Denmark race Current mood: accomplished I'm not yet home, but I'll be there tomorrow. Denmark has been an adventure. Most of my time was spent preparing for the World Long Distance Duathlon Championships in Fredericia, but afterwards I spent a few days in Copenhagen. I placed 3rd in the elite division. 3rd in the world. it still hasn't quite sunk in. it was a hard fought race for sure, probably one of the hardest if not THE hardest. it was the windiest time trial i have ever ridden. i fought with my bike until i finally relinquished control. i flowed with my bike. i closed my eyes every time a gust of wind would nearly crash me out. i became one with my bike and relaxed as much as i could in the 30 something degree weather. it was much colder with the windchill. oh, and it was raining. let me start from the beginning. ever since angie and i arrived in fredericia it had been raining and hailing off and on, and it was cold. i knew the forecast for my race, and i just shrugged my shoulders about it. whaddya do, you know? it was going to be cold, windy, and wet. that's that. the morning of the race i looked outside at the age groupers racing, and you could see their breath in the air. not a good sign. i saw people bundled up in coats trying to hide in doorways. another bad sign. angie and i strolled down to breakfast where i ate my normal yogurt, fruit, and salami sandwiches. i avoided cheese b/c i didn't want to take in too much dairy since this increases lactic acid production aka burning muscles, and it produces mucous. my race started at 1pm. the afternoons are the coldest, windiest, and wettest... the age groupers started at 7am. boy that was early, and i felt for them b/c to fuel for a race that early is difficult especially when the conditions are so severe. angie and i finished breakfast and stood outside to cheer them on. we yelled Go USA b/c i don't know any of the age groupers by name, but they all had the same uniform on., so we could tell who was from what country. we cheered on other countries as well. i mean everyone was enduring tough conditions, and they were all still racing, and some were even smiling. what troopers! Jason Spong from South Africa came to our room to hang out prerace. he was staying at a hostel that had no heater, so we invited him to relax in our room where he could leave his bag. around 11 am i prepared my two water bottles with First Endurance products. i placed one on my bike and handed the other one to Angie. angie was going to be in the elite feed zone. there was also a neutral feed zone where volunteers handed out water, bananas, and energy bars. i decided i wouldn't take in anything i wasn't used to, so i asked angie if she would hand me my bottle. i knew she knew how to do it since she is a cyclist. i checked my bike into transition at noon. it was so windy that my bike whipped around on the bike rack because i had a disc in the back. a disc is more aerodynamic b/c there are no spokes, but it is a bitch to deal with in windy conditions. on the front i had a tri spoke. in other words, my wheel in the front and 3 thick carbon spokes on it about the width of my hand. also very aerodynamic but hell to handle in the wind. i opted for both not realizing the intensity of the wind out on the course, and it was only going to pick up... the first run was 15k or about 9.3 miles. we ran on gravel, dirt, sidewalks, and road. we ran up and down and through mud. i was so @(*@#*^! cold. i decided i wouldn't run too fast, so i stayed in a pack of some fleshy women. i tried to hide in them. i figured out which way the wind was blowing and positioned myself accordingly to get the best draft. the draft isn't like it is cycling, but it still helps especially when it is really windy and cold. i needed to stay warm on the run b/c of my achilles. it was already aching, and i couldn't afford to tear it again. after awhile i left the group and proceeded to make up ground on the single women running ahead of me. i needed to stay within striking distance, so i could make my move on the bike. i finished the run 4 and a half minutes or so behind the leader. my transition was decent, i guess, for me. i'm never lightning quick in there. i did as well as i could despite not being able to feel my hands. it was hard to buckle my helmet. i headed out on the bike and was cussing within minutes! i couldn't believe the force of the wind on me and my machine. i was all over the road. i bet i rode an extra 5 miles by the end of it! i was yelling out of fear every time a gust of wind would hit me. we had to ride 3 loops, and some of that was in town, so there were terrible gusts between buildings and when there were cross streets. the wind was unpredictable in town. at least out in the country by the water i could have some consistency with the wind. i had to carefully plan when to take my hand off the bar to get a drink. i had to make sure there were no clearings b/c if there were that meant the wind would be gusty in that particular area. i did not think i would survive the 58-mile bike. during the first loop i could not ride as hard as i wanted to b/c i was resisting and fighting my bike. i was angry. i was so cold. my fingers wouldn't work, and neither would my lips. i couldn't get a feed until later b/c there was no way i could grip the bottle