A few quick notes from the Other Side...

Well - its done! Its been 'dided', so to speak. And at times it was GREAT, and at times it was SUPERHARD. But I did it, and I'm happy. It's over, its done...and I did the best that I could - which in the end is all you can ask for.

A few quick notes...

- I am done with Ironman. Hello Short Course! I like the idea of being done racing before noon. Ten am for supershort! races.

-Then again, I will NOT make any of the following decisions for the next two, maybe three weeks: financial, race, body (ie piercing/tatoo), pet, car, or anything involving the sport or massive amounts of money.

- Thank God for: Sunscreen, volunteers, ice, sandals, pizza, aloe vera, wonderful support from family and friends, volunteers, not being eaten by a shark, ice cream, and beer. Not in that order. Oh, and compression socks, Motrin, and body glide. Seriously.

- In an effort to get a head start before my ankles, my hands started swelling around mile 15 or 16 of the run. I wasn't too concerned. I think that's concerning.

- I still believe the CDA start is way way way worse than the Kona swim start. At least I had open water and didn't get clobbered - too much.

- Nope - I didn't have a mechanical issue on the bike; I just biked a heckuva lot slower than I thought I would. But in the end, it didn't matter because I finished. AND I stuck to my heart rate and kept my nutrition down. I would happily spend an extra 20 minute on the bike and NOT throw up with every gel/water/carbopro and go faster. Trust me.

- I think Kona and Hawaii is beautiful. And whenever it got tough, I would look at the ocean and think how absolutely lucky I am to be doing something that I love and so few have the opportunity to experience.

- Tradewinds really CAN blow you across the entire traffic lane. But it wasn't as bad as I had prepared myself for.

- I was THIS CLOSE to clobbering a little kid for her snow cone. Some gigantic monstrosity that had multiple colors and flavors, and was filled with about 5 pounds of crushed ice. She was lucky. And had there been no one else around - I would have so stolen it.

- Though she could have outsprinted me. I AM taller though, so I just would have held it really really high.

- It doesn't seem to matter the Ironman, I WILL cry while running towards the finish line.

-I think I saw the green flash at sunset from about 2 miles out from the finish while running down the Queen K. Highway. The sinking sun was beautiful, and I could have sworn that there was a briefest green flash just as it dipped below the horizon. Then again, I was 138.6 miles into my race, and probably delusional.

- Nothing can or ever will compare to treading water before the start and listening to the conch shells blow, hearing the Hawaiian drums beating and waiting for the cannon to blow. It is something that I will always and forever remember. And it still gives me chills.

- I heard Mike Reilley say my name after I crossed the finish. This time I was listening.

- I told Nathaniel that I would NEVER sprint to finish and IM...but .... when I entered the chute I saw another girl from my age group and I just felt the urge. So I went...and ended up beating her. Not like it matters after 11 hours and 27 minutes. However. I like to think my short-course instincts are returning. So there.

- I got passed my a million people in the first hour of the bike. And then another 500,000 in the next hour. Oh well. But I didn't get a drafting penalty.

- BUT - I was really really annoyed at #1136. Constant drafting. And every time she would re-pass me, she was on someone elses wheel. I kept my mouth shut, because I didn't want to let her affect my mood (which I tried to keep upbeat as much as possible). But seriously.

- When someone tells you on mile 2 of the run that "You're looking GREAT!", they lie. And I will call you out on your lie. Even if you are my husband.

- I really enjoyed seeing my friends and training partners out on the race - we did it! YEA!

- I have no idea how long my race report will be. There are parts that I want to remember and some things I would rather forget. But that's Ironman.

- It was hot. Humid. Windy. And everything I expected Hawaii to be!

- I thought of my incredible family, friends, and support every time I crossed a timing mat. But I didn't cry. Not until the end. And I even though of you guys during the race. So there. THANKS!