Tia’s Race Report: Sunday, June 28, 2009 – Pacific Crest Olympic Triathlon

Butterflies
Friday night is the traditional TNT dinner pasta dinner. Terry, a TNT alum, mother, and tri-athlete shared a moving story about her little girl, Emily, who battled leukemia. Prior to surgery, a surgery that had less than a 1% survival rate, this mother held her 9 year old daughter’s hand and told her a story about a butterfly. A butterfly that had a tummy ache (her daughter’s stomach was distended from cancer and cancer treatments). A butterfly who rubbed it’s tummy to feel better. A butterfly who wrapped itself in its wings to fall asleep. This Mother told this story over and over to her little girl as they prepped her for surgery, wheeled her down the hall to the OR, started the IV and while the doctors waited as she told her daughter the story one more time before the IV fluids put little Emily to sleep for the last time.

And Terry also told us that she has seen a butterfly every day for the last 5 years since her daughter’s death. She told us that we would be surrounded by butterflies on the bike course; her little Emily’s reminder that all of those that lost their fight with cancer are still with us. There was not a dry eye in the room. I could not look at my girls who were happily playing in the grass behind me. I could not bear to think of losing them.

Completing the triathlon was not about getting in shape or competing anymore. My mission was clear – I was here to remember those that could not complete or participate in this triathlon and carry them across the finish line. Like Scott, the wolf slayer.

Rise & Shine
I was up before my 4:30am alarm race morning. Todd and I had coffee and my usual pre-race breakfast of oatmeal. I toasted a whole wheat piece of bread, spread some peanut butter on it and tucked it away for my “second breakfast” an hour before race start. Mom drove us to the school where we were setting up T2 and taking a bus to the Wickiup Reservoir. Todd and I were the first ones to arrive… we even beat Coach Dano… much to everyone’s surprise. My tardiness had yet again made itself apparent throughout the 5 month training season. So much so that Mentor Beez had to pull me aside the day before race day to reiterate that I could not miss the bus.

Anticipation & Waiting
T2 was a bundle of nerves for most of the team. My coffee was just beginning to kick in and we had the hour bus ride to the reservoir in front of us. I hate waiting. Absolutely hate it. And once we got to Wickiup at 7:30am we waited… and waited… and waited as race start got pushed from 9am to 9:30am to 9:50am. However, this waiting time went by relatively fast and was filled with prepping T1 and reflecting on the journey we had been on and were about to complete.

As I was pumping up my front tire, the stem broke off; a loud burst was heard followed by the prompt deflation of my tire. Time to practice changing a flat! I was getting a lot of sympathetic looks; however, this tire change actually calmed my nerves. The sun was shining on half of the large parking lot where over 1,000 racers were getting ready. It was warming. Todd had his iPod and was listening to his chemo/cancer survivor theme song, “Eagles Fly” by Sammy Hagar. It was quiet. Peaceful. Serene.

I saw some of my TNT mates marking themselves with various colors of Sharpie pens. I asked Mary Jane for some pens and went to work drawing Scott’s name with angel wings on the inside of my left wrist (I had a similar drawing on the left shoulder of my shirt. I was fighting back tears – remembrance and happy tears. Mary Jane said, “Don’t forget Todd!” and went to work drawing Todd’s name on my left arm with hearts around it with “Go Team!” on my opposite arm.

Todd then gave me the iPod and I walked around to Sting’s “Fragile.” It was surreal to watch people with the back drop of the sun rising over the lake; smiling faces, concentrated faces, on-lookers giving hugs and wishes of good luck. I felt like I was in a movie – scene; tri-athlete gets ready for start with images of loved ones lost (Scott) and loved ones alive (Todd) – the reason I trained so hard and raised over $6,800 for the LLS.

The Swim
Suddenly it was time to get my wet suit on and head to the 62 degree water for a warm up swim. Now I was giddy. The water was cold but I immediately got used to it and just wanted to start swimming. My age group heat was one of the last (yes, I was 36 as of the day prior, so in the 35 to 45 age group).

Todd found a fire fighter friend and we swam to the water’s edge to get a picture. There were hundreds of on-lookers ringing cow bells and screaming people’s names. It was go time.

I chose my strategic start position in the water – outside, front and left (wide). 3…2…1… my head was in the water and I was officially starting my first Olympic distance triathlon and the longest open water swim (1 mile) I had ever done. I was surprised at how organized we all were. There was minimal thrashing and splashing as we swam towards the first buoy (not what I had experienced in the past). I was in my rhythm quickly – four strokes, breathe, four strokes, breathe and sight.

Buoy one – check. I was swimming next to someone my pace which made buoy two come very quickly. I had a great, tight turn around buoy two. Buoy three seemed a long ways away. Occasionally I smelled fuel. Someone must be getting picked up by the jet skis. I was slowing down. Round buoy three and I couldn’t believe how far away the Red Bull exit was… and with every eight strokes it seemed I had made minimal progress. It wasn’t my best exit. I remember crawling out of the water, running up the ramp a bit disoriented and ran right instead of left, realized my mistake, laughed, turned around and found my bike.

The Bike

I felt good and was getting on my trustee steed and starting my favorite event – bicycling. Being wet and feeling the air rush past me felt good. The first 18 miles were all a gradual climb with a steep grade for 3 miles at mile marker 15. We all fell in our places and I experienced for the first time what wearing the purple TNT jersey meant. Everyone cheered me on. People thanked me. Competitors who rode by me yelled, “Go Team!” I felt like a million people were pushing me and patting me on the back. It was exhilarating and I had a huge smile on my face.

