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So, some of you already saw the results from day 1: 2nd in V1 heat (6th fastest overall) so I qualified to go straight through to the semi final (held Thursday) and V12 2nd in heat and through to the final (which was held today and we finished 4th).
Well, day 1 wasn't all so peachy as the results might suggest. The day was exhausting, not so much physically as it was only two races but more so emotionally with some very low lows and then a surprising turn in the situation.
The day started off great, it was sunny and calm outside. Races were supposed to start at 8am but I wasn't racing till around 11 so I wasn't too concerned. But then we get word that they've delayed an hour, then another hour and finally racing would start at 11am. Rumour had it that heats had to be reseeded (too many people form one country in heats together, etc, etc, etc, drama). I was originally scheduled to be in a heat with our team leader Kamini Jain (former Olympian in K4). So finally races got going shortly after 11am. During this delay, the wind came up, we watched the rain roll in then roll out but the wind stayed and changed direction and intensity a few times.
V1 was my first race, 11th race of the day. The heat lineups were different so now each Canadian woman was in a different heat (6 of us, 6 heats). I got in a good warm up, blood sugars were solid. So out I go, feeling good. Do exactly what I wanted for my on water warm up, get down to the start of the course and there's a few girls in my way to get over to my lane, work my way around them, and continue towards the far side (I was lane 5). Being careful to count the lanes as I go by as there were no markings and the buoys on the course DO NOT mark the lane, lanes are flag to flag. So I see the red flag as I'm getting close to my lane but still have to turn into it and red flag means approach the start line. Usually they don't put that up until every one is lined up. So I start to panic a little, get myself turned into a lane and approach the line. Black flag goes up, this means that someone is over the line, they don't talk at all so you don't know who is over. All the starting procedures are based on the flags, very quiet out there! So I back up to ensure it's not me over the line, green flag gos up so I go!
Go well, go very well. Feeling great. At 100m, couple girls with me, at 250m there's two of us, by 300m we're clearly ahead of the pack. I know that I only need to be in the top 2 to move on to the semi finals and have another race in an hour or two so I stay strong and keep going. Epiphany hits at about 450m when I question if I should sprint to make sure I beat the other girl or just keep cruising to the line as to not go lactic and tire out for my next race .... I'm ok with coming second as I don't feel anymore like I have to PROVE myself. I did my job, stuck to my plan and executed perfectly. Then I hear later that apparently from shore the other girl worked her ass off to catch me and that's why the times are so close (.02s). I cruised the 2nd half and she hammered. So I got off the water not caring if I was 1st or 2nd as either way, we're both through to the semi's and that was really the only point of my heat. To move on with the least amount of work. Everything went according to plan ... or so I thought ...
Until the results are posted .... I had the race of my life, felt great, was crazy fast and all that. Well, there my name is on the bottom of the list as a DQ. I flipped to say the least, ran to find my Area Coordinator (the boss that deals with all the issues that arise) and swear that I wasn't over the line (thinking that that's the only reason that I could possibly be DQ'd). She's like, "Leanne, that wasn't it." My head raced to figure out what else it could be. Then she asked what lane I was supposed to be in. "Lane 5, " I replied. "Well, you were in lane 6."
Huh?! I go back through the start in my head. I knew that the Italian girl didn't show up for the race, she was supposed to be in lane 4 so that was empty and then I saw that the girl in lane 6 was DQ'd as well and it dawned on me that she was in the other half of lane 7s lane, I was in her half of lane 6 and yeah .... I screwed up in my panic at the start line. It was a valid DQ. I had a great race ... just in the wrong lane.
There's nothing I could do about it, it was my own fault. No excuses, I got frazzled, confused and rushed. So, after a bit of going over it in my head and having to explain to teammates what happened I started to become ok with it. I had already shifted my focus to the team boats. So my shot at 4 medals went down to 3, that was ok. The race that I had validated everything that I have done for the past 2 years. It validated my 3 year plan after I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It solidified that the training that I have done since the fall was all worth it and watch out because this gives me even more drive than the 4th place finish in 2008. I was ok, it sucked, but I was ok. It proved to me that my choice to take a year off teaching was worth it, not just for the training but the experiences I had, the people I met and how much I grew as a person ... the journey was worth it even though I will have to wait another 2 years until Calgary 2012 to reach the destination.
