Wildflower Race ReCap

Wildflower Race ReCap

This race was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had.  

That being said... HOLY COW it was challenging in SO many way!

My AWESOME Cheering Squad... (yes this pic is post race)!!

NIGHT BEFORE:

Set out packet pick up stuff.  Put Bike # on, Helmet # on, & bib # on race belt.  Set out T1-A bags & T1 bag.  Yes, we had two separate transitions.  I'll explain later. Mixed my bike liquids & placed them in the freezer.  This way they would be nice & cold just as I get on the bike!  Finished all the other items needed for transition & zipped up the bags. Showered so I would be relaxed for bed... not sure you call a cold shower relaxing.  Wildflower campground showers are SPECIAL.  Picture a prison, a white wall with 6 shower heads & no privacy.  Yup, thats pretty much it.  When you push the button, the water stays on for 10-15 seconds & its cold.  The fun part:  trying to shower with your 5 year old who refuses to take a cold shower and you both are naked (and a line full of ladies watching)!  Special memories!  But a shower is a shower & I needed to clean off the sweat & dirt from the day. Headed to bed...only to lay wide awake with anticipation! 

MORNING: 

My alarm was set for 6:00am, however my eyes open at 5:15am.  WIDE AWAKE!  Yup...no possible chance of getting that last 45 mins of needed shut eye!  Super snuggly warm in bed & thats when I realized my poor husband was crammed on the dinette bed with our daughter because our son had managed to move over to our bed!  Wildflower is a camping atmosphere so we are sleeping in an RV.  Thankfully my hubby was willing to sacrifice his sleep for me! As I lay staring at the ceiling & thinking about all the many things I need to do... I hear Darth Vader’s voice say, “I am your father”.  This is the text tone for my dad sends me a text message!  That was my cue to get up.  It was a GREAT way to start my day.  The message read... “Mom & I are sure proud of you today.  Break a leg.  We love you.  Mom & Dad”   This was the boost I needed to get me going.  

I love the support I have from my family. 

MORNING Prep:

Time to get up & get dressed.  Since we are in the RV with my parents, I was trying to be as quiet as possible.  Thankfully just the basics are needed, but I did this in the dark!  My first focus of the morning was to get my bike down to transition.  I opted out of taking my bike the night before because of all the craziness that happened.  Well, I ran out of time because of the long course having over 100 athletes still on the run course at 6:00pm & the bus catching on fire in transition.  I think my choice to wait till morning to rack my bike was the smart one!    Around 6:30am I was ready to rock n roll.  I rode my bike down the hill to bike transition.  The BEST part about transition... I was placed with 55+ women.  They normally have all the age groupers together in the transition & I was the young 34 year old smack in the middle of the 55+ age groupers!   I was happy with my spot.  A woman from my tri club was a few spots over from me.  I double...no triple checked my transition then got body marked.  That’s my favorite part of the day.  I’m not sure why...but I think the body markings make it official. I took the shuttle up the hill to the RV to gather my Swim transition items & then I realized I forgot to eat breakfast!  OMG!  

BREAKFAST:  

FAGE (fa-yahe) 2% yogurt, Honey, Banana, Almond Butter, GF Brown Rice, Larabar

This is NOT what was planned for breakfast.  As I look back I'm SHOCKED that I survived!  Eggs, bacon, avocado were planned for breakfast on race day & mix with the GF brown rice for carbs.  When I returned & realized I forgot to eat I to scrounge quickly & grabbed what I could.  I maybe ate 4-5 bites of rice & maybe 1/2 of the banana with almond butter along with the rest of the items listed.  

SWIM:

I was surprisingly calm as I stood at the swim start.  Considering that last year was a disaster.... I was excited, energized, & ready for this race to start!  I was looking around for Ryan’s face.  His plan was to watch the swim, however I didn't see him.  My group was lined up & ready to go...we already had our 2 mins to get wet.  I turned around 1 last time & spotted him.  YAY!  I needed his smile, I love you sign, & thumbs up!  

The count down started... 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1- HORN!  Purple caps dove in...or slowly swam off.  The water was murky & dark for the first 10-15 strokes then cleared up.  My goggles started to fill slowly.  DANG!  I stopped & dumped the water & quickly pulled the straps on the sides...maybe a little too tight.  No more leak.  Started swimming again & soon got in a groove.  Buoy #1... YAY!  Buoy #2... YAY!  Felt my feet being touched...then I see another color of caps!  I have been caught by the next group.  Buoy #3 was crowded, I caught the slow guys & the fast girls caught me.  It’s also the right turn & the sun was shinning bright into our eyes.  We didn’t have far until Buoy #4 & another right turn.  I was looking forward to that turn because my sighting spot was the big red finish line! Only 3 more Buoy’s and swim exit.  I knew I was getting close to the exit because the water started getting dark again.  When I got to the swim exit I found my footing & stood up.  I saw Ryan on the left cheering for me.  All I remember was wiping my face over & over.  I didn’t want any of the black nasty stuff on my face.  With the lake being so low there was a black soot type dirt that was sticking to everyones face.

