Nancy Larson's Ironman Race Report

What a journey this has been, I started this sport 5 years ago with Patty as my coach. I didn’t know how to swim, my bike was ok, and my run needed a lot work. She hung in there with me and created “Ironman”.

Swim: I was within 5 minute of my goal. I swam inside and outside the buoys to get clear water,” no such luck” I came around to the first big buoy, it was like a fish caught in a net, “Then out of no where, a huge man swam right over me and I was totally under the water. I found myself analyzing arms strokes and watching a gal get one of her Ocean seven bootie pulled off “she is going to be pissed”.” (Yes, I did spend some time under the water). Finally I surfaced,” wow!!! That was fun. I just love this combat swimming.

T1 Stripper ripped off my wetsuit in record time, this should be my best time, I have it all planed out. I will grab my bag from the volunteers and all I had to do is put on my shoes and helmet …I grab my bag from the volunteers, I ran around the men to women’s tent, I put my bag down and to my horror! It was not my bag! Damn it!!!! I had to go back for my bag, so goes, my well laid plan.

Bike: Bike was uneventful, “well, maybe a little”, I rode by Kristin and she was having heart rate problems, I told her to forget it, I was not looking at mine right now because it would scare me. I told myself I would keep a nice easy pace, like 17 miles per hour, until the wind kicked up, “there goes that thought”, I came down on one of the many, many, many hills, when the wind caught me and I did a "Mary Poppins"
Oh, my god! This is going to hurt”. But, to my surprise I came down like a well executed machine. Back on my way I went, wiping the sweat off my brow and fighting the wind all the way, I was in and out of my aero bars, cursing every minute and saying to myself, there goes your time , then I told myself quit whining your an Ironman!!! (Still, it doesn’t stop me from doing just a little whining)...All things considered, I was very happy with my time.

T2: Got off my my bike ran to my bag in lightning speed, this time, I made sure it it was my bag.

Run: I ran out of the tent, and didn’t stop, I ran by Marty and George, my support staff and they proceed to inform me “I must run faster” my competitor was just ahead of me” (what! I thought I was running fast), I told them my legs are in control now; the rest of me is going for the ride.

I got so much encouragement, from my husband who put “ you must run faster” on the reader board (don’t you just love your support staff) and to Brad, when he saw me doing my 30 sec walk and he said to me, keep running, I yell back OK Brad, as I watch him walking away. And from Paul, you look good!! Keep going and so did he, and from Bill, Nancy- you look good but you need to eat something, what? Eat something. After that I didn’t think I stopped eating…thanks Bill!!! Those are thing that keeps you going. Because the last 6 miles of run are toughest of all

Ironman will underestimate past hardship and prepare you to minimize those to come. It makes dreams come true. You have what it takes to bridge aspiration into accomplishments. Crossing the finishing line embraces self: confidence, sacrifice and self worth. Finishing makes you your own hero.

To all of RTB teammates you are my heroes.