This race report is long overdue.\u00a0 6 weeks overdue to be exact.\u00a0 And with the midnight hour looming before me, I feel that this is the last piece of 2014 that needs to fall into place.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not really sure how to put into words one of the best experiences of my entire life, but bear with me while I try.<\/p>\n
On a Wednesday morning in November, after dropping my boys at school, Ally, Brian, Dan and I loaded into the Santa Fe and set out for warmer weather.\u00a0 However, it was a solid 24 hours before we actually saw any sign of that.\u00a0 When we stopped for dinner at Cracker Barrel just outside of Amarillo, it was snowing.\u00a0 When we stopped near Albuquerque, I was wrapped in a blanket to fill up the gas tank since the temperature hovered in single digits.\u00a0 I took the drive in the wee hours and then Dan took over, putting the pedal to the medal, and we rolled into the Grand Canyon just in time to see the sunrise.\u00a0 \u00a0We watched elk sparing and took in the glorious expanse of God\u2019s creation, while Ally and I huddled together for warmth.\u00a0 Watching that with my little girl was enough to make the trip worth it, but there was more to come.<\/p>\n
We headed back to the car for the last few hours south toward Tempe.\u00a0 Finally the temperature started to rise.\u00a0 As we rolled into town we ditched our hoodies and exchanged shoes for flip flops.\u00a0 We unloaded bikes and gear and bags into the townhouse we shared with several other members of my crew.\u00a0 Adrienne arrived shortly after we did and because we are triathletes, we set our priorities straight and made our first stop a trip to the grocery store.\u00a0 Then we made our way to Ironman Village in the heart of downtown Tempe for our athlete meeting and check in.\u00a0 It started getting real.<\/p>\n
But with the race a couple days away, and with so many things to do before the big day, the nerves were held at bay.\u00a0 The next couple days were filled with eating lunch outside, practice workouts, putting gear bags together and dropping things off.\u00a0 I got to meet the newest member of my family, Quincy Allen Jacobs, my brother and sister in law\u2019s little boy who was born earlier this year.\u00a0 I had lunch with my friend Casey from high school.\u00a0 The anticipation and excitement mounted.\u00a0 I went to bed Saturday night, and somehow, I slept.<\/p>\n
At 4-something it was time to get moving.\u00a0 The house was quiet.\u00a0 Until Dan, in an attempt to tiptoe in the dark, fell down the stairs on his way to his volunteer shift, making sure everyone was up and breaking 4 toes in the process.<\/p>\n
Adrienne and I were fairly untalkative that morning as we ate our breakfast and gathered our water bottles.\u00a0 Brian dropped us off near the transition area, with our special needs bags, and we stuck together.\u00a0 We delivered our gear and stood in line for the port-a-potties.\u00a0 Ron came by and said hello.\u00a0 He was nervous.\u00a0 I said I was avoiding the word \u201cnervous\u201d, focusing more on \u201canxious\u201d.\u00a0 I knew I would be ok once things got underway.\u00a0 Just enjoy the day.\u00a0 While we waited, I turned to my friend and co-rookie, Adrienne and said, \u201cI\u2019m glad we\u2019re doing this together\u201d.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t imagine being in all that chaos by myself. \u00a0Finally we began the process of putting on wetsuits. \u00a0It was still dark out. It was low 60\u2019s, but pure adrenaline kept us from noticing the cool air as we removed sweatpants and hoodies.\u00a0 During wetsuit robing I caught sight of Brian up on the hill and blew him a kiss.\u00a0 Then I waved as Adrienne and I left our bikes and made our way to line up for getting in the water.\u00a0 It felt surreal.<\/p>\n