from angie. it was raining too, so the roads were slick, and we had many corners to take. plus, the wet road meant constant water being thrown onto my feet, legs, and ass. i could not get warm. i was shaking so hard that it looked like there was something wrong with my bike b/c i was shaking it too. i knew i was hypothermic when i had to shake my head to concentrate. the ambulance kept driving past me. there were lots of medics out on the course. people were getting pulled. i was wishing i would get pulled. then i was wishing i wouldn't. i wanted to make it through this. i wanted to win. i wanted to stop. i didn't know what i wanted. i considered that i was insane... on the 2nd lap it stopped raining and warmed up a few degrees to the point where i could start feeling my hands. i rode a bit faster b/c i could feel my legs. the burning sensation created by the lactic acid was comforting to me. i sprinted out of every corner standing up whenever i had the chance. i was making my body get warm. i was demanding that it stay sharp. i tried to take a feed from neutral, and they almost crashed me b/c the volunteer stood arm stiff while i tried to grab a bottle going balls out. then i saw angie, and she had the gels that fell from my bike. i forgot to tell you about that. i started out with two gels taped to my top tube, but they fell off right as i left transition. i grabbed a bottle from angie going one way, and after i turned around at the end of the street she went to the other side, and i grabbed the gels. it was heaven. i was desperate, and these gels were lifesaving to me. angie said that i nearly ripped her hand off when i grabbed them from her. i was hypoglycemic b/c i had been unable to consume any food. i kept telling myself that i had great reserves from my hearty breakfasts every morning, but i knew i needed more since this race was going to last over 4 hours, and i was expending so much energy trying to stay warm not to mention trying to have a good race. i could tell i was gaining on people. i started passing people. i became more confident. i was thinking to myself that i was not even riding near the speed that i normally could, and i was still going good comparitively. i was wondering how my teammates Christine and Kathryn were doing. Christine had absolutely NO body fat. i KNEW she had to be suffereing if i was suffering. i was really concerned about her and rightly so. she ended up getting pulled. kathryn finished the race albeit in last place. she didn't give up. she didn't quit. that was amazing. i don't look any greater upon anyone who finishes or who doesn't finish. i think both are commendable. everyone has his/her own limits, and i can't judge that. christine was a bit upset that she had dropped out, but she knew it was the right decision. she had tunnel vision and really was in dire need of getting her body warmed. it would have been too dangerous for her to continue on. medical personnel made that decision for her b/c she was unable to. i was right at the end of that rope hanging with a delicate balance... i was amazed i was still riding. i was settling down, and i was getting faster. i was happy. i was also thankful, and i prayed. mostly, though, i was wondering how on earth i was ever going to be able to run after all of this... during the 3rd lap it started raining again, and it got colder. i started to worry again thinking that i would sink down into such a terrible depth of hypothermia that i wouldn't be so lucky to get out of it as i had just one lap earlier. the lap was a tortuous one. i was gaining on first place, but i knew i had neither the strength nor the time to catch her. i had to limit my losses, though, and press on. besides, there was some british chick that was going to try to do the same thing with me. i was sure she would try to catch me on the run....and she did. i flew into transition after having passed every elite woman except for one. i think i was like 10th or 12th coming off the first run, so i definitely made up some ground. i got my helmet off, took off my cycling shoes, and got my right running shoe on. i couldn't get my left shoe on. i was there for a good minute trying to get that sucker on. i felt everyone watching me hopeful that i would finally get my shoe on. i started stomping around, and i realized i couldn't feel my feet AT ALL. i ran out of transition on what felt like nubs. i had to keep looking down to make sure that i wouldn't twist an ankle. i was running on cobbles and was afraid i'd hurt my feet and not know it. i literally could not feel a thing. it was like they weren't there. i was relaxed but scared b/c one of the best duathletes and triathletes in the world who is from Hungary was close behind me, and i knew she could run me down. she didn't, though. some other chick did! the girl who i had passed last on the bike from Great Britain. yeah, so i was in second and now in 3rd, and i guess i'll probably drop to 4th. that's what i was contemplating. i guess that's not bad. i couldn't run any faster, and my achilles and hamstring were screaming in pain. i knew i was bonking too. i had eaten my gels and drank my bottle, but i knew it wasn't enough b/c i had created such a deficit, that i knew it was just a matter of time before my body was just going to shut down. question was