Luke does 2nd half-ironman...

"You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week, or you can quit, and your mind will hurt for a lifetime." -Mark Allen

It has been forever since I have written a post.  It's not because I have nothing to write about, it is because I have not made the time to just sit down and do it.  I hope to be back to regular posts.  I have so much, but I thought I would start with the most recent, and work backwards.
 
Luke did another half-ironman (aka 70.3 miles...1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 run) in Wilmington, NC.  Luke asked me to come along as the official photographer...which is amazing that he would even ask, since I have failed miserably on the last two events...like not getting even one photo of him.  You know the old saying, "the third time is a charm."  I started off really well by getting photos of the pre-race setting up of his equipment, and transition areas.

I dropped Luke off at the designated spot early the next morning for him to be bused to his swim site.  Luke told me it would take him about 40 minutes for his swim, so I had time to go back to the hotel and take some photos of the ocean, and beach pretty close to sunrise.

There were a lot of people out fishing...

These pelicans  were fishing too...they would skim the top of the water for fish...it was pretty cool.

gorgeous sunrise...

More fishermen...and pelicans...

I went back to the race, and found a good spot where I could catch him at his transition from swim to bike...

Here he comes...they had to run a good 1/4 mile from the ocean to the bike transition area. 

 One thing that made it easier for me to spot him, is that his gear is hot pink...I spotted him right off...thank goodness.

Coming out at the start of the 56 miles of bike ride...

Getting his feet clipped in...

This was the banner down the finish line...the race was called beach2battleship

I missed the transition of Luke coming in on the bike, and starting his run.  He told me it would take about 3 hours for his bike ride, but he was wrong...he finished much, much sooner than that, and I think I got there just after he hit the road, so I missed the photos from bike to run...

...But I got him coming in to the finish line from his run...which he told me would take about 2 hours, so I wasn't paying too much attention.  Then I noticed a speck of pink...could that be Luke?  It was way too soon for him to be finishing.  Like an hour too soon.  But it was Luke...in his pink glory gear.  I barely got my camera up to take these photos...

 He said he never saw me at the finish line, but doesn't it look like he is looking right into my camera? 

The day before we stopped at a booth that was selling some salt, magnesium, and potassium granules.   The guy said he guaranteed it would eliminate cramping, so Luke bought some.  (He had horrible cramps in his last ironman).  Here he is getting ready to take a dose.  You lick your thumb, put it over the vial (it is test tube sized), turn the vial upside down, which coats your thumb in the powder...

then lick the powder off your thumb.  Luke said it worked.  No cramping at all.

He finished in 5 hours 22 minutes...beating is old record by 50 minutes.  Bike split average: 21 mph; run time average: 8 minutes 38 seconds.   He finished in the top 10 for his age group; and top 100 overall (out of 1600).  He was very happy.  I was happy for him, and glad I managed to get some photos...and find each transition area, since I am so directionally challenged.

 So handsome...

he'll probably be mad I called him handsome... but I don't care.

Yeah man...

Pizza after the race...

Son, and mom

He is colorful indeed!

he gets his affinity toward bright colors from me.

He got a lot of comments from spectators, and participants alike on his pink gear.  I am so glad he has such bright clothes, so I can spot him in the crowd.  It was a good weekend for son and mom.

10 Things I learned from the weekend...

1.  Hard work, training, and eating right pays off.  Luke did well because he is disciplined in all these areas.  He made a personal best, and finished strong...and happy.  Hmmm.  Maybe I should be more focused.

2.  Do not believe Luke's estimation of splits...I almost missed him,  he was much faster than he anticipated.  I just have to be at the spots early if I want to get photos... it just might be another personal best for him.

3.  I can find my way around to the transition areas...even when I don't know where I am going.  Just follow the crowd!

4.  I can find Luke in the midst of such a huge number of athletes...bright colors help a lot though.

5.  I can actually get some good shots.

6.  Going to these events are fun, and it is good bonding time.

7.  I think I was a help to Luke...I did end up carrying several of his bags.

8.  I like being a support and cheering him on...even if he did not see me in the crowd.

9.  Luke was very patient with me.

10.  Warren was gracious enough to let me go, because he knew how much I wanted to get some photos of Luke, and the ocean.  And because he loves me.