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The Lanzarote!

I had a great swim, a lousy bike and a decent run but at the end of the day, I finished in 17 hrs, 18 minutes, 50 seconds

Thank you for your great support and energy... I could have not done it with out you!

Pre-race...

On Friday, the forecast was wind and more wind. The winds would be between 25 to 30 miles per hour. What else is new.

I woke up at 4:30 (not that I slept much) and made me my oatmeal, ate my yogurt and bread. It is a lot to try to pile up so early in the am. The goal was to get between 600 and 800 calories. I ate a power bar 30 minutes before the swim and a energy gel 15 minutes before the swim.

I tended my bike, got towels in the right bags and tried to stay relaxed. Fabian had said that my nerves would come down once I hit the water.

Race...

The swim was fantastic. I was dunked, pushed, my legs were grabbed and all in the first 200 meters. At one point, I started thinking that swimming with the manta rays would have been ideal. Despite all the water that I consumed during the swim my first lap was in 34 minutes. The second lap did not have so many people jacking for position but I got scrached on the back of one ear and with the salt water, it burned. I got out of the water almost 10 minutes earlier than I expected. (Susan Ingram, you have made me a swimmer; you work wonders)

In the bike I was scared, ( I had never been this scared before). I kept thinking that I could die out here or worst, that I could be disabled for life. Not what I wanted and I could not do this to my mother. I don't think I want to die trying to push my body to its limits. I was tense at every hill top and could not let go as the downhills came. I wanted to stay in control of the bike but the wind was controlling me.

As in California, my stomach begun to cramp, I think from the sea water. The pretzels were not working and everything I ate made me want to go to the bathroom. Needless to say, I visited every W/C in the course. By the way, kudos to the organizers; all bathrooms were clean and had running water. Great job! At about mile 30, I requested a doctor. The doctor on the course gave me something that was more like an antacid and it helped relieve some of the nausea but he could not give me anything stronger. I would have to be taken to the hospital. He did comment to his driving partner that the accidental discharge earlier in the week may have had something to do with it. I am going to the pharmacy to see what I can take in case I have some bacteria. Stopping at every stop, I got word that three people had been taken to the hospital already. It is early in the day and the casualties had begun. I did not want to be part of that report. My nerves and stress levels seem to continue to climb just like the hills.

The wind was everywhere, and despite the course changing direction, the wind seemed to adjust to it. The organizers indicated that this was the worst wind since 1998. Just my luck. I was able to handle all but two climbs. I was so happy but the stomach was not letting me enjoy! (I felt like that lady in the commercial, got to go, got to go) At one point, I got mad at myself and had to rally all my resources. If I had to stop on the last two rest areas, I would be in a lot of trouble and wanted to give myself a fighting chance to finish this race. I told myself that this amount of disconfort was nothing to what womankind before me had gone through. "By George: I am woman and I can handle a little upset stomach". At this time, I discontinued the gels and the bars, and proceeded to eat a pretzel here and there to minimize the need of the bathroom. Nothing had worked up to this time and more stops were just taking time away from the run.

Just when I thought I had made it off the bike; it happend. I was about 200 meters from the finish line when a guy from no where crossed my path, I had no place to go since I was heading to the finish chute. All I could do was brace myself for impact; I landed on my left side and my head bounced. Thank goodness for helmets. It save my life. My brother rushed to my aid, everyone when silent. Did I mentioned that this happened like in front of 1000's of spectators? The marshals rushed in and would not let me move until the doctor or parametic got there. All I saw was the camera man, and my poor brother saying "sis are you OK". After an assessment that only my left leg was the one hurt and that my right leg had been cut by the chain ring (no blood no foul), I see this stretcher come on. I saw the end of my day and I could not let that happen. I refused to get on it. I was not going to let my day end in this way. NOT TODAY!

I asked if I could continue and the doctor said that I had to stand on my own, pass his little test to ensure I did not have damaged my head. (Doesn't he know that I am already CRAZY?)

The announcer had also come over and he is asking the crowd to cheer me on as I am attempting to stand up. He is like: this woman is courageous, she won't quit; she is going to continue. All you can hear is 1000's of people cheering me and and calling my name and chanting like they do in the futball games. (It brought tears to my eyes). I also ran because I had to go to the bathroom. A few more moments and it would have been ugly!

I ran my bike in and changed and headed out to the run. The groin pain was getting worst and my toes were not responding. And the wind, you think the wind was bad on the bike, enter the wind tunnel, every point was marked by a head wind. What a deal! But I have a fighting chance. Four loops and I am done. I am not quitting. I kept seeing Ronda and Chris cheering me to go on and hearing my mother say: "Animo Hija". Four loops that is nothing.

If I was tense before, I was even more now, my fears of crashing in the bike and being down had come true, not by the wind but some stranger. My stress level stayed high.

One thing that helped me get throught the event were the spectators. Every loop, they chanted and called my name and gave me courage. (It was beautiful!) At the awards, people said that they called my name more than that of the winner of the race.

I was sticking to my plan...run to the water stop and walk through the water stop. Simple! At this point, I was in the battle with my own demons: "Why are we here, what are you doing to me? Obviously the Gods don't want you to do this. Look at all the obstacles on your way." I was able to get out of that funk and finish my first lap. I went for the second and if I could negative split it, I could make the midnight cutoff but the bathroom stops continue. I stopped taking on fruit and only had the gel with water. I figured this will minimize the need to go to the bathroom. Starting the third lap, I was tired, Fabian came up to me and said how proud he was and that he would be waiting for me. I was tired and he said dig deep and kick hard. Enter my angel of mercy, Gabriel. (What a name). He was going for his last lap and started to talk with me. He must have sense that I was in trouble and that I my spirits were down. He kept with me and the turnaround, my pace improved but I was still having doubts. (This was a mind game...and I was losing) At the water stop, I think I said that I was tired and he took my hand and pulled me alone. We continue the walk run and right before he went to finish, he made me promise that I would finish. One lap and I would be home free. I had an hour and 5 minutes to finish the 10K. How I wished I had more energy and that I was not so injured.

Last lap and I dug, and very deep, I ran like a mad woman. Thinking of Lynette in our long runs, How if I kept a 10 minute pace, I could make this happen, It got lonely on the other end, and I begun to falter. I was accompanied by a marshall and he kept calling me champion. And he said, you will remember this day for the rest of your life, you are a champion.

A cop came to escort me in and the marshall kept saying to the crowd, the last woman. (There were two people after me) And their energy was fantastic. I have never seen so many people come out of the restaurants and chant and clap and they were fantastic.

Two of the guys from the USA called out "go Texas!" and they turned around to see me reach the finish line. You would have thought that I had finished in first place.

I finished 18 minutes passed midnight. Got my finisher medal, I got a massage and my brother was so proud of me. He called my mother and Sonia.

Post Race...

I was in a lot of pain. I really pulled the groin... I need to have it looked at when I get home.

But for now, I've completed the toughest the meaneast, race, known to men and women:

IRONMAN LANZAROTE

Patricia Cuero