Mieko: Quitting is not an option

CNMI triathlete Mieko Carey never considered quitting Sunday’s race at Kaike Triathlon in Japan despite suffering from dehydration.

“I ran, walked and stopped, but kept on racing because of two things. First, I want to make my nieces’ dream come true. Second, I thought of my Saipan supporters, who expected me to finish the race,” Carey said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Carey’s nieces, 7-year-old Yuna, and 3-year-old Nao—planed in to Tottori from Saitama to support their aunt and run with her to the finish line, while the triathlete’s friends on Saipan checked on updates of the race through the internet. Mamiko Oshima-Berger even posted updates about Mieko’s race in the unofficial NMITF group site.

“I couldn’t stop because of my nieces, even if I have to walk, I must do it. I want them to fulfill their dreams. As for my Saipan friends, they gave me the power and inspiration to finish the race. I am representing Saipan, so I really wanted to make a good impression. ” Carey added.

The 33-year-old triathlete finished the 3-kilometer swim, 145-km bike, and 42.195-km full marathon race in nine hours, 50 minutes, and 49 seconds, which is faster than her 2010 time of 9:56:38. She placed second overall in the women’s division and 36th overall out of more than 800 finishers.

Carey was the third woman out of the water and then grabbed the lead in the bike and kept the top spot until the 15K mark of the run leg.

“I tried to drink water at every aid station, as I started feeling dehydrated. At the 15K point I stopped and asked where’s the next aid station and a female runner passed me,” Carey said.

The CNMI triathlete was talking of eventual women’s champion Sha Li Dasong, who completed the race in 9:20:13.

Carey never recovered from thereon, as the gap between aid stations after the 15K point was long and her hands and legs began to numb after racing for more than eight hours under the 98 degree Fahrenheit weather.

“The weather cooked me,” said Carey, who thanked Hotel Kasuitei, Taga, Inc, MVA, Asiana Airlines, IT&E, Brabu, and her husband, Kevin, for their support.

After the exhausting Kaike race, Carey slept for only four hours, as she had to wake up early to watch Japan battle the U.S. in the Women’s World Cup finals.

“It was great to see Japan win the World Cup. They gave me a lot of motivation for XTERRA and all other triathlon races. We should never give up,” she said.