Then I headed up the HUGE hill towards my transition. Thankfully my spot was not to far past the soft cloth, so my feet weren't cut up.  I took my time taking my wetsuit off & washing my feet.  Dried them with a towel & put socks on.  Took a small water bottle & gel container with honey.  Put my Rincon visor on & then stuffed my wetsuit, swim cap, goggles, towel, inside the big bag they gave us & pulled the string.  Left the bags at my transition spot.  Walked to the top of the GIANT HILL to run my 2.2 miles to bike transition.  

RUN #1:

2.2 mile run from swim transition to bike transition.  With the lake water so low this year they had to move the swim start down to Harris Creek.  They count these miles toward our overall run miles, so we run a little before the bike and little after the bike.  Once we leave the huge boat ramp we take the fire access road for about a mile.  The next mile was in the bottom of the lake (which was actually really cool).  During the run at the bottom of the lake I had to pee so bad... I looked around & it was only women running!  For a second I thought about squatting!  But off in the distance you can see the next transition & I could just see my father with his binoculars looking for me! So I quickly changed my mind! 

Once we got close to the next transition in the bottom of the lake they brought us up the regular boat ramp at lynch transition. YES...thats right we were lucky enough to run up 2 huge boat ramps! This first run was very dirty and sandy.  They suggested we wear 2 different pair of shoes for our runs.  VERY thankful I listened...run #1 shoes were nasty.  I drank a good amount of water on this run & took about 3 shots of honey.  Taste of honey (yummy) & the instant energy helped my body.  

My family was at the top of the boat ramp holding the TNT signs & Trevor popsicles.  They were easy to spot... Big group of PURPLE!  Plus they are a bunch of Carpenters = LOUD cheerleaders!  It was awesome seeing them. 

As I rounded the corner into bike transition my TNT director Ryan was there to greet me.  He walked with me to my bike and encouraged me.  Asked how I was doing & reminded me why I was doing it.  I truly LOVE TNT!  Such an amazing organization.  

My awesome Purple Cheering Squad! 

BIKE:

Sat down in transition & did all my stuff... Just as I practiced and planned.  However, as I grabbed my bike & started walking toward the ‘Bike Out’ sign... I HAD TO PEE!  Walked over to one of the volunteers & loudly announced it to them.  They laughed & pointed to the porta-potties.  I handed him my bike & ducked under the fence.... I felt SO much better!  The volunteer was a little confused at why I handed him my bike.  I don’t care, I wasn’t about to just lay it down & they are there to help us out, right?!  As I headed out the “Bike Out’ lane once again the purple cheering squad was in full force.  I took the time in the morning to make sure my bike was in the perfect gear to start the bike uphill...but I must have attempted to clip in about 6 times before it actually clipped!  LOL... Once I was on my way I was ready to attack the course.  

LYNCH HILL - I was ready for you!  Started out relaxed and steady.  Took one look up the hill before getting in the zone.  (zone= megan doesn’t look up)  Lynch hill was wall to wall with bikes.  Craziness... I just zoned in on my ride & thinking about Trevor.  For the first time ever was passing people on a hill.  CRAZY!  Still had others passing me... I’m no pro...but I have never passed ANYONE on a hill.  This is a huge thing for me!  Saw about 4 bikers sitting on the side or walking.  My heart broke for them.   As I climbed the hill I felt stronger & stronger.  Team in Training had a group of cheering spectators at the top section (the steep part of the hill).  They were cheering for the TNT riders.  They spotted me...& a few ran down next to me & ran with me as I rode that part of the hill.  They were chanting “GO TEAM, GO TEAM, GO TEAM” until one of them saw my jersey & they started “TEAM TREVOR, TEAM TREVOR”  This pumped me up & I started cranking and made it up the hill faster than ever!  During training weekend in April it took me 17+ mins to climb Lynch hill alone, I rode lynch again early in the week and It took me about 14.5 mins... Race day I rode Lynch Hill in 10.2 mins!   

Once we past the gates & just to that long downhill I was able to get up to 39 mph.  That’s the fastest I have ever gone.  It felt AWESOME.  I was able to shift correctly and launch myself up the last hill before turning right onto Interlake Road.  The next section is great because this is where you can refuel and spin your legs if needed... Rollers (smaller hills)!   Took the time to drink some of my CarboPro and eat 1/2 of my Larabar as I was riding along the rollers. Started noticing that my head was pounding.  It was my own fault, I tightened my goggles in the water really tight.  I was praying at this moment that the aid station would have some medication.  Overall... I was feeling good about my bike up to this point.  Every time I passed a TNT purple jersey I heard “GO TEAM”  this was awesome to me.  I love the support & encouragement.  AID STATION... YAY they have meds.  I took the time to stop & take the meds, fill my water bottle and stretch my neck & head.  Probably 4-5 min stop.  I was ok with this because I was preparing for the next little kick butt section. 

