THIS WAS THE MONTH OF LARGE LIVING AND NO REGRETS. FINISH THE 50 STATES AT DES MOINES WITH 65 PRECIOUS FRIENDS:
FOLLOWED A BY WHIRLWIND OF GET HOME -DO LAUNDRY- TAKE A BIKE RIDE -A SWIM AND HEAD OUT TO IRONMAN FLORIDA IN PANAMA CITY.
WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE A CONDO WITHIN EYESHOT AND EARSHOT OF THE VOMATRON ( MAKE THAT A AN I) THRILL ATTRACTION. WELCOME TO THE REDNECK RIVERIA !
WHO KNEW WHAT RICH CULTURE EXISTED IN THE PANHANDLE. IF YOU LIKE WAFFLE HOUSE-THIS IS YOUR VACATION SPOT.
THE BEACHES WERE SPECTACULAR AND THE STATE PARK WAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN FLORIDA. PRE RACE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED BUYING WARM GEAR AND GLOVES FROM THE HALLOWEEN SECTION AND A DEER DEAR BLANKET AT THE BIG BOX STORE WITH A W IN THE NAME. THE WEATHER LOOKED…..GRIM.
TRICK OR TREAT- OOPS NO TREAT FOR THE IRONPEOPLE
I WAS THRILLED WITH THIS THICK AND WARM DEER BLANKET THAT WAS ONLY $6.96
WE EVEN SAW REAL DEER WHILE RIDING THE RUN ROUTE
YES I TOOK THIS PIC !
THE STATE PARK WHERE THE RUN TURNAROUND WAS LOCATED WAS A GEM OF A PLACE.
WE EVEN SAW AN 8 MEMBER DOLPHIN POD RIGHT HERE:
CARBS WERE LOADED, WEATHER WAS CHECKED COMPULSIVELY FOR A FEW DAYS AND HOLY MOLY IT LOOKED LIKE A DOOZY OF A DAY.
RACE DAY THE TEMPS WERE IN THE LOW 40’S WITH HIGH WINDS AND BIG WATER.
AT THE LAST SECOND THE SWIM WAS CANCELLED. A SAFETY KAYAK HAD BEEN SWEPT A MILE OUT ON A RIPTIDE AND NEEDED COAST GUARD RESCUE. OOOPS.
WE WAITED FOR A FEW HOURS TO START THE 112 MILE BIKE RIDE THREE SOULS AT A TIME. IT TOOK AWHILE AS THERE WERE ABOUT 2700 SOULS. I KEPT TELLING MYSELF WE ALL WERE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS. DEBBIE WAS A BIKE CREW WORKER SO WE PASSED THE TIME GETTING TO KNOW THE OTHER RACERS ON THE OLD LADY RACK.
THE LAST THING I SAID TO DEBBIE WAS “THIS RIDE IS GOING TO TAKE 7 HOURS.
HOW ABOUT THAT ? IT DID.
I SHIVERED HARD FOR THE FIRST MILES EVEN THOUGH I HAD 5 LAYERS ON.
EVERYTHING ON THE BIKE TOOK A LONG TIME- JUST FROZEN UP AND RELENTLESS WINDS.
SLOW SHIFTING. SLOW PEDALING, SLOW DRINKING, SLOW EATING, SLOW FILLING BOTTLES, VERY SLOW PEDALING, SLOW SPECIAL NEEDS , THROWING A CHAIN, STOPPING FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, PEDALING BACK TO TOWN. THERE WAS A TAIL WIND…… FOR EXACTLY 3 MILES.
GOT BACK TO TOWN AROUND DINNER TIME AND WAS INFORMED IN THE CHANGING AREA THAT MY RUN SUNGLASSES WERE NOT NEEDED…. IT WAS GETTING DARK. OH BOY ! A NIGHT RUN IN THE COLD, WIND AND DARK. WHOPEEE DO WE KNOW HOW TO PARTY OR WHAT.
DEBBIE PASSED HER DAY BY DOING 2 WINDY WALKS AND 2 GALE FORCE BIKE RIDES TO HAVE FULL EMPATHY FOR THE IRONFOLKS. IN ADDITION TO WORKING THE BIKE RACKS SHE PICKED ALL THE TRASH IN THE TRANSITION AREA, WHAT A GAL. I WAS SO SAD SHE DID NOT GET A RACE DAY THRILL AND TRY OUT THE VOMATRON GET AN AIRBRUSH T SHIRT OR A FEW BODY PIERCINGS.
