I am on my road to Kona.
The first station was IM 70.3 triathlon California.
My battle started before the race with some nasty viruses sweeping through California. (This was the prize for that stolen kiss from Brad?!)
I wanted to pull myself together for the race day, so I went for any traditional remediation.
Hungarians are using “palinka” (it is a strong spirit) for almost everything, to kill the viruses.
After the short “shots”, I drank the hot lemon tea with vitamins. Then- as I figured out -for sore and inflammated throat some icing would be great. With great suffer I pushed down some Rocky Road ice creams as well….
On the race morning-despite the controversy remediation- I felt ok, but not ready to emerge into the cold water.
My start was kind of “getwetforhalfanhourandheadoutsoakedwetinthechillymorningwindonthebike”…
On the first 10 minutes of the bike I felt already natural remediation will not help me out after the race. On the first climb I dried up, then I was listening to the wind whistle in my ears…after few minutes I realized it is not the speed but my lungs. My legs had some memories from last year how to tear up those hills, only this time my chasing was not successful: this time, they did not wait for me… L I was tracking 7 strong girls- riding in groups- alone, keeping the 4 minutes that I got in the swim. Actually I was racing all the way alone in no man’s land. Same with the run: I had good legs only not getting closer to the leaders. Luckily I picked up some victims. Usually I could do the math: Take your position after T2, divide by two, and voila: you get your finisher position….So I ended up being 4th, 3 and half minutes from the winner Mirinda Carfrae. Not that bad, but good for nothing….
This year, like every year after the Olympics, is seeing a great invasion: hordes of talented and speedy ITU athletes are shifting for the longer distances. We, the old ones are supposed to show the exit door for them, but some pushy ones still made the entry…L
There was a hell of “after party” : million devils lit a fire in my body. This time I went for the antibiotics, only kept the Rocky Road as a side medication with no side effect so far…
2009 is my Rocky Road to Kona. I hit on 19…