We found Melissa and Tracy near the Swim Bike Run crowd and they filtered into the line with us.\u00a0 We put on swim caps and goggles.\u00a0 The thoughts of \u201cI don\u2019t want to do this\u201d and \u201cI don\u2019t want to get in that water\u201d started to run on repeat in my head.\u00a0 And then I looked up and saw a large neon sign with my name on it.\u00a0 I\u2019m pretty sure I started tearing up at the sight of it.\u00a0 Slowly the line edged forward and then I waved catching my brother\u2019s eye.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how he recognized me among all of those other athletes in wetsuits and pink or green swim caps, but he did.\u00a0 When we got close enough, I stole a quick hug from my mom and AJ, and then it was go time.\u00a0 I was on the platform, I was carefully making my way down the stairs to the water, there were people everywhere, no time to think, can\u2019t stop now, just jump.\u00a0 The cold water was a shock but given the number of people who were about to jump on top of me, I got out of the way as quick as I could.<\/p>\n
Adrienne and I kept sight of each other as we swam the quarter mile up to the start line.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t want to tread water for too long, but we also didn\u2019t want to be sprinting for the start wasting any of our 2 hours and 20 minutes that was allowed for the 2.4 mile swim.<\/p>\n
As we bobbed in the water with the sun starting to come up, Adrienne said a quick prayer for us.\u00a0 About a minute later we heard the cannon go off and we were on our way.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t swimming so much as it was water boxing.\u00a0 There were bodies everywhere, all fighting their way toward one buoy after another.\u00a0 I knew almost immediately it was going to be a challenging swim, not because of all the people so much as my goggles.\u00a0 They were fine the previous day at the practice swim, but now they were leaking fast and furious.\u00a0 I kept stopping to readjust.\u00a0 Not what you want to do in the midst of a bunch of people seemingly trying to drown you.\u00a0 About 100 meters in, I suddenly felt a sharp pain right to my face.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if it was an elbow or a foot, but I got knocked hard.\u00a0 I popped my face up out of the water, disoriented.\u00a0 My nose was bleeding and my lip was huge.\u00a0 I wondered for a second what I should do.\u00a0 I looked around for a volunteer in a kayak, there were none anywhere close to me. \u00a0I decided there wasn\u2019t much I could do but just keep swimming.\u00a0 So I did.\u00a0 I was lamenting the fact that I would have a huge, swollen lip in all of my pictures of the day.\u00a0 But as I swam, I realized that the cold water was just as useful as icing my lip.\u00a0 The swelling was going down.\u00a0 I kept swimming.\u00a0 And kept emptying leaky goggles.\u00a0 And throwing elbows to get other swimmers off me.<\/p>\n
At one point when it seemed like someone was trying to pull my wetsuit off me, I wanted to scream, \u201cGet off me!\u201d\u00a0 But I couldn\u2019t scream with my face in the water and I didn\u2019t want to waste time.\u00a0 So, I kept swimming.<\/p>\n
The sun was getting higher. Now I was dealing with leaky goggles and the glare of the sun.\u00a0 I wanted to get this part over with.\u00a0 As I reached the turn around point and started back toward the stairs, I stole a quick peak at my watch.\u00a0 I had swam 1.2 miles in about 46 minutes.\u00a0 For me, that was a record.\u00a0 And I was convinced that I would get through the swim before the cut off.<\/p>\n
Just as my confidence started to rise, so did the wind.\u00a0 And the waves.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t sure what was going on but it seemed like boats were racing past us creating a giant wake.\u00a0 Nope, it was just the head wind that we had to contend with.\u00a0 But I kept swimming.\u00a0 I started wondering if I was making any progress at all.\u00a0 Just get to the next buoy.\u00a0 And the next one.\u00a0 And the next one.<\/p>\n
