ICHELE’S

140.6 15:27:07

Swim 2.4 miles ∙ Bike 112 miles ∙ Run 26.2 miles

    On Sunday morning, August 28, 2011 I woke up at 2:22am turned over and told Wayne, hey honey it’s 2:22, that’s my bib number.  The understanding boyfriend he is just rolled over and looked at me like I had three heads and rolled over and went back to sleep.  I tried going back to sleep but I was getting really excited and before I knew it was time to get up and start getting ready for the big day.  I ate a boiled egg, banana and peanut butter, and realize about five minutes later I was still hungry.  The BOR had given a basket full of food.  I took one look at the zebra cakes and realized I needed that and a diet dr. pepper.  Now, that I had the breakfast of champions I made my last stop to the restroom before I headed down to the Lobby to see five of my biggest fans, Cathy, Miki, Leah, Jeff and Wayne. Leah said did you read facebook this morning.  My reponse, no I don’t have a computer!  She said will you have to read this.  So, she pulled up a prayer from Jeff Hayden.  Leah tried to read it and got chocked up, so Cathy tried and the same thing happen, Miki just waved it pass so Jeff Alvey read the prayer out loud as the six of us gathered and bowed our heads to this prayer, “Hey BOR group as you read this prayer, keep Michele in your thoughts tomorrow. Dear God, keep Michele and her competitors safe and strong while taking on this great journey, let her feel Your presence while she is gliding in the water, when she is feeling that head on wind while biking let her know that You don't give the ones You love anymore than they can handle, give her the strength at the end of her race to finish with her head high so she can see all of her loved ones cheering her on to victory, above all let her know that no matter what, she is respected and loved by all of her BOR comrades. Amen.”  Now that all of the ladies were crying that was my queue it was time to go.  I gave everyone a hug bye.  I felt calmness over me; I knew God sent the BOR as angles to help me complete this event.  
    Wayne and I walked a ½ mile down to the transition to air up my tires and put last minute things away.  I had to stop and us the port-a-potty three times before getting to the body marking which was about a mile from the transition.  After the body marking I rushed down to the swim start to wait in line for an hour and 27 minutes.  While I was waiting in line I had to go to the bathroom again but you would loss your spot in line.  I looked around and all these people were going over an embankment.  So, I decided to make a mad dash over the embankment.  Every man had a tree, so yes I grabbed my tree and peed standing up.  This made me giggle and I thought of Martha.  


Swim 2.4 miles – 1:14:55
    So, the line started moving fast at 7am.  Wayne gave me a kiss good-bye and told me good luck.  I got to the stretch of weaving down to the swim start.  I hear my name, Michele, it was my sister and sister-in-law.  They told me they were just coming to the run.  (Hand of God) I gave them hugs and kisses.  I walked onto the dock of the swim I hear my name again; I see Cathy, Miki, and Leah standing there.  I waved like I was in the Miss America pageant, they shouted, “We love you.”  I turned my back with tears of joy in my eyes.  (Hand of God) I went to the end of the dock started my watch and jumped in.  I know the swim start looks like a bunch of paronas.  Well, it felt like I was getting hit often and hitting often.  I looked over at one time in the swim and saw a man with a snorkel.  I thought to myself, huh, I didn’t know that was legal.  I should have read the 27 pages of rules closer.  The buoys were appearing pretty quickly.  I stay relaxed even though I felt like I was boxing instead of swimming at some points of the swim.  Half way through the swim a kayak person yelled at me to keep right.  I thought to myself I keep on getting hit over there; I just needed a little detour for awhile.  I got to the first bridge; yes I am getting close, wrong.  Got to the second bridge, yes I am getting closer.  What felt like about 10 minutes later I saw the last red buoy.  Yes, the swim is almost over.  I got to the steps and came out of the water.  I felt good, looked at my watch thinking I just swim that in about an hour and 35 minutes.  I was completely shocked; it was an hour and 14 minutes 55 seconds.  I looked up and my fans were there cheering me on.  Just hearing their voices made me smile.  I walked to the transition trying to conserve energy, grabbed my bike gear, ran into the tent and change and ate and drank as much as I could in the matter of minutes.  I stopped just outside the tent to get rubbed down with sunscreen, off to get my bike.