when would that happen? i remembered ironman new zealand last year. i kept running and looking at the kilometer signs to see how far ahead of Hungarian Erica Csomor I was. i knew i wasn't going to catch 2nd now that she had passed me, so i was more concerned about who was behind me. that part is really frustrating to me b/c if i wasn't injured i would be able to fight for my position and look forward instead of backward. THAT is what i would like to do, but i cannot. i'm not going to go into my achilles. for those of you who don't know, you can read about it somewhere in an article in google and also in previous blogs. i don't like to harp on it. it's what i have to live with, and i do the best i can with that. ANYway, i saw that i had a pretty good cushion on erica. i counted the kilometer signs down. this last run was 7.5k. that's like 4.7 miles. we did two loops of cobbles, streets, sidewalks, mud, and gravel. the crowds of people were crazy supportive. i finished one loop, and i started to feel my feet. my legs were getting wobbly, though. i felt like i was really slowing down. i didn't know if i could hold off the other competitors. i didn't know if my body would make it too much farther. angie told me that she was happy and proud of me. i couldn't wait to thank her for my hand ups. she saved the day for me. finally, i saw the 7K sign. i had just over 400 meters to go. that was just over one lap of a track. i was going to make it. i looked behind me. no one. i was going to make the podium at the friggin world championships against the top of the top europeans. i had survived the elements. i considered myself blessed. i wanted to cry from both exhilaration and exhaustion... i crossed the finish line, bent over, and just stood there. i looked up and saw a swarm of photographers. whatever---my legs ached, and i was so sleepy. the weather conditions had plumb wore me the heck out. i just wanted to sleep. i needed sugar, so the elite athlete coordinator for the U.S. team got me a Coke. angie made me a First Endurance recovery drink and handed it to me over the fence. i sucked both of them down as quick as i could. the medics were watching me like hawks wondering if i'd be okay. the organizer wanted me on the podium for the media medal ceremony. i told him that i was fine and that i would be there shortly. i was sitting on this bench next to Bennie Vansteelant and his brother. they are two of the world's top duathletes, and they placed 1st and 3rd, respectively. on the bike benny and i kept passing each other going in opposite directions, but we both always looked each other in the eye. it was weird. i remember thinking to myself how beautiful he looked on his bike and how fast he was going. i was in awe. i said to him "i saw you" to which he said "i saw you too." i said, "you looked really fast." he said, "you did too." we both just smiled. he had purple lips. i was thinking that benny probably loved today's conditions since the weather is poopy often in Belgium. the belgian coach looked down at me and told me how incredible he thought my cycling leg was. his eyes were all bugged out, and he was really excited about it. i looked up and thanked him. it's probably one of the greatest compliments i've ever received b/c the belgians are known for their cycling, and they have the best duathletes in the world having placed 1st thru 4th in the elite men's category. many countries including the U.S. send their up and coming young cyclists to belgium because the racing is so frequent and intense, and the conditions are so harsh. i felt really good that i put on a good show for people and that they appreciated it. i heard lots of cheers from lots of people. the hotel employees even came out to cheer! that night was the medal ceremony for the public. it included a dinner. the building was packed with people upstairs and downstairs. they called the athletes up, and we stood on the podium. i congratulated everyone, and the first place girl from denmark noted that she was surrounded by skinny women, and she felt she was big. well, it turned out that she used to be a bodybuilder. i really didn't get a good look at her legs b/c i never passed her on the bike, but angie said that they were huge. i told her that she was the only cyclist i hadn't passed, and she told me that it was b/c she had strong legs. last year i had the fastest bike split, and this year i had the second fastest bike time, but the race is a duathlon, so in the end what matters is who has the fastest time overall, and on this day it wasn't me... angie started feeling really ill the day before the race, and it got worse the day of the race. she was puking all over the place. i can't believe she rode around watching over me as i raced. in fact, she almost got me disqualified b/c she didn't know she couldn't ride next to me as i ran. she stood out in that hellish weather and made sure i got nourishment. the next day i tried to find something like Pepto-Bismol for angie's stomach, but all i could find was anti-diarrhea stuff. i asked what they did for kids who threw up, and they replied that they let them throw up! LOL!