“Exhausted and electric.”
“Mmm, yes.” I smile as I kiss along her collarbone.
“What are you thinking about?” She asks.
I position myself behind her and pull her into my body. “Looking up a bagel place for breakfast, getting it for you so you can get a little more rest, maybe showering again before we have to check out, and then getting you back to Chicago.”
“That all sounds good to me.”
“Why, what are you thinking about?” I ask her with a kiss to her shoulder.
“How I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you on my side.”
I smile into her skin. “Same Laney, same.”
I don’t know what I possibly did to deserve this but I am not taking one single moment for granted.
Chicago Triathlete Posts Third-Fastest TitaniumPerson Time in History
INDIANAPOLIS—30-year-oldChicagotriathlete, Laney Matteson, stunned the endurance world on Saturday after delivering the third-fastest Women’s TitaniumPerson time ever recorded for the 30-34 year old age classification, completing the grueling swim-bike-run event in a performance that seasoned analysts are already calling “era-defining.”
Only two years into her triathlon career, Matteson crossed the finish line in Indianapolis with a remarkable blend of speed, composure, and tactical precision rarely seen in an athlete so new to long-course racing. Her unofficial final time of 8:23:17 is still pending course verification but the posted time shocked both spectators and fellow competitors, many of whom had pegged her as a rising star but not yet a record-threatening contender.
Matteson’s rapid ascent in the sport comes with a notable pedigree. She is the daughter of former U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Theo Matteson, who competed in the triathlon discipline and passed away from large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia three years ago. Matteson downplayed herfather’s influence but acknowledged after the race that he is a strong influence for her racing career.
“I’ve been training full-time, dedicating myself to getting better, and I have an incredible coach, but this…this was beyond anything I imagined,” Matteson said at the finish line next to her coach and fellow TitaniumPerson athlete, reigning World Champion, Miguel Garcia.
Matteson’s breakout performance in Indianapolis comes on the heels of a far less glamorous result earlier this season, when she finished 11th in her age group after a bizarre equipment mishap. Early in the marathon leg, the sole of her left shoe detached completely, forcing her to run more than 20 miles in her socks. She joked that the crowd’s confused stares pushed her forward faster than any nutrition plan could but privately, she admitted the ordeal left her questioning whether she truly belonged in the sport. That gritty finish, however, now looks like a preview of the resilience that carried her to this historic moment.
The Indianapolis TitaniumPerson course, known for its flat but wind-exposed bike course and fast downtown run, offered ideal conditions: cool morning temperatures, light winds, and a large, energized crowd. Matteson exited the 2.4-mile swim near the front of her starting group, surged ahead during the 112-mile bike leg, and sealed her historic result with a disciplined marathon that never wavered.
“I know this result is huge, but part of me still wonders if it’s enough to prove I belong here,” Matteson said after the race, her voice unsteady with exhaustion and what this reporter interpreted as doubt. “I’m hoping this helps me get some real sponsorship support, some legitimacy. Something to make it all worth it, you know?”
Her breakthrough performance was enough to qualify for the World Championship race in Kona, Hawaii next fall.And speculation sparked amongst other elite athletes of her contention for the title.
“I’m still learning,” she said with a smile towards Garcia. “I’m giving everything to this sport and I’m excited to see what it gives me in return.”
Chapter twenty-eight
Laney
Goggles for the Deluge
"Dee,whyhasn'tanyonecalled?" I whine as I sit slumped over a table at Curryosity on Friday night. My body has recovered since last weekend’s race, and I’ve even done some training with Miguel.
Both in and out of the bedroom.
Saying the words, admitting our feelings to the other, unlocked a deeper level of obsession I didn’t know I could reach.
And it seems Miguel is suffering the same affliction.
It is pouring outside. One of those heavy late-summer storms where the rain seems to come down in rolling sheets. I am checking my email for sponsorship opportunities a little less compulsively now that we're almost a week out from the race, because after four days of refreshing constantly I’ve had enough. It's disheartening to say the least.
I ran the best race of my life, my time landed me at the third fastest full-length TitaniumPerson woman’s race ever, and nothing has come of it?
Nothing.
All week, my mother’s voice has been in my head reminding me this has all been a colossal waste of time, energy, and resources.