When time for the V12 semi rolled around, I was ramped up and gearing to race like mad since team boats are my only shots now. We had a decent race, 2nd in our heat so moved on to the final the next day.
Then packing up to head back to the hotel at end of day, a teammates says, "your DQ is gone." I give her a crazy look and pop into the results tent (I was going to anyways just cuz). The results have been re-posted, I'm no longer DQ'd! It has me listed as 2nd in my heat! With a PB time to boot I might add! So I go talk to our Area Coordinator and she has no clue and to just go with it, she'll find out what's up in her meeting she's about to go into.
I don't want to get my hopes up just in case it's not for real so I go shower and go our for dinner with a bunch of folks. While we're waiting for our meal the New Zealand Area Coordinator shows up at the same restaurant and asks if we'd like to see the official results. Uh, YEAH! So she gives us the results and advancements and explains the TECHNICALITY that removed ALL the DQs in the first 30 races. A technicality! Somewhere the paddle gods are looking upon me!
So not only was the food at dinner fantabulous but I was now back in the semi finals for the V1! I went to bed that night thinking that I must have horseshoes you know where or something! I definitely learned from the experience and that's one mistake I will NEVER make again that's for sure!
Day 2 was a long day as in I sat around all day watching my teammates race but a short day in terms of racing as I only had my V12 final. It was a high caliber field (like all the semis and finals will be from here on out) and we finished 4th. We had a good race but it just wasn't our day. Still not to shabby for a crew that got in the boat together for the first time in the semi final the day before!
Day 3 starts in T-10hours. My first race is at 10:10am (12 hrs from now) with the V6 1500m semi final (need top 4 to move to final), then at 11:50am with the V5 500m heat (need top 2 to go directly to final, otherwise 3rd/4th go to repechage) then at 12:40pm I have my V1 semi final (need top 4 to move to final) and I finally get to race against Kamini in this one as well as the girl that came 3rd ahead of me in Sacramento in 2008).
The results seem to be posted on the Official Site as we go so just click the links below.
Cheers!
Race site:
http://www.vaa2010.nc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=9&lang=english
Results site:
http://www.vaa2010.nc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=65
Canada site:
http://www.canadaoutriggersprints.com/
Paul Pilon's Blog (with vids and pics):
http://teamcanadanewcaledonia.blogspot.com/
My site:
http://www.leannestanley.com
http://www.twitter.com/type1kanu
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com
all my fb pics are accessible through here under photos if you're not on facebook.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." --- Christopher Robin, Pooh's Grand Adventure
I couldn't do all this with out the help of some key folks. Be sure to check out their links on my Sponsors page!
- Animas Canada has been my major sponsor for the past year and I look forward to the years to come as part of the Animas family.
- Dr. Sarah and Dr. Travis at Health in Hand Family Chiropractic in West Kelowna are helping to keep me aligned and healthy.
- Dr. Garvey helped me realize just how important "whole" health is and put a smile on my face every day I went to see him in Mississauga.
- Alex and the folks at Georgian Bay Fitness were always encouraging and supportive in the gym while I was back home. I look forward to training there again while I'm home in April!
- Ellen Koennecke has increase my flexibility and my core strength more than I could have ever imagined with her yoga classes. I sleep so much better after spending some time in her class.
- Sandra Mowat is one of my best friends and THE best massage therapist I've ever had. She rips me apart then helps put me back together. She is also my training partner in the gym, no matter how tired I am, she's always there to kick my butt.
- Diabetes Exercise and Sport Association for their support and encouragement.
You may not know this but all my expenses/costs/fees come out of my own pocket. I DO NOT receive any funding from the government as an athlete representing Canada. I am actively seeking assistance with my training and competition expenses. If you or your company are interested in becoming a sponsor or supporter for Leanne’s quest to become the fastest woman in the World then please don’t hesitate to contact me here for a sponsorship package and information on what she can offer in return for your support. |
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