The Legacy of Endurance with Tonya Dove

One of the fun things I’ve wanted to do on this blog is to introduce other everyday athletes who do amazing things and have amazing stories. Today, I finally get to do that. I get to introduce Tonya Dove.

Last year (almost to the day), Tonya and I were training for IM Chatty 70.3. We traveled to Raleigh for the North Carolina Bicycle Club’s spring rally. I think we did a metric half century on the hills to prepare for our upcoming race. On the way home, I interviewed Tonya about her triathlon adventures.

Here is our conversation:

Tonya, tell me a little bit about how you got into triathlon. What sparked that?

I had a family member that did triathlon. And he would bike and run. He was an older gentleman, and he would always do the Wrightsville Beach Sprint.  And, I was like, that sounds like fun. I'll try that. And I did it with little to no training except running. And it was horrible. [Laughing ensues.]

I didn't know how to swim. I doggie-paddled the whole swim, and I was like, I really want to learn how to swim properly, because that was really exhausting, swimming like that. So, I looked up how to do swim lessons. I was, like, googling different places around Wilmington that maybe could do swim lessons. And then I found the YWCA tri club. That's how I came to you.  

So you joined the YDUBTRICLUB! I think that was the beginning of 2017. You did learn how to swim from Coach Lance and Coach Alan and I was the bike and run coach. And then you did another sprint or two, right?

Yeah, I did the Azalea. Then, I did White Lake. White Lake International. And that's the first time I did open swimming in a lake like that.

Yes. And was your swim better after you had gone through the YDUBTRICLUB? [This is a loaded question, of course.]

It was better, but I was very scared and freaked out and drank a lot of water. It was very choppy! They had the safety boats out on the water so it smelled like gasoline - but I survived. I made it. I did it.

And then what sparked you to do an IRONMAN?

All my friends were doing it. So peer pressure! [More laughing!]  Come on, you could do it. And one of my training buddies, we were on the fence about it.  But, I said that if I could complete a marathon, if can run marathon, then I would do the iron distance, because for me, there was something mentally where I was like, if I can finish a 26.2, I could definitely finish an IRONMAN.  

I don't even know how that makes sense! I mean 26.2…….140.6. Yeah, sure! Same! But, I think we had already done some very far rides. I think I had gone 50 or maybe 40. And in August of 2017 we did the 50 miles for Sami’s 50th.   So, I knew I could do the bike.

I remember being at the holiday dinner for the local women in triathlon and you and Maria started asking questions about a full.

Yes, we had already signed up for IMNC 70.3 – -our first half --  in October and we wanted to know if we could do a half and a full back-to-back. We were thinking of doing North Carolina and Florida within several weeks of each other.   

I said: absolutely you can! You’re young, you’ll live. Let's go!

In the end, Ironman North Carolina was canceled due to a hurricane and so we went straight to IRONMAN!  

What were you most nervous about that first year?

I was scared of all that training. We did so much training for that. But you need to….you need to.

What was your favorite part of training that first year?

Honestly, I think it was just training with Maria. Having that partner to push me. We were kind of on the same level fitness-wise.  We were able to bike and run together. That was the best part for me …..having accountability with somebody else.

You had a very good training, buddy. Yes.

Tell me a little bit about the IRONMAN FOUNDATION that year.

The first year I did IRONMAN for Florida, I was an IRONMAN FOUNDATION athlete. I did it because IRONMAN is expensive – and I needed help with the race. Even with the IM Foundation, it’s a big commitment.  I had to fundraise for a slot. I had to meet a fundraising goal.

You can’t dictate where your money goes, but after we had Hurricane Matthew that year, I emailed them to request the money raised go to our community. I think they had a good enough amount of people who responded: I'd really like Ironman Foundation help my community because we were just hit by a hurricane. They responded that all the money that I raised would go to our community!

Tell me a little bit about your first race in Haines City. How did you go into race day? 

I was very excited. I think I was ready, and I was excited, and I was scared.  I do remember being at the start, the swim start, and lined up. We had to line up at our projected time and I didn't recognize anybody that I knew, so I was having a freak-out moment.

I was hoping to see my mom and sister before I started. And then Haley (my sister) picked me our from the crowd, and I saw her, and she hugged me, and I was bawling before the start. I was already bawling. Dehydrating. Right there on the spot!

And, then I found Angela. We were about the same pace so we started in the same corral. So, that was nice just to see somebody that I knew. And that swim was pretty crazy.

Yes, tell me about your swim.

I just remember getting in and feeling all the stuff all over me! The seagrass. Lake grass. And then thinking: is there an alligator in here? The course shape of that swim was a giant M - like a pair of pants shape. It was very weird. Like nothing we'd ever practiced. Turn here.  Turn there. Go through this little tiny chute with thousands of other people that are, like, battle-ramming their way through.  I try to be cautious when I swim because I'm on the slower side. So, I wanted to be slow and steady and not freak myself out.

Getting out was so exciting because I was like, you're done!

You have a funny story about the wetsuit peelers? Yes! The wetsuit strippers. My wetsuit was really tight around the wrist, so it got caught there, and they were just, like, pulling and pulling, and I thought they might pull my arms off!  

You had a great bike ride in Haines City.  The bike was fun. I actually had fun on the bike. And that was rolling hills. Up and down, up and down. I don't train for that here on the coast of NC. I hadn't trained for it at all. But I was passing people. I don't know if it was just first time adrenaline, I guess I was pretty strong back then. I was doing AXIS  fitness, too, like strength training and all the good things. All the things.

Tell me about that crazy run.

So……I really enjoyed the bike. The run, not so much. Mainly because it started pouring, and on the run you are sooooo tired, and then the rain starts, and you're just going through puddles and you've got all these negative thoughts, and you have to push them away. And I just kept saying: you can do this, but, this is dumb.  I got angry because it was raining. Dumb. What the heck? I saw Haley, and all I said to her, this is so stupid. Why am I doing this? And, she told me: you got this. You got this.

You finished in pouring down rain. How did that feel?

Pouring down rain. I felt great. It was just like, I'm done. I'm glad. I just felt very relieved and really happy. I was ready to party. But then, I was like, no one wants to have champagne right now.

How did you feel afterwards? So that's fun. And then that just must have been like, just carry that around. You're like, man, I did that. I did a really hard thing.

