HITS Palm Springs 2015

Last race on the schedule for 2015 - HITS Palm Springs championship 140.6

I was excited to come back to Palm Springs.  Last year, I set a PR on this course - 11 hours and 29 minutes with a 3 hour 21 minute marathon split.  I placed 4th overall and 1st in my age group.  The added bonus was that since I beat the CEO's finish time, I received a free entry into this year's race.  Going into the race, I didn't have any expectations.  I just wanted to give a good effort, enjoy it as much as I could, and finish with a decent time.  Oh boy!  It definitely turned out a lot different than what I expected.




The swim- 2.4 miles - 2 loops that would totally throw my body through a loop!

Let me just start out by saying, my body does not like cold water - AT ALL!  Sometimes when I swim laps at the pool, I can't get my body to warm up.  I'm a wimp when it comes to cold water.  As I was heading into T1 before the race to set up my bike gear, they announced that the water temperature was 52 degrees.  Yikes!  I had my thermal swim cap and booties, but I knew it was still going to be cold.  Flashbacks of Grand Junction came to mind where I felt like an ice cube on the swim.  I was less than thrilled to get into the water, especially since I was already fighting a lingering headache the past couple of days.

At 7 a.m., the athletes competing in the half started their swim.  7:30 - full distance swim start.  Brrrrrrr!!!!  As I put my face in the water it immediately took my breath away.  I swam the first few minutes with my head out of the water and then finally plunged my head back in.  I had a hard time catching my breath, but kept telling myself to stay calm and keep my body moving. The swim was pretty much a rectangle. Heading out it was hard to site the buoys since we were swimming right into the sun.  I just followed the pack and kept going.  My face and hands were frozen by the time I headed back to complete the first loop.  Before finishing my first loop, I started to pass a handful of athletes that were competing in the half (you can tell by the color of their swim cap).  They were all struggling.  One guy was holding onto a life raft hyperventilating and the life guard was trying to calm him down.  A little freaky!  Heading out on my second lap, my head started to pound.  My legs and arms started to stiffen up even more and I felt like I was flopping more in the water than swimming.  I could see that a few athletes had swam to the shore and were sitting on the beach trying to warm up. Others swam to shallow water and were walking in the water.  As for me, I kept on flopping away.  I could feel my arms and legs go from being stiff to starting to cramp so I tried to swim faster.  I just wanted to be out of the water.  It seemed like forever, but finally I finished the swim. 

Heading into T1, my whole body was shaking.  I was soooo cold.  Luckily, I had a jacket I could put on.  In Grand Junction I didn't have a jacket and ended up with Chad's jacket.   Not the greatest thing to ride in or be seen in. :)   

Flashback to Grand Junction - the parachute!

Lesson learned - this jacket was much better!

I didn't spend too much time in T1, because I knew if I got on my bike and started pedaling I would warm up.

Bike - 112 miles - 4 out and backs


After about 10 miles, I warmed up on the bike, but the damage from the cold swim had already been done.  My head was throbbing, my stomach was nauseous, and my world was spinning.  The bike course was pretty much flat.  It was in the 70's and there was a nice breeze so it wasn't too hot.  I wish I could have taken advantage of the course, but I was just focused on trying to balance on my bike.  My equilibrium was out of whack.  After finishing the first out and back, I wanted to quit.  I was miserable, but I kept on going.  Heading back out for the 2nd time, I could feel myself getting really dizzy so I decided to stop.  As I was pulling over, I unclipped my shoe, but it was too late.  Timber!  I was on the ground with my bike.  I just sat there for awhile.  A guy passed by and asked me if I was okay.  I said, "yes, just sitting in the dirt with my bike" and then I laughed.  He gave me a half smile and continued on.
Do I keep going or do I call it quits?  I made the decision to pull back the pace and if I fell off my bike again than I would be done.  I passed by Chad and he asked if I was okay.  I told him I was fine and that I just had a headache.  I didn't want him to pull me.  For hours on end I tried to focus on staying on the white line or staying in line with the person in front of me.  It was like I was a little kid learning to ride a bike for the first time.  My stomach was nauseous, and even though I couldn't take in gels or solids, I kept the fluids going in.  At about 4:30 p.m. the sun was starting to set and I was headed back on my on my final out and back.  As it was starting to get dark, I made it back to T2. 

My not so graceful attempt to get off my bike

I was so relieved to be off my bike.  The sick, twisted carousel ride was over, but come to find out I wasn't off the merry-go-round yet.

Run - 26.2 miles - 4 out and backs


I am usually so excited for the run.  It was the perfect temperature to run, but I felt so awful I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it.  My head was still pounding and everything was still spinning.  Since it was dark, most of the athletes had headlamps on.  I held mine in my hand since I wasn't going to put anything around my head.  Those dang, miserable, bouncing headlamps!  They made me so sick to my stomach and the lights felt like they were penetrating my head.   Adding to the misery were the headlights from the passing cars - yuck!  I was in the twilight zone.  The first 2 out and backs, I ran until I became too dizzy then I would walk until my head was at a slower spin then I would run again.  Every time I crossed the mat to head back for another lap, I wanted to give up and be done, but I kept on going.  The last 2 out and backs I completely fell apart.  I was way too dizzy to run.  My sick stomach was catching up to me and I puked every time I started to run.  My inner thoughts had been battling all day long.  Part of me just wanted to be done.   It was okay to quit.  I was absolutely miserable.  But there is part of me that always seems to take over.  That part that says you are not dead on the side of the road, keep on going.  I knew my finish time was going to suck and that it would be recorded on the internet for all to see.  The greatness of a race is not defined by a finish time, it is defined by the obstacles you are able to overcome.   I could be done when I crossed the finish line. 

15 hours and 13 minutes later I reached that line.  My slowest time by hours.  Even though I wasn't the last person to cross, I was the last woman to cross the line.  At that moment, it didn't matter.  I had made it!  There were just over 200 athletes for the full distance and only 96 finished the race.  I was one of the survivors! #6 Ironman - completed.

I have raced an Ironman with a head cold and in crazy hot weather in the mid 90's.  I have raced this distance having the stomach flu the week leading up to the race and then puking like crazy on the run.  But this by far is the hardest Ironman that I have ever completed.  I've learned that the Lord doesn't always take your trials from you, but He will give you the strength to endure. 

2015 - 2 Ironmans
           2 -100 milers
           R2R2R in the Grand Canyon - 48 miles (one of my most favorite runs!)
           5 hours of running in circles at the Oval - 36 miles
           8 marathons (3 being back to back to back)
           and to top it off a sprinkle of half marathons

I'm tired and my body needs a break!  Time to back off the miles and rest and recover.  Oh and eat lots of brownie batter and cookie dough! :)