One Coast recap/the countdown y'all

Well my last race before Augusta is in the books! It was hot, but oh so beautiful.  Let's start at the beginning!

Katie and I in transition. Of-course we had to be next to each other!

The race didn't start til 8am, so from 7:15-8 was pretty emotionally draining because well...I am usually done training by 8.  As I am aimlessly hating my life with my bud Katie, my dear friend, LANA, walks up and is there just to support me! I was SO THRILLED to see her!  So..that the world had momentarily melted when I hugged her, I knew I was ready to race! So, Chris, Lez, Katie, and I headed to the mass start swim. There were a bunch of volunteers who were there for each of us, and were super kind and I want to high-five each of you and thank you for your kindness-it didn't go unnoticed!

Not too much to say.  It was a swim...in the Gulf of Mexico.  It was salty but it was a cool experience swimming so whatever. I love this pic below because I genuinely love swimming, and I knew I was gonna love the ride, so I was thrilled to be OUT of the salt, and eager to start my ride. There was a ZILLION kayakers so THANK YOU to all of you because I felt SUPER safe the whole time!

The bike was  a pretty easy 25 miles.  I loved the scenery all around me in Ocean Springs, so I just soaked up riding where I spent some mileage training with Katie and Lauren for the marathon.  So it was a fast course, and I had good time with Zane, and Jesus.

So I knew the run was going to be HOT because there was a 3 second moment on the bike where I could FEEL the heat, and starting the run at 10am would do that to ya! So off I go on the run, and about 2.5 miles in I start my mantra of: panic attack leading to hyperventilating leading to serious tears...repeat for the 4 miles left.  It.  Sucked.  I swore it was so hot that I took a wrong turn and ended up in Hell.  I swore I wasn't going to meet my 3 hour goal, but at mile 4 I realized I COULD.  So I ran with every ounce of energy left in me, and I crossed that finish line in 2:58 on the dot! I was hysterical from my lack of oxygen in my body.  Anyone who knows me knew that something was not OK at that moment.  I wish I could have had better control of myself, but whatever.  It happens.  So...crossed. Watched all my other friends cross and complain about the hotness of the day, and how 'weak' we were from having to walk *cough cough Katie!* But at the end of the day we all finished and that is what is most important.  Oh and I was so exhausted at mile 3 I may or may not have just peed on myself... #noshame

I got 1st in my AG and Katie got 3rd! I also got 10th overall female which is pretty epic considering my awful run.  

The more I get into triathlons, the more I fall in love with the other two sports, which I never thought would happen with swimming.  I love a good ride, and a good OWS. I love all the thinking time, the nothing time my brain can so easily zone into, the intense prayer sessions, the crying out my life woes to the air passing by,  and of-course the singing that occurs (mostly T-Swift, Broadway, and Passion/Shane and Shane).  Which bring me to the countdown for Augusta.  Less than a month. WHAT THE HECK?! I got 2 solid weeks left, and then begins the 2 week taper process.  I can't begin to process that-so I'll leave that for later.  I'm sure I'll blog one more time before Augusta to get it out there.  So. One Coast. You are in the books!

Thanks dad for the epic pic of us getting into the Gulf for the swim start!