Clearwater 2009 : (

Gang,

Waiting on our return flight, so here's just a quick report on an exciting weekend in Clearwater. I promised many of you a race report, so here it goes.

What started as hopes and dreams unfortunately ended up in stitches and bandages : )

Let me first say Clearwater is a beautiful venue for a race. Laura and I really enjoyed the site. As usual Ironman is very organized and the service was top notch. No complaints about the execution of this race. It's a World Championship Event, and it felt like it all weekend.

As for the race, it didn't go well. Right before the start I cut my foot on a shell that put a 2cm gash in the bottom of my foot. I tried my best to get it race ready, but it was going to be a problem. I should have went ahead and dropped out and gone to the hospital. I figured we've come this far so let's give it a go.

Swim was ok. They changed to a TT start, one at a time off a dock in the harbor. The ocean was still too rough from the storms that passed several days ago. I had to swim through a ton of people and it slowed me down, but I managed a decent time. As I exited the water, I looked down and noticed the foot was in bad shape. Oh well, I figured it wouldn't bother me on the bike, and I could see how far I could run on it.

The bike was crazy. I literally passed a couple hundred people in the first 10 miles. Was there drafting...yes, lots of it. It didn't bother me b/c the drafters weren't going very fast. I hammered along and spent most of the time yelling "on your left". As bikers finally started to thin out and I could tell I was making it to the "faster" racers, I started to feel good and really hammer. I rode past one more group of riders and had some open air to just put the head down and ride. I was flying and feeling good. I looked down to rest my neck for a second...looked up and there was a traffic cone directly in front of me that was pushed over about 2ft in my lane. Too late to react...BANG...over the bars, onto the pavement. I don't want to give too much detail, but I was unable to get back on the bike. Instead I got a ride to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. Guess, I should have called it a day after the foot incident ; ). Oh well. Nothing broken, but a chipped bone in my elbow and LOTS of road rash...tri suits don't protect you very well.

Ironman drove Laura to the hospital and picked us up afterwards. I got a few stitches in the foot, and the lovely nurse scrubbed the sh#t out of my wounds. I'm confident she got all the gravel out of me. Ouch!!! Morphine in the IV was nice though.

Best news is the bike is good. Broke a pedal, cut the saddle, but no scratches on the frame. The body will heal, but thankfully the bike is not damaged.

I've been escorted in a wheelchair the past 2 days. Laura is the best!! She's taken good care of me. We've enjoyed the rest of our stay, and I'm already thinking of unfinished business here in Clearwater.

So, all in all a very disappointing weekend for the race. My fitness is great, and I feel I prepared really well. I always like to look at the positives, so I am relieved nothing is broken and I'll be healed in a few weeks. It was still a great vacation for us.

Thanks to my training partners (Kat I owe you for the early am swims), Team Go Tri, Studio 7, Rudy Project, and friends. I'm ready for the offseason.

Chris