The "trail" run course

This was a dusty, hot, and at times treacherous (at least it felt like it to me) half marathon, which ended the Half Ironman at Wildflower. I had to walk most of the hills on this run course, and I lost my footing more than once. I honestly did feel like one of the trail horses I used to ride out at a dude ranch in Wyoming, I have a new appreciation for what those horses do all day on the trails in the hot sun.... hopefully I won't be reincarnated as a trail horse in a future life.

On the Bike Course.....

AT this point of the bike, I really was holding on for dear life. I was coming down the descent of "nasty grade" going about 45 miles per hour, you know you are in trouble when you apply your brake and nothing happens.................. At one point I did think "I might die soon", but I held on, my knees hurt from trying to grip the bike so hard!!!

Susanna and Me - Pre-Race Smiles

Lake San Antonio, CA, home of Wildflower Triathlon

Coack Kurt at the Campsite

Laura P. addressing TNT triathletes

The highlight of race weekend, besides finishing (!), was hearing Laura address the hundreds of TNT athletes who had come from across the country to compete at Wildflower.

Wildflower Triathlon is considered the "Woodstock" of triathlons........ because most of athletes and spectators camp over the weekend, plus there are lots of impromptu parties, music, the occasional streakers through the campsites, the drunken coeds at the water stops, and, like the guys pictured above, the triathletes who convert their vans into a Margaretaville on wheels and then party right next to your campsite until 3 in the morning. The two guys who own this van (the guy with the beard and the guy with the camera) reminded me of Cheech and Chong. Here is some of the team posing in front of the party van.

Wildflower Teammates McSpeedy and Coastie