Time Flies - Ironman Texas

Time flies when you're having fun. Let me sum up the last couple years here. May 2012, I completed my first Ironman in The Woodlands, TX. I trained really hard and felt ready. The day of the race I am really nervous thinking what in the heck have I gotten myself into. I drop off all my gear and head to the swim. I'm standing there in disbelief of what I am about to do noticing I can't even see the turn around on the swim course. I turn around and take a deep breath and say a prayer. I get in the water, the gun goes off and I begin the 2.4 mile swim. The swim felt great and I just swam along until the finish appeared. I jumped out and headed to T1 (Transition 1) to get ready for my bike portion of the race. I begin the bike leg and it was a warm day. It nearly reached 90 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. I stopped at every water stop to refill the water bottles and enjoyed some bananas too. I enjoyed my peanut butter sandwiches and boiled potatoes coated with sea salt and olive oil. The course was very flat and country. I approached T2 after being on the bike for over 7 hours. I was ready for my running shoes and wrap up the race, five hours later. I started out jogging knowing good and well I would have to walk at some point in the marathon. I'm about half way through (13.1 miles) and still no walking. I am in awe that I haven't walked and still jogging. I down some fuel and still going. The run course was three loops and every time I would pass under the bridge I would hear finishers being called an Ironman. The last loop takes you up the bridge and to the finish. All I could do was visualize myself crossing the finish line and being hearing my name. I had come this far and was determined to finish. After 5 hours of running I hit the bridge and could see the finish line. I crossed the finish line hearing "Vicki Rieger, you are and IRONMAN!!!!!!!" To this day it still gives me goose bumps and a big smile. I finished in 14 hours 34 minutes and some change. 2013 is another Ironman too!