It's over...it's finally over.

Final thoughts: If you’re still reading this, you deserve a Finisher’s Award, too. Despite my best efforts at not putting a time expectation on myself, I did have some vague goals in mind. I wanted to be right around an hour on the swim, right around 7 on the bike and under or at 5 on the run. I didn’t quite get to all of those goals, but considering the conditions and the circumstances, I am proud of my race. I do know that it was the best I could do on that day. I conquered my own demons and my body. I pushed through when I had to and was able to stay relaxed through most of it. Most impressive – I didn’t even cry when I finished. (Anyone that knows me will also know that that’s as large a feat as anything else.)

My impressions of this race distance aren’t exactly what I had expected. I do not think I’ll be attempting another iron-distance for a couple years. I’m sitting here, a week later, with some decent pain still in my legs and feet. I know that I can and most likely will do it again, but do not feel the need to rush into anything. I have proven that I am capable and that is enough for me. I have, however, developed what I hope is a long relationship with running. I’m going to leave here shortly and go to the gym and attempt my first run since Silverman. I don’t think it’ll really go well – I’m still not even great at walking yet. I enjoyed the zone I was able to get to during the race while I was running. Just letting the world go and doing what needed to be done, I’m hoping I can get there again soon. I’ve even mentioned the possibility of running a marathon in the spring. Hell, I’ve already done it once, right?!

What got me through the low times during Silverman was the thought of my parents, my friends and everyone else encouraging me and thinking of me. I couldn’t have done it without the huge amount of support I had.

I wound up with the third-fastest time in my age group – but since #1 was the first woman overall and #2 was the first Nevada woman (great times Tracy and Beck!), I rolled up and wound up winning the age group. I’m not sure that I’m comfortable even claiming that, but I finished. I had the fourth fastest swim time and wound up with a 12:38/mi. run pace. I rode my bike through hail, thunder, stinging rain and horrendous winds with mechanical issues (in the desert, where it doesn’t rain, did I mention that?). I ran into the cold, dark night and kept pushing through my pain to the finish line. I could not have asked for a better day.

And now, it’s all the beer, cheeseburgers, pizza and ice cream that I want for another 6 hours (One week). Mother of God, this is the longest race report ever written. But what else could really be expected from me to describe such an epic day?