So how long after that one did you decide to do your next one? I knew I was going to do a 70.3 the next year.  Because IMNC was cancelled, I deferred to the following year - 2019. So, then I think I also was like, yeah, let's do another one.  I was thinking, that's going to be my last one ever. Plus, when we were faced with the possibility that Florida might be canceled, we had thought about signing up for Cozumel….so it was on the radar. I thought, let’s do it somewhere very cool. Somewhere beautiful. And I think Cozumel was my favorite one.

Why do you say that?

The swim was just…… I'm not very ever peaceful in water like that. But it was so clear, it was so beautiful. And it was just a nice day. And the current was kicking. Yeah, there were these little tiny jellyfish or something stinging me, but it wasn't that bad. And the swim was done faster than I thought I could do. I was like, oh, it's over. All of a sudden! It was so fast.

Tell me a little about the bike. The bike was hard. The bike was hot and windy. And at, ah, some point I was out there by myself, just chugging along.

The thing I remember about the bike was there was this older lady that kept passing me. We played leap frog the whole bike. I kept thinking: I have to beat this little old lady! I would pass her and then stop at the aid stations. I would ride again and pass her again. I don’t think she stopped at aid stations because she kept getting ahead of me. Turns out - that “little old lady” was Dexter. She was with our travel group with Ken Glah. In the end, I may have passed her, but she got a slot to Kona!  

Let’s talk about that run!

The run was fun. But, this is the race I split my pants!  I think it happened even before the race started, but I didn't know because I had on my swim skin. The split happened on the inseam – on the inseams of my thighs. When I got out of the swim, I was like: uh oh! My pants are a little torn on both sides. As I was riding the bike, it got progressively worse. And I was thinking, I don't even have extra shorts in my run bag or anything. I don't know what I'm going to do if this keeps getting higher! Fortunately, it didn't get any higher.  

But once I got off the bike and started running, I saw your husband, and I was like, I split my pants! And he was like, what? And I'm, like, pointing at the inseam, in between my legs, and he's just like, okaaaay?! [So much laughter here!]

 Eventually,  I saw Jen. That's the first thing I said to her. I split my pants! She was in a grumpy moment at that time, but it made her laugh and made her feel better. I was looking for Vaseline the whole run, like something to put in between my legs. It was not okay, but, I finished. My legs were so chafed and so I kept walk running, but,  I think that was the key. 

Did either of those time matter to you? Did you have a time goal?

I just want to finish before the time is over, but I would wanted to be under by time for Florida. I think I wanted to be under 16, but I think I was just over that. And same when I did Maryland because it was like 15:45 or 15:50 or something when I did Florida.  But then it's like, you can't really compare races. The courses are so different. You can't compare at all. Even when you’re on the same course, you can’t compare. IMNC has changed every year it’s been a race. I wanted to be under 16, but I also know that you can't go too hard in the swim or the bike because you got to do the run. By the time I get to the run, I'm done. I'm done. I'm just wanting to get through it.

Yeah, this is a chafe leg. That's the worst thing. Chafing is the worst. The shower afterwards……after Cozumel was the worst.

What did you do after Cozumel?

I signed up for Maryland…..but got deferred. I took a year off. Well, for Covid, everyone took a year off. Right? Everybody took a year off. Everybody took a year off. But, I signed up for Maryland and then got moved

And so, how did that happen?

My friends were doing it. Look, there we go again. Peer pressure. And it was a close race. I was thinking, okay, well, it's drivable race. I don't have to pack my bike in a case. Fly anywhere. It's drivable.

How was Ironman Maryland?

I will never do it again, and I will never recommend it for anybody else because I only think the jellyfish problem is going to get worse. There were so many jellyfish. I'm traumatized. And I thought I got stung in Mexico, but that was brutal. Baby things compared to the things we saw at Marland. There were gobs of jellyfish. It was a river, right. But it's like an intracoastal river.

Very marshy. It was still salt watery. Kind of a bay, kind of a tributary. When you walk in, you get stung. Every stroke…you are getting stung. And, first off, I made a mistake of having a sleeveless wetsuit. The water was warm and my “real” wetsuit was long sleeved and too small. So, I borrowed a sleeveless.

Once we got there, they made it wetsuit optional. Basically, they were like: please wear your wetsuit. That  2.4 miles was the longest swim of my life.

Which was worse, the chafing in Cozumel or the jellyfish at Maryland?  Well, that race I had both!  So I feel like my underarms chafe so bad. (laughing) The stings were the worst, I think.

You must have been worried because you knew because you're allergic. Yeah. I was very worried that I was going to have not going to finish or get overheated. I was already hot because of all the stings and the bike was hot on top of it. I just kept stopping at every stop to get ice, any ice I could find. I would dump it down my helmet, down my shirt.  The ice help me stay hydrated.

Tell me about your bike leech?

That ride was hot and also windy. This guy was drafting off me for miles and miles. And suddenly, 10 miles form the finish – or from transition – they pass me! I’m like: Jackass! Are you kidding me? I did all this work and you’re taking all the benefit and now you’re speeding past me? You’re a jerk!

How was the run on that race? The run wasn't too bad. I was not a fan of running on the cobblestones in town on tired legs. And, I definitely don't like going by the finish a million times. And when you go by the finish in this race, you could hear everybody finishing. We passed the finish chute four time before you actually finish. It was bad.

The run is hard. The later parts of the run are always hard. You’re just done and you're out there kind of alone. You're tired and you're grumpy. Everything hurts.

But,  it was great to see all the supporters. There were a lot of bystanders and great crowds.

The best part was that I had my brother was there.

You said Cozumel was probably your favorite. Yeah, Cozumel is definitely my favorite.

Do you have a moment where you're most proud of overcoming something in any of those races?

The chafing?!! My legs were in pain. Yeah, I think that was definitely it. I was like, I get to take these pants off. These shorts off now. I did that whole race with split shorts.

And I think just overcoming the jellyfish thing because I was like, I did the whole race and I got stung so many times. I will have to share that photo. It just shows, like, how bad those things were. It is so indicative of how bad those jellyfish are. 

Will you do another?

I think I'm done. I think three full length is good. I mean, I'm not going to say no because I never thought I would do the first one…….any of them at all! But, right now I feel like shorter races are fun.

More fun. Less training. I want to have a social life. Um, it's just less commitment. I will miss training with my training buddies, but I will not miss getting up early. I like seeing being part of the community. That's what brought me back from not doing.

Taking a break in 2021 – I could have stopped then, but I was still biking with everyone. We had our biker gang – Maria was there for a part of the summer and that’s when Lance started riding with us. And it was like every Saturday we had a good group of people going out for long bike rides.