Finally we went back under the bridge and then I made the turn for the stairs.\u00a0 My body did not want to swim anymore.\u00a0 One last final push and then I carefully eased my wobbly body up onto the steps and out of the water.\u00a0 My legs were shaky, I was dizzy, but again I looked at my watch.\u00a0 1:40something\u202642? 46? 48?\u00a0 I don\u2019t remember. \u00a0But I know it took me almost an hour to do the second half of the swim.\u00a0 Whatever, it didn\u2019t matter, because I did it!\u00a0 I was through the first part, my hardest part, of an Ironman.\u00a0 And I made it with time to spare.\u00a0 I could do this.<\/p>\n
I sat down and a wetsuit stripper struggled to help me remove my buoyancy device.\u00a0 As he handed it to me and sent me on my way, someone else wrapped a mylar blanket around my shoulders.\u00a0 The low 60\u2019s felt even colder now that I was wet. \u00a0I saw Brian, but I can\u2019t for the life of me remember what I said in that exchange.\u00a0 I think I smiled\u2026?\u00a0 But my brain was frozen, or I was in overdrive, or both. \u00a0I could barely feel my feet as I made the long trek into the transition area, grabbed my bag and headed into the women\u2019s change tent.\u00a0 I tried to remove my swimsuit and get geared up for the bike.\u00a0 The volunteers were amazing.\u00a0 Someone helped put my sports bra and cycling shorts \u00a0on me, someone else poured water on my feet to get the grass off before I put on my socks and cycling shoes.\u00a0 Someone sprayed me with sunscreen as I shoved Huma gels into the pockets of my bike jersey; the one Sally gave me so I could represent Fleet Feet and Swim Bike Run.\u00a0 I fastened my helmet, put on my new rimless Tifosi sunglasses and exited the tent into a sea of bikes.\u00a0 I was surprised at how many bikes were still on the racks, I fully expected mine to be the last one there.\u00a0 I yelled out my number and someone brought my bike to me as I clomped along toward the inflatable arch marked \u201cBike Out\u201d.<\/p>\n
I mounted my bike and began a long day of covering 112 miles in the desert.\u00a0 I remembered Chip\u2019s words of advice that no matter what anyone told me, the Arizona course is not flat.\u00a0 He was correct.\u00a0 And with 30 mile per hour headwinds that day, the hills felt even worse.\u00a0 The course was 3 times out to the turn around and back.<\/p>\n
I tried to remember where Ken said he would be at one of the bike aid stations.\u00a0 I scanned the face of every volunteer I saw, I never saw him.\u00a0 But it helped to keep looking for him.\u00a0 The first time out to the turn around was tough.\u00a0 I kept thinking that I had to be close, nope.\u00a0 And this wind will surely settle down, nope.\u00a0 And this has to be the toughest part of the hill, nope.\u00a0 At one point I felt like I was going to fall over on the bike because I was going so slow into the wind up that hill.\u00a0 This cannot really be happening.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t really have to do this again.\u00a0 Twice!<\/p>\n
I was so happy to make it to the turn around and head back down.\u00a0 I stopped for a couple minutes to hit the port-a-potties and give my body a short break from the bike.\u00a0 I was only about 17 miles in and it was brutal so far.\u00a0 I got back on the bike and glided down the hill with the wind at my back.\u00a0 But I thought about what Chip said, the course isn\u2019t flat, keep using your legs on the way back down.\u00a0 So I did.<\/p>\n
It was helpful to know where Renee, Allison, Brian, Greg and the other SBR folk would be.\u00a0 It was good to see my little cheering section before heading back out for round 2 on the bike.\u00a0 My motto on that loop became \u201cEmbrace the suck\u201d.\u00a0 That second loop was rough, knowing that I had to go conquer it again and I still wasn\u2019t done.\u00a0 The wind got worse, the hill felt steeper, the pain increased.\u00a0 \u201cJust keep going, just keep going, just keep going\u201d over and over and over in my head.\u00a0 I knew I wouldn\u2019t quit.\u00a0 I never doubted that I would get through it.\u00a0 But wow, when it\u2019s that hard and you just wish the hard would stop.\u00a0 I kept scanning faces.\u00a0 No Ken.