Waterman's Half Ironman

My last race before IMAZ and I PR'd it by 35 minutes--yay!


Goal:     8 hours
Actual:  7:52:50

Don't try anything new on race day. How many times have I heard that?! And yet I had all kinds of new stuff going on at Waterman's:  a new bike fit, new aero bars,  new saddle, new cycling shoes, different nutrition options, and a new (smaller) bento box. Nothing like living on the edge for 70.3, right?  But this was more of a training race for me and, it turns out, everything worked, with the exception of the new saddle.

Pre-Race

I was pretty laid back about this race. Shocking, I know. My only bit of concern was for the bike portion, as I have a history of cutting it close on the cut off times. But after that epic 110 mile ride and the long rides before that, 56 seemed like a walk in the park.

Swim
Goal:     Beat my PR of  47:19
Actual:  46:16

I really enjoyed the swim. The water was about 65 degrees but didn't feel that cold to me. Since I was in such a small swim wave I decided to start in the middle of the pack and see how long I could keep up with everyone. For a few moments it seemed like I was being pulled along with the others. But that didn't last too long as all the fasties pulled out ahead and everyone else spread out. It was a two loop course with a lot of grass in some sections, but before I knew it I was at the boat ramp and running for transition.


Bike
Goal:     Make the cut off
Actual:  Made it with just a few minutes to spare. =S

It's all about the bike these days. I'm pretty sure my success at IMAZ will depend on the bike portion of the race. So I took time off last week to fix all those nagging new tri bike issues I needed to fix. This was the last race opportunity I would have to tweak everything.

Turns out I loved the new aerobars but hated the new saddle. I kept having to adjust my position and couldn't stay aero as much as I wanted. Throw in some hills and I finished about a minute slower than the bike at Musselman. Ugh.  Plus, my quads were trashed by the last 10 miles or so. Melissa says it's a matter of getting used to hills on the tri bike....but I was missing my road bike, for sure.

I cruised into transition under the wire. Whew! That was waaay too close. Good thing IMAZ isn't hilly!

Run

Goal:      Whatever it takes to make it to the finish line before the 8 hour cutoff
Actual:    2:52:50, made the cutoff with about 7 minutes to spare :)

OMG I love to run!  I was so happy to finally be in my total comfort zone. I walked up the bigger hills and ran the rest of the way. I hadn't even thought it possible that I could finish in under 8 hours. I thought maybe 8:15 or so would be more realistic. I just wanted to beat my 8:28 time from Musselmania.And given that the weather was so much nicer--about 20 degrees cooler--I felt pretty good about it, but not sub-8 hours good.

On the final loop I started doing the math and realized that I could actually make it in 8 hours-- even if I slowed to a 15 minute pace! Debbie The World Traveler Chamberlin wasn't too far behind me and I kept looking back, happy to see another Zr still out there with me. Tracey was also there, keeping up a nice steady pace. We exchanged high fives on the out-and-back and I couldn't help but think about how far we've both come and what a year it's been. And our biggest challenge is still to come!

Finish Line!

Given my questionable math skills, I still couldn't let myself believe I would finish in under 8 hours until I had the finish line in sight. The final mile went through the park campground and then over this little wooden bridge. Coming over the bridge I saw a couple of Zs waiting and clapping. One of them whistled to the rest of the Zs to let them know someone was coming. One last hill and a few high fives later I was across the finish line with about 7 minutes to spare!

Up next:  The Big Show! 

110 In The Bank

Goal:  8 hours
Actual:  7:40ish

This was a windy, chilly ride all the way out to St. Michaels and Tilghman Island....just one long out and back, not much to look at. My new tri bike did pretty well....but it does have issues. Take, for instance, the lack of room for a bento box. It means I have to put all of my GUs, salt tabs, Cliff Bars, cell phone, keys, etc., etc. in my back  jersey pocket. It's much easier to have it all right there in front of me on the top tube, but my top tube is too short and the cable thingees are in the way so there's no room =S  Oh the hassles of being a short triathlete! I'm determined to figure something out this week!

