Marisela C Martinez - TRIathlete

LEADMAN EPIC 125

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. this past weekend. Saturday March 31.

IT TRULY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME "EPIC" RACE!!!

we had it all. HILLS. WIND. COLD. HOT. SUN. only missing was some rain!

my sunburn says it all!!!

the race was awesome! something i have never done before. was brutal. the distance. the challenge. was amazing!

the hardest race i have done to date. in all aspects. i have never doubt so many times during a race about if continuing or not! but i am so happy i kept going and finished. the medal was so cool!

TO FINISH WAS THE GOAL. WAS AN EPIC DAY. TO RACE BY BEING IN THE MOMENT ONLY! AND TO HAVE ALL THE MENTAL STRENGHT TO BE THERE HOUR AFTER HOUR. despite all the risks. winds that were +30mph. extreme conditions.

the SWIM. a cool thing about the race is that the starting time was at 10am! LOVE IT! 

we swam 2.5km in a lake. which cause of the winds. it was more like the Atlantic Ocean. with waves! and not only that. was also sooooo cold! in the 50-60ish degrees! 

from there. the day was super HOT. 80ish. clear blue skies. and SUNNY! beautiful! 

the BIKE course was spectacular!

all 110km BIG rolling hills. or for me HILLS! coming from Flat Miami. anything more than a speed-bump. is considered a HILL. period!

we also had a "WIND ADVISORY" going on for the day! for +30mph winds. crossed winds. all over the place. was the most scariest thing i have been in. at times i was going downhill at around 45mph. and other times i was going uphill at no more than 5mph!!!!!!!! and many times i had to just stop completely. both feet off pedals. and hold the bike. cause of the crossed winds. to then keep going. and avoid a fall or worse! 

the RUN. was all UPHILL. and yes. more wind!!!!!!!!!!!! which i end up just walking all entired 8 miles. i was fine physically. yes some usual pains here and there. also tired and weak after already so many hours out there. but all was more mental. i just didnt want to run. and i was mentally out of it. and mentally tired. giving up already. but something kept me going. at least walking. ...afterwards. the very next day. i realized that was a dumb thing to do and i should have tried to run at least half of it. even if hurting a bit. ..and well. this are the things we learn race after race. about yourself and about racing. so. all was a learning expirence. 

was an awesome day. an awesome race. an awesome weekend!

the organization of the event is awesome. all the goodies we got in our race package were super cool. the medal is worth the pain!

also very happy to have met some COOL people! to meet up again and for the first time this year with my COACH! 

all that made this trip so cool. was all about the expirence. the course. the challenge. the epicness. the people. the venue.

can't wait to be back next year! 

and now. recovering for the next few days. and already looking ahead. moving on to the next one. 2012 is just starting!

here some pics! from Vegas. check it out.

race morning. beautiful day. view from the hotel. sun rising from the mountains. where the race took place..  

working on my mean face!!! hihi

ready to rock & roll with my Team USA Uniform on!!! COOL YEAH!

RACE PLACE. we got there around just past 8am. LOVE IT!!! already the sunshine out. and not early morning dark start! 

my lucky charm. ready!!! for her first race of 2012! and our first race together! WOW! poor girl what an opening for her! hihi

THANKS GU Energy Labs! to keep me going out there depsite all the extreme conditions! using a Flask Mount with 5 gels in it. plus the front GU bottle with 6 gels in it mixed with water. and my frame GU bottle with roctane drink!!! 

the finished product! awesome medal! and the satisfaction to have been able to beat my major competition which was the course!!!

some of the goodies we got in the race packet. a visor. a cycling shirt. a long sleeve running shirt. a lil bagpack. water bottle..