\u00a0 I scanned for other cyclists.\u00a0 Adrienne was easy to spot with the bright pink tape on her knees.\u00a0 Passing, getting passed, pedaling for dear life, only going 10 miles per hour, ugh.\u00a0 Finally, the turn around, again.\u00a0 Again I made a quick pit stop. I ate a handful of pretzels. \u00a0I sprayed on more sunscreen. I shoved some Vaseline down my pants.\u00a0 Yes, in that order.\u00a0 I apologized to anyone who had to witness that.\u00a0 And then I got back on the bike.\u00a0 Away I went down the hill.\u00a0 Remember what Chip said, keep pedaling. \u00a0I stopped to get my Chapstick out of my special needs bag.\u00a0 It was the best thing ever in my life.\u00a0 The sun and wind and sand had done a number on my face. \u00a0I got back on the bike and continued flying down the hill. I watched a girl hit a mile marker sign and take a massive wipeout.\u00a0 I had to swerve wide to avoid the debris that flew off her bike.\u00a0 I knew there was a policeman who was there to help her, so I kept going.\u00a0 But I immediately said a prayer for all my friends on the course.\u00a0 Lord, keep them safe\u2026<\/p>\n
Again back by the SBR gang and back up the hill one more time.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get this done.\u00a0 On the third loop, while my motto was still \u201cEmbrace the suck\u201d, I found it helped me to encourage others.\u00a0 I yelled \u201cGood job, Girl\u201d or \u201cKeep it up\u201d or whatever I could think of to anyone I passed.\u00a0 At one point I needed to hear music so bad that I actually started singing to myself.\u00a0 I reminded myself that once I got to that turn around, the hard part was done.\u00a0 It seemed so close, but so far away.\u00a0 I stopped to get something out of the little zipper part of my bento box.\u00a0 As a volunteer helped steady me and my bike, I heard a familiar voice.\u00a0 I looked over to the port-a-potty line and saw Judy.\u00a0 \u201cJudy!!!\u201d I yelled.\u00a0 \u201cWho is that?\u201d she asked squinting in my direction.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s Lindsey!\u201d \u201cOh my gosh, Lindsey!\u201d\u00a0 The cool part about this is that Judy and I met in 2011 at the Dallas Whiterock Marathon.\u00a0 We started talking on the shuttle back from the expo and we were instant friends.\u00a0 She said to me that day, \u201cSomeday you\u2019ll do an Ironman.\u201d\u00a0 And my response was \u201cNo Way!\u201d\u00a0 How appropriate to run into her in the middle of 140.6.<\/p>\n
I jumped back on my bike and fought the last of that hill and wind.\u00a0 I was so happy when it came into view.\u00a0 Again, confirmation that I was going to do this.<\/p>\n
And on the way back down, the timing question came back into play.\u00a0 The cyclists were fewer and farther between.\u00a0 And then I saw it.\u00a0 The dreaded course sweeper was going up the hill.\u00a0 The truck that closes down the course.\u00a0 What?!\u00a0 Was I really going that slow?\u00a0 Was it that close to me?\u00a0 Probably not, but at that point I was too tired to do the math.\u00a0 I pedaled my heart out down that hill.\u00a0 Just get to the transition and start the run and you\u2019ll be fine.\u00a0 I said a prayer that Judy would make it.\u00a0 She was at Ironman Arizona two years ago and had a DNF.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want that to happen for her this time.\u00a0 It couldn\u2019t.\u00a0 Could it?<\/p>\n
I hit the 100 mile mark.\u00a0 12 miles to go.\u00a0 And then a marathon.\u00a0 Keep pedaling.\u00a0 I ticked off the miles one at a time.\u00a0 I thought of Teri.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t even be here doing this if not for her inspiration and encouragement.\u00a0 Almost there.\u00a0 And then I came into the corral.\u00a0 I heard a loud, \u201cHEY!\u201d and saw my brother standing taller than the rest of the crowd.\u00a0 \u201cHEY!\u201d I yelled back. \u00a0It was a typical sibling greeting.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t need to say anything else.\u00a0 And I didn\u2019t have the ability to come up with any other words.<\/p>\n