Anyway, back to the ride...It started and ended well, but there was one long stretch that threw me into WTF mode:
I'm only going 12 mph in this wind right now. WTF?
The top keeps popping off my aero bar water bottle. WTF?
I can't open this pack of GU chomps. WTF? 

And so on...

But the ride ended on a high note. I spent the last 40 miles or so with Debbie, a world traveler and adventurer who told me stories about hiking alone in Nepal, getting charged by a Rhino on Safari, and getting held up at gunpoint right outside her condo in DC! (Here we are striking a pose with Tracey after the 100 miler.) We chatted and laughed and tried to divert our attention away from the task at hand. It made the wind and distance all the more bearable. :) Before we knew it we were turning into the Target parking lot and heading back to our cars.

Our post-ride treat was Chick Fil-A --my fav fast food place! It was on the other side of the parking lot so I jogged over to see how well my legs would work after 110 miles. Not bad at all...  but then again, that wasn't 26.2.

Dear Wise Inner Critic...

You're right and you can say I told you so, but please don't gloat. Welcome to Mitigation Week, where all of those things you're nagging me about get taken care of. Yes indeedy, I've made two different to-do lists, a chart, and a spreadsheet and I'm even taking a day off work to get my act together. We know that I'm not a spreadsheet person but whatever it takes to get organized, right? And of course, I'll do whatever it takes to shut you up....hahaha

Check back with me at the end of the week and I'm sure you will be disappointed that you can't find something to nag me about.

Dear Sally...

It's me again, Your Wise Inner Critic, wondering what the hell you're doing. I'm giving you one week to get your act together.  Let's review your current status: 


You still don't know how everything works on your new tri bike.  Seriously, you couldn't remember how to put the water bottle on the aero bars on Sunday. How pathetic is that? And you still don't  know everything about how your new bike computer works. But perhaps most pathetic of all, you still haven't figured out how your new watch works. How many years have you worn a watch? Through 8 marathons and more than a couple dozen triathlons? And all you can do is run the chrono? That's right, I'm calling you out.

I'm calling you out because you aren't sleeping enough or eating right and I don't care how much you've cut back, you are still a Diet Coke addict.
I'm calling you out because you haven't nailed down your nutrition plan for IMAZ. Hello?
I'm calling you out because you aren't consistently getting in your weekday runs. WTF?
I'm calling you out because it just now occurred to you that you might have to wear a long sleeve wetsuit at IMAZ and therefore need to practice in one. Duh.
I'm calling you out because you haven't practiced your tire changing skills on your new bike. What are you waiting for? Please.

You have a 110 mile ride on Saturday and an 18 mile run on Sunday...and it just goes up from there. IMAZ is 50-something days away.  At what point were you going to take the time to figure all of this out? All of these ancillary details need to be taken care of --stat. It's not enough to swim, bike, and run. You won't be an Ironman unless you nail the other stuff too. Get your act together or I will slap you around and make you do the Savageman bike course as your penalty ride.

Not For The Logistically Challenged

Oh the logistics of tri training. Sunday was one of those days that required lots of "what am I going to wear and where am I going to change clothes" thinking. It was a day that required advance mapping out of how to get from Point A to Points B, C, D, E, and F.  It was an easy training day but a logistical nightmare for the organizationally challenged, such that I am.

What are you supposed to do when your day requires 5 different outfits and no time to head home and change inbetween? Hit the McDonalds, of course!  

 
8AM   20 mile bike ride, then to McDonalds for a Diet Coke and to change clothes. (CLOTHING CHANGE #1)
11AM  Nutrition clinic, then to McDonalds to use the restroom (no clothes changing this time---and yes, I resisted the Diet Coke).
12:30PM  Off to Bonzai to pick up a long sleeve wetsuit rental---had to try it on to make sure it fit. (CLOTHING CHANGE #2)
1:15PM  Drove to Haymarket for a quarry swim, but not without a quick stop at McDonalds to change into my swimming attire. (CLOTHING CHANGE #3)
2:30 to 4:30PM    Quarry swim. Then I decided to shake things up and change into my next outfit at the Sheetz..... next to the McDonalds. (CLOTHING CHANGE #4)
5:30PM   Women's-specific tri clinic, with my hair still wet from the swim (yes, I packed a blow dryer...and no, the Sheetz didn't have an outlet).

