New York feeling

This morning was gorgeously cool after an early morning rain shower. The weather felt like the luscious weather we would get in New York and what began my love of running, cool and crisp. Now, I want apples and pumpkins and everything Fall.

Sometimes you have to let things go

Rooster has a new owner. I thought I would be more upset, but I'm actually happy. It is knowing that I have a fast new ride that has opened up new possibilities and that Rooster's new owner, who has already been seen around town on him, will get so much use out of him. I'm excited that Rooster will help introduce someone else to this sport I've gained so much from. I still have the great races I've ridden on Rooster, e.g. IM Switzerland, Eagleman, etc. and am looking forward now. I feel like Rooster has gone away to college.

the run

... the run was all that I faced now and I knew it was an out and back and would have to see R at some point. I was anxious to see how he was doing and started out on my run feeling good. My legs felt great and not brickish at all they felt light from the get go, and so I began - steady eddy. I grabbed some corn chips at the first rest stop and continued on. Then I saw it, the hill. I didn't realize how hilly the route was going to be, but faced it head on and took it one step at a time. I made it up the hill running and looked for R. The field was pretty quiet at this point, and I continued to look for R thinking I would see him by now. I was approaching the turn around and then I saw him, I knew all was good and seeing him inspired me to run even faster. It took me awhile to catch him, because running "faster" in an ironman isn't as fast as it feels, but I did catch up. We began the break down of how we felt. R said he was involved in a crash on the bike course but he and the bike came out okay. I was doing well all around I said but was starting to get tired. "Keep going" he encouraged me and I figured I better get going while the going was good. I finished the first of three loops and felt pretty good but was just beginning to feel slightly nauseous. I saw K with R and the big Texas flag and the rest of my fam and friends at the turnaround and waved. I was still amazed at my time and knew I just needed to stay the course. I did know that I was starting to slow down and my run was beginning to turn into a run - walk. I tried not to get too down knowing how much lean way I had in my time to reach my goal. At some point R caught back up to me and asked me how I was doing. I'm feeling nauseous I told him and he said that he drank coke and that made him feel better so I hit that at the next rest stop. I also started walking with a woman who was on her first lap and we talked a lot, which was really nice. She gave me one of her salt tabs and I was feeling somewhat better, but not the self that had hopped of the bike. The second lap was down and I knew I just needed one more lap and at this point was still close to coming in at 12hrs 30 min. I drank coke at the stops and grabbed a bit of food, but still had not gone to the bathroom at this point I thought nothing of it. After I made the turn and knew I just had four miles to the finish I was beginning to feel a little headier, but par for the course. "You just have to finish" I encouraged myself and continued on. I then began to feel light-headed and focused on just getting to the next rest stop. I have a history of panic attacks and figured that was what I was having so, when I got to the rest stops I told one of the girls there I was feeling light headed. They suggested I sit down and gave me water. I sat and drank water and gatorade probably 4 - 1 for awhile until I started to feel better. I also ate a couple of gels and took another salt tab. I sat there for over an hour and had begun to walk circles around the rest stop to make sure I was feeling better before heading out. "You would have probably already finished by now the amount you've walked around the rest stop" one of them told me. "I know I said and I'm worried that my family is worried" I said back. "They probably are worried but you need to do what you need to do." I can do this I thought and was building up confidence. One of the rest stop workers said she would ride her bike next to me to the finish if that made me feel better and I said "yes". I headed out walking holding my cup gaze focused straight ahead determined to finish and we talked along the way. Finally not too much longer and I saw the finish in my sight. "Mary Keith Trawick from Austin Texas and is that a cup of coffee in her hand? She even had time to stop at Starbucks." I finished and not in my goal time, but I finished, found my family who said they were worried by just glad I finished and we walked to triage where R was at. I sat on a cot and they asked me how I felt. I told them I was nauseous and they offered me some broth which was chunky and made me feel worse, so I just laid down. They took my temp and said it was 93, so they but some warm water bottle around me and blankets and then came back to see how I was doing. "I'm still nauseous" I said. Well all I can offer you is a nausea pill or shot. I shook my head okay and took the pill. A little while later they came back by and asked me how I felt. "I'm still nauseous." I said. "Well would you like the shot?" I looked at my mom and then nodded yes.

I don't remember anything after that. My Mom tells me that she helped me go to the bathroom and then loaded me in the car with the two of us in the back. She said I was sitting on the edge of the seat and gripping the seat in front of me, not saying much. As we were driving back to the hotel I let out a weird animal-like noise, threw my head back and started shaking and vomiting. Then I was out and she couldn't wake me. They immediately drove me to the hospital after finding a taxi to ask where the nearest location of one. My Mom said they saw me in ER and immediately recognized what I had as hyponatremia and my sodium count when they took a blood sample was 116 (normal is above 137-according to the doctor what happened in the car was a seizure due to low sodium), so they began pumping potassium chloride and sodium into me, 5 bags worth just in ER. They performed a catscan on me and determined all was okay there and only at that point did my parents say they felt I would be okay. I was still unconscious, but moved to another floor. The next day I was completely out of it still and would open my eyes and look around but not respond to anybody around me. All of this happened on Saturday night and I didn't consciously wake up until Monday morning. Needless to say, I was shocked to be in the hospital.

