Great White North Triathlon: first half Ironman distance July 1, 2012
I still can’t believe that I did a half Ironman distance… I always thought that OD would be my farthest distance because I just thought you had to be crazy to do a half Ironman and even crazier to do a full. I remember sitting in a meeting one day at my office in Banff and a lady from our marketing department had just finished IMC at that point I thought it was an amazing accomplishment and that I would never do triathlons… I guess I was very wrong
July 1, 2012 came very quickly I know that I had done all my training and Hawaii helped so much in this process and all the training I had been doing all year… It is funny how sometimes you start to doubt yourself just before a race, and then you just have to give yourself a slap in the face! As the training has been done and now it is time to go out and have fun with everything that you have trained for.
I had soooooo much support on race day, before race day, during race day. I think I was going a little crazy 2 weeks prior to the race it was like I could not remember things and my focus on everything was soooo short. The day prior to the race I went out with the team and that helped me mentally in a big way everyone was so patient and Leslie Anne (LA) was so supportive telling me where all the aid stations were and making me laugh
It was now race morning and I was very nervous but I managed to eat and I felt very organized and ready. I have a great second coach, my husband Jaison. I really don’t think I could have done this without him he was so incredibly patient and knew what I needed even if I did not…. It was like he was the other side of my brain that morning and weeks prior…. Also having my dad there meant the world he was supportive in other ways and just knowing that he was there helped. My friend Amber knew how to make me laugh and has been an amazing supporter and she will be very honest with me which I greatly appreciate. I just knew that morning that I had so many friends and family thinking of me that I knew I could do this.
It was time to go to the beach it was quite nerve racking one by one everyone going down to the beach and starting all together. I am a strong swimmer so I knew I could do it just needed to breathe. I found LA as I knew where she was starting it was so nice to see her, and of course I was so nervous the tears started… but LA calmed me down and made me breath thank you for that LA your support will never be forgotten! Then my friend Amber turned up and we were able to start together, now I know she could have gone in the middle where she likes to start but she did not she wanted to start with me and that meant the world, what are friends for!
Off the gun went. I stayed on the far left and stayed calm and to my surprise it did not take me long to get into a good pace. I only had one man try to swim over me and the funny thing was he had all the room in the world! So I just started kicking harder and I think that scared him off Second lap, waved at Jaison and my dad I knew I had this in the bag! Second loop was good back into my pace and then I was done the swim.
Then came the bike…. I had no idea that it was raining but unfortunately it was… thank goodness I left a long sleeve shirt in T1. Left T1 and off I went. Once I was out on the road I was being passed left and right so often and then one person passed me on the right, grrrrr. I struggled on this bike ride mentally, at times I felt like I was going know where and I know this is not a hard course. It was pouring rain and I was entering into a negative space. But I was not going to give up. The one thing that got me through the rain was thinking of my friend that is just a little older than me that is battling cancer for the 3 time, she was with me for this whole ride and yes at times I caught myself talking to myself or imagining that she was with me and would not let me give up, I kept telling myself what I was doing was nothing compared to what she was going through and that is what helped me push. I finally got to the turn around, and had to stop to use the outhouse or else I would not make it back, to my surprise there was a line up!
Off I went I was now on my way home and the rain was tapering. Once I could see the town I knew then I could finish this race. As I came near T2 I saw the TTL tent my dad and Jaison were cheering but I could not make eye contact as the tears were not going to come yet Off my bike I got running shoes one and off I went! I felt happy and ready to finish this. I was thankful to know that I had to do this one part of the run twice, thank you TTL! I decided that I would walk through the aid stations and that worked well for me. I have to say that I loved the oranges! I was smiling throughout the run and it was so great to see other TTL team mates along the route. On my way back I said to one of the volunteers I can’t believe that I am going to finish a half Ironman! The end was near and I was smiling and so excited, the last aid station I grabbed some coke that was the best thing ever at that point. I met up with this one lady at the end that I will never forget she lived in near Stony Plain we chatted the whole way in. I could see the TTL tent and I knew I had done it! I could hear lots of wonderful people yelling my name, my dad whistling and having a proud father moment, now I just had to hold it together, Angie yelled out that Jaison was at the corner when I saw Jaison it was a like this overwhelming feeling of happiness and such a surreal moment, a moment that I thought I would never have, but I did Now I am a half Ironman chick!
My goal for this race was to finish and finish healthy with a smile on my face, and I accomplished that. Thank you Angie for being such a fantastic coach through this process I could not have done it without you, I look forward to many more races Now it is on to my next race Calgary 70.3……
Thanks for reading everyone!
Sarah Van Tine
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