It was not only because she was still gasping for breath after completing the entire 36.2 kilometer race. She was also overwhelmed by the triumph she did not expect too much to get considering the caliber of most professional participants surrounding her.
But Carey had no choice but to say something. She was the center of attention after being the first female triathlete to cross the finish line during the XTERRA Japan Championship in Marunuma, Japan.
And then she said, “I’m so happy.”
Just moments earlier, she was feeling nervous even as the cheering crowd was telling her “You are first!” That was because she knew there was a female participant closing in behind her. But then, at the last 500 meters, she saw the tape at the finish line and as she approached she could hear the emcee announcing, “The first female is coming!”
Finally, she started to smile and relax! Then, cut the tape. Carey knew she won the pro first place of this year’s most prestigious triathlon in Japan.
Carey and her husband, Kevin were among the 250 triathletes who kicked off for the 1.2-kilometer swim in the cold lake, 25-kilometer bike along treacherous trails and 10-kilometer run along the loopy roads in the good-weathered location north of Japan.
On mark, everyone plunged into the 20 degrees C water and swam together to the first buoy.
“I thought I am going to drown and I needed to stop. My HR was high. It reminded me of the Tagaman when I broke my ribs. I realized how good it was to keep HR not too high,” Carey recounts.
She tried to pick up speed and shift stroke, and it worked.
But when she went to turn around the third buoy towards the second loop, she felt her fingers and toes getting numb from the cold water.
“I prayed I could finish the swim fast and have everything okay,” say Carey who could not walk straight due to dizziness. She was not sure how her swim was but she heard the emcee announcing men’s pro who she knew were swimming close to her me.
When she emerged from the lake, she saw the bike she knew belongs to three-time champion Kaylee Locke of Australia. Everybody was expecting Locke to be first woman to start the bike course. But no, her bike was still waiting where Carey was preparing her own while the emcees was calling her name to be “the first female” to finish the swim course.
“I was nervous when I heard someone behind me. I thought Kaylee was coming,” Carey said.
“But I tried to focus to do my race, focus to take good line, and never think OK.” Not just yet.
She saddled and pedaled as hard as she could to grab the advantage from the other female triathletes behind her.
Some portion of the bike course Carey noticed, were so challenging.
“I was so happy and even wanted some take picture of me when I made super steep down hill. Thanks to Nate for teaching me how to do it,” she said.
On the run course, “I just run as fast as I can.”
Some parts of it she said were very tough. “They put rope to climb up. I could not keep running but I have to run or die. I could hardly take a breath while on the roped section.
Carey just had to remember everyone was having the same ordeal, not only her.
“I run, I run. The run is two five-kilometer courses with loops and when she went to the second loop she just thought about cutting finish line tape.
“First, I would love to say thank you for helping me in the training, cheering and supporting me always. It was a great race besides the result. I could do my race how I wanted. I don’t have any regrets like I should do more the time,” Carey said.
She added, “My goal was to cut the finish line tape as the first women with a big smile without any pain. I was thinking “just take my time and make sure all trail on the bike.”
Carey finished the 1.2K swim in 16:50; the 25L bike in 1:48:45 and the 10K run in 54:41.