As I dismounted my bike and handed it off to a volunteer, Ken was waiting for me. \u00a0He hugged me and I nervously asked how I was doing on time.\u00a0 I was somewhat delusional thinking they would tell me I was too late to start the run.\u00a0 He said I was fine and told me I was doing awesome.\u00a0 I asked a volunteer if I could take my cycling shoes off, she said yes. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t have been happier.\u00a0 I wanted to throw them in the lake.\u00a0 I said, \u201cIf I never put these on again, I\u2019ll be ok with that.\u201d\u00a0 (I still haven\u2019t put them on again.)<\/p>\n
I grabbed my run gear bag and went back into the tent.\u00a0 I changed into running clothes, shoved Gu into my pockets and laced up my shoes.\u00a0 I have never been so happy to put on a pair of Mizuno Riders.\u00a0 I went through the \u201cRun Out\u201d arch and I was on the run course.\u00a0 I went past the special needs bags, I didn\u2019t need anything yet.\u00a0 But then I worried if I would still have access to it on the next loop.\u00a0 I was running, a nice easy pace, but I was running.\u00a0 And I was amazed at how many people I passed.\u00a0 There were so many people walking.\u00a0 They were also the ones saying they would rather swim twice than run at all.\u00a0 Ummm, no, thanks.\u00a0 I felt pretty happy about getting to finish with my favorite.\u00a0 The sun was going down and the temperature was perfect.\u00a0 I had been going for 10 hours.\u00a0 The bike had taken slightly longer than I planned, and had taken more out of me than I expected, but I was still doing fine.\u00a0 I had almost 7 hours to get this done.<\/p>\n
I stopped at aid stations and made my selections carefully based on Ray\u2019s advice that real food in a washing machine is never a good idea.\u00a0 Ray did Ironman Wisconsin just a couple months before and his advice was invaluable.\u00a0 I ate my Gu Chomps and chased them with water.\u00a0 And I ran.<\/p>\n
Near the transition area the crowd was huge.\u00a0 I heard yelling and looked up on the bridge to see my family with all their signs and loudness.\u00a0 Yes, I come by it honestly.\u00a0 I saw Allison and said, \u201cI am so happy to be running!!!\u201d\u00a0 I thought I was hilarious since she hates running. With my name on my race bib, random strangers kept yelling \u201cGo Lindsey\u201d and I smiled.\u00a0 I beamed.\u00a0 I was having the time of my life.\u00a0 It hurt, but it was awesome.<\/p>\n
As I approached the bridge to the other side of the lake, I scratched my face and I felt gritty.\u00a0 I needed salt and I needed it now.\u00a0 I knew that was the thing I hadn\u2019t done as well as I should have on the bike, but I kept going.\u00a0 A guy gave me a tube of Baseline electrolyte salt.\u00a0 And I kept running.<\/p>\n
I passed the aid station where I had volunteered last year.\u00a0 And I kept going.\u00a0 Ken found me and started running with me.\u00a0 We aren\u2019t allowed to have \u201cpacers\u201d, but since Ken was a course volunteer he was allowed to \u201cencourage the athletes\u201d.\u00a0 He kept telling me how great I was doing, I felt good.\u00a0 And then I saw 2 braids flapping up ahead of me.\u00a0 And pink compression socks.\u00a0 \u201cOh no, I hope that\u2019s not who I think it is,\u201d I said as I saw Ryan\u2019s face taking a picture of Lindsey.\u00a0 Linds was on her second loop of the run, to my first, but I was hoping she would be done already.\u00a0 She was struggling.\u00a0 I hugged her.\u00a0 She said she didn\u2019t feel good.\u00a0 We walked together for a bit.\u00a0 She asked how I was doing.\u00a0 I said I was feeling good and I was so happy.\u00a0 Linds looked at me and told me how proud she was of me.\u00a0 And that moment right there, was my best moment in 2014.\u00a0 Lindsey saw me the day I filed for divorce in 2011, she knew how terrified I was of divorce, of being a single parent, of swimming and she has watched me kick all of those fears in the face.\u00a0 Lindsey was the one who planted the seed for me to be there.\u00a0 Having a moment with Lindsey during that race was exactly what I needed to be reminded of how far I\u2019ve come.\u00a0 We started running, just the 2 Lindseys out for a run, doing what we do.\u00a0 After a mile or so, I stopped to take a gel and I told her to keep going.\u00a0 And that was the last I saw of her.\u00a0 I slowed down, she sped up, or whatever, but we\u2019d had our moment.<\/p>\n
