June 4th - MOOSE Half Ironman

Photos - Hebron, NH (before the BIG hill and home of best hamburger),Moose village clowning on cots, Mary w/wetsuit and footies, Ken and muddy transition area, Newfound lake, Ken's swim finish, cheerleaders w/ dreadlocks and antlers, Mary bike, Ken bike, Ken run, Mary finish, Ken finish (before me).

After another pasta dinner the previous night and another pancake breakfast at Moose Village that morning, we 4 took off for the race site – this time for Ken and I to complete a half Ironman distance. Ken and I had on the previous day (while Anne and Leigh were out on their bikes) put on our wetsuits and swam. It helped prepare me for Sunday’s swim to know how cold the water was. We also saw it rain all day Saturday, but were not prepared for the numerous lakes in the transition area. Ken needed waders. We just had to accept that everything was going to be muddy and underwater. Off we went – I was in the 2nd wave (why do they put us senior people in front of 34 yr old and under?!!!) You know they are going to swim right over you! One did, but after a cuss word (thank heavens there are no officials swimming beside you or they would disqualify a lot of swimmers coming up for air with an expletive on their breath) I had a good swim and laughed at the Jamaican/dreadlock wig wearing greeters handing out water and Gatorade at the swim finish. Then off to the transition lake. Another athlete was sitting on my plastic sheet. What the frig I thought! She apologized profusely about being in my space. What could I do, but tell her that if I fell on her while removing my wetsuit cause I had to STAND up,she couldn’t complain! Off I went on the bike… out on the road my tire looked flat and I stopped and a young girl looked at it and said it looked good to her and as I rode on – I thought “I am trusting someone I do not even know!” About six miles into the 2 loop course you come to a picturesque town that looks like a movies set/calendar photo for New England – the white church, village green, country store and all. The day before Ken and I went to the store to buy Anne and Leigh some goodies to celebrate their finish. (six pack and chips!) Ken and I ordered a hamburger and it was the BEST hamburger I had ever had! But when I saw this little town I knew the BIG hill was coming and on approaching it I saw a woman dressed as a Devil and she was yelling “Up and Over” Get up and over the hill”. Made me smile even as my legs became pained as I climbed the steep hill. I went very cautiously on my bike as the roads were wet and I do not do well on wet roads. Made it around the first loop, saw Ken whiz by me early on the bike course and was happy to see Leigh and Anne with signs and moose antlers on their heads cheering for us on the bike route. I went by the tire tent and yelled at the person manning it and asked if my tire looked low. YES he said and thinking he would pump mine up, I stopped, but he had the tire off, another one on and me back on my bike with him pushing me off before I could say “Mooseman”. Went “UP and Over” the hill again, passed a girl who yelled at me for saying “left” to her (she must have been having a bad time) and after stopping and having trouble with my gears, using the bathroom and stopping at mile 50 to discuss Moose sightings with the aid station crew. I was ready to be off the bike, why is the last few miles so hard! At the transition area I was met by another athlete saying to me “are you JUST now going out on the run?” Yes I said with my best southern smile and in my head I was screaming “*&^@#%&*y you pompous tri guy you!” I enjoyed the run, because it was beautiful along the lake and I could see the buoys that I had swum around and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. One man I passed asked me if the marking of the smiley face on my leg was legal.
I did the half just a few minutes slower than I ran the Nashville county Music half marathon so I knew I had not exerted much energy on the bike – but to finish is to win! (I am proud to say I won as being the VERY LAST person on the bike)
And I finished! And so did Ken and we have the medals to prove it!

Recap

Long time in coming but here is what happened in New England heading to the MOOSE MAN and at the MOOSE MAN June 3rd and 4th-
After leaving Louisville at 6 am (that is Leigh, Anne and Ken all awake and ready to go) We arrived in Boston to sunny and WARM weather. We walked around and looked at the beautiful flowers, the swan boats in the Commons lake, old buildings and ate at Cheers bar. Leigh saw a city dog walker - we thought we had lost her for good - did she give him her resume? We tried to find Walden's pond and they must have drained it because we never found it. We walked around the harbor in Salem and saw the "Bewitched" (TV show) statue. We spend the night in a small town in NH and awoke to COLD RAIN. We headed to Bristol, NH and arrived at Moose Village. Moose Village was actually a girls camp and left a lot to be desired, no heat! But we were given “linens” or as we call them in KY – sleeping bags! After a pasta dinner at the camp’s mess hall we slept all warm on our cots. Anne and Leigh got their gear ready the night before the race and were ready to go on Sat. morning. They were not the least bit nervous. The got their bikes and gear in the transition area and then got marked with their numbers, age and smiley faces (smiley faces show you are from KY and know Susan B. Cox-National ranked triathlete and coach). Ken and I huddled around them on the Newfound lake beach before they walked over to their swim wave and said a little prayer. I teared up as they walked away. Leigh told Anne to put her face in the water to get used to it! The lake was cold and they wore full wetsuits. They had a very strong and fast swim and then were on their bikes- and the rain came, and it came and it came. (Best $7 I have ever spend was on a rain poncho at the expo!). Leigh and Anne were amazing to have done their very first International distance triathlon in the conditions that abounded at the MOOSEMAN. Ken and I waited for them at the 1 mile marker on the run. Later Anne told us when we asked about the hills on the bike course (there was a huge steep one and many many more hills!) that because Leigh did not have a "granny" gear on her bike that Anne did not go into her "granny" gear, so she could experience the hill climbs like her twin had to. So sweet! And what an accomplishment they both achieved to have completed the MOOSE MAN!
More details on Ken and Mary's race and the group's trip to Maine.