This is the race the you read about and think "That will be great! Little short 375m ocean swim, a short 1.5 mile run, normal 12m bike, the same short run again, and another quick swim to cool off at the end- EASY!" That's what I thought, given my love for swimming in the ocean and my dread of racing during a run. I love to bike, so there couldn't be enough of that. Truly this race seemed to be made just for me, since the run is split into two small pieces and I would get to swim twice!
Last year as I raced this race for the first time, I learned that it's not as easy as it seems! There are little chunks of difficulty that are lurking around every corner. I didn't foresee the blazing heat of the entirely unshaded course or fighting the waves that hit my thighs after the sandbar snuck up on me at the end of the swims, or running uphill after each swim to the transition area or to the finish line! After you make it through the second run and get your cap on for the final swim, how tough is it to then run down the beach to the second swim start? How can one mile-and-a-half be different from another mile-and-a-half? I can assure you that the mile-and-a-half runs during this race are the longest on the planet. They didn't highlight that part in the race description! During 2010's race I thought "Why on earth did I choose this one? Not next year!" But when registration opened up in January and I was feeling sluggish and the jeans felt tight, so I signed up again.
BUT remember: I took my new attitude! PERSPECTIVE! I am doing this for so many good reasons. I want to have fun! I want to enjoy my time! I want to be healthy. I want to be around for and set a good example for my children. And I want to make something out of it- I WANT TO HELP BABIES IN KENYA!
So this is how the race went: Swim was awesome. Thought to myself the whole time- they MUST have shortened the course, and thank the stars for this rockin' current. The run up the beach was a killer. Run to the bike= tolerable. Bike= True love! Hootin' and Hollerin' at my mentor and encouraging others along the way. 2nd run= hello miserable heat and hello patellar tendonitis. People I passed all along the bike course crept up on me and took me over. But then there were the residents of Kure Beach out there spraying their hoses to cool us down. I ran right for them and made sure to thank each one of them with a smile. I got to T4, threw off my shoes, and ran down the beach to the swim start, thankful for the beautiful water waiting for me. Great final swim (couldn't possibly have been 375 meters!) and again the best part: husband and kids at the finish. My 3rd son Baines crossed the line with me, and we promptly flopped down in the sand. I did it again.
And this is what the new attitude did for me that day: I took 4 1/2 minutes off last year's time. YES! See you next year, Kure Beach!