DEBBIE MOLONEY IRON VOLUNTEER
THE SPECTATOR SIGN THAT SUMMED UP THE DAY WAS:
MOTHER NATURE IS A WHORE
I SAW THAT AT THE END OF THE BIKE RIDE AND DID NOT KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY. SHE WAS VERY IMMORAL THAT DAY. I JUST KEPT LAMENTING THE 4 MONTH TRAINING BLOCK DONE IN THE FLORIDA INFERNO. WAIT A MINUTE…… THIS IS NOT THE RACE I SIGNED UP FOR !!!!
THE GOLDEN RULE OF IRONMAN IS ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT THE DAY BRINGS- WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. THERE IS ONLY ONE THING YOU CAN CONTROL ON IRONDAY AND THAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE. THANK YOU MIKE REILLY FOR THAT PEARL.
STARTING THE RUN I WALKED TO FIND BROTH, PRETZELS AND ANYTHING SALTY TO EXIT THE VERY DIZZY MODE AND RETURN TO JUST PLAIN DAZED AND COLD MODE. IT WORKED. THE MILES PASSED. THE SUN SET OVER THE GULF, ANGELS AND SAINTS STAYED UP LATE INTO THE NIGHT TO SHOW US THE WAY AND PASS OUT CHIPS, BROTH AND COKE. SOON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WERE CLOSE, THE MANTRA OF I NEVER WANT TO DO ANOTHER IRONMAN EVER!!!! WAS REPLACED WITH “WHERE IS THAT COZY DEER BLANKET ?”
I HEARD THE DISTINCT DEBBIE WHISTLE ECHOING AND I CROSSED THE LINE FOR THE 18TH TIME. THIS DAY TOOK A PIECE OF MY SOUL. HOWEVER, CROSSING THAT LINE IS ONE OF THE MOST MAGICAL EXPERIENCES IN LIFE AND SPORTS. HOW FORTUNATE AND BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THOSE WONDERFUL WORDS AFTER A LONG DAY OUT IN THE ELEMENTS “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”.
SOME ANGELS WRAPPED ME UP LIKE A BURRITO IN A SPACE BLANKET AND TIED THE DEER BLANKET UNDER MY CHIN LIKE A BABUSHKA. I FELT THAT DEER BLANKET SAVED MY LIFE. WE QUICKLY FOUND A WARM CONDO, A BATH AND LEFTOVER PIZZA.
WHAT DID I LEARN ?
**ANYTHING OVER 5 HOURS RACE TIME THAT MIGHT INVOLVE A BATHING SUIT WITH A NOVEMBER DATE IS A QUESTIONABLE CHOICE. NO MATTER WHERE THE LOCATION.
**TRAINING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A HOT DOG EATING CONTEST FOR 4 MONTHS IN THE FLORIDA SUMMER IS REALLY TOUGH STUFF. THERE IS SOME NEW CHARACTER HERE AND SHE SAYS SHE WANTS LOTS OF COOKIES, BEER AND ICE CREAM.
**DEER BLANKETS ARE THE BEST INVENTION EVER.
**MOTHER NATURE……. SHAME ON YOU
**I MADE A CHOICE TO FINISH 50 STATES AND DO AN IRONMAN AND THE 50 STATES WEEKEND GOT THE BEST MOJO AND THAT IS JUST FINE.
**HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN.
MY 42 YEAR FRIENDSHIP WITH DEE R IS STRONGER THAN EVER AFTER A GREAT WEEKEND AT THE TRI ROCK CLEARWATER.
THAT IS SAND NOT SNOW
WE DID NOT CATCH THE 7 MIN/MILE GAL BUT LOOKED GOOD TRYING
GREAT ACTION PHOTO BY SHERPA OF THE YEAR ANN K.
(ANN IN THE MIDDLE)
TIME TO GO ROCK THE SPACECOAST MARATHON AND RUB THE LAMP WITH JEANNIE AND MICHELE V.
WHAT WOULD YOUR THREE WISHES BE ?
ACCEPTANCE DOESN’T MEAN RESIGNATION,
IT MEANS UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETHING IS WHAT IT IS
AND THERE’S GOT TO BE
A WAY THROUGH IT.
-M.J FOX
DON’T DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
DARE TO BE YOURSELF.
IF THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU DIFFERENT
THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG.
-LAURA BAKER
GET OUT AND PLAY AND MAKE IT GREAT.
LOVE TO ALL
NW
Nanadventure 
what a remarkable demonstration of courage strength and faith. Congratulations to you and your wonderful support system.
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