What have you learned most from IRONMAN? What's one big lesson?

 That anything is possible, really, is not cliche. I mean, really, you overcome so much to get to the finish. Mentally and physically. In the race and what we put in the training.  Like I said, I never thought I would do anything like that. It sounds crazy, and it is crazy, really, to put yourself through all of that in one day.

Were you sporty before you started triathlon? For the record, I would say yes, but I wasn't like, a long distance runner. I did workout classes and things like that, and I guess I just wanted to see if I could challenge myself more.  Be outside.

Were you sporty when you were younger?  Yes, I've learned taekwondo. That was in middle school and high school. I earned my black belt. I used some of what I learned to get through Ironman. Breathing. Trying to breathe. And,  just with taekwondo, you also try to calm your mind, and at the end of class, you meditate a little bit. 

Every once in a while, I’ll be doing something completely unrelated to triathlon and think: OH SH*T, I’m an Ironman. Do you have those moments? 

I think I did more when I did my first one and I did my second one. I was like, damn, I did that! And,  then I get all shy when people are like, you did that?! And I was like, I did. But anybody could do it. It is special, but anyone can do it. When you think of a triathlete or you think of even “an athlete” sometime you go right to the pros.  In Ironman races, the majority of people aren't pro athletes. I'm not a pro athlete. There is every size of every body type, just out there killing it, that's very inspiring.

I mean, it goes back to: anything is possible.

What do you think it takes to make it?

You can't go out there and do it if you haven't trained.  If you work towards it, you'll be able to achieve it. You just have to be able to be disciplined enough to work towards your goal. And that's the thing, is you set those goals and you do it. There are days you don't want to do it, there are days when you don’t do it! But, eventually, you  wake up and you're like, okay, today, we got to do it today. Got to make up for yesterday.

What tip would you give to an aspiring IRONMAN? What’s your favorite tip?

Just keep swimming. That's what I tell myself when I'm in the water and I have a freak-out and think, what am I doing? It's just: keep swimming. Especially if it's open water. And I'm thinking, are there sharks in here? Is something going to get me if I die today? I've lived a good life. [Lots of laughing from both of us.]

Also, just keep moving one foot in front of the other. It doesn’t matter if it’s slow. Just keep moving. If you're able to keep moving, keep doing it.

Overcome, overcome. Breathe, breathe, keep breathing, keep breathing. You will make it through.

What do you think is the best part of triathlon?

I feel like the triathlon community in general - even like the Iron man community - everyone there is so supportive and, um, willing. People just chat you up as you're walking around before the race and after the race, everyone is so friendly. I say everyone's friendly, but there are a lot of people that, they're just very supportive. I like the community of triathlon.

Azalea Sprint Triathlon 2024

Right on the heels of my half marathon I did a sprint tri. I think I have done this race a dozen times. It is a short pool swim (300 yards), a 12-mile bike and a 5k run in and around the campus at UNC-Wilmington. Like most years, I didn’t have any expectations going into it. It is a very early season race and there is always some part of it where I feel unprepared. This year, I felt strong in the swim and the run. I did not feel strong on the bike. I literally just put my pedals back on the bike (from Kona) on February 16. I had ridden the Peloton about once a week for the past few months, but it was not consistent. I have been on my bike - and my new Wahoo Rollr - for about two weeks and I went out for a real spin on the road the day before the race.

ANYway……I was excited to race. I arrived early to set up and get myself ready in transition. This is like a first day at school and as introverted as I am, I like to chat and visit with friends I hadn’t seen in a while before the race. Brianna, Jennifer, Tracey, George, Dan, Kitty, Ann - so many of my tribe were there! I also took some photos for Set Up Events - the race directors (see below). After spending 20 minutes on the pool deck, I headed back out to transition and changed into my race gear.

I warmed up in the diving well for a bit and then stood in line for 15-20 minutes. I chatted with the woman in line behind me and as I always do I said: tap my toes and I’ll move out of your way at the next wall. Deal! She said. Fortunately, it was one of the smoothest pool swim ever. I never got caught and the three passes that I made were at the wall. Either the swimmer ahead of me stopped and waited or I passed under them at the rope. As always, my finish time was around 4:50.

I headed out into the brisk wind and ran to the bike - which was about 100 yards from the natatorium. I whined a little about the cold, but I warmed up quickly on the bike. This two loop bike course has a lot of turns, has some questionable road conditions (including a dozen speed bumps) and quite a bit of traffic on one of the main roads. On my first lap, I got caught up behind a row of five cars - the first one was a student driver - who were lined up behind what looked like a fairly new cyclists. There was no safe spot to pass (no bike lane) and all the braking made me super nervous. The second lap was a little better - more cyclists than cars - still a dozen speed bumps.

I finished and headed out on the run. Remind me to train for this part next time. My run has been strong, but man, it hurts to run off the bike. I didn’t look at my watch - I listened for my metronome. My right foot was frozen, but I could hear it keep up with the beat on my watch. Because it was numb, it sounded like: splat, splat, splat, splat every time it hit the pavement. I had come in off the bike close to Mr. Triad. He had started two spots ahead of me in the swim and I had caught up to him. I like your pink helmet, he said as we put away our bikes. Thank you! That’s a good reminder that I need to take it off! He came out of transition behind me followed me to the turn-around - where he made his pass. One of his buddies came up and they started running together. I kept him in my sights because he started adding in walk breaks. If I can keep running, maybe I can catch him in the end. He would walk, I would catch up to about 10 feet and he’d take off again. This happened a few times and I was sure I was going to pass him at the finish. No such luck! After his last walk break around Trask he disappeared!

I finished in 1:16:ish and was happy to finish triathlon number 76! I chatted with Sami and Kitty afterward and changed into warmer gear. I also chatted with Natalie - the gal who had been behind me in the swim start line. We took pictures of each other on the podium and exchanged numbers - in case she needs a bike buddy when she returns to Wilmington. That was the best part of the day: I made a new friend!

Triathlon Barbie

So excited to be on the podium!

MYRTLE BEACH HALF MARATHON

I did a half marathon! I am pretty excited about the whole experience because for the first time in a long time, I raced with a time goal in mind. When I race an IRONMAN, the goal is simply to keep moving forward and finish before the cutoff. And, because I race IRONMAN, my endurance is strong but my speed is not. Even when I race shorter triathlons, I use a run:walk strategy and the goal is just to finish. It’s been a long time since I raced anything with a specific outcome. I set a happy goal of 2:30. I set a pie-in-the-sky goal of 2:15.