I jumped back on my bike & enjoyed the short down hill to find myself at the bottom of another hill.  I was cranking hard & up this hill I was praying for my brother.  This made the hill quick for me.  Somewhere along the way I remember seeing Jerry on his way back!  Turnaround was coming soon.  Not too long after turnaround as we are riding up the long steady incline a man rides up next to me and starts chatting...like we are sitting at a Starbucks sipping on coffee.  I answered a few questions, but eventually I asked if this was his first tri & he said yes!  So I nicely said you should either move along or behind since we are on an open road & don’t want to block traffic.  So he moved on ahead to the next woman & started chatting.  Silly dude “you are wasting your energy talking”!  I passed him on the next hill! LOL. 

  

On the last BIG hill of the course, I was almost to the top & I heard a voice from behind, “Who’s Trevor?” My response, “My brother, and he’s at UCLA medical center right now fighting his battle with leukemia”  and my voice cracked & the tears flowed.  He had some kind & encouraging words to share with me.  He reached his hand out & said, “slap me five we just finished the last big hill of the course!”  He said “keep faith sister!” as he rode off!  That was the last boost of energy I needed to get me through the bike!  Honestly, I think I was smiling the rest of the bike. Except my saddle sensitivity...with my new bike fit I am feeling my seat SO MUCH more these days!  Sorry for the details guys!  But for so long I was not fit properly & my seat wasn’t an issue...now that my bike fit ROCKS I am learning about saddle soreness!   As I rode to the top of lynch... I felt the tears starting!  I was SO excited to be done with the bike!  The wind in my face felt great... I was ready to see my purple cheering squad!  

RUN #2:

Bike was racked & I was on my butt in transition taking off my shoes.  It took me a few mins to get my running shoes on.  I wanted clean socks, fresh water bottle & gel of honey.  I got my visor on & sunglasses.  My TNT director Ryan added a tape note to my transition mat.  It was awesome to see that.  It said, “GO MEGAN! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!”  

My purple cheering squad was standing at the “Run Exit” area. Got kisses from the family.  Dumped cold water on my head...& my dad splashed me with his water bottle a few times!  Silly guy!  Overall...my body felt great at this point.  Walked up a few steps & took off jogging!  About 5 mins into the run my right hamstring cramped pretty bad.  I took some honey (or a lot of honey) & water.  Stretch & walked about 1 mile to the next aid station.  Filled my water bottle & the volunteers soaked me... SO refreshing.  Things were starting to work out.  Was able to start jogging again.  Until the LOVELY Beach City Hill... YUP, I walked up this wonderful steep hill.  Everyone walked this hill.  

It was a nice surprise to have some of my Rincon buddies Elizabeth & Winnie come up behind me & do the hill with me.  At the top of the hill was another aid station, filled my water, they soaked me (all the different ways of soaking the athletes: hose, super soakers, buckets = AWESOME) & I was able to run again!  YAY! Took more honey & water.  SO CLOSE.... I jogged along the dirt trail all the way to the top of lynch hill.  Down the hill & to the finish line!  I could hear the music & cheers.... I turned the corner & could see the flags!  I spotted my dad & waved to him & then he realized it was me & turned & ran to tell the rest of them! I was the ONLY runner coming in... had the finish line to myself.  I was already crying.  I spotted Ryan so I could grab my Trevor popsicle.  When I got to Ryan he had his phone holding out & said heres Trevor on face-time.  It was a blessing to see my brother live just before I crossing the finish line.  It was AMAZING... So many emotions.  

ON COURSE NUTRITION:

Run gel container #1: Honey (2 oz)

Run gel container #2: Honey (3 oz)

Bike Bottle #1: 500 calorie CarboPro & Raspberry Emergen-C

Bike Bottle #2: Water

Bike nutrition: Blueberry Muffin Larabar

Run Bottle #1: Water

Run Bottle #2: Water

POST RACE NUTRITION:

2 - Dark Chocolate Almond Milk

Water

Strawberries

Banana

Oranges

2 Hardboiled Eggs

After the race we walked around a little so my legs could cool down.  I stretched my body out & enjoyed my post race nutrition.  The family took pictures with me & we celebrated as a group.  Then went to transition & cleaned up my belongings!  

It was a MARVELOUS DAY! 

This is my brother's family... Love them!! 

My mom & Dad!! 

And my #1 FANS... My Husband Ryan, my son Wyatt & my daughter Emma.

Thanks for reading my 'FOREVER LONG' race recap!! 

Much Love,