~ i understand the logic. if you're throwing up then it means your stomach doesn't want it in there! however, if a fever develops then you need to see a doc. we just rode hers out. we went to copenhagen via the train, and poor angie suffered. i don't know how she did it. when i have to vomit there ain't nuthin' that is gonna stop me! it just comes up. she was able to keep her cookies untossed the whole train ride but then vomited once we checked into the hotel in copenhagen. we had to walk about 20 minutes from the train station, and she was so out of it that she didn't even remember the walk! once again i took off looking for medicine but could find none. she was up every hour puking all night. the next day we rented bikes. well, you put in money, unlock the bike, then return your bike, and get your money back. there are 125 locations for this! very efficient i might say! we parked at a big grocery store to look for medicine again. we took a few steps in the direction of the doors when i turned around and noticed some teenage boys trying to make off with the bikes b/c they could take it to a place, lock the bike, and get the money out just as we could. ANYway, i promptly walked over and said something to the effect of beating some ass if anybody touched those bikes. i was a bit more colorful about it, but we don't need to go into that. we skipped going into the store and rode a bit farther until we came to this India store. we parked the bikes, and angie watched them while i went inside. i found some pink stuff that looked like Pepto. how smart of the Indian people to make a stomach medicine LOOK like Pepto even though it wasn't. it was all herbal, all natural. i bought it and told her to start drinking! long story short, the stuff worked wonders. copenhagen was a blast. angie tried to walk into the royal guards training grounds WHILE there was a guard standing there. that was stopped short when he pounded the butt of his big gun on the ground. LOL! funny to see her walk backwards so fast. we did see the changing of the guards at Amelia Palace which was very cool. they wear those big furry black hats. for the race i got a medal, good money, a plaque, and two bouquets of flowers. i gave the flowers to the hotel employees and thanked them for their encouragement and their beautiful hospitality. they braved some really crappy weather to cheer for me. in fact, there were lots of people who did that, and i want to thank you all. i also want to thank my sponsors and my friends, both on and off MySpace. thank you LOTS for being so interested, so encouraging, and so loving. you make me happy. all i do isn't just for me. it's for you too. true that! cheers, andrea split times for the race: first run 1:00.20/ bike 2:34:26/ second run 30:48 distances: 15K/90K/7.5K transition times: lame! more blogs and info. at www.myspace.com/ratandrea

Denmark race Current mood: accomplished I'm not yet home, but I'll be there tomorrow. Denmark has been an adventure. Most of my time was spent preparing for the World Long Distance Duathlon Championships in Fredericia, but afterwards I spent a few days in Copenhagen. I placed 3rd in the elite division. 3rd in the world. it still hasn't quite sunk in. it was a hard fought race for sure, probably one of the hardest if not THE hardest. it was the windiest time trial i have ever ridden. i fought with my bike until i finally relinquished control. i flowed with my bike. i closed my eyes every time a gust of wind would nearly crash me out. i became one with my bike and relaxed as much as i could in the 30 something degree weather. it was much colder with the windchill. oh, and it was raining. let me start from the beginning. ever since angie and i arrived in fredericia it had been raining and hailing off and on, and it was cold. i knew the forecast for my race, and i just shrugged my shoulders about it. whaddya do, you know? it was going to be cold, windy, and wet. that's that. the morning of the race i looked outside at the age groupers racing, and you could see their breath in the air. not a good sign. i saw people bundled up in coats trying to hide in doorways. another bad sign. angie and i strolled down to breakfast where i ate my normal yogurt, fruit, and salami sandwiches. i avoided cheese b/c i didn't want to take in too much dairy since this increases lactic acid production aka burning muscles, and it produces mucous. my race started at 1pm. the afternoons are the coldest, windiest, and wettest... the age groupers started at 7am. boy that was early, and i felt for them b/c to fuel for a race that early is difficult especially when the conditions are so severe. angie and i finished breakfast and stood outside to cheer them on. we yelled Go USA b/c i don't know any of the age groupers by name, but they all had the same uniform on., so we could tell who was from what country. we cheered on other countries as well. i mean everyone was enduring tough conditions, and they were all still racing, and some were even smiling. what troopers! Jason Spong from South Africa came to our room to hang out prerace. he was staying at a hostel that had no heater, so we invited him to relax in our room where he could leave his bag. around 11 am i prepared my two water bottles with First Endurance products. i placed one on my bike and handed the other one to Angie. angie was going to be in the elite feed zone. there was also a neutral feed zone where volunteers handed out water, bananas, and energy bars. i decided i