I have been secretly training for this race - joining a friend of mine who is doing a half marathon this weekend. A few weeks ago, we did an 11-miler and I when I got home I signed up for Myrtle Beach 13.1. This event was one of the first run races I’d been a part of way back when I was first running. I’ve done the 5k (which used to be held the night before the marathon and half), the half (in less than two hours!) and the marathon relay. I had planned to do the half another year - but it snowed and they cancelled it.

Ace and I decided to make a quick trip out of it. We went down on Friday morning and I dropped him off at the golf course. I headed to the outlets (I have to stop at White House Black Market and LuLuLemon outlets) and then to packet pick-up. Tee shirt and bib pick up was at a restaurant called The Hang-Out out Broadway at the Beach. And true to its name, I could hang out there all day. I decided to get off my feet and eat lunch there. I had no idea what I was in for. I mean, you can’t go wrong with a place with a giant shaka outside. There was a stage in the middle of the room, an emcee, birthday dancing on the table, the Footloose dance, a race on plasma scooters and the Cha Cha Slide. Myrtle Vegas lived up to her name!

After an early check-in at the Sheraton and fetching Ace from the golf course, we headed to Hook & Barrel and I highly recommend it! I had a really good salmon + rice + asparagus dish. Plus, we headed over to Croissants the bakery/coffee shop next door. Is there anything you make that is gluten-free? I asked with a lot of doubt in my voice. Yes! The girl behind the counter exclaimed. Everything in this cooler is gluten-free! I think I squealed. There was a triple chocolate mousse cake by the slice OR a mini one made for two, an almond joy brownie bar and macaroons. OH, YES! I will be coming back for these tomorrow after my half marathon, I announced. Neal couldn’t wait. He ordered the mini mousse cake and had it for dessert and breakfast.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel. I’m pretty sure it was only 6:30PM, but felt like midnight. It had started to rain earlier and now the drops were falling in buckets. We were in bed and asleep by 8:30 - but sleep was fitful. I hate hotel sleep. Especially on night one of any trip. We could hear our neighbors - especially the child - and there was so much light! And, as with any race there is the worry that you will oversleep your alarm. So, when I woke up at 1:00PM and tossed and turned for a good 45 minutes, I knew that I was going to be tired in the morning.

I did not oversleep my alarm and the morning went smoothly. I had gone to FIVE BELOW and Dick’s Sporting Goods before the trip and had picked up cheap socks for gloves and a poncho. I borrowed a throwaway hoodie from Jen and a throwaway beanie from Ace. The morning went so smoothly that the rain stopped on our walk from the hotel to the start line. I warmed up on the dark and rainy walk over with dynamics and a little running. I said ta ta to Neal and then headed into my corral. I loved that there were only two corrals for this race. In Disney or in other major races, there are often 5-10 corrals. I was in corral B and was able to find the 2:15 pacers for the half.

The announcer played Lose Yourself by Eminem and then a Van Halen song and then…..Myrtle Beach Days by the Fantastic Shakers. Such a fun juxtaposition. I shagged a little and may have stepped on the toes of a girl who was crowding me. The first group was off. We waited five minutes and the announcer played the same three songs for our group. I was off! I promptly lost the 2:15 pacers in the sea of people and easily made my way through mile one and two. It was a lot of fun - there is so much energy in a run race: the guy to my right was carrying a giant American flag, the girls in front of me had big pink index cards pinned to their backs that read: JOANNA Seafarers 2024 (or something like that), a young guy to my left was singing out loud to the music on his phone (no headphones).

The sea parted at mile two. The crowd began to spread out and I finally could see the pacers ahead of me. Their bright yellow shirts and sign were a beacon a few hundred yards ahead. I tucked in behind a woman who had my same cadence and pace. I caught up with my pace group and then set my sights set on a woman with a Tarheel 10-Miler tee. I set my sight on a couple with matching ON Cloud shoes. Then the pacers for the 4:30 in the marathon. I moved steadily up through the crowd.

It rained a bit on the way out of town and near the airport. Just enough to soak me and cause chafing on my right underarm. That first few miles is full of false flats: undulating rises that can spike heart rate but not really spike effort. I made it to the Market Commons area and looked for Kristin on the other side of the median. I looked ahead for the turn around and it seemed sooooo faaaaar awaaaay. It came sooner than I thought and I was pleased that my 6.2 mile time was right on target. I was tucked between the 4:30 marathon pacer and the 2:15 half pacers.

The next two miles seemed like a net downhill and were punctuated by lots of fun chatter with the people around me and the country music singer performing Wagon Wheel as we headed down towards the main strip and the ocean. A heavy fog settled in - physically, mentally and environmentally. I stopped for water and mixed up some of my Skratch - and lost my pace group. I added a few walk breaks into the mix.

For a few miles, I followed a kid who was probably in his 20s. He would run 800 yards and then stop and stretch and run some more. I also paced for a while with a woman in a neon pink top who was steady and strong. I lost a little gumption as we turned onto the boardwalk area. It was the first time we were able to see the ocean - and in the fog it looked choppy and gray and still foggy. I was happy to see the split between the marathon (going straight) and the half (turning left). I knew I had only 1.5 miles left - but it seemed to take forever to get to the main road and then into the finish at the Pelican’s stadium. I knew this was a net uphill - but I was determined to make it without walking.

I was proud that I did not walk in the slight uphill to that finish. I was trying to reach my goal time of 2:15. I was even prouder that I did not walk when I hit 2:15 and still hadn’t reached the turn into the stadium. The finish area was full and I looked and listened for ACE somewhere in the crowd. As I made the last turn into the finish chute, I heard him yell: kick it to the finish! I hammed it up for the cameras and slowed to a walk as I crossed the line. My watch read: 2:18 and I am thrilled! I gathered my medal, some water, a lot of snacks (two bags of chips!) and a mylar blanket and then headed out of the main finish chute. I had to keep moving because my calves felt crampy so we headed over to the celebration area where I received a finisher gift - a tank top - and my virtual 10k medal.

I wanted to wait for Kristin, but I also wanted to get out of my cold run outfit. So, we headed back to the hotel. All in all, I covered 15 miles that day! That shower and the cold Coke that I had were AMAZING!! We went to Blueberry's Grill for lunch and had mimosas and burgers and then yes, I went back to Croissant and ordered the triple chocolate mousse cake for two, the almond joy brownie and two salted caramel macaroons. Cheers to a successful start to the race season.