My Sunday activities lasted 12 hours and required 5 different outfits. I drove about 130 miles. My car is a rolling storage closet.

But really, I'm not complaining. I wonder what on earth I would do with my time if I weren't a triathlete. Too much time on your hands? Take up triathlon and you'll stay busy. And if you have a lot of money to blow, this is the sport for you.

Savageman Oly!

I love everything about Savageman -- the venue, the scenery, the volunteers, how well organized it is, the very cool swag we get every year....Oh I could go on and on and on. When I first did this race 4 years ago, I was too scared to do the whole thing by myself. So Tracey swam, Priscilla biked, and I ran. Our team name was "Keep The Finish Line Up."  As back-of-the-packers, we were always wondering if they'd be breaking down the finish line by the time we finally rolled up; hence, the name. 

Savageman has become a tradition for us and a way to gauge our progress over the years. It's the one race the three of us always do together every year. And my, we have come a long way. Speedy Janet is part of our team now too!

So here's how this year's Savageman 2011 went for me:

Pre-Race

I was surprised by how laid back I was about Savageman this time around. I felt none of the usual pre-race jitters and low key dread that have accompanied every Savageman I've done. I'm guessing it's because of all the IM training; it makes even Savageman seem doable! Just 23 miles on the bike? Really? And a 6.2 run?  Cakewalk. The swim was the closest I came to being nervous, only because I had announced to my swim coach that I would be trying to set a new swim PR....so the pressure was on.

 

Swim
Goal:     Beat my 38.31 PR
Actual:  33:36

It was chilly and windy and I did not want to get in the water!  But getting in for a warm up swim is always part of the plan, so Janet, Priscilla, Jacquie and I decided to HTFU and get in. We were the first crazy people in the water, actually. The air temp was in the 40's but the water was a balmy 64 degrees, so it felt warm by comparison. Then we had to get out and wait about 15 minutes before our swim wave started and it was windy---that's when I really got cold. But eventually we were back in the water, the horn went off, and off we went.

The thing that really stood out about this swim was that I actually was swimming around other people. Usually everyone pulls ahead and I'm all by my lonesome, bracing for the next wave to swim over me. So it was a different experience. I tried to "draft" off other swimmers but wasn't really sure what it was supposed to feel like - LOL. I also kept asking myself:   What would the swim coaches be telling me at this moment? Alexis would probably remind me about high elbows, Mark would probably say something about watching my hand entry into the water and Jim would probably tell me to drop my hand first on the pull. So I kept telling myself all of those things and before I knew it I was swimming around "Thomas the Turtle" and heading back toward the big Swan boat.

When I made the final turn toward the beach, I glanced at my watch and couldn't believe what I saw!  I was thinking perhaps I wasn't seeing the numbers right without my glasses on....but indeed, I managed to PR the swim by 5 minutes. Yippeee!  Regardless of how the rest of the race went, I would be happy.

Bike

Goal:     Beat last year's time of 1:56:27

Actual:  1:50:20

I kept thinking, after that hilly 100 miler in Gainesville last weekend, how bad can a mere 23 hilly miles really be?! And the hills really weren't as bad as I remember from last year. However, it was colder and really windy this time. There were moments when the crosswinds were so strong, I thought I was going over. 

Here are the deets on the hills:

 Hill                Location        Length     Aver. Grade     Max Grade
George              9.2                .9                 5%                   8%
Spear               13.1               .5                 7%                   7%
Bumblebee       14.9             1.2                 7%                 11%
Foy                  16.4             0.6                 8%                 14%


George and Spear were no big deal. Bumblebee just seemed to go on forever. We had a headwind going up, which just added to the difficulty. Coach Alexis was in a devil costume waving a pitchfork at me, and yelling something like "Is this windy enough for you? Can I get you more wind?"  And I yelled back "Only if it's a tailwind!" And I just imagined a tailwind pushing me up that hill. Other Zs were there blowing horns, ringing cowbells, and cheering us to the top. It was great.

