As reported on
Xtri.com
Sunday, October 11. 2009
It is still night here, but I can’t sleep. Guess that’s what happens when you consume enough caffeine in a day to fuel Secretariat to a triple crown. Add to that the chaffing, the sunburn and the toenails that are about to fall off and it doesn’t make for ideal sleeping conditions.
I want to thank you all for the notes, emails, facebook posts and texts throughout this race week. I appreciate the support!
I won’t drone on with a huge long race report, but briefly –
I had a horrible swim. Stanford, in fact, called. They want my diploma back. They said that swimming was pretty much the only reason I was there anyway, and since I proved I didn’t learn a darn thing there doing it, they want it back. I came out of the water 10th. Good Lord. I tried to be patient and manage my wattage and nutrition and not try to power my way back into the race in the first 5 miles. By Hawi, I had pedaled my way back into 3rd place. I got passed by 2 girls on the Queen K, and came off the bike 5th.
As a side note, officials were out in full force, and doled out quite a few drafting penalties. Several girls were nabbed, some twice. So that was encouraging that I feel like it was a fair fight.
Karen was stationed at mile 1 of the run and told me that the field was strung out, which was encouraging since I knew 1) I had a nice cushion on at least some of the girls, and 2), I wouldn’t get passed en mass by a group of 8 at one time, because that’s just plain demoralizing.
I battled some serious demons on the run course starting at about mile 10 (the Palani death hill got me started down that spiral). Karen and Dave were up on the Queen K and doled out some tough love, and a swift kick in the pants, which I desperately needed.
Des Ficker was out on the course. She was so positive and could see I was struggling. I totally appreciated her positive attitude and energy. Thanks, Des!
Michael Lovato gets the gold star on the day. He had been reduced to a walk and I caught him in the Energy Lab. I made him run with me for a bit, trying to get him moving. He had to bow out after about a mile, but during that mile, kept talking in my ear, filling my fading brain with such positive thoughts. He is, what we call in the business, a class act. A guy who had a crappy day himself, but still doled out some good karma to the chick’s field. With Michael’s positive chi and the emergency Rocktane gel I had at special needs, I charged out of the energy lab. By this point, I was in 10th place; on the dreaded bubble with just over 10K to go.
Leanda Cave had passed me in the Energy Lab and I had both Tyler Stewart and Sandra Wolenhorst charging hard behind me. I re-passed Leanda, but was passed by Sandra. I held off Tyler, and crossed the line 10th.
Later in the night, Ironmanlive posted that Bek Keat had been DQ’ed. They didn’t say why and while we don’t know for sure, it appears that I may move up to 9th. Kind of a cheap “promotion”, but I’ll take the extra prize money and bonuses that come with it!
Special thanks to “my team” out here; Davey G, and Brian Hughes, and of course to my coach Karen. Loved the tough love, or rather, needed it.
Ironman is never easy. Ironman Hawaii seems extra cruel and I suffered just a little extra out there in honor of my friend, Robert Jr. Robert, 12, lost his life to brain cancer on Friday. I thought about him on the Queen K and could imagine him saying “You aren’t close to your full suffer capacity. ….get moving, Griesbauer”. Robert, that one was for you!