The day before, Zoe and I were talking about the possibility of rain. She said: I hope your day is full of rainbows. I didn’t see any in the sky, but I saw a rainbow tattoo, a rainbow towel in the window of a shop and rainbow socks during the race. That counts.

Lunch at Blueberry's!

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake for Two. I did indeed share.

FOLLOW ME TO......

I still haven’t officially signed up for any races this year. In my effort to enjoy the moment and revel in my huge accomplishment at Kona, I’ve been careful not to sign up for any events. As soon as I do, I’m sure I will shift my focus to the next race on the calendar. I will look forward and move forward and I haven’t quite been ready to press PLAY on the next thing. In all honesty, I’ve even avoided writing it down or saying it out loud because once I do, it will be full steam ahead. Heck - as soon as I write it down here I am likely to get focused and go sign up for allllll the races that have been bouncing around my head.

But, I have been training. Mostly, I have been running and swimming. I’ve been swimming twice a week and running quite a bit (up to nine miles on my long run). But, I haven’t gotten on my bike in quite a while. I rode the Peloton a few weeks ago and that was great. Check it out: I haven’t even put the pedals back on LanaKeli from Hawaii!!!!! (We’ll see how that bites me in the booty in the early races this spring.)

And, I’ve been toying with long term goals, looking up new venues and dreaming up crazy short-term goals. I think I’ve formulated a plan for the next few years - because yes, I love triathlon and ultra distance and I want to do more.

SO HERE GOES…….MY TWO BIG GOALS ARE:

RACE 100 TRIATHLONS BY DECEMBER 2025. Kona was number 75. I have 25 races to get to 100!

RACE 20 FULL IRON DISTANCE RACES BY 2026. I will be 55 in August of that year.

That means I’ll be racing a lot in the next few years. Here is what I intend to sign up for this year:

Azalea Sprint - March 10

Pinehurst International - April 13

Lake Norman Sprint - April 27

White Lake Half - May 4

White Lake Sprint - May 5

Lake Lure or MI Titaniuman - August 10/11

Charleston She Tris - August 18

White Lake International - September 7

White Lake Sprint - September 8

USAT Nationals - September 14 - 15

Wrightsville Beach World Championships - September 21

Sandling Beach - October 5

Edisto Half - October 26

and the big one on the horizon: Ironman Arizona on November 16.

WHAAATTT???? This all seems a little crazy, but so much fun. Which one will you do with me?

HOLOMUA

Each year, I pick ONE WORD instead of a resolution to define my year. I have chosen my word for 2024. It picked me really - as it always does. You may have guessed from the last post that my word this year is HOLOMUA. It is the Hawaiian word for MOVE FORWARD. It is HOLOMUA. It was the theme of my race in Kona and I thought this would be a great chance to carry it into a new year.

Each year I choose a word - instead of resolution - to see my life through a new lens. I've been doing this for almost 20 years! I chose this word because I’m at a bit of crossroads right now and there are so many opportunities - so many new roads to explore. The main question on my mind is - what’s next? Kona was such a huge goal and there is nothing that will match the specialness of that moment. That goal took me almost ten years to achieve. It will be impossible to top. So how and what will drive me next?

I’ve been pretty good about not checking the box and moving on. I had to do that a bit with each race before Kona. At the end of each race, I was driven to start thinking and prepping for the next one. So, I’ve been careful to enjoy the memories of Hawaii. I’ve been mindful to find meaning behind what I learned - not only after this race but all the races that have come before it. I’ve found myself remembering take-aways from all the races I’ve done.

Which brings me to the thing I’d like to move forward with the most: writing a memoir.

I’ve mentioned this before: my journey to Kona was through the Legacy Program. I had to do 13 IRONMAN-branded 140.6-mile triathlons just to get an invite to the IRONMAN World Championships. In fact, the other choice for my one word was LEGACY. And that’s what I’d like to write about this year. I want to explore the legacy of endurance. I imagine that this space is going to be the rough draft of some sort of compilation of stories that tie my journey in the sport to the rest of my life. You can say you heard it here first.

Please stick around for more stories about races past and present! And, coming next week - an interview with another athlete about the legacy of endurance in her life.

KONA RECAP: AFTERWARDS

I did not want those moments in the finish area to end. The music was pumping and thrill of victory had enveloped us. Our VIP guide ushered us over to two volunteer catchers and they led us through the finish area maze. It was much quieter “backstage” and the only thing I could hear was me - saying over and over again. I did it! I can’t believe I did it! I think I said I DID IT in belief and disbelief at least 100 times during that walk to the recovery area.

We headed to a big tent to gather my real medal, my finisher shirt and hat. The volunteer handed it to me and I made Neal put the medal on again. There can never really be too many medal ceremonies.

Ace and I hung out in the athlete lounge for quite a while. I got my picture taken and sat down for a bit. I tried to eat some french fries - my normal go-to - but that did not work. I was able to eat some potato chips and drink some cold water. About 15 minutes in, I noticed Elena!!!! The woman I had started with was a few tables over and I “jumped up” to go hug her. She and I spoke briefly about the race and congratulated each other. We have in touch since then are part of the 2024 Coeur Sports team.

We also ran into Kimmy and Karen - the captains of athlete food. We had met them at the Aloha Reception on Wednesday night. I think Kimmy said she had been in charge of this area for over 10 years. While we were in line, they had given Neal pointers on their favorite places to play golf. They congratulated me and pointed me to the musubi. It is my NEW go-to post-race food. Who knew that spam sushi would do the trick but the soft rice and the salty spam and drizzle of soy were just what I needed.

Eventually, we headed out of the “lounge” and headed to get my bike and meet up with Tonya and Maria. I passed Ashley on my way out and gave her arm a quick squeeze as I passed by. Congratulations! I called out as she was whisked towards the food and Neal and I gathered up my bike and bags and headed out into the real world.

This time I didn’t cry when I saw Maria and Tonya. I was too elated and too dehydrated to eek out a tear. I’m sure my I DID IT! was still on repeat when we met up with Ken and Nick to catch a ride back to the condos. T & M hung out for a bit as I tried to drink a little bubbly and tell them about my day. After they headed back to their condo, I took a shower and made it to bed by 1:00AM. I fell asleep with my legs propped up on a pillow, noise-cancelling headphones wrapped around my ears and my eye mask.

