Daybreak!

NOTE: I'll be adding a finish line pic as soon as they're up, and I'm sure everyone knows this, but you can click on any picture to make it bigger/more detailed

Nice to wake up at 5:15am in my own bed and drive 20 minutes to the race site. Had my traditional PB&J (natural of course) on my own whole wheat bread, took an Endurolyte and started the 24oz of water I'd drink over the next 3 hours before the race. Transition was already pretty dark and crowded when I got there at 6:00, but I found a spot to squeeze in toward the top where I wanted.
Swim - so with no open water swim option available because of the stupid roundworm they found in the lake, we swam in a little 3 lane wide pool. Swam all of 3 lengths, took me about a minute (didn't really see the point but it was kind of fun). Slid on the running shoes and ran a mile along some paved trails around the lake to transition. It was fun to see my kids and husband outside the pool. They tried to stay with me for a bit but pushing a trailer with 3 kids, Daddy didn't stand much of a chance...hehe. I was sooo glad to have them here today and always though! 9:20 swim/run to T1

So uh, check this guy out in transition. I feel a little creeped out after seeing this pic on the camera. Hopefully he's just observing a good transition...? 0:39 T1

I ran that mile hard went through transition quickly, hopped on my bike more cautiously than I like out of some lingering fear from the injury, and took off. I knew I was the lead woman at this point (felt good to hear a spectator inform me of that), and I've been practicing on that course so I felt prepared. I knew I needed to push and stay ahead and felt confident doing it. I was pretty much out of breath though from the start of the race to the bike turnaround 30 minutes in. Ok, really it was hard the whole time including the run. Wonderful to get to the bike turnaround because then it was downhill the whole way back, we of course had a headwind to ride into though. Oh well. 34:59 bike
Another quick transition, 0:32 T2 got to see my parents (which meant a lot because my dad is pretty sick), and took off on the run. My form never felt great, I felt tired, I was just running as fast as my body would let me to try to hold onto what lead I had. I was ready to be done by the end and was grateful to not be doing Olympic! Sorry and good job to my friends that did go Oly. 20:54 run
I did end up winning which was lots of fun. Do I wish there was better competition there? You betcha. But only being 5 minutes behind the male winner and almost 5 minutes ahead of the 2nd place lady helps secure my confidence. I only got a medal and pack of hair products from a local salon. Probably worth $50, and I don't want to sound ungrateful at all, but I uh, never really do my hair and the 1st overall man and woman in olympic got $200 to a local resturaunt. I would've been much happier with cash or a bike/run shop gift card. Oh well. I did get a pretty purple flower lei. Final Time 1:06.23
The blue arrow is to show you the back of my top. I Love it! I'm vain, it's true :)

Got to talk with lots of nice friends and hang with the family. As I was leaving a friend told me he overheard someone saying that "if so and so were here that girl (me) wouldn't have won". Really hurt. I know I should ignore it, but it just made me sad. I ride a fairly crappy bike, don't have an aero (fast) helmet, just got out of a boot 6 weeks ago, and I still can't get some respect? Just bumed me out.
Those were my words earlier today to some friends. Now you know what I have to say? I ride a low end 9 year old bike, don't have a fancy helmet, just got out of a boot that kept me immobile for 9 weeks and guess what? I showed up and I won. I put the training in and raced today like so many others, and gosh darn it, I earned my hair product -
so there! ;)

Thanks to my photog genious Heidi for the great action shots! I was so focused however that I didn't even know she was there. That makes a good photographer, right? ;)