I knew this year was an off year in terms of IM focus but I had to give it go to see what happens. Now I know.. you can force a half ironman but you can't force an ironman. Duh! My day did not really go but the day did not go without entertaining moments...
Swim-- Oh the swim... coach's plan for me here was just to get through it as it appears that we've both given up on my swim. And no I do not stop for a snack on my swims, friends! My best swim was at Canada last year with a 1:30. I swum a 1:48 this year at CdA. 2,430 people started and it was pretty aggressive from beginning to end as the crowds never led up.
WTC- stop over selling your events!! There were many boats out as I took in a whole lot of fumes during the second lap. Finally out.. frozen clawed fingers and all including a twitching pinky for the first time.. what the heck was going on?
A little over eight minutes later.. out of T1 on my bike.
Bike-- Coach's plan was to bike like I didn't have to think about my run..keep my heart rate between 155-165. I executed his plan pretty well during the first half of the bike and was set to PR my IM bike split but mentally, I didn't want to be there racing. I was going to stop at the halfway mark and ride back to the house but instead I kept going hoping it'll get better. Between miles 60-80, I had internal conversations with myself.. asking and answering my own questions.. fun times! I was riding towards mile 81 when I said to myself.. "i am miserable.. what would make me happy?" Then the flashing light came.. in the form of a race support vehicle coming towards me from the opposite direction .. passing by on their way to pick someone up so I waved it down and in goes me too. Riding another 30 miles AND then to have to run a marathon was the absolute last thing I wanted to do so I did what was best for me and I am happy with my decision. I've suffered through 4 IMs consecutively in the last 3 years.. suffering through another one was not in the cards today.
My bike ride did not end without a highlight of a comedic moment though. Bib #2135 and I played cat and mouse for the first part of my bike then the second part, he continuously kept passing me and I would always wonder how he got behind me. By the 5th or 6th time of him passing me... he finally asked, "Hey San Francisco, I have to ask, did you have to use the restroom today?" I looked at him and said, "Yea... on the bike!" Clearly, he has not embraced the peeing on the bike method and probably should with the amount of times he had to stop!
Came back to the house.. coach asked what happened.. I told him I was just miserable and had no desire to be out there racing anymore although I did execute his plan for the first half of bike! Little did he know, I took the "didn't have to think about the run" race plan to a whole new level! He understood as I've had my mental burn out conversation with him before therefore, sympathy hug! He then said, "I noticed you brought your bike home." I said, "The race support people dropped me off here at the house." He nearly choked on his beer in disbelief. I do live a charmed life at times :-) Even when things don't work out.. they don't work out in the most beneficial of ways.
So what is next? I am retiring from IM's indefinitely.
Congrats to my friends who rocked CdA this year!