Bike 112 miles – 6:48:43
    I thought to myself, I had an awesome swim that gives me more time on the bike.  I am just going to relax and take it easy.  I was looking at all the fans thinking this is pretty awesome.  One sign that stuck out had Swim, Bike, Run listed and the √ Swim.  I thought yes one down!  I know within the first 20 miles I was going to be facing some pretty difficult climbs.  I just kept on thinking slow and steady.  I was eating as much as I could on the bike.  I came to my first water stop.  I was a little nervous because I had never grabbed water on the move.  I was surprised I was pretty good at it.  I lost a few bottles but all in all it was successful.  After, the out and back climb I turned right heading for LaGrange where my fan club awaits.  That stayed with me and made me smile.  I thought to myself the hard section wasn’t too bad, come on LaGrange.  I got to LaGrange and I got to see everyone one of my fans.  That stayed with me for a long while.  Miles, miles and more miles, eat, eat, drink, drink, and drink.  I decided when I got to my special needs bag at mile 65 I was getting off my bike for five minutes.  That’s exactly what I did I got off my bike, a volunteer came up to me held my bike while I ate and drink as much as I could and then I got back on my bike.  I knew LaGrange was coming up again and my fans were going to be there.  I tried to smile like I wasn’t getting tired but they saw right through me.  I remember thinking about mile 80 about the Rain Ride that Dave, Matt, and I did together.  How I wished my side kicks were hear.  Coming up on about mile 90 we had a climb which the first time around wasn’t bad but since fatigue started to set in I didn’t gear down enough on my bike.  I thought oh God, I don’t know if I can make it up this hill.  (Hand of God).  I made it up the hill, I was shaking, I thought I exerted all my energy on the hill.  The last 12 miles seem to be the longest on the bike.  I didn’t have water for the last few miles but I thought I will be ok.  I thought to myself huh, I haven’t gone to the restroom in the past seven hours that could be a problem.  I came around to the home stretch and saw Matt.  I thought my fan club is growing.  That got me really excited to see my fans again.  I gave my bike to the volunteers.  I was surprised I didn’t want to throw my bike into the Ohio River.  √ BIKE!  


