A Feat of Olympic Proportions - Part III

(Go here to read Part I and Part II.)

I had reached the run.  It would require looping through the campsites, along a dirt road, onto the highway, then back into Rendezvous Beach State Park.  Run that twice and you've gone 6.2 miles. 

I started out at my usual slow pace.  Slow and steady ten minute miles.  Less than a minute into the run I came up on my dad.  He was clearly hurting, but determined to walk his 3.1 miles to the finish.  I shared my encouragement and continued on.

I am a social runner.  I like to have someone to talk to.  Since my favorite running partner, Val was not there I tried to make friends with anyone willing along the way.  I encouraged walkers to run with me for a little while.  I cheered on the sprinters that flew by.

Half way up the dirt road along side me came my nemesis in the green shirt.  I paced along with her and introduced myself.  Her name was Stephanie.  We had a lovely chat until we got to the first water station.  She needed to stop for a drink, but having my trusty water belt on (the one thing I wished I had done differently during my half marathon) I didn't need to stop.  I encouraged her to catch up to me and continued on my way.

It was then I found another blue-shirted racer and encouraged him to run for a bit.  We started a "Blue Team" and even recruited another struggling runner.  When we got to the highway they were ready to walk so I said farewell again and continued on my way.  Within half a mile I had made another new friend and we paced together for another mile before she began to slow.

As I began my second lap I was beginning to tire.  My goal on the run was to "run" the whole thing.  By that I mean, not walk since my running pace might not really be considered running. I was keeping my standard pace, but realized that if I could just speed up I might be able to finish in under 3 hours.  My goal had been to finish in 3 1/2.  I tried to push my speed.  I thought of Val and how she always gets faster at the end (like a horse when it knows it is almost home, she says).  Every time I wanted to stop I thought about three hours.  Could I really finish under three hours?  That would be incredible.

As I rounded the last corner into the Park I knew I was close.  I gave encouragement to another runner as I was passing.  She decided she wanted to keep my pace.  We tried to push harder for the last quarter mile.  There was the slightest incline and I just wanted to cry.  I was groaning and grunting.  I wanted to "leave it all on the road" and I was giving it everything I had.  As we turned onto the final stretch we both sprinted for the finish.

Three hours, three minutes, and eight seconds.

I had done it!  I had finished my first Olympic Triathlon.  I was exhausted and overjoyed.  Mom, Dad, Danny, and Dave were waiting at the finish line.  I even found Stephanie after she had crossed the finish line four minutes later.

I was hopeful that I had placed in the Athena category (for the bigger girls - over 150 lbs, ha ha).  Turns out I must have been the only one registered there because they didn't post Athena results.  Instead I got 6th place in my age division and 29th of all the women.  Being of a competitive nature, I had to remind myself how amazing my accomplishment was.  I had just swam a mile, biked 25, run 6.2, and could still breathe to tell about it.  I didn't need to be number one to be successful.  I just needed to do my best.  And that I had certainly done.

And to add a small cherry on top (I just can't drop the competitiveness entirely), I did manage to beat Danny by four minutes.  It wasn't a real victory because he did ride all those extra miles and had to walk the last lap of the run due to severe knee pain, but hey, when was I ever going to be able to claim a faster time that Super-Speed Danny again?

I'm so grateful to have done this race - to have witnessed the miracles (before and during), challenged myself, and completed such a wonderful goal.  I'm so thankful for my body and all that it can do.  I'm thankful for my family, both those that raced and those that supported me.

I am particularly grateful to have relived this memory and remembered how important it was to me.  I hope you are remembering those things that are most important to you today.  Happy Thanksgiving!