"I'd sooner eat crap out of the porta potty..."

That was my response to the suggestion of repeating yesterday's long course at Wildflower to create an IronMan race.

Okay, so I had fun. I'm glad I did the thing. I guess. But I swear, if I EVER say I'm signing up for that race again, just PLEASE tell me I'm an idiot and I'm out of my mind and then slap me across the face.

That being said, I plan on going back next year. Even though the course is ridiculous, I absolutely love the atmosphere, and I want to continue to go out there every year. So, I'll do the Olympic race (that was fun last year)...and hopefully do the relay in the Long Course (we want to put together some blogger teams; anybody game?!?). I'll do the swim or the bike but I'll be damned if I ever do that run course again.

I don't know how I ran the thing 2 years ago at a 10:-- pace...because yesterday I was lucky if I was doing a 16:-- pace. I walked almost the entire thing. It wasn't even my leg muscles. Yeah, those hurt, but that kind of pain is conquerable.

Not being able to walk straight, puking, having to sit down in the middle of the road, leaning against the aid station because I feel like I'm going to pass out...those things are NOT part of an acceptable race experience.

And the thing is - I wasn't exaggerating or creating drama or anything; my body was just completely rebelling. It was doing all the same things that happened in Chicago. My stomach just stopped digesting so I was swelling up and not getting any nutrients or water down, I couldn't get my heart rate out of the high 180s, and and just generally wanted to lie down.

The good part is that I recognized it this time and listened to my body and didn't end up in an ambulance with an IV and a psycho nurse saying she was going to stick a thermometer up my butt (I didn't let her, by the way).

Instead, I walked. Slowly. I got passed by so many people, I started to wonder if it was possible there was anyone behind me anymore. And like I said, I had to stop sometimes...it was the worst 13.1 miles I've ever even considered.

But, I finished (there were definitely moments of 'What the hell? I'm just hurting myself right now. I need to just stop.'), and I'm glad I was out there, even if I did get sunburned AGAIN (and I used 50 SPF!). Ridiculous looking tan lines seem to be the theme for the year...

And, even though the run/walk/trudge/misery didn't go my way, I actually had a decent race up until that point. I finished the swim 4 minutes faster than I had in 2006, without even really trying at all (my swim time was 40:40 by my watch), the transitions were efficient, and my bike time was 10 minutes faster than before (I broke 4 hours! I think it was 3:58 or so).

I know neither of those times are particularly impressive, but that course is HARD, and I'm definitely under-trained. I've swam maybe 4 times in the past month (3 or which were this past week), I've biked tons and tons of miles, but I haven't done any speed work, and I've only been running maybe 10 miles a week (okay, yeah - so that COULD have had something to do with my crash and burn out on the course).

So, I'm not fast, but I'm getting stronger. And one of these days I'd like to do a Half IronMan that is flat, so I can see what I'm actually capable of on a reasonable-ish course.

Yesterday, I definitely got scared about Coeur d'Alene; I NEVER would have been able to do twice the distance. But, I still have six weeks to train, and I'm willing to bet it's an easier run course, at the very least. That Wildflower run is a freaking trek up a mountain; it's just insane.

And so now we're getting ready to head back to LA to hang out with the Kahuna, Robo-Stu, and IronMonica for the day. I have tons of great pictures, but I brought the wrong camera cord, so they'll have to wait until I get home tomorrow to be posted.

All in all, a nice weekend, and I promise not to complain about the run anymore.