Run 26.2 miles – 6:58:48
    I grabbed my run bagged and went to the tent.  A volunteer helped me with everything.  She was a little angel. After resting, changing, and eating a little I was ready for my run.  I had my Philippians 4:13 on the back of my shirt, my handkerchief with 26.2 that Kendra gave me for the Boston Marathon on me, and most of all my fans out there to cheer me on.  My plan was to walk the first mile but I felt pretty good so I thought I am going to run.  Coming out on to the run course I saw all my fans Leah, Miki, Cathy, Wayne, Craig, Brandon, Danielle, Chuck, Tom, Matt W., and Matthew E.  Wow, I felt like a star.  BOR was in the house!  About, 400 meters into the run I saw Jeff Alvey, he shouted this is what you do!  I thought yes, this is!  I came to the bridge and thought yes, I finally have to pee.  I used the port-a-potty.  Bad, bad, bad, idea!  That made me a little nausea.  I just thought I can’t do that again.  I came down the hill off the bridge and saw all my fans.  BOR with signs:  BOR Loves you, ichele, It’s on like donkey kong.  Then, about mile 3 of the run my stomach started to hurt.It is something I haven’t ever experienced before.  I thought I am way ahead of schedule I can walk a little.  I overheard a conversation in front of me, a man said to this lady did you bring the stuff, I thought what stuff, he said to the lady the gas-x, tums, and ibuprofen.  I thought that was a weird conversation well I soon knew exactly what they were talking about.  I prayed for tums about mile 4 when my stomach wouldn’t let up.  Guess what!  Oh yes, a few miles down the road I found a zip lock baggy someone had dropped and yes, it had tums in it.  I took the tums with pride.  Praise God!  I was between miles 6-8 when they got the chicken broth out.  I drank this at every water stop hoping that I can run/walk soon.  I tried several times to run/walk but I did more walking then running.  I thought this is supposed to be what I am good at.  Well, I gave everything to the swim and bike and this is what is left which wasn’t much.  I decided I have 8 hours I could walk this and still be an “Ironman.”  A few more miles down the road someone had a sign that side “Do you still think this is a good idea?”  I told that man no, no I don’t.  His response, but you are going to be an Ironman, which made me think of the youtube video, which made me laugh out loud.  I thought I am going to have fun with this marathon even if it is a run/walk/trot/or crawl, I will be an Ironman.  I finally got to the turnaround of the first loop of the run.  A few miles down about mile 12ish I saw Tom.  He stayed on the side walk while he talk to me.  Finally, I thought after a lot of walking I think I can play the cone game, run a cone, walk a cone.   Tom, shouted God didn’t bring you this far to leave you.  I got to mile 13 to my special needs bag which I didn’t have much I could stomach so I just took a few things just in case.  I started running when I came up on the BOR fans, I couldn’t let them see me walk but that only lasted about 3 cones before I needed another break.  About another mile my brother, my sister, sister-in-law, and my sister boyfriend was there.  They were cheering me on so I started running again.  My brother tried to run with me inside the orange cones.  I quickly told him you are going to get me DQ’d you can’t do that.  So, he stopped and then I stopped running and started walking again.  I overheard my brother say what is the 31 on her leg, I softly told him my age silly.  That made me laugh!  I came around between 14ish-15ish and fans were lined up and I heard from the stands someone yelling my name it was Linda Molinet.  I wanted to run but I was still pretty fatigue and I only had one gel because I couldn’t stomach anything else.  I was going back out for my final loop when I came up on BOR again.  I guess I looked and sounded a little fatigue to make Leah, Miki, and Cathy worry.  Cathy, you know our Cathy she never leaves anyone that is struggling.  Cathy handed her bags to Leah and Miki and she was walking on the side walk from mile 16ish until the end.  Finally, after talking to Cathy for a few miles and drinking more and more chicken broth, cola, and eating pretzels and orange slices I decided I can play the cone game again.  I meet a friend, his name was Shawn.  We played the cone game for awhile but we started to see people stop on the side of the road and unable to go forward.  We walked and talked, yes Cathy was still on the side walk.  Around mile 20ish there comes Leah so, Leah and Cathy were on the side walk and Shawn and I were on the road taking a night stroll.  I think it was at mile 23ish or 24ish that they had what was called, “the motivational mile.”  If someone typed you a message it would show up on the screen when you walked across the timing chip pad.  Sure enough, BOR typed “Don’t stop believing.”  That got me really excited.  It was so funny about half mile down the road a Police car was playing the Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believing.”  I shouted that’s my song.  Oh, I got a side stitch.  Ok, I told Shawn I can’t do that again.  The BOR was at mile 25ish.  I started running and giving everyone high-fives but Shawn wanted to run the last few blocks so I stayed with him until then.  He stopped to hug his wife and I took the spot light all by myself.  It was amazing!  I gave everyone down the finish line high-fives.  The announcer, “Michele Applegate you are an Ironman.”  I lifted my hands first to give praise because without God nothing is possible, and second to celebrate that I am an Ironman.

    First, I am grateful that God has given me the ability to do the Ironman.  Second, for all the prayers and support from the ones that tracked and called about me all day.  I want to thank those that helped me train for the Ironman rather it was riding with me or running with me I couldn’t have done this without you.  Also, a special thanks to those who had the time to come up and see the Ironman: Wayne, Cathy, Miki, Leah, Jeff, Chuck, Tom, Craig, Matt W, Matthew E., Brandon, Danielle, brother, sister, sister-in-law, and Michael.  I am forever grateful.  Philippians 4:13 and BOR with both anything is possible.  “Don’t Stop Believing.”

    So, if you get to this paragraph it probably took 140.6 minutes to read this.  Just kidding!  Love you all!
ichele           

15:27:07