Did that really happen? Part 1

Wow, Ironman Melbourne was a week ago today...........the pain has subsided, the blisters have popped and my feet can handle being encased in shoes once more.
The fortnight leading up to the event was not great for me with regards to physical preparation, even if it was taper time but the energy and vibe at the Frankston start line was something worth experiencing.............I saw the professional triathletes off in the water @ 7am (dawn had not broken yet), then the open athletes (including my favourite triathlete) 15 minutes later and then my team swimmer, Zoe @ 7.30am. A total of 1600 athletes started the race!
It is exciting to see wetsuited swimmers leaving the water after 3.8km and running into T1......spectators run and dart to get the best viewing of the athletes as they disrobe from their marine clothes and get kitted up in their cycle garb for the 180km ride.
Once Zoe had passed the timing chip to Stu (aka Waffle) he was off on his cycle along the Eastlink with two laps of 90kms. He estimated this would take him around 6 hours so there was some time to kill........................

Zoe graciously hung out with me at the cafe near the Frankston Pier where she ate hot chips and drank coffee and I continued to carb load (banana and staminade!).................we watched the pros move from T2 and head out on the marathon (42.2kms) from Frankston to the finish line @ St Kilda................waiting in transition I managed to see my favourite triathlete and stole a kiss before heading out on the marathon!
Let me tell you I was on fire..............as I ran through drink stations, past spectators and through the live broadcast stations along the route, I was told how fresh I looked and how good my form was.................................I wasn't looking so fresh when I finished (but that's another story)..............the run was scenic and it was a hard run but the support was sensational and for a teeny weeny second I thought to myself "you should try doing the whole thing one time Leanne", my position now remains very clear - stick to just running! The camaraderie was alive all the way along the course - the human spirit and individual focus was really inspiring. At about the 35km mark my legs and feet were in great pain and I wanted to take a break and walk but playing on repeat in my head was a comment from Kellie (we share the same coach) to her husband at a triathlon the previous month "Gaz we're all hurting. Harden up" ..........................if others around me (who had swum and ridden) were still running/moving/shuffling then what reason did I have to not keep running?
Seeing the finish area lit up, with music pumping and the crowd cheering on everyone, it was hard not to feel like a champion. The run chute to the finish was packed with people and I met Zoe and Stu about 300m short of the finish line so that we could run over as a team! It was an amazing finish! It was like no other finish line I had ever run through before.

My favourite triathlete was waiting for me. The rest is a little hazy as I ended up in the medical tent with low blood pressure and dehydration (even though I was well hydrated before the race and I took drinks at all but 3 of the 21 stations along the route)................I was placed on a stretcher, had my feet elevated, was wrapped in a foil blanket and was unable to have a drip because my veins had collapsed........and my favourite person waited with me until I was given the all clear to head home.........at about 11pm!