Foy was the most savage of the Savage hills. Coach Ed, Matt, and other Zs were there cheering us on. They kept telling me to drive my knees up, so that's what I tried to do. Several people ahead of me gave up and started walking their bikes up. But I had made it up this hill last year and I wasn't going to walk it this time. 


Finally at the top, there was a sign that read:  "Course architect:  Kyle Yost. 202-236 ...."   LMAO at that point and from there it was pretty much downhill all the way back to the park.


Run
Goal:    Beat last year's time of 1:28:00
Actual:  1:16:43


Yay! Back in my total comfort zone. It's hilly, but I love this run. You get to see a lot of Zs out on the course, plus it's shady and the fire tower trail provides some variety and an extra challenge. Once I hit mile 3 I started looking at my watch and trying to figure out my total time. Could I actually come in under 4 hours at Savageman?! It seemed almost unthinkable before the race;  last year I did it in 4:14.  I still had the fire tower hill ahead of me and knew I would slow down, but I decided to give myself permission to slow down on the way up the hill as long as I made up for it the rest of the way back to the park. No walking on any other hills on the way back!


Making the final turn back to the park I saw Priscilla heading toward the fire tower trail and looking strong. I yelled at the guys manning the water stop "That's my friend P! You need to cheer her on!"  And they were like, "Hey P! Go P! You need special cheers!"   Did I mention how awesome the volunteers are?!

Finish Line!
Goal:    Under 4 hours would be a nice surprise
Actual:  3:52.01

Really, Sally? You couldn't push it and come in at 3:51:59?! That's what I thought when I saw my official time. Then I thought I should just be happy making it in under 4 hours and leave it at that. Plus, they actually had Diet Coke on ice at the finish line! What's not to love about Savageman? I can't wait to go back next year and crush my times. ;P

Another Savageman in the bank...bring on Waterman's Half!

Climbing Kili For A Cause

This journey began 12 years ago, when I decided that I would climb Kilimanjaro in 2011 to celebrate a big birthday. Over the years I wondered if I could actually do it. Let's just say I don't have a lot of experience with camping or hiking at higher altitudes.  Ultimately though,  it became about so much more than reaching the top of the mountain and celebrating a milestone. It's also been about helping Africa's AIDS orphans.

My good friend and triathlete training partner, Tracey, and I launched the Triathletes Hiking Kilimanjaro campaign, and over the course of a year, raised more than $20,000 to benefit Global Alliance for Africa (GAA) and the work it does helping AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We just returned from a two week trip to Kenya and Tanzania, where we visited GAA's programs and met so many children in need. Oh yeah--and we trekked up Kilimanjaro too.

Our porters taught us a popular Swahili saying:  poa kichizi kama ndizi, which means "crazy cool like a banana." This journey was that and so much more.

Like any typical journalist, I took a lot of notes during this big adventure...so here's the story.


Nairobi, Kenya
Monday, August 1

We are in a van and heading through the streets of Nairobi. This city of about 4 million people is home to a tenth of Kenya's population. Our tour guide, Kevin, seems to know everything about this place.A few interesting tidbits:  Kevin says there's no smoking allowed in the streets of Nairobi, except in designated smoking areas -- very cool. And he says President Obama's relatives live about an hour from here. Children, schools, parks--even a beer--are named after Obama.

We pass the "August 7th Memorial Park," the site of the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy. One of my high school classmates, Michelle Paulson O'Connor, was killed in that bombing, so this stop is personal. She died in a place that's so unfamiliar and far away to me and now here I am, after all these years, looking at the spot where it happened.

Kibera Slum

Our next stop is the Kibera Slum where we will see the fantastic work being done by Global Alliance for Africa. We've been looking forward to seeing where our donors' money goes and how it will be used.

