You are sick, you're not racing!
As her Coach, her daughter, her friend, and as an athlete, I insisted that she not race.
What seemed like a minor cold, "Don't worry mom, some people race their best races under the weather." compounded into SICK. And quickly. "Please reconsider this race mom."
She was up all night, drunk on meds, and ready to race (insert eye roll). We made a deal that if the swim drained her, it was okay to call it a day. But if she survived the bike, she might as well walk the run to finish. I can't express my relief when I saw her smiling excited and happy on the bike. This woman. #determinedtoturnmegray
And now it's her turn, "Swim, bike and run. IRONMAN 70.3 accomplished in New Orleans.
Make no mistake. My goal was just to cross the finish line. With me being a star actor in my own Nyquil and Dayquil commercial ... when you can't take the day off! And a super windy day which really didn't bother me much in the bike and run. But how can I train in choppy washing machine water like it was in Lake Pontchartrain that morning!!?? The swim was way beyond my skill level. (Ok obviously it wasn't if I finished, but I did teach myself the back stroke out there!). How many times in that 1.2 mile swim did I hear Lisa yelling at me in my head "Swim. JUST SWIM!"
Thanks Lisa for getting me through #3. I played the "Where is Lisa in the race?" game calculations while riding and running and I was dead on both times where I thought she'd be. Thank you for the cheers out there. I'm still not 100% healthy a week out. But it still defines who I am to myself. A strong and determined older woman that will accomplish the task. I started in the last wave of the race and I finished at 8:17:02. Not the time I was hoping for... But... Watch me kick it in August when Lisa, Cheryl Chaney, and I all do our first 70.3 race together in Ohio!" ~ Anita Patten
(me again) That was by far the toughest 70.3 (due to weather conditions) I've ever raced!! Grown men were being plucked out of the water and blown off their bikes. And don't even get me going on the run headwind again... If mom had something to prove that day, she did out there.
But I don't even think it was about that. I think she has found herself in a sport/activity that she can push beyond her limits, have fun, be healthy, and feel like a bad ass.
She was labeled "the happiest athlete on the course" and her smile was endless from swim exit to finish line.
You wonder where I get my bad assness? ^ look no further. She's the baddest ass.
I'm super proud of this woman. *hearts hearts*