Tri-Utah Jordanelle 2009 - Chapter 3 - I'm supposed to RUN?

I am now heading into my final stage of the tri, which is the run. Since I am only doing the sprint distance, the run is a 5k. No biggie right? My strongest event right? NOT.TODAY!

I had nothing left. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Goose Egg. I was beyond tired. Beyond exhausted. I really didn't know how I was going to do this. And if you've ever done cycle to a run transition, it takes a bit to get "your legs" anyway. Right now, I couldn't see it ever happening.

Not long into it, I had to walk. I couldn't even trot! For the next two miles I did a combination we like to call "wogging". Walking/Jogging. The nice thing was though, I was not alone. Most folks around me now, were just as spent. I managed to pick up several road kills just in the times I was jogging.

We headed back out to the highway, but this time, turned right. OH.MY.GOSH. This is the same darn hill I ran in Ragnar! Flashbacks came flying at me.....and they weren't pretty.

We stayed on the highway, and I tried to stay mentally in the game until we turned off onto trail. We weaved our way around the campground. HILLS my friends, HILLS!!!!

By now, it was getting hot, and so the water stations saved my bacon. Each time I could drink cold water, I felt a boost and could run a little harder and a little longer before I had to walk again.

I finally saw the sign that told us that there was just shortly over a mile left. I decided I was going to run the whole thing. No walking this last mile. We turned onto a boardwalk that included sharp turns. Luckily, I wasn't having any knee pain so the turns were welcome in that it kept me focused on the route.

I finally turn onto pavement and see the crowd up ahead. There's Splenda!! At my every finish line, that man is! I pick up as much as I possibly can with every ounce of energy left in my body and finally crossed that blessed finish line.


After grabbing some light nourishment, making phone calls, finding some shade and stretching, we headed back to the transition area, gathered my gear and bike, and then waited in the freaking long line for the shuttle bus back to the parking area.




The ride home was my chance to review the experience and let all the lessons sink in.......