Ironman Arizona Race Report Part 5: Finish Line, Post Race
Today brings me to the conclusion of my week long race review. This is the most I've ever blogged in a week! I know it's long. I want to record everything so I don't forget.
I have so many great photos from my race that I want to share. This is one of my favorites that Brandie took as I am crossing the finish line. I am saving my money and not purchasing the overpriced Ironman race photos.
As I was crossing the finish line I made a conscious effort to take in the moment. Hearing Mike Reilly announce, "Mary Williams you are an Ironman" was a moment that I'll never forget. I had visualized this moment in my mind many times. Watching the video even now three weeks later, makes me cry.
As soon as I crossed the finish line a wonderful volunteer, named Jill placed my medal around my neck and gave me my finisher t-shirt and hat. She was so kind and attentive making sure that I was okay. She reminded me of my friend Alycia. I had my picture taken and was asked if I would like a massage. I immediately said yes. I hate pizza. The idea of eating the same foods that were offered all day on the race course did not appeal to me as well. Seriously, we are in Arizona, how about some tacos and cold beer. I waited, shivering with the reflective space blanket on me until Yolanda, a friendly massage therapist called my name. She massaged my lower back and quads. After my massage my lower back and hip felt better post Ironman than before I started the race. I am glad that I waited and had a massage. I know my race support crew was ready to call it a day. I was so excited to see all of my family and friends. I was in disbelief of my time when Miranda told me. Under 15 hours? No way. I still don't believe it.
I love this photo more than words can describe. This is my oldest daughter. We've been through a lot the past year. To have both my daughters at the finish line meant the world to me. I know that the Ironman journey wasn't the easiest on my family the past seven months. Their love and support meant the world to me. I hope that my journey illustrates to my daughters that anything is possible with determination, hard work and positive friends.
My husband didn't have a clue of what he was committing to when I told him that I wanted to do my first Ironman a year ago. For the first time in our married life since the arrival of children, our family life revolved around my training schedule. Every morning before my feet hit the carpet he'd asked me, "What are you doing today?" I am so thankful that Miranda and her daughter Livy offered to come as well as my friend Amy. They provided race day Ironman 101 to Mr. W and the rest of my cheering squad. Since Miranda had done an Ironman she knew how important it was for me to see friendly familiar faces throughout the day and knew what the day was going to be like.
Swim: 1:40:12
T1: 14:30
Bike: 7:41:52
T2: 11:37
Run: 5:09:08
14:57:17
We returned to the condo where everyone gathered for a late dinner as it was around 11pm now. All the adrenaline, caffeine and sugar that was surging through my body earlier was now leaving my body. I ended up passing out but thankfully my husband and friend, Jeff are both trained firefighters EMT/Paramedic so it was no big deal to them as they just plopped me on the sofa. I guzzled a bunch of orange juice and forced myself to eat some food before calling it a night. I managed to drink a bunch Gatorade before I crawled in bed. What I would have done differently would have been to have had packed a snack and had a family or friend instruct me to eat as soon as I crossed the finish line or met up with them post massage. TIP: Don't let your spouse/friends let you get up in the middle of the night without supervision. Have someone keep an eye on you. Even though in the moment you might think you feel okay, your not. You body is far from normal. I ended up passing out in the bathroom hitting my head at some point of the night. I remember walking into the bedroom telling my husband that I didn't feel well and that I hit my head. My husband who was tired from his long day wasn't fully awake and just told me to lay down. He felt bad and said why didn't you wake me up. Again, I wasn't my normal self. Normally I would have threw pillows and elbowed him awake. Thankfully I was okay, but next Ironman I know what to expect. The next day beside a painful bump on my head and my back/hip hurting I amazingly felt good. I felt better I thought I'd feel post Ironman.
This is Laura LaDue, my acupuncturist in Salem who I saw regularly during my training. I credit her with helping me stay injury free throughout my seven months of training. Since returning home I am dealing with my back becoming even more painful. I've seen my chiropractor, had a massage, and just a few days ago began physical therapy after Laura's urging. The physical therapist thinks it might be disc issues. Knock on wood, today is the least amount of pain I've been in. I am cautiously optimistic that soon I'll be back running again. My neighbor who is a Physician Assistant thinks that my sciatica is inflamed and suggested continuing to see my PT, chiropractor and acupuncturist, alternate between ice and heat and give it time. He doesn't think its disc. He is in complete awe of my accomplishment and thinks my body just needs time to recover. "Mary you just did a Ironman!"
A year ago at the beginning of my journey I was nervous about training solo. My friend Miranda who at that time who had just finished her first Ironman, was not ready to sign up for another race nor was her family ready for her to. I was most worried about biking solo. In retrospect training alone was the best mental training for me. I loved Ironman training. Training was my zen time. What was difficult was dealing with the mom guilt and logistical planning of family life with two busy teenagers and a spouse in the fire service who is always working or gone. I hated meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking while training. Tip: Find a online meal planning service to help with meal prep and dinner idea, because you are not going to want to cook, even if you do, your not going to have the energy. My family and I really liked Sweet Peas Meals, Family Friendly Meal Plans. If I were to do it all over again I sign up weekly meal kit delivery service like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh during the last three months of my training, that was the most difficult and hectic time me. I am really proud of the fact that I crossed the finish line without the help of a coach. My bike was a basic road bike with aero bars. I didn't have a lot of the fancy training equipment and expensive gadgets. My best investments were having a bike fit done, my Garmin 920 watch and acupuncture during my build and peak phases of training. There is so much information online. I watched lots YouTube videos. If you are reading this post and you are signed up for a Ironman race and you are stressing about training (that was me last year at this time). My advice to you is first take a deep breath. Order Be Iron Fit. Get clear about how bad do you want you want to be an Ironman. Get out a piece of paper or a journal and write out your reasons. Know that it's going to be difficult. It's going to be hard. You won't have much of a social life. Your spouse is going to get annoyed with you for training so much. Your kids are going to get frustrated and upset that you are always tired and you no longer ____________ (multitude of reasons that will range from making you feel guilty to completely frustrated and irritated). That is when you're going to need to pull out your list of why you are doing an Ironman. Because you will have your doubts. Your doubts will increase as your race date grows closer. I am a huge believer in positive self talk and the power of affirmations. I had a bunch of affirmations that I used frequently on long bike rides and long runs when things started to get negative. I am a believer that my thoughts create my reality. What you tell yourself will be your experience. I am an Ironman is what I would tell myself during my training.
I am an Ironman, with a medal to prove it.
"Always go with the choice that scares you the most because that's the one that is going to require the most from you."-Caroline Myss.
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