(Photos:Ken & Craig, me & Craig, Simon, bikes & peace, KS hills, Amanda)
Well, Ken and I signed up because KS is flat…NO it is NOT, at least not in Lawrence KS.
We did a very hilly course that even the Pros (Craig Alexander, Simon Lessing, Amanda) agreed it was tough! But we did it, after traveling thru some tornado warnings in ST. LOUIS and seeing rivers spreading beyond their banks, we arrived in hilly Lawrence Friday night and after cleaning up we headed to the Sunflower Bike shop where we dined on pasta and chicken and sat and chatted with Craig, Simon, and Simon’s wife Lisa. There was a drawing and both Ken and I won Newton running shoes! We picked up our race packets Saturday morning and shopped in the lively & eclectic downtown of Lawrence. We drove the course on Saturday and realized how tough the bike was going to be and I worried about the bike cut off and if I would make it. Clinton Lake was muddy but Ken and I enjoyed a picnic by it on Saturday before we drove the bike course. No shade all hills, even the flat was uphill!
We took our bikes to the transition area and after eating at the restaurant that had catered the night before, we got a good night’s sleep (if you can call getting up at 4am a good night’s sleep).
At 15 seconds before my wave start, I dunked my goggles in Clinton lake and they came up with so much mud on them I had to spit- spit- spit on them to get it off. Could not see, but did not matter since I was in the second wave (after the pros) I did not pass any of them, but I sure got passed!
Bike was just hard! Hills and wind, wind and hills, no shade, water stop on a hill and I could nto grap the water, but at the next one I stopped and drank all I could and put some on my bike. We crossed an intersection 4 times – it was called the iron cross. My legs felt like iron, but I made the cut off! Started running and found Ken and we ran together doing the run 9 minutes and walk 1. Then the thunder and lightening started and as Ken and I were passing the Finish line to go on the 2nd loop of the run we were directed to the Finish line. We humed and hawed and tried to keep going but the volunteer said no they were stopping the race because of the storm. So Ken and I ran into the finish line and got a medal!
Which made me in the results run a 3-4 minute mile!!!
We did a very hilly course that even the Pros (Craig Alexander, Simon Lessing, Amanda) agreed it was tough! But we did it, after traveling thru some tornado warnings in ST. LOUIS and seeing rivers spreading beyond their banks, we arrived in hilly Lawrence Friday night and after cleaning up we headed to the Sunflower Bike shop where we dined on pasta and chicken and sat and chatted with Craig, Simon, and Simon’s wife Lisa. There was a drawing and both Ken and I won Newton running shoes! We picked up our race packets Saturday morning and shopped in the lively & eclectic downtown of Lawrence. We drove the course on Saturday and realized how tough the bike was going to be and I worried about the bike cut off and if I would make it. Clinton Lake was muddy but Ken and I enjoyed a picnic by it on Saturday before we drove the bike course. No shade all hills, even the flat was uphill!
We took our bikes to the transition area and after eating at the restaurant that had catered the night before, we got a good night’s sleep (if you can call getting up at 4am a good night’s sleep).
At 15 seconds before my wave start, I dunked my goggles in Clinton lake and they came up with so much mud on them I had to spit- spit- spit on them to get it off. Could not see, but did not matter since I was in the second wave (after the pros) I did not pass any of them, but I sure got passed!
Bike was just hard! Hills and wind, wind and hills, no shade, water stop on a hill and I could nto grap the water, but at the next one I stopped and drank all I could and put some on my bike. We crossed an intersection 4 times – it was called the iron cross. My legs felt like iron, but I made the cut off! Started running and found Ken and we ran together doing the run 9 minutes and walk 1. Then the thunder and lightening started and as Ken and I were passing the Finish line to go on the 2nd loop of the run we were directed to the Finish line. We humed and hawed and tried to keep going but the volunteer said no they were stopping the race because of the storm. So Ken and I ran into the finish line and got a medal!
Which made me in the results run a 3-4 minute mile!!!
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