wouldn't take in anything i wasn't used to, so i asked angie if she would hand me my bottle. i knew she knew how to do it since she is a cyclist. i checked my bike into transition at noon. it was so windy that my bike whipped around on the bike rack because i had a disc in the back. a disc is more aerodynamic b/c there are no spokes, but it is a bitch to deal with in windy conditions. on the front i had a tri spoke. in other words, my wheel in the front and 3 thick carbon spokes on it about the width of my hand. also very aerodynamic but hell to handle in the wind. i opted for both not realizing the intensity of the wind out on the course, and it was only going to pick up... the first run was 15k or about 9.3 miles. we ran on gravel, dirt, sidewalks, and road. we ran up and down and through mud. i was so @(*@#*^! cold. i decided i wouldn't run too fast, so i stayed in a pack of some fleshy women. i tried to hide in them. i figured out which way the wind was blowing and positioned myself accordingly to get the best draft. the draft isn't like it is cycling, but it still helps especially when it is really windy and cold. i needed to stay warm on the run b/c of my achilles. it was already aching, and i couldn't afford to tear it again. after awhile i left the group and proceeded to make up ground on the single women running ahead of me. i needed to stay within striking distance, so i could make my move on the bike. i finished the run 4 and a half minutes or so behind the leader. my transition was decent, i guess, for me. i'm never lightning quick in there. i did as well as i could despite not being able to feel my hands. it was hard to buckle my helmet. i headed out on the bike and was cussing within minutes! i couldn't believe the force of the wind on me and my machine. i was all over the road. i bet i rode an extra 5 miles by the end of it! i was yelling out of fear every time a gust of wind would hit me. we had to ride 3 loops, and some of that was in town, so there were terrible gusts between buildings and when there were cross streets. the wind was unpredictable in town. at least out in the country by the water i could have some consistency with the wind. i had to carefully plan when to take my hand off the bar to get a drink. i had to make sure there were no clearings b/c if there were that meant the wind would be gusty in that particular area. i did not think i would survive the 58-mile bike. during the first loop i could not ride as hard as i wanted to b/c i was resisting and fighting my bike. i was angry. i was so cold. my fingers wouldn't work, and neither would my lips. i couldn't get a feed until later b/c there was no way i could grip the bottle from angie. it was raining too, so the roads were slick, and we had many corners to take. plus, the wet road meant constant water being thrown onto my feet, legs, and ass. i could not get warm. i was shaking so hard that it looked like there was something wrong with my bike b/c i was shaking it too. i knew i was hypothermic when i had to shake my head to concentrate. the ambulance kept driving past me. there were lots of medics out on the course. people were getting pulled. i was wishing i would get pulled. then i was wishing i wouldn't. i wanted to make it through this. i wanted to win. i wanted to stop. i didn't know what i wanted. i considered that i was insane... on the 2nd lap it stopped raining and warmed up a few degrees to the point where i could start feeling my hands. i rode a bit faster b/c i could feel my legs. the burning sensation created by the lactic acid was comforting to me. i sprinted out of every corner standing up whenever i had the chance. i was making my body get warm. i was demanding that it stay sharp. i tried to take a feed from neutral, and they almost crashed me b/c the volunteer stood arm stiff while i tried to grab a bottle going balls out. then i saw angie, and she had the gels that fell from my bike. i forgot to tell you about that. i started out with two gels taped to my top tube, but they fell off right as i left transition. i grabbed a bottle from angie going one way, and after i turned around at the end of the street she went to the other side, and i grabbed the gels. it was heaven. i was desperate, and these gels were lifesaving to me. angie said that i nearly ripped her hand off when i grabbed them from her. i was hypoglycemic b/c i had been unable to consume any food. i kept telling myself that i had great reserves from my hearty breakfasts every morning, but i knew i needed more since this race was going to last over 4 hours, and i was expending so much energy trying to stay warm not to mention trying to have a good race. i could tell i was gaining on people. i started passing people. i became more confident. i was thinking to myself that i was not even riding near the speed that i normally could, and i was still going good comparitively. i was wondering how my teammates Christine and Kathryn were doing. Christine had absolutely NO body fat. i KNEW she had to be suffereing if i was suffering. i was really concerned about her and rightly so. she ended up getting pulled. kathryn finished the race albeit in last place. she didn't give up. she didn't quit. that was amazing. i don't look any greater upon anyone who finishes or who doesn't finish. i think both