And I saw butterflies… everywhere. They fluttered on my arms, past my head, tried to land on my bike on the climb. I fought back tears a couple of times and looked at the inside of my arm where Scott’s name was inscribed. Scott loved his bike. My legs pumped faster.

The descent came quickly and that is when I saw Jesus and Sarah. They were hooting and hollering my name from the side of the road and held a “Go Team!” sign. I smiled, waved and marveled at how lucky I was to have great friends in my life.

Suddenly I was less than a mile from the finish. I was wondering if I would get to see my girls at T2. Then I heard people yelling my name, saw my car and Uncle Jeff smiling at me. My family was just making the turn into the Middle School. I wouldn’t see them all, but knew they would be waiting at the finish line.

I dismounted my bike and as I was running into T2 (I felt great!) I heard my name yelled again. This time by my oldest, dearest and best friend, Cerise. There she was, with Oriana on her back and holding a TNT sign – double meaning; TNT = Todd N Tia and TNT = Team in Training. She was so excited and ran with me as I found my transition spot. She was waving and asking how I felt. I posed for some pictures and waved good bye.

28 miles on the bike were behind me. It was time to run.

The Run
I felt good. Strong even. I had finished both of my water bottles on the bike along with 5 Clif Shot Bloks. My energy and fuel should’ve been replaced. In the first quarter mile I saw Dano. He gave me a high five, a big smile and told me he would tell Todd that I would meet him at the finish line. We all laughed. I was on cloud nine.

Then it happened. A mile into the run my stomach started sloshing. I could hear it gurgling and groaning. I didn’t feel good. I had to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. My nutrition wasn’t right. I had drunk too much or not eaten enough.

The course was deceptively hilly and it was 12:30pm – the middle of the day and the sun was blazing around 95 degrees.

My mind was reeling. I knew I was going to finish but I didn’t want to walk… ever. My drive was insane. I made a bathroom pit stop to get rid of some of the water in my bladder. My stomach was still sloshing. New strategy. Every mile was an aid station so I ran to each of them. Stopped for a cup of Heed or water. Took sips while I walked to the trash can a few yards away and started running again.

Then I saw Sherrie, a TNT Halfer, at mile 3. She was on her bike smiling and had a basket of motivation – licorice, Otter pops, and some other things I can’t remember because none of it sounded good to me. I just wanted to know that I could do this. She cheered me on. I pushed on.

As I was running well over my usual 10 minute mile pace, I was looking at my feet a lot. That’s when I saw more motivation. My TNT mentors and coaches had gone out the night before and used sidewalk chalk to inscribe messages to us along the back half of the course. “Suck it up princess.” “Go Team.” All of our names listed. It was motivating. Even my sis-in-law scribbled a message on her morning walk. I smiled and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Around mile 4 I was dying. I passed the street our house was on and had a fleeting thought of actually turning off the course to go lay down in my bed. Then someone yelled “Go Team!” and I pushed on. Local residents lined the jogging path with sprinklers and soaked us with super soakers. Bless them.

Mile 5 and I was over the hump. 1.2 miles to go. I knew I was going to finish.

The Finish
A quarter mile from the finish I saw TNT halfer’s coach Scott. He could tell I was hurting. He cheered me on, told me the finish was right around the corner and congratulated me that I was an Olympic tri-athlete. I started to move faster. I felt lighter. I did it!

The end was crowded with spectators cheering. A man stepped out of the crowd. He was bald, had a big smile and was holding a sign that said “I’m a survivor because of you!” with TNT logos. He cheered and pointed to the sign and thanked me. I stopped and hugged him. I was crying. Waves of emotion flowing through me.

I rounded the next corner and there was a giant picture of Natasha, our honored team mate who had died a few months earlier. She was nine. Her Grandma was standing behind that gigantic sign waving and smiling, cheering me on. I stopped and blew a kiss to Natasha, touching my hand to her cheek.

Now I was on the finish line carpet. I heard my family cheering but my vision was blurry. I was sobbing. I heard my name called out as I officially completed my first Olympic distance triathlon; Scott was on my shoulder.

My timing chip off, I was in a small tent with a cold wet towel around my neck and a cold mist of water spraying me. I put my hands on my knees and sobbed. I couldn’t control myself. I had done it. I thought of Scott. I thought of all cancer survivors and fighters. I wanted to hug my little girls. I wanted to now see Todd cross the finish line.

Cerise was there again congratulating me outside of the athletes area. And then I saw my parents and Mara. I grabbed her from over the fence and gave her a big hug. Her first words to me? In a sad voice, “Mama, you didn’t say hi to me when I saw you running.” I laughed and hugged her tight.

Todd finished about 30 minutes later and he looked awesome. He had a ball and spent his day making other people laugh. From stopping on the course to chat with Jesus and Sarah to asking the crossing/safety guards on the run if his taxi was waiting, he was making people laugh. And that is a cancer survivor for you and is a glimpse into one of the many reasons I fell in love with Todd. I’m the lucky one.

Thank you all for your support both emotionally and monetarily. We’re all wolf slayers. Until next year…

“What you do today is important because you exchange a day of your life for it.”