I woke up at 3:00AM crying. My eye mask was soaked. OH! MY GOD I DID IT. I whispered into the darkness. I couldn’t stop crying and Neal woke up briefly and squeezed my hand. You did it, he whispered. I can’t believe I did.

But, I also believe in my heart that I could.

My takeaway that night was that the belief in my heart endured more than my body and brain. I like to think I’m pretty smart - but my brain was certainly not working that day. It kept telling me to give up. I couldn’t even do math! My body rebelled quite a bit, too. But, my belief found a way to keep moving forward. My heart believed HOLOMUA.

After the finish!

We are so excited!!!!

I have enough energy to ham it up.

with Elena at the finish tent!

This is musubi. I ate about this much! Thank you Kona for having the best post-race meal ever.

KONA RECAP: THE FINISH

That last mile was amazing. I pass the hot corner and hang a left onto the Kuakini. Then I take a right down Hualalai. I walk a little here and say a little prayer of gratitude. It is all down hill from here, I say out loud. This whole marathon - this whole Ironman - I have had my doubts about making it. I actually have a little time to spare! I am gonna make my 11:10PM cut-off. I am pretty sure I’ll be finishing this in 16 hours and 40 minutes!

I pick up to a run and take a right onto Ali’i. I see other finishers walking home and hear them cheering as I enter the chute. Then, my shoes touch the red carpet. It is longer (and shorter) than I expect it to be. Part of me wants to bend down and touch it. Then there are people cheering. Now I am reaching out to low-five all the people on the barricades. I start yelling HELL, YEAH! and pumping my fists. I hear Tonya and Maria even over the music. I slow to a walk and I am lifting my hands in the air and looking around, trying to soak it all in.

The thing that I came for is right here, right now. This finish line that I spent 10 years and so many races chasing is right in front of me. This finish line that I didn’t think I’d ever see is right here in front of me.

And it is beautiful.

There is a ramp - yes….a hill at the end of the race - and as I’m trotting up the ramp, I look up at the arch. I can see my name and I blink. ELIZABETH ANDREW 15:37:00. I have an hour and 23 minutes to spare!!!! I couldn’t believe it and I grabbed my head in amazement. I covered my mouth in disbelief. I reached the top of the ramp and did my long-awaited hula (or at least my best effort after moving forward for 15+ hours). I raised my arms in victory and laughed.

Neal was over to my right, so as I exited the ramp, he was there to lei me. He placed my lei over my head and scoped me into a giant bear hug.

I did it!! I yelled in his ear. I did it! Oh my gosh, I did it!!!

KONA RECAP: THE RUN (PART 3)

I look at my watch when I come up out of the Natural Energy Lab. I have six miles to go. The place that can give so many athletes so much trouble - the place that can suck the energy right out of you - had given me a certain calm and a calm certainty. I was gonna be close, but I could make it.

It was 9:30 and I had an hour and 40 minutes to finish a 10k. My self-talk was a little more resolved: I did not come here not to finish. I came here for a finishing time - not just to see the finish chute. This race of all races will not be my first DNF. I can’t come back here and try again. THIS. IS. IT.

It was like my whole race life passed before my eyes. I counted them up and tried to bring up my favorite memory from each. Something amazing had happened at all 16 races and I tried to remember one good strong moment from each.

I also had time to remember my one word for each year I’ve been choosing a word for the year (instead of a new year resolution). Resolve, reflect, maturity, honor, story, fuel, posture, connect, ruah, fix, cultivate, full-circle, congruent, grit, waves, signature, capacity.

I said HOLOMUA to women who were passing me - headed out to the energy lab - or to those I was passing on the Queen K. I sang my made-up song: I know what it means to be and Ironman (to the tune of I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For). I made up a new song (to the tune of Izabella): Kamehameha. See the rays of the setting sun….here they come. Well, I gotta get back out there and fight now, baby. I can’t quit this devil of a run. Gotta run, Baby! This big dream is keeping me strong. I’ll be holding that medal before too long.

Mile 23 was the magic mile. It was the last long downhill before a long uphill to Palani. It was 10:20PM and with a 5k to go at 12:00/mile pace, I could make it by 11:10. If I pushed, I could make it by 11:00PM. I had gone from doing 15 minute miles at the start to 12:20/12:26/12:17/12:49 for these last few miles. By this time, I had caught site of two women running together and I made it a game to try to catch them. They were run:walking, too and I’d try to run 30 seconds longer than they did each time. Turns out, they had an amazing crew that stood at the top of Palani and cheered so loudly I could hear them a mile before the turn. Last long hill and it’s all downhill from here! They shouted. The hot corner is right around the corner! I was so close to them - but I can’t remember if I ever caught them.

I take the right turn onto Palai and I can now hear Maria, Tonya and Ace at the bottom the hill before the left turn. They are screaming my name, the announcer is calling and pointing at me as I make the turn, music is pumping and I cruise through and yell something like ohmygaaaaaaahhhhh. I have a mile to go!!!!!

Get ready!!!!

KONA RECAP: THE RUN (PART 2)

I’ll be back in a few hours, I called out. At this point, I had 20 miles to go.

I walked up the steep hill at Palani and then ran down the Queen K. That first downhill was great - almost 8 minutes of running. If I can run that long, I can run that long, I told myself. The lesson I learned from Sami and put into practice earlier in the year came through: you must get back to running as soon as you can. I started rolling. If I was on a downhill, I would run longer than my 4:1 run:walk ratio. If I was on an uphill, I would run four street lights and walk one. If I was within sight of an aid station, I would not stop until I got to the aid station.

By the time I made it up on the Queen K, the heat from the sun had dissipated, but the tarmac was still hot and the humidity was like a summer day here at home. It was pretty quiet - our side of the highway was still blocked off and the traffic was light on the other side of the road. There were lots of bugs - cockroaches - creepy crawling around. I could hear the shuffling feet of the other runners and muted conversations between them. From up on the hill at one of the intersections a dog barked and barked and barked. I was pretty sure it was going to set off a volcano. The breeze picked up as I finished miles 11 and 12 and a few minutes later, I passed Ashley. I was in a zone and I didn’t even call out to her. I just kept moving forward. In my mind, I still had to finish by 11:10PM to make it on time.

