Sometimes You Gets The Bear…
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And sometimes the bear gets you.
The 2008 Nautica NYC Triathlon is over, capping a ridiculously busy, and ultimately frustrating weekend for me. Sadly, it didn’t go even remotely the way I wanted it to, resulting in my not participating in the Tri at all, but picking my bike up and walking it home at 5am with a 101 degree fever.
Friday morning started off early, as my mornings do. Was called in at the last second to do a spot on Fox Business, which went surprisingly well - one of the best segments I’ve ever done on the show to date!
The day continued with me in meetings, more meetings, then a quick run to JFK Airport to get my Biometrics done for the new Global Entry Program. No more lines at immigration for me!
Headed home, I changed and got ready for the Nautica NYC Triathlon Chipotle Underwear Run - The kickoff to the Triathlon. 1.8 miles in my underwear, surrounded by 500 other people, all in their underwear. Talk abut a hot, steamy mess - But completed, and a lot of fun, with an extra pair of boxers and a t-shirt to show for it.
(Me and NYC Fly Grl, in our underwear.)
Getting home, I showered and jumped into bed, for Saturday morning was the NYRR Race for the Park, back at Central Park. This was a fun one - only four miles, and I knew I wasn’t going to race it for speed, what with the triathlon coming up the next day. Figured it’d be a nice, easy run.
At about mile two, I remembered that I don’t know HOW to do a nice, easy run. Hence my results. I was relatively satisfied with my 8:32 per mile pace, until I was able to check the results on line, and determine that my 8:32 pace put me solidly LAST within the members of my running team that ran the race. And while I know I shouldn’t care about that, and just run for the pleasure of running, you know me better than that. That’s not my forte now, is it? If you know the secret to just running for the pleasure of running, I’d love to know what it is. Please share.
So I ran from the park back home, showered, and headed over the New York Hilton, where I was volunteering with the members of my Triathlon team at the NYC Tri Expo. I guess I wasn’t thinking too clearly when I volunteered to wear the Mascot outfit at the expo. Two hours in that, and I’d dropped a good ten pounds of water weight, easy.
Getting out of the Expo, I head back to my apartment with my race bag, number, etc., and meet Simeon,a Tandem Master and Skydiving instructor at Skydive Sussex who was staying at my apartment from Jersey to run the race.
I got my bike all together, and Simeon and I walked up to the start, about a mile from my apartment, to drop off our bikes in transition. I started noticing that I was sweating a little more than I normally do (which is a ton to begin with) but assumed it was just from the heat.
After dropping off out bikes, I headed downtown to pop in at a quick birthday party celebration for a friend. I didn’t plan on staying long, and I didn’t - was home by 8:30, and in bed by 9:30, since we had to wake up at 3:45am to get to the start.
That’s where the fun began.
At around 1am, I woke up, covered in sweat (and the AC was on to begin with) and feeling… just… I dunno… I’ve always called it “grippy.” It’s like, your legs kind of feel like you’re being tickled, but not in a good way. That feeling is usually the precursor to “Damn it, something’s up,” and 1am was no different. By 2:30am, I was up every twenty minutes or so, with bodily function misfires that I have no need to repeat here, for your sake.
By 3am, I had a fever of 101.7.
I fell back asleep on Aleve and Imodium, and when the alarm went off at 3:45, I decided to get dressed and head to the race start. If nothing else, I could turn around and head home with my bike, which was already there, if I decided I couldn’t do it.
About a half-mile in, Simeon looked at me and said, “you know, you don’t look that great.” My HRM was clocking around 115, 120 - and this was a simple walk to the start. I was sweating like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and this was just the walk to the start.
By the time I got to the transition area to start setting up, I knew there was no way.
I found a race marshal, explained that I had to bail out, and they couldn’t have been nicer, they helped me get my bike, I walked out of the transition area, and started the walk home.
It was the longest. Walk. Of my life.
I’ve never dropped out of a race before. It was not a fun experience. It was quite humbling, depressing, DAMN frustrating, and about 15 or so other “ings.”
Between my last-place-team finish on Saturday, and then this on Sunday, this wasn’t my weekend, by any stretch of the imagination. I guess I take comfort, though, that dropping out of a race happens to everyone, even the best in the world…
So now what? Well, I’ve still got my Half-Ironman in Arkansas in August, and my ticket is booked, and I’m still planning on competing. I’ve never done a Half-Ironman before, so I don’t know what to expect. I guess I’d be satisfied with what, anything under seven hours?
So chalk up this weekend to… I dunno… To a weekend. It happens. Life goes on. It just wasn’t my time, that’s all.
July 20th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Oh no! I thought I saw you with your bike heading away. I was confused on what was going on. However, you did get one good thing out of this: NO JELLYFISH! Apparently the Hudson was filled with ‘em today. All I kept hearing was: “Those friggin’ jellyfish!” as participants ran to their transition areas.
July 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Oh I’m so sorry to hear that Peter, but you know what, someone died in that Tri-athalon today plus all the jellyfish in the river. Maybe it’s better that you were sick? I’m sure you’ll kick ass in Arkansas.
July 20th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Peter –
While I totally get your bumm-ed-ness (well not totally because the only prayer I have of participating in a triathalon will be in the next lifetime) — as a Spirit Coach I’m here to remind you of all that you ARE even though I barely know you!
1. You have a fall-on-the-floor-laughing-my-ass-off sense of humor!
2. You pack more into one day than a lot of people pack into a week!
3. You have a quick mind and an enormous heart!
4. You genuinely enjoy helping people — otherwise HARO wouldn’t have been born!
5. You keep us amused, bemused, informed and enlightened!
In short dear @skydiver — you’re a winner in my book and I’ll bet it’s a reeeelleey long book filled with the rest of your adoring fans!
