RACE DAY - Part 1

3:30 AM is when my day started...I jumped up out of the bed - fixed my oatmeal, fixed my green tea, took a shower, put on all my clothes, checked my bag and went downstairs by 4:30 AM as designated by Carrie. I was trying to be calm so my nerves wouldn't be too shot. Half the group was there, then all the group was there. It was raining like cats and dogs. I mean pouring, just pouring - I was like this is not good. I had to run upstairs to my room twice (I needed tissue and something else, can't remember). I come downstairs and my teammates are gone. "Where did they go?" I asked our coach. They went to catch the shuttle. That's what happens when you are the only chick on the team LOL. So I ran out to the shuttle to catch up with my team.
FYI - There were other TNT Coaches and Mooseman Participants doing the Columbia Tri but registered separately. And they did not look stressed (trust me) lol.
It's dark, raining, and that 1 mile seemed like a long ride. The shuttle didn't even drop us off at the front of the park. We got dropped off the corner of the street across from the park. I was like damn I gotta work out before I even get to the transition area. You walk into the transition area and loud is music playing, 100s of people are setting up (which soon turned into the 2000), a commentator is speaking, Meanwhile you are trying to locate your bike you set up the night before (number 1846, number 1846 I said to myself – I found it!). I was overwhelmed, nervous, confused and excited. I pumped air in my tires, tried to set up my transition area in the rain - left some stuff in the bag. I go back to the entrance of the area where my coach is with other Team in Training. My advisor looks calm as hell. I walked back down to my hair. Next thing I know I need my goggles, swim cap, banana nut bar and I am walking to the Port-A-Potty with Coach Jill (she is so happy and excited).
So after using the Port-A-Potty LOL I walked over to the Lake. The closer I got, the more I heard people's conversations, the more my nerves were getting out of control. By the time I got to the lake I was mortified. And yes "they" noticed. Everyone is giving me great advice and encouraging me but I couldn't hear them. I mean I heard them but I just couldn’t absorb the information. My mentor was trying to get my mind off of things, I could barely eat. I had to wait 2 hours 2 freakin’ hours for my wave. You know the 34 – 39 and Athena group. I watched my teammates go into the water wave by wave. I really lost it when I saw the look of fear in Jeremy’s face. I mean this man is a monster when it comes to this stuff. That look was not good…I saw that and my food started coming up.
Finally, they called the women with the Black Caps. I heard my name. The announcer mentioned that I was the highest fundraiser for the NJ Team-In-Training Columbia Team. I'm thinking "I BETTER FINISH THIS RACE." So I gave myself a talking to. Poor Coach Jill she was so trying to cheer me up - I was too much in shock LOL. Now while waiting in the water I saw these 3 guys on the other side of the lake looking confused - that is not a good sign. Next thing you know I am swimming. 1st half I kept up with the pack. 2nd half - I started seeing orange caps, people hanging on the buoys, blue caps, two guys grabbed my ankles and pulled me back, 10 minutes of swimming and not moving (I swear I wasn't moving lol). Finally – remember what my coaches taught you Slow and Steady, Reach, turn your body, breath under your arm pit - "I CAN NOT be pulled out of this water.” 1st buoy, 2nd buoy, 3rd, 4th coming around that mini island I see the dock....I started booking it. I get out the water, I can barely breath, I could barely walk let alone run, disoriented, dazed – I have to get to my bike.