Vineman Ironman Breakdown

Vineman Ironman, my second Ironman, this time in the United States. I was excited about this one and much less nervous having experienced the distance before. We had a nice drive from Texas to Windsor (just north of San Francisco) with stops at Balmorhea, El Paso, Lordsburg, Los Angeles, Big Sur, and Berkley along the way, I was looking forward to the drive out there as well. Now to say I was less nervous does not mean the nerves were not there, I just remembered I had trained for this and was ready so I really just needed to enjoy it. My goal was to finish and try and come in with a better time than last time.
We had to get up early in order to make it to the start in time as it was about an hour drive from our hotel to the start in Guernville, CA and we still needed to rack our bikes and get set up. We woke up around 4 AM and robotically went through all we needed. Groggy, we met up with R's Mom and my Mom who were both pert and excited for us. How fabulous to have support and not only that but to have them excited for us. Spectating was not going to be easy either. Spectating shift number 2 was going to bring then coffee to help keep the engines going. We made it to the starting area and started the ritual of setting up our bikes. My Mom volunteered to body mark which ever since her experience at Eagleman she has loved to do. "I never realized what you guys did in transition until I body marked. It is so interesting the different ways you guys lay things out, etc." my Mom said. It is nice for me to have her in transition as well. I missed having her body mark me this time as I didn't see her before someone else got to me first. It made me recall my first communion when I missed her giving me that as well, the same look crossed her face when she saw I had already been body marked. I was sad too.
I set my kit up. "Your bike is the one with the orchid, remember," my Mom pointed out to me. Mental note: great idea for next race, bring a marker for my bike area. I made one more bathroom stop looked for R hoping to wish him good luck before the start but couldn't find him. I headed to my start which was ten minutes after his and got into the water treading the water and trying to push my anxieties out. "10 seconds to the start, " the announce. I look at the girls around me then straight ahead. And then we are off. I sense my breathing is quick and bring it down with my arm strokes, slowly breathing out, taking long arm strokes. The water makes me feel at home and I begin to relax. One step at a time. I can do this. The swim is two laps and I complete the first one no problem. We are beginning to catch up to people in the groups that started ahead of us and are clogging up a bit. The guy next to me whoops me in the eye with his hand knocking my goggle off. I stop for a sec to put my goggle back on and check all is okay. I swim for a minute seeing how I feel. I know I'm okay but shaken up a little. This will not stop me. We round the last buoy and are on the home stretch as I see the shore where we get out the roar of the crowd keeps getting louder, it makes me smile. I pull myself out of the water feeling like the swamp thing and look around. I see wet suit strippers to my excitement and they get me out of my wet suit super fast. Now look for the orchid and my bike. I see my Mom who points me to the aisle and I start to get my gear together (banana in mouth, wipe as much rock and dirt off of feet as I can, put on biking shoes, put on jersey, try to get on arm warmers but find it difficult with wet arms) and I'm off. I see people walking up the first hill and remember the hills Dr. Toughlove and I climbed back and Austin and know I can climb it with no trouble. I dart up it and feel good. The weather is crisp and I'm glad I have my arm warmers on, I'm loving this part of it. We ride through the vineyards and rolling hills. About 20 miles into the ride my chain falls off when I'm going from small to large chain ring, but I hop off fix it and get back on with not much time lost. At this point, I'm having the time of my life and feeling good. I chat with all the riders I come across and at the rest stops am able to make the water exchange with no problem (in Galveston 2008 I missed the hand up and have been nervous about it ever since). The weather has started to heat up and I remove my arm warmers. I take time to look around and enjoy the scenery at many points during the ride. While I'm riding a Suburban full of people cheering goes by hanging out with a video camera. I realize they are filming one of the guys near me and decide to speed up and catch him. "I wanted to catch up to you to make you look bad on film." I joke with him. He smiles back. "Is that your family?" I ask. "Yes," he responds. " They are the best cheerleaders." I tell him. "Is this your first Ironman?" I ask. "Yes, " he says. "Good luck, with a crew like that I know you will do well." I move ahead of him some, and see his support crew zoom ahead of me as they film and drive ahead repeatedly. We develop our own rapport as I cheer at them "you guys rock and are the best cheerleaders ever." They cheer back at me each time they see me, "you are amazing!" It keeps me going and the time flies by on this 112 mile bike. I feel great, my legs fresh and no saddle sores that have plagued me in the past. The Scott is doing great. I pull into transition and see my family and friends cheering and I feel uplifted. I look at my watch and realize that I can easily beat my time from last year, only 7 hours have gone by at this point giving me 6 hours to complete my marathon and still come in before my previous time. to be continued ...

Hood to Coast Pics from Andrea

may be found here.