No one seems to know the exact size of the Kibera. The government puts the population at almost 200,000; the United Nations says it's more like 1 million. In any case, it's huge: row after row of shacks with their rusted tin roofs stretch as far as we can see. Some of them are made of mud, others of stone, and many don't have electricity. It's not uncommon for a family with 6 kids to have only 10 x 10 feet of living space. With the exception of a main road or two, there aren't any streets here, just muddy paths winding between rows of shacks; sewage is flowing down some of these paths and trash is stacked up on the sides of the main road.

Kevin tells us the people of the Kibera live on less than $1 a day. Those who work earn only $2 to $3 per day, many as casual laborers. Many of the women stay home or work as maids or sell groceries.

Global Alliance's presence is huge here.Our first stop is the community library  GAA opened in September of 2010.

Fourteen students, all of them teens, are studying at long tables. The library's director, Josephine Aloo, tells us that the students prefer to come here to study because their homes are too small, dark, and crowded. Glancing over their shoulders I can see that they're tackling subjects like Geometry and Physics--impressive! The shelves that line the walls of this small library hold textbooks and literature, but there's one section that is empty-- and Tracey and I vow to change that. We decide right then that we will hold a book drive and send enough books to fill those empty shelves.

We already have a good start at helping the Kibera; GAA says it costs about $19,000 to build a library here -- and thanks to the generosity of our donors, we've raised enough money to build another library! That's a nice thought.

We meet a woman in the library named Rose Adhiambo. She is making yarn out of sheep's wool, which will then be woven into colorful scarves. Rose is a beneficiary of GAA's micro-lending program. With some grant money from GAA, Rose has been able to start her own business and we can see that she's very proud of it.

What really stands out about the Kibera is the children. So many children living in these shoddy conditions -- and yet they're smiling. This is their normal; it's all they know and that's hard for us to accept. They want hugs, high fives, and candy. They also want to have their picture taken so we can show them what they look like in the camera....and they get the biggest kick out of this!

One tells me she wants to be a doctor, another an engineer. It seems like education is their only ticket out of here.

A woman named Beatrice who runs a tiny store (another beneficiary of GAA's micro-lending program) agrees to take us to her home. It's a tiny hut with two lightbulbs dangling from the ceiling. She's one of the lucky ones--she has electricity. She lives here with her 5 children. Her daughter Regina tells us she wants to be a journalist when she grows up--very cool. I give her my best "so you want to be a journalist" advice.

About a dozen children are following us all over this slum. Everywhere we go, they're smiling at us, holding our hands. One of them shows Tracey a hand clapping game. I'm wishing that we had more to give them besides hugs and candy. I think of all the food, books, and other comforts I take for granted at home. There's so much need here and I feel like we're not doing enough!

After spending a few hours in the Kibera, Kevin says it's time to go. But Tracey and I want to linger a while longer. We don't want to leave these children behind in this slum, living amid the filth and trash in those crowded shacks...it's heartbreaking.

2:30 PM  We stop for lunch at the Makutano Grill. Their most popular dish is.....drum roll, please....the California Cheeseburger! LOL I get the chicken and a Coke Light -- love it that I'm still getting my Diet Coke fix before our big camping adventure begins. Am I really worrying about my Diet Coke habit after meeting the kids in the slum? 


Giraffe Park!

Our final stop of the day is a Giraffe Park on the outskirts of the city. This is an awesome place. You climb up into what looks like a tree house to feed the giraffes. Laura and Daisy come right up and take the food right out of our hands.





The Road to Kilimanjaro!
Tuesday, August 2

9 AM We are packed in the van and on our way to the embassy to pick up our visas. Tracey and I have our water bottles loaded with electrolytes and we are pumped! According to Tracey's GPS, we are now at an altitude of 5,627 feet, less than a third of the way to our final destination altitude at the summit. Altitude is the big wild card here. I have no idea how it will affect me....but hey, I had two Coke Lights for breakfast -- so I'm not worrying about anything right now. Gotta stock up before I'm forced to quit cold turkey.

