I always wonder how to start, this ones a doozy. There are a hand full of races the three amigos, Jeff, Sarah, And myself have time to commit to for traveling these days and so we picked Parris Island as the first. If you haven’t done thus race you should atleast do it once, racing on the marine base is a great experience and surreal. They are all going about formations and drills the entire time you race, basically just incredibly inspiring. This is the first tri in our area for the year so bc of the distance you’re either out there to suffer thru or see what your training has given you.
Sarah ended up not making it at the last minute, we tried everything to make it happen bc Jeff and I were honestly spent w/lots of emotional stuff going on and just wanted part of our group to be at a race to make one thing in our life seem normal and okay. It didn’t happen. So be it, we resolved to carry on since hotel was covered along w/entries. What no one knew was that on Tuesday I’d taken my child on a bike ride and when he ran a stop sign I went to chase him and felt this awful pain go up my legs. I hobbled the rest of the week keeping it under wraps until Friday. Once Jeff and I did our usual drive by to pick up our friend Eric Mitchell, Eric started talking about warmup and that’s when I said I was to scared to do a warmup jog bc I didn’t want to know the pain I’d be in . I know, wimp!!! and I didn’t care.
I stretched as much as possible before the race, held back tears as I Facetimed with my son who wanted to know why he wasn’t with me, and again resolved to toughen up. The swim is a rat race, a little fist and body combat, a lot of exhausting myself, but a time that wasn’t too far off last year. As I ran to transition I questioned what this race was going to end like. I fumbled a little in transition, and headed off on the bike hoping I could get as much of a lead as possible. Once I realized I wasn’t in pain on the bike I literally left it all out there and just hammered it. I wanted to break 30 minutes, but was about 29 seconds over. The mileage (10+) left my average right at 20 mph which I was complete satisfied with.
The not so satisfying part, about a 1/4 mile into the run and I could REALLY feel the left leg shooting pain like an electrocution up the back. The pain was so bad that for the first time ever I was reduced to walking and a hard to comprehend reality that I may be walking the entire 3 miles. I cheered for many people which was the only good part of walking, and by mile 1 I decided I would try to slow jog. By slow jog I mean 9-10 minute average, for those wondering this would be my Ironman pace. I finished w/a smile and tried to put on a brave face, but I hurt…physically, emotionally, I was as close to raw as I’ve been at a race. Many people inquired on Susan DuPont, a friend who has been battling 3 different cancers, and I just wasn’t prepared for the questions. The real questions. The questions that remind me all to well what a hard time yet brave front this awesome person has displayed. I cried in the middle of one conversation. I made a tough decision, one I regret, to not stick around for awards. I always try to stay regardless of placing b/c I think it’s the right thing to do, but I hurt in more than one way and was done. I found out later that I placed 3rd in my Age Group, simply a fluke I have to say.
I’m going to thank two people for getting me through this race, Jeff Walthew is the first. You helped make the best of this race when I know we were both feeling a little off. Susan, thank you. Jeff and I have said so many times since you’ve been diagnosed that we have no excuses. We simply don’t. Knowing that we get to be out there doing one of your favorite hobbies is enough to remind us how little anything we are going through is. Every workout I complete, and every race I do is simply made that more special b/c I’m secretly doing them all in your honor. You are an inspiration.
On another note, this is what I found when I got home from the race. Luckily it wasn’t completely torn, but I did have a strained hamstring. I’m glad I had the sense to back off and not do my typical push through the pain.
