I'll aim for a full race report in the next week or so, but for now I'll say this: today's race was epic.
I finished with a time of 6:23:10.
Pushing past the physical and mental barriers that I thought I had was uplifting and invigorating. I'll always remember my first big race and despite some pretty intense soreness (although I'm feeling better after a soothing Epsom salt bath) I feel like a million bucks.
Special thanks to a handful of people who had a huge impact on today's race:
- Wife: For her never-ending support during months of training all the way up to race day; I seriously couldn't have done this without her. Despite the thousands cheering today, when she yells out my name, I don't hear anything but her voice which provides a boost of energy that no Clif Shot packs. They should have Ironman medals for "support crew."
- Mom, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa: For their race day support. Only a few grown men will get to meet their grandparents at the finish line after something like this. Mom & Dad, who booked a flight on one week's notice, are the greatest.
- Sis-in-law & BF: Surprised me by coming straight from the airport early this morning and were the first to spot me and yell when I came in from the bike. I am super lucky to have people like this in my life!
- Tri Locos: Maybe the greatest collection of people anywhere; the way the Locos support one another is phenomenal. Whether you need a workout buddy, advice, a gear loan, or just some race day cheers, the Locos will be there. Andrea and her junior Locos (her kids) were even there for body marking this morning. The Locos helped cultivate my budding interest in triathlon into a life-changing experience (with many more to come)! White Lantern (Victor) was my early inspiration into the sport and provided tons of helpful info along the way.
- Black Devil (aka Andres): There are a few other workout partners who have been a big part of my training, but the Devil and I have seen a lot of each other before most people are even awake. It was great to get each of our first 70.3 medals on the same day.
- Coach Tim: Last but not least is the man behind the plan. Coach's workouts helped give me the foundation (physical and mental) that I needed to tackle this huge challenge. More than just giving me a plan, though, he gave me the confidence and advice I needed to succeed. When I debated signing up for this race just nine days ago, he assured me I was ready. While I at first doubted so, he was right. Thanks for believing in me Coach.