10 AM We are driving through the Kenyan countryside and seeing a lot of those flat-top Acacia trees, supposedly the favorite food of giraffes. Also seeing a lot of random cows and goats on the side of the road. Kevin is telling us about the Masai--a nomadic tribe of people who wear bright red drapes of cloth and beaded jewelry and live in round huts made out of sticks of wood with thatched roofs. Kevin says Masai males go off alone into the wilderness for a year or two to earn the right to be a warrior. They survive only with a spear to track animals for food. Supposedly lions won't attack them. Fascinating stuff.

11:30 AM Flat tire! Here we are in Nowheresville, Kenya, on the side of the road with a flat. We take the opportunity to take a bathroom break at the bush across the road.

12:30 PM Tanzania border! We make it through with limited hassle and transfer to another van for the remainder of the ride. Time to say so long to Kevin, our awesome tour guide.

Tracey has her watch alarm set to buzz every 15 minutes; when it buzzes, we drink water. Hope there are bathroom stops ahead because right now there's only desert and scrub brush as far as the eye can see!

1:30 PM Mt. Meru comes into view-- Kili can't be far! We pass a field of sunflowers, an odd sight amid the brown, sandy soil. We are now at 6,100 feet and passing through a little village. I'm wondering if people here wear brightly colored clothing so they can stand out against the bland landscape.

Just saw a woman on the side of the road washing clothes out of a bucket right next to a road crew in the middle of nowhere. Very random.

3:00 PM Lunch at a Chinese restaurant....not sure why this seems odd, but okay. I have the diced chicken because the owner says it's a special recipe his mom made when he was growing up. Yum!

5:00 PM Are we there yet? No, we're transferring to another bus. Looks like some of the porters who will accompany us up the mountain are on this bus. Michael introduces himself as our lead guide and Kennedy will be second in command. Both say they've been up Kili more than 100 times each. Can't wait to see Kili for the first time! Let's get this puppy started! woooohooo

7:30 PM Yay, we're finally somewhere. Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort is our final stop before we leave civilization for our 6 day epic camping adventure up Kili. Time for dinner, then a pre-hike briefing from our guides, then one last night's sleep in a bed.

Triathletes Hiking Kili
Day 1 

We start up the Rongai trail around 3:00 PM, a little late, but hey,we're on Kili time. I really am enjoying this part of the trail. We are hiking through the rain forest and see a couple of monkeys. We also meet a family that seems to live out here all alone in a shack. It's such an odd place to live, so remote. They have a little stand on the side of the trail, sitting next to rows of corn. This must be how they earn some money, I'm guessing. We stop to give the kids some candy.

Our guide, Kennedy, keeps reminding us to go "pole, pole," meaning slowly, slowly, and at first I am shocked by just how slow that is. Tracey and I really have to put the brakes on! I'm thinking, are we really hiking up the whole mountain at this pace because I'm not sure I can take it! The pace is as slow as a bride walking down the aisle! I almost start hyperventilating at the thought of it. But alas, once I get into the groove, I'm okay. And I decide that whatever Kennedy says I have to do to get up this mountain, I will do. Want me to walk slower? Fine. Crawl? No problem. Walk backwards? If you say so.

The guides had said it would take us about 2 to 3 hours to reach our camp for the night, but it actually takes 4 hours and we roll into camp after dark. This makes things a bit challenging. Where the hell did I put my head lamp?!

This picture shows our little tent, our home on the mountain. It's just enough room to fit our two sleeping bags and our duffle bags.

We have hot tea, hot chocolate, and popcorn waiting for us when we get to camp. The porters--who carry everything up the mountain except our day packs--have set up our tents and the cook, William, is fixing dinner: fried Tilapia, veggies, and potatoes. It's so good! I'm thinking we'll be eating well on this trek.

Tent Confessionals
Did I mention this whole adventure is being filmed for a documentary? It's a long story, but basically we have two photographers following us up the mountain. Every night at camp we have "tent confessionals." Here's how it works: as soon as we arrive from a day of hiking, we take turns going into a tent, facing a camera, and offloading whatever is on our minds. Just us and the camera, all alone in the tent, so we get to say whatever we want--- except that it's all being recorded.

