YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Erin Manzanares from Denver, Colorado.... You are an Ironman! This might be the sweetest thing I have ever heard in my entire life! It is difficult to put into words what that moment felt like. Pure ecstasy; a moment that was all mine to savor. And believe me, I earned every ounce of joy that came from running toward the finish line! Here's how is all broke down...

PRE-RACE
Before the weekend began, I arrived in Phoenix where my Mom lives. Soon after, my supportive husband, best friend and family arrived ready to cheer me on! My Mom made Ironman hats for everyone to wear and my Dad and Becca made Iron Erin t-shirts.

They even made one for Frida!

The town of Tempe was buzzing. My Mom and I went to the expo on Thursday to get my bib, chip, bags, etc. My Mom wanted to buy all of the Ironman swag that existed, but I still wasn't sure I was going to tackle this beast of a race. I'd feel really awful if I bought an Ironman shirt and then didn't finish! 

The night before the race was spent with my most favorite people; my Mom, Gary, my Dad, Becca, Kerri, Aaron and my little Frida. What an amazing support crew! I went to sleep thinking... here we go, Erin! You can do this! At 4 am, the alarm told me we were ready to go! 

SWIM

Prior to getting into the water, I had the thought... what in the world am I doing?? This is going to be a crazy day. That water looks really cold. Am I ready for this? I said goodbye to Aaron and Kerri and made my way to the start. Some faces around me looked just as scared as I did. Some faces looked really scary! I was standing there, looking up at all of the VERY tall people around me hoping that I stayed out of their way! I jumped into the FREEZING water (so glad I invested in a long-sleeve wetsuit) and instantly had my breath taken away. It took a minute to calm down and adjust to the temperature. As soon as I had it under control.... BOOM went the cannon. And we're off! I had joked that I would probably get kicked in the face during the swim, however, it was less funny when it actually happened. The first time was shocking. The third time was just plain awful. The swim became less of an efficient effort and more of an attempt to protect my face from the other 2,800 people around me. I was initially worried that I wouldn't make the 2 hour and 20 minute cutoff for the swim, but was pleasantly surprised to finish the 2.4 mile swim in 1:25. 

BIKE

I knew the bike was going to be tough. However, nothing could have prepared me for the battle I was about to endure. 7 hours and 45 minutes I spent fighting the craziest head wind, rain, other racers. The course was a 3-loop out and back with a gradual uphill out and a gradual downhill back. I had planned to keep my pace above 15 mph throughout, which quickly went out the window as soon as I started. I actually went faster on the uphill than I did on the downhill because of the wind. It was terrible. The neat thing about a 3-loop course is that I had the opportunity to see all of the pros racing. Their energy is amazing. If only my bike was a cool as theirs! During the third loop, most people had finished the bike and the course started to get a little lonely. At mile 90, I was not sure if I could endure another 22 miles. The rain was intensely cold and had been piercing my skin off and on for HOURS. It was miserable. I was passed by hundreds of people, passed no one and toward the end saw the VERY LAST PERSON racing. She wasn't that far behind me either! The lead and confidence I had gained during the swim quickly dwindled. The last few miles were tough as most of the crowds had left the bike course to watch their loved ones on the run. I feared that my family would start to worry because I was taking so long. I could not wait to get off the bike and 112 miles after I started, I got the privilege of doing just that! 

RUN

I started the run and instantly remembered why I was here. I am a runner! This is definitely my element. My legs felt surprisingly fresh. The thought of running a marathon was daunting, so I focused on going on an evening run with 2,500 of my closest friends. The first loop of three was so much fun. I saw my family twice each lap. Their energy and cheers made me feel like I was floating down the course. The good news about a 3-loop course is that you know what you're getting into after the first loop. The bad news about a 3-loop course is that you know what you're getting into after the first loop. I started the second loop and could start to feel pain in both knees, knowing that I had a few downhills ahead. A blister was starting to form on my left pinky toe and my hamstrings were screaming. I had decided that I would start walking during the aid stations. Walking felt AMAZING. I kept telling myself that finishing would feel even better than walking, which kept me going. I had been told to try the warm chicken broth that would be at the aid stations. SO glad I took that advice. It was dreamy. It was like warm liquid sodium that my body was craving. So amazing. The sun had set and it rained off and on for most of the second loop. The third loop I continued to walk during the aid stations, but also walked on occasion when my legs started to really burn. Again, seeing my family and friends was the highlight. The look of excitement on their faces was priceless. 

I got to mile 25 and started to feel downright euphoric. I was going to finish this. An idea 5 years ago was turning into reality and I was sooo close to becoming an Ironman. I truly think that everyone should finish an Ironman, it is a feeling like no other. I turned after mile 26 to head toward the finish line and every pain that I had been feeling disappeared. I was so strong, so steady, hardly working as I soaked in each second. The crowds were yelling my name and hundreds of spectators were holding out their hands for me. I was lucky enough to be relatively alone as I made my way toward the finish line. After 14 hours and 8 minutes, this was MY moment. I earned it. It was a journey I started one year ago all on my own. The work and the reward were mine. That is certainly not to say that I didn't have a TON of support along the way. It takes a village to make an Ironman. But, I jumped into the water that morning alone, rode and ran each mile with my own two legs and savored each moment of victory for myself. I could not feel more proud or accomplished. I am an Ironman and WOW does it feels good! Arizona has been really, really good to me. I ran my first marathon in Phoenix in 2004. First marathon, first Ironman. What more could take place in this state?!?

A HUGE thank you to my family and friends that were here to share the day with me. Your support was invaluable. I really appreciate every text, email, message, kind word that I received. Knowing that people were cheering for me near and far helped me through the moments of doubt. Thank you to everyone that came out yesterday. The spectators and crowds were amazing. Again, my support on the course was unparalleled. Thank you Mom, Gary, Dad, Becca, Kerri and especially Aaron. He's been my cheerleader everyday since I registered over a year ago. I am so incredibly lucky!

So, now what? It's been all of 12 hours since I've finished and I'm not ruling out the possibility that my Ironman days are just beginning. My next race will be the Mardi Gras Marathon in February 2011. Until then, I'm going to take some time off, enjoy my little family,  maybe relax a bit and think about where I want my m-dot tattoo to go! What I and many others finished yesterday is not unbelievable. The one thing that we all had in common was a strong desire to finish what we started. 

"Few will enter this club of yours for the price is big and without a strong spine, stoic mind and big heart, the doors will not open". Thanks for this, Eric. 

Thank you for stopping by. More pics to come!