And besides . . .
tomorrow is another day . . . : )
Blessings!
Stephanie Bell aka @SpiritCoach
July 20th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Swimming in the Hudson… really?
It’s days like this that separate people… those who say like you do… oh well… there’s tomorrow… they go on. I believe you did the right thing… you trusted your gut. Now you’ll be ready to conquer!
July 21st, 2008 at 4:02 am
Hey Peter, I know there’s nothing I can really say to make it all better. A DNF next to your name even when you’ve acted reasonably and rationally is still humbling and frustrating. The cure? Kick butt in your next race, and vow to do this one next year. I’m glad the illness got you in the grip before the race started, and not while in your wetsuit.
Live strong!
July 21st, 2008 at 4:15 am
Oh Peter,
You Rock it Babe! - I don’t care how badly you felt about the weekend, any objective observer will report that you made a heroic effort to achieve your intention. Now the challenge is to heroically let it go and set your sights on the next challenge. You’re a beast and a warrior, you can let it go and tear up the next one…
Your story and feelings of defeat remind me of a 56 year old marathon runner that I was doing personal strength training with and teaching yoga classes to. She had successfully run about 16 marathons and was(is) tremendously disciplined with her training regime. When she reached the pre-race events before the Boston Marathon (that we were training her for) she was experiencing intestinal upset. Assuming it was nerves she ignored it. An hour later she was sporting a significant fever and feeling worse. Rather than bowing out, she started the race. She reported running from ’spot-a-pot’ to ’spot-a-pot’ for 8 MILES before she was beat down enough to give it up. Then she dealt with severe guilt and disappointment for quitting and beat herself up over it for weeks. I reminded her that if any official had known she was that ill to begin with, they would not have let her even try to run. I thought she was amazingly tough and heroic for running 8 miles like that. She couldn’t see that.
I am glad you didn’t try racing sick. And with your immune system down, who knows what horrors you may have picked up in the Hudson. As a native New Yorker (in the mountains of Virginia now) I think y’all are CRAZY for swimming in the Hudson at all! Do they give you an antibiotic shot before you go in, or is that saved just for the East River?
We have some great Adventure Races down this way, and I’d also recommend the Richmond Marathon in a big way - they do a great job and it’s nice route.
July 21st, 2008 at 5:12 am
Peter, I think we were channeling each other. I tried to use “cat in a room full of rocking chairs” in a PR that I worked on this weekend. Client was right to remove it — but nonetheless, I have never used this in my writing… what can that mean?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:06 am
Aw, Peter, I’m sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to this. It’s just a point in time, and there will be more races. Perhaps next year just clear the days before the race and rest and reflect. It seems like sometimes you might just be a bit too busy!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:27 am
Hi Peter, even though you felt like “crap,” look at the bright side - you avoided the jellyfish, you’ve got TONS of friends and you’re Aging Backwards from all the exercise you do!
Good luck with the Half-Ironman - you can do it!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:33 am
[...] Sometimes You Gets The Bear…The 2008 Nautica NYC Triathlon is over, capping a ridiculously busy, and ultimately frustrating weekend for me. Sadly, it didn’t go even remotely the way I wanted it to, resulting in my not participating in the Tri at all, … [...]
July 21st, 2008 at 8:06 am
Peter, so sorry to hear about your disappointments this weekend. The running Gods are a fickle bunch. As a new runner, I am amazed at the days the body just won’t do it, and other days Mercury couldn’t compete. Feel better! ~Suzanne
July 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am
Sorry you had such a lousy day. I know you’ve been training for it since before the L.A. conference on social media. Take Care!
July 21st, 2008 at 8:49 am
Major bummer on the race, but at least the illness is temporary. I find the following helps me during difficult times:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loyjm4SOa0
My best friend recently decided to drop out before a half Ironman (for very good reasons). She said she didn’t like to not finish things. I think you two have a similar overachiever, competitive streak. I explained that maybe for her, the lesson to learn was how to be okay with not finishing something.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am
Damn! I almost replied with DNF as my guess. I guess the lesson here is to always go with one’s gut.
Muhammed Ali once said, “It’s not how many times you get kocked down, it’s how many times you get up that marks a champ.”
July 21st, 2008 at 10:48 am
Too bad you had to miss it, Peter. Fortunately, they’ll be more. And you did get to run in your underwear!
Thanks for confirming my take on Starbucks coffee….it’s bitter and nowhere near a good as Caribou or Seattle’s Best!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:28 am
I go with Dave - and you always get back up, Peter - always!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:49 am
Actually, you should show up as a DNS, not a DNF.
Do you think you caught something from the mascot suit?
Chin up. You didn’t really have a decision to make. It’s enough to put your body through all those running events in a weekend, or to put your body through a tri. These events are supposed to IMPROVE your health. Starting an event sick would be just ludicrous. Of course you did the right thing.
I say you should pick another Olympic distance between now and your half (you travel a lot - I’m sure you could do one next weekend) to give you back that confidence before your half IM.
July 21st, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Ha! Glad you had fun at your underwear tri — speaking of which, my organization is throwing a underwear run/walk in LA area early August to raise awareness for “cancers below the waist”: http://www.uncoverthecure.org/index.html
July 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
You certainly made the wise decision. Time heals everything, and there’s always the next race to win.
But I can really relate to just *wanting* to start it off…even when being sicker than a preschool full of flu-attracting children.
Feel better, Barbara
July 21st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Dang Peter! That totally blows! But you have to be smart enough to listen to your own body. Some people don’t do that and find themselves in a whole world of hurt later. Take care and feel better!