So here's a tent confessional for you:
I confess: I have very little camping experience. I managed to get in some "practice" camping earlier in the year...and Tracey made a valiant attempt to teach me the basics. But we never really roughed it LIKE THIS. Can we talk about my hair for a minute?! Spending 6 nights in a tent with no way to take a shower or wash and blow dry my hair just adds another layer of difficulty to the whole shebang! Plus, being on camera without makeup on, in this messed up, dust-covered condition, doesn't really fall within my comfort zone. And yes, as pathetic as it sounds, not having a Diet Coke for the duration of this hike is truly going to test my stamina! Okay, enough complaining! Time to HTFU!

9:00 PM Time for bed. we have a long day of hiking ahead of us.

Hiking - Day 2

This was a long day of hiking across rocky terrain dotted with scrub brush and not much else. Not very steep, but about ten hours of hiking up to 12,000 feet. I felt awesome--no sign of altitude sickness at this point. Spaghetti for lunch and carrot soup and beef stew and rice for dinner. We are eating well for sure.

Tomorrow's hike will be steep and cold, so I'm trying to mentally prepare.

Hiking - Day 3

My fav hiking day so far! It's the steepest hike yet, but the weather and the scenery are spectacular. Up ahead of us is Mawenzi peak -- OMG gorgeous against the blue sky. Over to the right of Mawenzi is Kibo, our final destination. It's a beautiful sight. At this point we're hiking above the clouds, a brand new experience for me. I've only been this high in an airplane....very cool.

After making it to camp, we go on a short acclimatization hike up to a ridge where we have a beautiful view of Kibo. All I can think is, I'll be standing on top of that thing soon. The picture to the right shows Kibo, the final 4,000 feet to the summit. The flat part leading up to it is a long stretch of alpine desert at about 14,000 feet.

Had french fries for lunch -- my fav so far! Caramel popcorn and ginger tea before dinner, then macaroni with an eggplant red sauce. This William guy knows his stuff.

Tonight we are camping at 14,000 feet... still feel great.

Hiking - Day 4

We are on our way to Kibo-- our base camp for summit night, altitude of more than 15,000 feet. wooohoo! To get there we have to cross the "saddle"-- miles of alpine desert that stretch from Mawenzi to Kibo. It starts out easy enough...but about 5 hours into this 7 hour hike, I'm starting to feel like crap. The wind is whipping across this barren landscape, blowing dust in our faces, and the sun is brutal. I have my face covered with sunscreen and a scarf and I'm wondering how everyone else is faring without this extra protection.

At this point, I realize that I'm not drinking enough water. Rule number one for avoiding altitude sickness: hydrate! But here's the deal: Every morning the porters give us water they've retrieved from somewhere on the mountain. They boil it, so it's supposed to be safe. But today our water has a cloudy brownish look to it and I am wary of drinking much of it. Do I risk drinking the water and getting sick from it? Or do I risk not being hydrated and getting altitude sickness? Decisions, decisions. No good answer.

By the time we reach base camp, I just want to crash. It's 3pm and we're supposed to eat dinner, then go to bed. Our wake up call is 10 PM that night. I just head for the tent. I have zero appetite and feel weak and I'm wondering if these are the first signs of altitude illness. I know I should eat something, but I just can't. So sleep it is.

10 PM The porters wake us up -- it's summit time! I slept in most of my summit clothes, so all I have to do is add a couple more layers and I'm good to go. I'm feeling a little better and ready to tackle the final 4,000 feet to the top.. Still no appetite, so I take a few bites of toast and sips of tea and that's it.

Summit Day!

This is one of the hardest challenges I've ever taken on....and it's also a day I will never forget. We leave at 11 PM, starting our ascent in the pitch black of night with a sliver of moon and stars to help light the way. The terrain is very steep; it's a mixture of sand and gravel--just like hiking up a steep beach. There's no obvious trail. How on earth do our guides know which way to go? It's too steep to hike straight up, so we crisscross our way up. We are barely moving forward in the darkness, just one small step at a time.