are commendable. everyone has his/her own limits, and i can't judge that. christine was a bit upset that she had dropped out, but she knew it was the right decision. she had tunnel vision and really was in dire need of getting her body warmed. it would have been too dangerous for her to continue on. medical personnel made that decision for her b/c she was unable to. i was right at the end of that rope hanging with a delicate balance... i was amazed i was still riding. i was settling down, and i was getting faster. i was happy. i was also thankful, and i prayed. mostly, though, i was wondering how on earth i was ever going to be able to run after all of this... during the 3rd lap it started raining again, and it got colder. i started to worry again thinking that i would sink down into such a terrible depth of hypothermia that i wouldn't be so lucky to get out of it as i had just one lap earlier. the lap was a tortuous one. i was gaining on first place, but i knew i had neither the strength nor the time to catch her. i had to limit my losses, though, and press on. besides, there was some british chick that was going to try to do the same thing with me. i was sure she would try to catch me on the run....and she did. i flew into transition after having passed every elite woman except for one. i think i was like 10th or 12th coming off the first run, so i definitely made up some ground. i got my helmet off, took off my cycling shoes, and got my right running shoe on. i couldn't get my left shoe on. i was there for a good minute trying to get that sucker on. i felt everyone watching me hopeful that i would finally get my shoe on. i started stomping around, and i realized i couldn't feel my feet AT ALL. i ran out of transition on what felt like nubs. i had to keep looking down to make sure that i wouldn't twist an ankle. i was running on cobbles and was afraid i'd hurt my feet and not know it. i literally could not feel a thing. it was like they weren't there. i was relaxed but scared b/c one of the best duathletes and triathletes in the world who is from Hungary was close behind me, and i knew she could run me down. she didn't, though. some other chick did! the girl who i had passed last on the bike from Great Britain. yeah, so i was in second and now in 3rd, and i guess i'll probably drop to 4th. that's what i was contemplating. i guess that's not bad. i couldn't run any faster, and my achilles and hamstring were screaming in pain. i knew i was bonking too. i had eaten my gels and drank my bottle, but i knew it wasn't enough b/c i had created such a deficit, that i knew it was just a matter of time before my body was just going to shut down. question was when would that happen? i remembered ironman new zealand last year. i kept running and looking at the kilometer signs to see how far ahead of Hungarian Erica Csomor I was. i knew i wasn't going to catch 2nd now that she had passed me, so i was more concerned about who was behind me. that part is really frustrating to me b/c if i wasn't injured i would be able to fight for my position and look forward instead of backward. THAT is what i would like to do, but i cannot. i'm not going to go into my achilles. for those of you who don't know, you can read about it somewhere in an article in google and also in previous blogs. i don't like to harp on it. it's what i have to live with, and i do the best i can with that. ANYway, i saw that i had a pretty good cushion on erica. i counted the kilometer signs down. this last run was 7.5k. that's like 4.7 miles. we did two loops of cobbles, streets, sidewalks, mud, and gravel. the crowds of people were crazy supportive. i finished one loop, and i started to feel my feet. my legs were getting wobbly, though. i felt like i was really slowing down. i didn't know if i could hold off the other competitors. i didn't know if my body would make it too much farther. angie told me that she was happy and proud of me. i couldn't wait to thank her for my hand ups. she saved the day for me. finally, i saw the 7K sign. i had just over 400 meters to go. that was just over one lap of a track. i was going to make it. i looked behind me. no one. i was going to make the podium at the friggin world championships against the top of the top europeans. i had survived the elements. i considered myself blessed. i wanted to cry from both exhilaration and exhaustion... i crossed the finish line, bent over, and just stood there. i looked up and saw a swarm of photographers. whatever---my legs ached, and i was so sleepy. the weather conditions had plumb wore me the heck out. i just wanted to sleep. i needed sugar, so the elite athlete coordinator for the U.S. team got me a Coke. angie made me a First Endurance recovery drink and handed it to me over the fence. i sucked both of them down as quick as i could. the medics were watching me like hawks wondering if i'd be okay. the organizer wanted me on the podium for the media medal ceremony. i told him that i was fine and that i would be there shortly. i was sitting on this bench next to Bennie Vansteelant and his brother. they are two of the world's top duathletes, and they placed 1st and 3rd, respectively. on the bike benny and i kept passing each other going in opposite directions, but we both always looked each other in the eye. it was weird. i