I was happy to see the Natural Energy Lab. In most races, your personal needs bag is stashed at the halfway point of the run. But, not Kona. Oh, no. The personal needs station was way out after the turn-around in the energy lab AT. MILE. 17!!! Seventeen is not 13. You head three miles into the lab before you turn around and then you still have one mile to get back to the personal needs area. I was ready for a stroop waffle and skittles and more Skratch blueberry chews. The surprise treat in that bag was a pack of mustard. Actually, two little mustard packets gave me a little kick!

The saving grace of the energy lab is that it is beautiful at night. You can’t even see the water treatment plant (though you can smell the tell-tale deodorant they must use world-wide to cover the smell of treated water). You can smell the salty spray and I swear the waves were crashing so big I felt salt spray at the turn-around. And the sky…..the sky was incredible. The only lights out there were at the aid stations. In between each there was pitch-blackness. I would look up a bit and see the skies punctuated with stars and planets.

And at just the right time, I saw a shooting star.

I have seen only one other shooting star in a race and that was Coeur d’Alene. I was in a similar situation - running behind the clock. At that race I was about two miles from the finish and I knew I could make it. I was running by a cemetery and suddenly a star streaked across the sky. It was so bright that the handful of spectators at the corner shouted, Fireworks! This shooting star in the sky at Kona was not bright but it burst across the entire realm and fizzled somewhere far over the ocean. I immediately thought of my mom and a flicker of hope caught in my throat.

I have learned in all these years of running that a marathon is the closest thing you’ll come to feeling the stages of grief. It will release the denial, the bargaining, the anger, the sadness and the acceptance. Over and over and over again. The rest of the run consisted of a lot of bargaining, sparks of anger at things beyond my control and the acceptance of a possible defeat.

The bargaining looked like: If you run up this hill, you can walk all the way up the next one. If you run all the way to the next aid station, you can buy an extra shirt the merch tent. If you pass this woman ahead of you, you can have two pina coladas for breakfast. If you pass her again you can have four!

The anger looked like: I can’t believe how stupid this is. You should have skipped all the pre-race stuff - it made you tired. You should have done more Pilates. OHMYGOSH there’s a husband walking with his wife!! That’s cheating! Oh my gosh, Ironman lied! That man has on a bib. He is IN the race. This is bullshit. Women’s only race my ass. (I found out later that that man was the husband of an amazing blind athlete.)

The acceptance looked like: It’s going to be okay if you don’t finish in time. You’ve worked hard just to get to the start line. The finish line is icing on the cake. You can handle this. You’ll be able to cross the finish and get your medal - even if the time reflected is over 17 hours. The funny thing is that I wasn't discouraged. I think that was the true acceptance that I was not going to do what I set out to do.

Right before I came out of the energy lab, I had a moment of panic. My watch was dying. I looked down and it read 5%. It was not going to make another nine miles. I would lose my metronome, my run/walk alerts and the overall run time and the time of day. I wouldn’t be able to do any more math!!!

As I got back on the Queen K, under the street lights, I lifted my wrist right up to my eye and realized it was reading 50%. I laughed. Seriously?! I said out loud.

That (and the mustard packet) turned the tide. Look, Little Old Lady, I said to myself. You can’t do math, you can’t see without your readers. What you can do is run. You run until they drag you off this road. You run until they take your chip. You run and run and run.

KONA RECAP: THE RUN (PART 1)

I headed south on the Kuakini, down Henry and onto Ali’i Drive. That first half mile is a bit fun because there were women coming into their finish. It was also a little disheartening to see the finishers turn right into the finish chute as you head out on your first mile. They were at mile 139 and I still had 26.2 to go!

Fortunately, in that first mile I met up with Ashley from Baton Rouge. We chatted about not feeling well. She was also a little nauseated. We chatted about what we did when we weren't doing triathlon. About how we got into this crazy mess in the first place. This was only her second IRONMAN - she had qualified at Chattanooga in 2022.

At the first aid station, I mixed my go-to Pedialyte concoction with cold water. My first swallow hurt my teeth. You know that feeling when something is too sweet? And my stomach. The sugary fruit taste was threatening. I filled both hands and my bra with ice and ate it piece by piece as it melted away in my tri top.

At the second aid station, I refilled with ice and tried the cola. Oh. My. God. I try not to say that phrase a lot - but, it that fizzy cola was pretty close to heaven. Usually, I don’t drink cola until mile 8 or later, but I had to try something to get in calories and this did the trick. I immediately felt better.

While we made our way to the turn-around we chatted about the swim and the bike and did a little bit of iron math. We were doing 15-minute miles - which is not bad at all and if we kept it up we’d be able to finish just in time.

The highlight here: I saw a Boykin Spaniel! I asked the owner, who was fetching his mail at the street: Is that a Boykin?

She is! He answered. You know Boykins?

I do! I have one, too! I reached down and said I need some Boykin energy right about now. I cupped her head in my hands and she flashed me those tell-tale amber eyes. Ah! Such a lift. He told me her name, but my iron brain has since forgotten.

We reached the turn-around and headed back towards IM Village. The sun was setting and there was a slight breeze. It was still sticky and humid, but the wind helped.

At about mile four we ran into Ashley's husband.

Babe, you have to pick it up. You've got to finish by 11:10PM. After a short discussion and some quick calculations, she decided she’d try running. I was not ready yet. I encouraged her to go. She started running and was soon out of sight.

A few minutes later I talked myself into running. There was a flat section on Ali’i with restaurants and shops on one side and the bay on the left. Waves were crashing and the sun was hanging just over the horizon. I managed to run for about two minutes & suddenly heard: Oh My God- It’s Beth!

Philly Reed - a friend from Charlotte who was there to spectate for other friends - jumped out into the street and hugged me. It was the boost I needed to run another 2 minutes. I kept up a 2 minute run + 2 minute walk until I reached my crew on Kuakini. I was so relieved to see them.

How are you doing? Ace asked.

I answered with the biggest UGH+HURUMPH+GROAN that you’ve ever heard.

How am I doing? Am I going to make it? I asked. I didn’t really want to know the answer. I knew that the tracker would be reading my estimated finish time.

You’ve got to stick with your original plan. If you can get back on track, you’ll finish with time to spare. It was a good answer. Kind of vague, but also a hidden push. I pushed through the hot corner and up Palani and onto the Queen K once again.

Headed out on my first mile.

This is Ashley - my brand new friend.

Isn’t she awesome!?

The sun has set. I am up on the Kuakini Highway and passing Ace, Tonya and Maria for the last time until I get back to town.

