WAYNE'S WORDS
May 2006
TOPIC: 2006 GULF COAST ½ IRONMAN

This is that time of the year to get out of St. Louis and venture down to Panama City for the Gulf Coast ½ Ironman Triathlon, and take a much needed vacation on the beach.

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Up at 4:30AM, pack up, and head out with Val and Ryan Barr for our road trip to Gulf Coast. We miss a turn in Illinois and our road trip ends up to be about 14 hours. I can hardly bear sitting still for 20 minutes much less 14 hours. Once we get to our million dollar condo, right on the beach, all the boredom and cramped feelings fade away. We unpack and head over to Pompano's for dinner. Joining us in our condo were Steve, Tracey, and Maddy Ryan, Corky Miller and Paul Kannady. As usual, I get to choose between sleeping on the couch or in a bunk bed. I go down to the beach and stick my feet in the water, it's cold, but I'm on a beach and there's the ocean, a warm breeze, and I'm happy.

Friday, May 12, 2006
Up at 6:30, make some Starbucks and sit out on the balcony looking at the ocean. I always wonder what the hell I'm doing living in the Midwest when there's places like this. I do like spring and fall in St. Louis, but you need lots of cash to live down here on the beach, so a once a year visit makes a lot of sense. I'm actually participating this year on the Ghisallo Racing Team. I'm swimming the 1.2 miles, Corky's biking the 56 miles and Val's running the 13.1 miles. I look out over the ocean and spot some large waves coming in and wonder what tomorrow morning will be like. I do a short swim, and I have a rude awaking as to how hard it is to swim in the ocean. The waves push you, salt water gets in your mouth, and there's always some weird things swimming around under you. If you start to think too much you'll freak out. I keep my cool and do a ½ mile swim. The guys with bikes spend time cleaning their bikes to try to save those milliseconds. We hangout at the beach, go to the expo, and get registered. This was a very relaxing day, enjoying JUST being here. As tradition would have it, we carbo-load at Olive Garden. We all go to bed early.

Sat. May 13, 2006
5:45, Race Day - Paul turns on all the lights in the kitchen and because I'm sleeping on the couch I'm up too, cursing him under my breath. The guys doing the ½ Ironman are fidgety, getting stuff ready, listening to who knows what on their ipods.
I have the easiest job today, swim for 30+ minutes and then I'm done. 6:15, the first wave goes and the race is on. I'm in the last wave at 7:20 with the other relay teams. I had a respectable swim, The ocean was relatively calm and I didn't think once about all the wildlife swimming around under me. No matter how much you swim in a lake or a pool, it's nothing like swimming in the ocean. It's hard to sight on anything because of the waves. You're always being pushed around by the waves and the currents can take you anywhere they want. I come out in 32 minutes have a two minute run up to the transition area, tag Corky and just stand there...I'm done . . . now I can start drinking and relaxing on the beach! Corky comes in, in 21/2 hours, tags Val and she's off. Waiting at the finish for everyone, we start to see the Ghisallo Racing Team members:
Aron Raul, 4:57 which places him 9th. In his age group
Team Ghisallo, 5:05 which places us 9th in the mixed relays
Ryan, 5:09
Paul, 5:16
Steve, 5:21
Katie Reboulet, 6:13

We spend time recuperating, taking in Gatorade, water, pizza and anything else we could find, and visiting with the other triathlete. I see my friend Josh, again. I wrote about him last year. He's in a wheel chair and does a relay with other physically challenged athletes. He cranks his hand cart for the 56 miles for the bike portion. I tell him I wrote about him on this website last year and that he's an inspiration to us all. He says we are his inspiration, that he just wants to be treated like everyone else— same hardships, same aches and fatigue, and the same joys involved in doing a triathlon. Eventually we all slowly meander back to the condo. Some of us go down to the beach, others take naps, and a few imbibe at the outdoor bar. Sometimes it's hard to get eight people in the same place at the same time, but we all eventually make it to Captain Anderson's for Dinner. I have my traditional T-bone and eat about 1/3 of it. We head back to the condo and just decompress.

Sunday, May 14, 2006
Up at 6:30, make some coffee and head down to the beach. It's peaceful this morning. I can see if you lived here you'd have to be a writer. This view of the ocean makes you introspect your ass off, and then you'd want to write about it. The wind is really strong and there are white caps on the ocean. Somebody was watching over us yesterday during the swim. I just sit there enjoying the beach, talking on the phone to my friend in St. Louis and find out that it's 40 and raining there. We make our annual trip to Waffle House and are amazed at how efficiently the waitresses get the food out. I do an EZ 4 mile run and we spend the day on the beach, savoring the warm sunshine and visiting the outdoor bar every now and then. That night we become pedestrian and walk along the beach to a local restaurant. I still have sand in my sandals.

Monday, May 15, 2006
Up by 4:30, pack up and on the road by 6:00. We make relatively good time, we don't get lost and get back to St. Louis by seven. I always have mixed feelings when I get back. I'd rather be on the beach relaxing but it's good to get home and get back to your life. I'm definitely a person who has a routine and it's good to get back into that and into your own bed. Tuesday was a rough day, work, rainy weather a thousand e-mails to delete without reading. Luckily, I had a good friend who made my return to reality a bit more bearable. All in all it was an exceptional vacation. I was part of a team this year so I felt more involved in the action, rather than being a spectator. The ocean and the beach are always incredible. It was great to hangout with some old friends and make some new ones. Finally, it really wasn't THAT bad sleeping on the couch again. I'm looking forward to next year, even if I have the couch.

Until Next Time,
Train Smart, Live Right
Wayne
whuckshold@yahoo.com