remember thinking to myself how beautiful he looked on his bike and how fast he was going. i was in awe. i said to him "i saw you" to which he said "i saw you too." i said, "you looked really fast." he said, "you did too." we both just smiled. he had purple lips. i was thinking that benny probably loved today's conditions since the weather is poopy often in Belgium. the belgian coach looked down at me and told me how incredible he thought my cycling leg was. his eyes were all bugged out, and he was really excited about it. i looked up and thanked him. it's probably one of the greatest compliments i've ever received b/c the belgians are known for their cycling, and they have the best duathletes in the world having placed 1st thru 4th in the elite men's category. many countries including the U.S. send their up and coming young cyclists to belgium because the racing is so frequent and intense, and the conditions are so harsh. i felt really good that i put on a good show for people and that they appreciated it. i heard lots of cheers from lots of people. the hotel employees even came out to cheer! that night was the medal ceremony for the public. it included a dinner. the building was packed with people upstairs and downstairs. they called the athletes up, and we stood on the podium. i congratulated everyone, and the first place girl from denmark noted that she was surrounded by skinny women, and she felt she was big. well, it turned out that she used to be a bodybuilder. i really didn't get a good look at her legs b/c i never passed her on the bike, but angie said that they were huge. i told her that she was the only cyclist i hadn't passed, and she told me that it was b/c she had strong legs. last year i had the fastest bike split, and this year i had the second fastest bike time, but the race is a duathlon, so in the end what matters is who has the fastest time overall, and on this day it wasn't me... angie started feeling really ill the day before the race, and it got worse the day of the race. she was puking all over the place. i can't believe she rode around watching over me as i raced. in fact, she almost got me disqualified b/c she didn't know she couldn't ride next to me as i ran. she stood out in that hellish weather and made sure i got nourishment. the next day i tried to find something like Pepto-Bismol for angie's stomach, but all i could find was anti-diarrhea stuff. i asked what they did for kids who threw up, and they replied that they let them throw up! LOL!~ i understand the logic. if you're throwing up then it means your stomach doesn't want it in there! however, if a fever develops then you need to see a doc. we just rode hers out. we went to copenhagen via the train, and poor angie suffered. i don't know how she did it. when i have to vomit there ain't nuthin' that is gonna stop me! it just comes up. she was able to keep her cookies untossed the whole train ride but then vomited once we checked into the hotel in copenhagen. we had to walk about 20 minutes from the train station, and she was so out of it that she didn't even remember the walk! once again i took off looking for medicine but could find none. she was up every hour puking all night. the next day we rented bikes. well, you put in money, unlock the bike, then return your bike, and get your money back. there are 125 locations for this! very efficient i might say! we parked at a big grocery store to look for medicine again. we took a few steps in the direction of the doors when i turned around and noticed some teenage boys trying to make off with the bikes b/c they could take it to a place, lock the bike, and get the money out just as we could. ANYway, i promptly walked over and said something to the effect of beating some ass if anybody touched those bikes. i was a bit more colorful about it, but we don't need to go into that. we skipped going into the store and rode a bit farther until we came to this India store. we parked the bikes, and angie watched them while i went inside. i found some pink stuff that looked like Pepto. how smart of the Indian people to make a stomach medicine LOOK like Pepto even though it wasn't. it was all herbal, all natural. i bought it and told her to start drinking! long story short, the stuff worked wonders. copenhagen was a blast. angie tried to walk into the royal guards training grounds WHILE there was a guard standing there. that was stopped short when he pounded the butt of his big gun on the ground. LOL! funny to see her walk backwards so fast. we did see the changing of the guards at Amelia Palace which was very cool. they wear those big furry black hats. for the race i got a medal, good money, a plaque, and two bouquets of flowers. i gave the flowers to the hotel employees and thanked them for their encouragement and their beautiful hospitality. they braved some really crappy weather to cheer for me. in fact, there were lots of people who did that, and i want to thank you all. i also want to thank my sponsors and my friends, both on and off MySpace. thank you LOTS for being so interested, so encouraging, and so loving. you make me happy. all i do isn't just for me. it's for you too. true that! cheers, andrea split times for the race: first run 1:00.20/ bike 2:34:26/ second run 30:48 distances: 15K/90K/7.5K transition times: lame!