clearwater or bust!

I am getting so excited about Clearwater 2009. I did this race in 2006, the inaugural year and swore I'd never go back. Why? Drafting. Draftfest. The drafting was so horrible that it made Eagleman and Ironman Florida look.... like there was no drafting. Now, in those 2 races drafting is truly a choice. I had never been in a race where it was not a choice. At Clearwater 2006 drafting was forced.

The bike course that year was a good one, don't get me wrong. I think they played it smart using the inner lanes of the highway (or whatever road it was called). This way the local traffic had the outside lanes and could enter and exit as desired.

Once the drafting began however you were truly trapped. TRAPPED. If you moved to the right, you were in bumper to bumper traffic. People were riding four abreast. If you tried to slow down, there were 60 people behind you and you could not. I rode an easy 2:25 in my bullhorns. It was rediculous.

I chose to go again this year because I hope that has changed. After disaster after disaster in 2008 I wanted to set myself a goal for 2009 that would pull me out of the crash pattern I was in. Even though I crashed my bike weeks before Longhorn 70.3 I was able to complete the race, slowly and grabbed a roll down spot to Clearwater. And then I took some time off and healed.

I am now.... getting itchy. I have not done one single speedwork session since before the Musselman, but I was warned of that. I have been back in the weight room, back in zone 1, back to focusing on dropping pounds. Next week there is no speedwork either. Now I have my histogram, I know exactly when it starts, how it will flow and I am beginning to get a little itchy for it.

I am itchy for running speedwork. Note this, as I have dropped pounds my runs have gotten faster (wished I would have shown that off on Sunday ratehr than have myself a little party....) That will all come, and there is a plan and I trust my coach and my plan more than anything in the world.

Good things come to those who wait.

Remember the psycho girl form the Musselman? Well the best part of her is that I have made a whole slew of friends from Syracuse, and many whom are going to be in Clearwater!!!! I didn't know so many locals (well, just a town over) were going to be there!!!!!

We've already begun to plan the Saturday night extravaganza. Kristen R. promised me we could split a beer. I can finally tell Matt M. Curt has a man crush on him (sorry Ryan). I met a great gal on Sunday who was in Clearwater 2006 and will be there again this year!

And this is where the best part of this sport shines through. The people. The feeling like every race is a family reunion..... our kind of family reunion. While we all just met recently there is a feeling and a connection that feels like it has been there for years.

Not only are the locals going but each week another one of my national buds seems to grab a slot. And I am going to be absolutely catching up with them, I haven't seen many and haven't met many in ages.

There is just something about this sport that is unlike any other. The hugs we exchange at the end of the race all sweaty and skanky. The laughs we share over a crazy swim start or bike course greetings, or who did what on the run. Those are the memories I treasure so much more than a place or a time. So much more.

While I will be targeting a certain time, while I will be gearing up to have my very own best day there..... I will be cheering for all the incredible people that I know. Kristen R. told me of how she fractured her pelvis a few years ago and was unable to travel to Kona to compete. Another friend was hit by a car last year...... we all bring our own horror stories, our stories of perseverance and grit.

And we made it. We will make it and we will continue to make it.

The last time I was at that post race dinner on the beach I was with really, really wonderful friends. And I will be again this year!

YEAH! Now bring on that run!