I found Ken again, he helped me through the dark part of the course.\u00a0 Literally and figuratively.\u00a0 And then I went back around to the other side.\u00a0 I could hear the finish line.\u00a0 I could hear Mike Reilly announcing that whoever had just crossed was an Ironman, but I made the turn and went back out for another loop.\u00a0 I saw my mom, who tried to tell me that I already was, but I told her not yet, don\u2019t jinx it!\u00a0 I ran through the crowd of strangers, I saw some of my people.\u00a0 I stopped at my special needs bag to get my arm warmers and some pain meds.\u00a0 I yelled my number so the volunteers could locate my bag.\u00a0 And then Jess yelled my name.\u00a0 She tackled me in a hug.\u00a0 A needed hug.\u00a0 I was still happy, but I was tired.\u00a0 I kept saying I felt good, which was true.\u00a0 Sort of.<\/p>\n
And then I kept running.\u00a0 I was annoyed with the people who had posted that a head lamp wasn\u2019t a necessary item.\u00a0 Maybe if I had finished before dark.\u00a0 Ugh.<\/p>\n
I ran back through the crowd, one last time until I got to the finish.\u00a0 Brian jumped in and ran with me for a minute.\u00a0 I noticed he had bought a sweatshirt.\u00a0 The cool evening air had gotten to him.\u00a0 He told me my bike and gear were already back at the townhouse.\u00a0 That was the best thing he could have told me.\u00a0 It was total relief that when this was over, I didn\u2019t have to worry about any of it.\u00a0 He asked how I was feeling.\u00a0 I said, \u201cI\u2019m telling myself I feel ok.\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell you later how I really feel.\u201d\u00a0 He sent me on my way with just a half marathon to go.\u00a0 I could do this.\u00a0 Back out to the bridge, and over it, and past my volunteer station from last year.<\/p>\n
I scanned faces of runners for people I knew.\u00a0 I saw Melissa.\u00a0 Barb. Julie.\u00a0 I walked with some random guys for a bit.\u00a0 I was tired.\u00a0 I put my hands on my waist\u2026Ouch!\u00a0 I hurt.\u00a0 Everything hurt.\u00a0 There wasn\u2019t a single part of me that wasn\u2019t feeling \u00a0the pain of every step.<\/p>\n
I got to the very dark part of the course.\u00a0 Ken was waiting.\u00a0 He used his iphone to light the way for me.\u00a0 We had to get up the only real hill on the course.\u00a0 We walked.\u00a0 And then we ran.\u00a0 He sent me into the aid station and said he would see me at the finish.\u00a0 Only a 5k to go\u2026<\/p>\n
That was the slowest, most difficult 5k of my entire existence.\u00a0 Every step was painful.\u00a0 My brain hurt from convincing my body to keep going.\u00a0 But if I walked my heart hurt because I was so close that I just wanted to be there.<\/p>\n
With just over a mile to go, there were so many people walking on the course, wrapped in mylar blankets, shivering, just trying to make it to the end.\u00a0 I made a decision then, no more walking.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter how slow I ran, jogged, slogged (Teri\u2019s word for slow jog), I was not going to be the person who walked until they saw the finish.\u00a0 So I ran that last mile.\u00a0 And I got closer, my smile got bigger.\u00a0 Everyone who saw me said, \u201cWow, look at that smile!\u201d\u00a0 Which just made me smile more.\u00a0 Even in the pain, I smiled.\u00a0 And I ran.<\/p>\n
