up those hills!" I did it. I suppose I could have had a better time if I had conserved my energy more, but I pushed and I did it. So all is well. Praise God for the body He created.
So unfortunately, the finishing picture was much to unflattering to post online, so instead you get a beautiful shot of the pier and cement ship that I swam around.
So that's a wrap! Next up...10k, but not 'til October. So stay tuned for more ramblings of Elaine. Love you!
Yes, since I have no siblings, I have to take what I can get :). Wes' sister had a beautiful baby girl last night. Her name is Kaelin. Isn't she beautiful! And sooo tiny!
Seeing as Wes' birthday memories always involve costumes, he couldn't resist. Here he is his dead on the couch.
Another victim of course....
And here is my masterpiece! 3 layer chocolate hazelnut cake with ganache frosting and a broken chocolate sheet to decorate. With toasted hazelnuts on the outside of course! It was delicious.
And who could resist decorating with MINI pumpkins! (As you can see my obsession with anything mini is coming through.) I doubt they are really pumpkins...maybe persimmons or something with some wierd genetic engineering. But if Safeway says they are mini pumpkins, they must be!
Then we all ran the race, and headed off to IHOP to gorge on breakfast food at 10pm. Here is Elizabeth, Esther ( awesome church friend), Sarah, me ( I'm smiling a little too hard), and Wes. And by the way...I seriously dragged Wes into doing this with me, so he was a great sport!
So that's the latest. Stay tuned!
So, we set up...then we waited. I had a banana and energy bar. Elizabeth and I went for a jog around the area to get a little warm. It was freezing! And we prayed...man ocean swims are freaky. But God is good!
They gave the directions about the swim course and then started the first wave. We got another chance to pray with Judith, then again with all of us and Wes and Sarah...we all needed as much prayer cover as possible for this one :).
I went up the beach, around the pier, over to the stairs and up up up! I was pooped at the top. But I made it. I got into transition and out of my wetsuit without much trouble. But putting on my shirt was a pain being all wet and cold and salty. It took some time, but I got it on, got on my helmet, socks, shoes, sunglasses, chugged some gatorade and off I went. Here I am leaving transition on my bike.
So the bike started out good, though I knew the big hills were to come. I headed out strong and then down a big hill...that was only the beginning cause I knew I had to come up it again! But I went down and around and soon I was at the first big hill. I rounded the corner and started to go up...and I saw a small group of women walking their bikes up. As I inched towards them, I kept thinking, "I can't do it...I'm going to have to walk..." but then I remembered this was only the first of the big ones, so there was no way I was walking at the first one. So I don't know how I did it...well I do...it was God...but I made it up that hill. I went pretty slow to recover, but I did it. So up and down some smaller hills, but on the straight aways, however few there were, I felt fast. My max speed was 24.9 mph. It was awesome.
So that's a wrap! Next up...10k, but not 'til October. So stay tuned for more ramblings of Elaine. Love you!
August 2002 - Moved to San Jose and started MA Linguistics program at SJSU.
April 2003 - Started a part time job at working on a Spanish machine translation project.
June 2004 - Started working full-time at the same speech technology company on various machine translation projects.
February 2005 - Moved to an apt closer to work.
June 15-July 1 2005 - Went to France for my friend Karen's wedding...boy do the French know how to do weddings...
then took Wes romping around my old stomping grounds in Barcelona.
August 20, 2005 - Went to my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary in LA.
