IRONMAN Santa Rosa

IRONMAN Santa Rosa is a wrap! For those interested, I’ll share a brief race report followed by a little dime-store psychology 😉As it turns out, IMSR was exponentially harder than Texas!

I went into the weekend with specific goals, but those quickly evaporated when I screwed up my watch before the swim start. But the show must go on, so I went to work in the water. The swim isn’t particularly eventful for me – a lil’ splashing, a few gulps of Lake Sonoma, and I was suddenly onto the bike. To say the views from the course are gorgeous would be shamefully understated… Grape vines and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. But the hills! Sweet mercy, the hills! The punishing Chalk Hill section took a little piece of my soul on the second lap, and I never recovered from it.

Lord, I sincerely repent for all the words that I used during that mile.

After what seemed like an endless final push into headwinds, I found the bike transition and started the marathon. I am not a strong runner, either physically or mentally, so this was my biggest focus. The run course was as relaxing as an Ironman run can be, with long sections through shaded paths of pine trees, honeysuckle, and along a cute little stream... Oh, and a turkey that I swear would deliberately wait to gobble at an unexpected runner and scare the poo out of us all! I felt like garbage and my quads were useless, but I was able to pull off a much-improved run over IMTexas. After 13.5 hours, I was SO VERY glad to see the finish line and the pain of the day instantly vanished into celebration!!

What you can’t get from an Ironman race report is the spirit of the athletes and the purpose it serves in the lives of us and our families. For the second year in a row, I had a friend facing a significant health issue right before I left town. I am convinced that God led me to triathlon for prayer time. On an average day, I am not as disciplined as I should be in prayer and study, but boy-howdy do I have time to pray on that bike!!! I prayed for Sara and thought of her when I was suffering. I thanked God that I have the health to participate in this sport, and I asked him to restore her sassy spirit and heal whatever is happening in her noggin. It’s funny how self-inflicted suffering can somehow turn into thankfulness.

The other unknown fact about triathlon is the communal bond that holds us together. It’s not just a bunch of machismo wrapped up in Spandex… it’s a group of every-day folk who understand that there is room for everyone to succeed. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a competitive air and no one tackles Ironman because they are lazy. But overall, it becomes a second family. You listen to the stories of strangers and become instant friends. A fellow cyclist chatted me up at the beginning of the bike course, and I learned that this was his “comeback race” after losing his wife a couple years earlier. Since we all have our age tattooed on our leg, I know that he was only 58. He was a seasoned triathlete, so I’m pretty sure I know why he came back to Ironman.

Lastly, but most importantly, I could not – and would not – be involved in this sport without all the support. It’s a big ask of my husband and kids, and the time away from them isn’t something I take lightly. My hubs is THE. BEST. OF. ALL. TIME. My extended family showers me with encouragement and tracks my every move on the course to make sure I finish safely. I have a group of hard-core IronGals that always have my back and wont let me quit (regardless of how much I complain). I am blessed to be part of Frisco Triathlon Club and absorb the momentum of leaders that push to bring out the best in everyone. It’s my hope that their influence helps me to bring out the best in others, too ❤️

Give it a try 😊You might surprise yourself!

Photos: Santa Rosa | May | Mothers Day | April