I am an IRONMAN!!!

For the last six days I've been able to call myself an Ironman! It's starting to sink in and feel real, not unlike the time it takes to get used to your new married name, or when I passed my Nursing Exams and could call myself a R.N. These are major "titles", linked to my name. So how am I going to let the added descriptor, "Ironman" define me? If I'm not careful, it would be very easy to allow the perspective of those around me to make me feel self-important and elevated in status. I can certainly see how celebrities get sucked up into believing that they are more than what they truly are. They come to crave the attention, are not satisfied or fulfilled without it, and will do anything to get it. Add to that the obscene monetary compensation...and there you have it. A perfect recipe for CRAZY!!
The past two weeks have been intense to say the least. The week before the race was full of nervous excitement from all those around me. My schools made me banners and signs, and the students gave me hand-made cards full of good luck and wonderful pictures. In one of the cards, a student wrote, "I really hope you can do all that stuff!" I brought that one with me to the race! :-) My friends gave me cards and wrote amazingly thoughtful notes and words of inspiration and encouragement. My family...they were awesome! The girls were keeping it real by having boyfriend, school, and work issues. A wonderful distraction for us all...and a reminder that even in this week, life is MORE than IM!!!! Mike knows me better then anyone. He knows exactly what a need to hear and when I need to hear it. He simply let me know how proud he was already, no matter what happened on race day.
I woke up race morning at 3:45 am. I had been awake almost hourly all night long since I had gone to bed at 8:30, but this was not unexpected. We picked up the girls and made it to the Monona Terrace by 5:30. The atmosphere was incredible! The nervous energy was so thick I could hardly breathe! Or maybe it was the feeling of my heart beat in my throat. I checked on my bike, my gear bags, went potty AND #2.....YEAH!!!, put my wetsuit on, and kissed the family goodbye. There were a few tears, but I was soooooo ready to go! I made my way down to the swim start with 2400 athletes. The sun was just starting to come up and it was an absolutely gorgeous morning! I took is as a good sign that I ran into my friends Jon and Randy, who I couldn't find since we arrived, right before we entered the water!! Fate indeed! We shared hugs and luck...and a few more tears from me!
The cannon fired, and for the next hour and 51 minutes I got pummeled, pushed, kicked and swam over by seemingly ALL 2400 of the other athletes!!! I managed to stay calm and "just keep swimming". Of course I was all over the place, and probably swam close to three miles, but I did it! I survived the swim!!
I was very happy to see my bike! The ride took 7 and 1/2 hours!!! I kept it slow and steady and played it very conservatively. I saw my family and friends several times on the ride, and that was PRICELESS! Still, I became fairly fatigued and slightly nauseous by mile 80. The weather, again was beautiful, not too much wind, but it was starting to get a little warm...even for me! I spent the last 2 hours of the ride trying to keep up with the nutrition and fluids, but it was getting challenging. I knew it was going to be a very interesting run. Plus, I kept praying that my bike would hold up. "Please....no flat tire....no flat tire!!!" I finally finished the ride at 4:30, one hour before the bike cut off!!!
The run did not start out so well. By mile two my stomach was really starting to complain and my legs were like cement! I saw Mike and the girls and I told them it was going to be a very long night.
I came up with a plan to continue to try to get fluids in, mostly water, and take a little bit of Gu. I would run until I felt the nausea and cramping, and then I would walk. I just stayed with that approach and stayed patient, hoping beyond hope that my body would turn around. This was supposed to be the part we know. We LOVE to run!! We can do this!! THANKFULLY, I started to feel better at about mile 13...the halfway point where the course takes you back to the finish line, only to send you back out again for round 2!!!!
At that point the sun was going down and I started to cool off. I then started to drink chicken broth and Coke...and that was wonderful! I was feeling more energized, and starting to get excited. I was really going to do this!!! I was imagining the finish line and was running much bit more then I was walking. A one point I was running, and came to the horrible realization that I had run off course!!! I missed a turn!!!! AHHHHHH Panic had set in. Was I lost? Where was I? What do I do? OMG....I'm not going to finish this thing because I was imagining the finish line and not paying attention and freaking got LOST!!!!!! I looked around...no other athletes were around. I took a deep breath and simply surned around and ran back the way I came. It really wasn't very far until I saw the orange cones and the turn that I had missed. Still, I lost a few minutes....and I almost tossed my cookies again from sheer panic!!!!
I could hear the crowds when I had about 1 1/2 miles to go. I was feeling so strong! I was really going to do this. I stepped up my pace, got to State Street, and started yelling at the crowds, "Come on State Street!! I'm going to be an Ironman!! You guys all ROCK for being here, THANK YOU!!!!" They responded by cheering my name and yelling,"GO PINK!!!" ( I was wearing a pink tank!! ;-)) I turned the corner, and I saw Mike, yelling and pointing down the fishers chute. "You are doing this!!! The girls are at the finish line!!! GO!!!" I turned the last corner...and there it was...the finish line. My hands were it the air, I was yelling at the crowds, and I kissed the sky in a loving nod to me grandparents who I know were with me the entire way. I then heard those words I have waited seemingly a lifetime to hear..."Laurie Krause from Deforest...YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" It only took me 14 houre, 14 minutes, and 45 seconds.
I hope to do better next time!!!! ;-)
Enjoy this day!