Redman race report!

OK. Here you go...

We started off Sunday morning early...about 4:30-ish. I grabbed some oatmeal and mixed Carnation Instant Breakfast with some of my whey powder and we were off. It's about a 45 minute drive to the lake. We got out, grabbed the stuff and found the transition area. We had to have everything set up by 7 a.m., even though they weren't going to start Olympic waves until 9. Here Nick and I are...bright and early!

After some preparation, I was done and ready to watch Kayle's boyfriend start his very first triathlon! Woo! (He did awesome, by the way, and is totally hooked.) Because the lake rose one-foot overnight, they had to re-adjust the markers in the water because they floated around everywhere. The Sprint-ers started late because of it. Just after Tim left, my parents arrived to see me race!I was doing fine and not thinking about the race at all, until about 8:45, when they said we could get into the water for pre-race swim. I figured I should go and walked over to Nick and Kayle, who were waiting to watch Tim come in from the bike leg, and all of a sudden I got this wave of nausea and I was so freaked out! I tried to fight tears when I told Nick I was going out and might throw up, but I didn't do a very good job. I was so scared. Mom and Dad hugged me and told me I would do great, and I left. Standing in the shoot, I was so nervous. What had I gotten myself into? (This is me trying to figure out where we are supposed to swim.)
Swim: The swim was awful! It was two loops and the first quarter was incredibly shallow. Some people walked. Every time I would look up to see if I was headed in the right direction, I wasn't. I finally got to the first turn around and all of a sudden, it became choppy and I kept swallowing water. I couldn't backstroke there and it was hard to freestyle. I struggled through that part and then, I got to do it all over again. By the second choppy part, the kayaks started watching me closely. I coughed and swallowed water. One guy yelled, "You OK?" I gave him a thumbs up to let him know I wasn't going to drown. The longest open water swim I'd ever done was 500m, and this was 1500. Rough. I finally made it to the shore!

Time: 45:57. Slow, but I knew it hadn't gone well.

T1: Nothing interesting to report. I got in and did my thing and got back out. It took a little longer than last time (but not as long as the first) because my feet were muddy and I tried to get into gloves as well.

Time: 3:05.

Bike: It was 28 miles. In four loops. Well, basically, people only passed me. I never passed anyone. I dealt with some wind and a little uphill stuff, but it was mostly flat. It was a nice course with some along the lake and some on a street. I had two Hammer gels during the bike. Mom and Dad kept walking along the bike course and I saw them like six times during the ride. People started finishing as I was on my second lap, which was a little sad, but not as bad as after my third. I get up there and the lady's like "You finishing?" because I was in the lane to continue on and I had to tell her, "No. I have one more lap!" But anyway, it wasn't really bad. I thought I was last, but Mom and Dad said a few people came in after I did.

Bike: 2:08:29. Even if I came in last, I was still 22 minutes faster than I had expected I would be on the bike, so hell ya! It was a good, fast bike for me, but my legs were tired and my neck and crotch were pretty much numb.

T2: Well, it was a little disappointing that when I was coming in from the bike, there were racers done and packing up the transition. Olympic racers. They were all very supportive, though. I had a ton of emotions going through my head at this point. I was disappointed for being last (I thought I was), mad at myself for being disappointed, so thankful of the people who were cheering me on, scared about the six miles up ahead, exhausted, etc. and I again tried to fight tears. My breathing was ridiculous and I was wheezing as I came out of the transition and into the run. I wanted to keep running but I wanted to stop. I made it out of transition before I decided to stop. It was a good idea because I calmed myself down, calmed my breathing and I was able to get back on track.

T2: 1:15...yes, all that happened in just more than a minute.

Run: Once I'd calmed my breathing, I could get to the run and do it. I ran more than a mile probably before I decided to stop and walk a bit. It was an out and back twice. Other racers kept cheering me on as if it was my last lap...and I'd only started! It was getting really hot out, too. But I kept going, off and on. I grabbed water when I could, but I was hestitant to drink too much. I ran by where my car was parked and saw Nick sleeping in the truck. I decided I'd wake him on my second lap if I needed to. On the way back, he was getting out of the truck and I talked to him for a minute while I ran. I actually passed someone, too! Then I saw my parents, and they took photos. I went and turned around and came back for more photos. By the time I got to the out again, I poured some water over my head and someone asked if I was alright. Just hot because you didn't save any sponges for me, but thanks. I'd say I ran maybe 4.5 miles and walked the rest. Passed a few people, too! The one thing that kept me going to whole time was waiting to hear the announcer say "And here's Jessica Jackson from Stillwater, Oklahoma, finishing her first Olympic triathlon!" So I kept pushing.

Run: 1:26:26. That's a great time. I'm happy with it because...

It brings me in at 4:25:12! Beat my goal time by five minutes! The end was awesome. Only a few people remained to cheer me on, but they all did. Since we had our names on our numbers, they said my name and I was so happy! The annoucer said my name, but without the last part. I didn't even care! I finished!!!

Then I sat. I stiffened up in the first 15 minutes, but it really hasn't been bad since then.

I'm an Olympic triathlete! (And guess what? I didn't come in last! Only sixth from last, but I honestly don't care!) I set out to do this thing and I did. I finally finished a New Year's Resolution. It was just fantastic, even if my post didn't make it out to be...