The Race

Traveling to Augusta with Karen, Robin, and Barbara was a riot. We laughed until we cried many, many times during our trip. It's amazing how close we all are and how we share everything with each other. Even things we would never, ever tell anyone else. And somehow those things always end up being funny, even if they are serious things. We went to Augusta for a training race but Karen, Robin, and I all had PR (personal record) times for the race which could only mean we are getting stronger. Barbara was unable to do the swim portion of the race because she had mouth surgery and on the Thursday before the race her dentist told her she could not swim in the river for fear of infection. But Barbara went with us anyway (like she would miss a road trip) and we came up with plan B. I called Karen Allen, she was in Augusta with her son, Colby, who is seventeen and was doing his first half-ironman, to see if she or her husband, Jeff, might be interested in doing the swim for Barbara. While I was on the phone with Karen I remembered her daughter, Brittany, was coming to watch Colby race. Brittany is a collegiate swimmer at Western Kentucky (I think that where she goes to college). Brittany drove seven hours on Saturday and gladly swam for Barbara. Brittany rocked that swim. She even beat some of the pros.

Race morning started out cool, cloudy, and misty. Mine and Karen's wave was wave 25, the very last wave at 9:06 am. We've never started a race that late but I think there must have been a reason why. It was still cloudy and misty at 9:06. But when we got in the water and I took about three strokes, the sun popped from behind the clouds and right then I knew it was Mac. I've talked before in this blog about starting our training before the sun rises and when I see the sun come over the horizon I always know it is Mac saying, "Good Morning." Mac was definitely with me throughout that day. I had an incredible swim, good bike, and incredible run. I talked to Mac throughout that race, knowing the whole time he was right there because I felt so strong. When I crossed the finish line, I blew Mac a kiss. After the race, Karen and Robin both said they also felt Mac's presence and thought about him a lot without me mentioning a word. We asked for another finisher's medal to give to Maggie. We know Mac did that race with us!!