Well........ I had my worst race ever!

This picture of me finishing the swim pretty much sums it up! My last race of the season was supposed to be fast and I was supposed to feel great when I crossed the finish line. See all I had to do was finish in the top 5 to win the overall points standing for my age group; it would have been my second year in a row. I thought for sure this race was a lock despite being sick, I thought I could at least finish 5th, I mean I finished top 3 in almost every race this year! Not exactly what happen……

To keep it short, I had a fairly strong swim, went into the bike leg in 1st or 2nd, then my problems started. I felt like my stomach was in knots, I had a really hard time breathing, it seemed like there was a lot of tension in my chest, whatever it was it slowed me down big time! I got off the bike now in 3rd or 4th and that was that. I watched guys blow past me in the first 400 yards, I had nothing, stomach in knots, chest not clearing, basically I had to back off and put it in cruise control, so I did.

The greatest thing happened in the mist of all my troubles…… I enjoyed just being out there! I knew I was loosing, I knew I probably wouldn’t even finish in the top 10 but I didn’t care, I was burnt out and enjoying the sun, ocean air, and the people I passed as we had our witty one liners to boost each others morale. I realized what my family had been telling me for that past 2 years, it’s just about having fun. I mean you don’t win money, you don’t even get a big trophy or a cool watch, its all about having fun! I have to admit that in my last race of the year I actually had a little bit of fun, I enjoyed not hurting, I enjoyed talking with other people along the run, I enjoyed the bay on one side and the beach and ocean on the other, my family was right!

So to my whole family, thank you, I love you and you are usually right on! But I have to say, that touchy feely shit is for the birds, it wears off when you cross the finish line and see all those guys you usually never see because they are starring at your ass! So next year it’s on! See you all at the bar until then! GO BREAKAWAY!!!!