KONA RECAP: TRANSITION 2

I WAS SO GLAD TO BE OFF THE BIKE!!!! But, immediately, I felt wonky. As I walked by bike down the red carpet in the chute and set LanaKeli in her block, I could feel the nausea creeping up in my belly. It felt good to walk and I grabbed my bag and headed into the changing tent. By this time of day, the atmosphere in the tent was more subdued. There were fewer women and a lot less noise. It was even hotter now and the humidity was stifling. I sat down in one of the chairs and peeled off my camelbak and helmet and socks. I put on my visor and shades and my prettiest sparkly headband, grabbed my nutrition bottle and Ziploc, and headed for the exit.

When I stood up, I had that wonky feeling again and pictured the classic videos of Julie Moss keening sideways to get to the finish line of Kona in 1982. Did I look like that right now? The queasiness sloshed around in my whole body. Now, if you’d rather not read about bodily functions, you might want to skip down to the last paragraph because for about five minutes, I will share what will happen in a triathlon if your nutrition is off.

I thought I’d feel better if I hit the port-o-john to pee and full disclosure: I peed a lot. Which is a pretty good sign. But, the temperature and the humidity in the port-o made the queasiness worse. I couldn’t bear to puke in the john so I stepped out, took a hard right and saw a trash can. There was a volunteer sitting right by it and I warned him: you may want to move! I’m gonna throw up! I hurled. A lot. It was all liquid and it reminded me of that scene in Stand by Me at the pie eating contest. I stood up tall, thought about walking out and then hurled again.

A medic tapped me on the shoulder. Are you all right? Do you need medical? he asked.

No, actually. l feel much better. I said. But, I have one more in me. You might want to turn around! With that, I turned and let it fly.

Okay. I feel great! I exclaimed. Okay, not great, but MUCH better.

I walked out and found Ace right near the exit. He asked me how I was and I gave him the honest report. I feel better, but I am gonna walk a lot. Text Sami and ask her what I should do after puking.

Fortunately for Sami, she was already asleep on the East Coast and didn’t have to listen to my question. Oddly, I was the least concerned I'd been all day. It was the best I’d felt in hours! Tonya & Maria were on the hot corner with signs & smiles. They walked behind me- cheering & encouraging me.

I'm headed to the turn-around see ya'll in a bit! I called as I walked/staggered away.

My time in T2 was 10:33.

So glad to be getting off the bike.

I look okay here…..but, I am not a happy camper. I’ll post a video of my exit from T2 on Instagram.

This a view of T2 about midday. I think the first pros are coming in from the bike and heading out on the run.

KONA RECAP: THE BIKE (PART 4)

The downward spiral in my brain was an inverse of the upward creep in temperature. By mile 80, the temperatures were above 95 degrees. The highest temp I recorded was 98 right before the turn back onto the Queen K. And, let me remind you - there is no shade on this course. And the side winds picked up, too. I was uncomfortable in my saddle and I was having a hard time eating and drinking. My brain was toast.

I was trying to do iron math and as you'll find out I clearly fail this class. I was at mile 75ish when I saw the aid station at mile 45ish being dismantled and the sweep vehicle behind the last cyclist. And, that’s when I began trying to figure out if I could finish the bike within the cut-off. Athletes are given 10 hours and 30 minutes to finish the swim & the bike. I correctly figured out that I needed to finish the bike by 5:40PM to avoid a DNF (DID NOT FINISH). But, the rest of my calculations were wrong. I mean, story problems were never my strength.

I would look at my computer and see I was doing 9 miles an hour and I would think: I’m at mile 80 and at 9 miles an hour. It’s going to take me 3.5 hours - that means I’m going to finish at 5:30. And if I spent 10 minutes in transition 1 - I’m not going to make it. I finished Coeur d’Alene in 8:30 and I don’t think I can finish this in 9 hours.

Now mind you, I would only do these calculations on the uphills. On the downhills, I would pay attention to the road and my bike handling. On the downhills, I’d ramp my speed to 20mph. My averages - which beeped on my computer every 5 miles - were usually on target at closer to I5 mph.

My self-talk was pitiful. I can’t believe I came all the way out here and I might not finish the bike. I can’t believe you’ve practiced for this and you still aren’t going to make it. In hindsight, I’m most irritated at myself because I thought this way. I’m usually positive and optimistic in these situations.

I went through anger, sadness, frustration, fear. I hit all the lows. And, this went on for about an hour.

Finally I pulled it together. You can keep talking to yourself like this... you can keep beating yourself up or you can ride your bike. What can you say to yourself in this mile that is positive? I thought of being Don Quixote and chasing windmills. I sang songs out loud again: Somewhere over the Rainbow, Shake it Off, Silent Night. I sang Climb from Miley Cyrus for goodness sake!

I used the camelbak water to hose my legs and back. I could barely drink the water in my aero bottle but stayed on my 10 minute alarm-or drank to thirst. I was not getting nutrition or salt out of my frame bottles so I had to up my BASE salt intake and improvise my calories. Gummy colas-can't swallow. Waffles-HARD NO. Skratch blueberry gummies-yes. Coffee licorice-yes. I was able to eat a birthday cake-flavored GU. And part of a lemon GU liquid energy. Best of all - SKITTLES. I had grabbed them at special needs and could eat them slowly.

Although I was afraid to stop…..I did stop at the second to last aid station and got ice for my aero bottle & one of my frame bottles. That cold plain water was the best thing ever. A few miles later, I pulled out my salted watermelon INFINIT and that first gulp was a life-saving thirst-quenching slice of heaven. I drank again and on the front of it- cold and delicious. On the back of it hot, boiling gross­ness. I felt a little queasy. I did not touch it again. I couldn't. The last 20 miles were.... hard. I kept singing. I kept thinking of all the hard rides I've done these past few years-and survived. I kept shouting HOLOMUA (the theme to this year's race) - to no one and everyone who passed me.

Finally, I could make out the town of Kona. Finally, I started seeing runners. Finally, I made it to the spot that Erin and Sami predicted I would reach my limit on the bike: that spot where I HAD. TO. GET. OFF. THE. BIKE. I was still three miles out! But, I was in town and started to see more people. I was thrilled to make all the turns back into town. There were volunteers and runners and spectators again.

I turned right onto Palani and saw and Ace and Maria and Tonya cheering me in to transition. I looked down at my computer and it read….8:02!!!!

I headed into transition and swung my bike over all my bottles. Ah. Solid ground. And then, Uh Oh. I don’t feel so good.