And finally, I made the turn, I could see the chute.\u00a0 Elaine called out to me, and gave me a high five.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t have smiled bigger if I wanted to.\u00a0 I entered the chute.\u00a0 I saw that very same sign with my name on it that I had seen 15 hours earlier.\u00a0 I saw my family.\u00a0 I high-fived them and smacked my sign.\u00a0 I was steps from the finish line.\u00a0 And then I was there.\u00a0 I passed under it.\u00a0 As I heard those famous words, \u201cLindsey Jacobs, you are an Ironman\u201d, I blew a kiss to my dad.\u00a0 15 hours and 1 minute. I did it.\u00a0 We did it.<\/p>\n
Oh, you might be wondering what happened to Judy.\u00a0 She suffered from extreme back spasms during the run, so she was sideways when she crossed the finish line but she did finish Ironman Arizona 2014.\u00a0 She was the last official finisher of the day with a time of 16:59 and change.\u00a0 She was helped across the finish line by winner Meredith Kessler and announcer Mike Reilly.\u00a0 I am so proud of my friend.<\/p>\n
I am so proud of all my friends that were there on the course with me.\u00a0 Adrienne, Kelly, Ron, Barb, Karen, Tracy, Melissa, Holly, Marc, all finished their first Ironman. \u00a0(I hope I didn\u2019t forget anyone) Swim Bike Run of St. Louis Tri Club had a great showing of veteran triathletes too\u2026Sharon, Julie, Brigitte, Doug, Tara.\u00a0 Ken is signed up to do his first Ironman in Tempe next November.\u00a0 \u00a0Lindsey didn\u2019t meet her goal of qualifying for Kona, but she did have a PR and then she was taken to the hospital for dehydration.\u00a0 There is no doubt in my mind that she\u2019ll get to Kona.<\/p>\n
Since I have been home from Arizona, I have been basking in the glow of being an Ironman.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t been working out much.\u00a0 My body and my brain both need a break.\u00a0 Immediately upon finishing, I went hands to knees, and Allison, who was volunteering as a \u201ccatcher\u201d at the finish through her arms around me in a hug.\u00a0 In shock, I said, \u201cI did it.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s still a little surreal.<\/p>\n
A week after the race, as I was driving to work, I remembered the feeling of coming down the finisher\u2019s chute and I started to cry.\u00a0 It was amazing.\u00a0 It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.\u00a0 It hurt, but it was so awesome.\u00a0 And the best part\u2026My daughter was there at the finish line.\u00a0 If I do nothing else in my life, I have taught my little girl to believe that anything is possible.<\/p>\n
For the first time in my life, I\u2019m not waiting for the \u201cwhat\u2019s next?\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m just living each day.\u00a0 Some days I run, some days I don\u2019t.\u00a0 I don\u2019t feel a need to sign up for anything.\u00a0 I don\u2019t feel a need to prove anything to anyone.\u00a0 I feel like I have finally arrived.<\/p>\n
I learned the most important lessons of my life on November 16, 2014\u2026No matter what happens, just keep going. Learn to embrace the suck.\u00a0 And whatever you do, keep smiling all the way to the finish.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(This post is dedicated to John Hibbard, a beloved and quirky member of the Hot Mess, who was taken from us much too soon on December 15.\u00a0 Wolfpack, you learned all of those lessons and you lived them well.\u00a0 You were one in a million.\u00a0 Thanks for the memories.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This race report is long overdue.\u00a0 6 weeks overdue to be exact.\u00a0 And with the midnight hour looming before me, I feel that this is the last piece of 2014 that needs to fall into place. I\u2019m not really sure how to put into words one of the best experiences of my entire life, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","hentry","category-randomthoughts","post_format-post-format-aside"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4eO4v-aZ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=681"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":682,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/681\/revisions\/682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}