It's also cold and I'm wearing 8 layers on top and 3 on bottom. The temp is in the teens when we start, then drops to the single digits around 3 AM. The wind kicks up too. Even with two set of socks and two sets of toe warmers, my toes are freezing!

We make it to Williams Point at about 16,500 feet. At this point, my heart is beating out of my chest. I'm thinking, it's never beat this fast--I must be in Zone 10! I'm stumbling along--thank God for Bob's hiking poles, they're holding me up! I'm fighting this feeling of extreme drowsiness-- I just want to lay down and sleep.

I turn around to see how Tracey's doing and she's not there. Where's Tracey? I tell the group to stop--we have to wait for her. Someone says she stopped to adjust her backpack. Okay, I think, she's back there, it's just too dark for me to see her.

We take a few more steps. Still no Tracey. We decide to wait...then Kennedy walks up and announces that Tracey has to head down the mountain. She has altitude sickness and has to go down. And this is where I lose it. Yep, started crying (the camera swoops in to capture the drama!). I tell Kennedy, "Maybe I should go down. I can't imagine going to the top without Tracey. We train together, we race together, we were going to make it to the top of this mountain together..."

Kennedy and Michael have obviously dealt with this kind of thing before. They both stand in front of me and say very firmly that I can't turn around. I have to go on. I'll regret it if I turn back. Tracey wants me to continue. I need to make it to the top for both of us. The other hikers tell me to keep going. I know they're right. I don't want to keep going, but I force myself to press on.

We continue our slog up the mountain for a few more hours. Three steps forward, stop. Three more steps forward, stop. We can see the headlamps of other hikers up ahead, snaking through the darkness on their way to Gilman's Point, but we don't seem to be getting any closer. The porters are singing to us and offering words of encouragement. They've given me the nickname "Mama Ndogo" --Little Mama--and every now and then one will say, "Keep going, Mama Ndogo. You will make it." I'm trying to draw strength from somewhere and find myself staring up at the stars--we seem so close to them! This mountain is bringing me closer to the stars than I've ever been.

All I can think is--when the hell are we going to get there?! Kennedy says we still have 1.5 hours to go and I start thinking I'm at my breaking point. We have been hiking in the dark up this hellish incline for more than 6 hours now. I tell him that I'm not sure I can keep going, I just want to lay down and go to sleep. No headache, no dizziness, no real shortness of breath...I just feel like I'm sleepwalking my way up this mountain and all I want to do is pass out! Kennedy tells me this is not a symptom of serious altitude illness, that I'm fine and need to keep going, that I'll regret it if I turn back. Then he says to turn around and look at the view. I turn to see the sun starting to rise behind Mawenzi. The sky is turning pink and orange--it's an amazing sight. Suddenly I feel like I'm waking up, like I can do this!

Next thing I know I'm ahead of the rest of our group. Cosmas, one of the porters, is helping me navigate up the final stretch, known as the Jamaica Rocks. He tells me this is the most difficult part of the climb. Really?! Because nothing can be as bad as that sandy vertical nightmare we just hiked up. But basically, we pick our way up, over, and around rock after rock after rock. Every few minutes we sit on a rock and take a break. But if we sit for more than about 30 seconds,the cold starts creeping into our bones....so we keep moving, moving along in slow motion.

Finally--after 8 hours of hiking, the top of this mountain is within reach! I can't believe it. I've waited for this moment for 12 years. Now here I am, pulling myself over the rim, standing on the roof of Africa!

Kennedy reaches into his backpack and says, "Here - your friend wanted me to give this to you." He pulls out our Triathletes Hiking Kilimanjaro banner. We had posed for pictures with it at the bottom of the mountain and vowed to take it all the way to the top. The banner reminded me of all Tracey and I have been through on this journey together. All the planning, all the training, all the fundraising (all the shopping- LOL). But what I'm most proud of is the money we raised for Global Alliance and the thought that, thanks to the generosity of so many family, friends, and strangers, we are offering a bit of help and hope to Africa's AIDS orphans. That feeling is priceless.