On the shuttle back from the hotel to the airport in Cabo, we rode with a pro (Ashley Clifford) who came in 8th overall among women. She expected to do better and was disappointed with the race primarily because of the bike portion. It had way too many hills. 5,400 feet of climbing while bicycling for 112 miles is tough even for a pro. The elevation is deceiving; there is not a single long big hill but a series of ups and downs; some steep and some gentle. As you can see from the image (left), the maximum elevation was only 276 feet! However, there is no portion of the course that was flat.
 |
| Ashley Clifford, professional triathlete |
Ashley was nice and friendly; as are most professional triathletes. Her next big race is in Texas and I will root for her to do well.
The flight back to Phoenix was pretty routine. I am still tired and my body is still very sore. I need to rest for at least another few days before slowly starting the training regimen. The left side of my lower body is especially gimpy. It hurts starting from just above my hip all the way down to my foot. It feels like there is something pulling inside the outer part of my leg. It feels weird and uncomfortable.
Mentally, I remain on cloud nine. While I wish I hadn’t cramped up and done the race a bit faster, I’m happy that I finished after having to dig so deep. Ironman events are some of the toughest endurance events in the world. If they were easy, everyone would be doing them.
A few of my friends have asked me, “So are you going to get an M.DOT tattoo?” The answer is an emphatic, resounding NO.
I’m happy to be home with my pups and Binita.