Cyclist vs Car

Sorry for the lame title!  It's been quite a weekend and my creative juices are dried up.

Over the past few years of riding I've heard story after story of cyclist being hit by cars. Each and every time it tugs at my heart.  Even if it is someone I don't know, it still hits close to home.  This weekend, that story hit a little closer than I would have liked.

Several of us headed down to Hill Country for a team cycling camp. On the second day we went out for a nice little 60 mile ride from our hotel.  A few miles from the end of the ride I was passed by a couple of emergency vehicles.  Knowing there were teammates a head of me, I did become a bit concerned.  Minutes later I rode up to the scene of the accident only  to find my worst nightmare playing out.  I saw bikes on the side of the road. I saw Lisa's bike intact, but it took a moment to recognize the other bike as KC's...it was pretty mangled.  As I jumped off my bike I saw Lisa standing next to KC who was being loaded onto a backboard.  Lisa threw her hand up for me to stay back and a woman came running toward me.  She grabbed me and held me as I screamed.  I finally made my way closer to my teammates and saw KCs blue eyes opened and even her hands moving. She was loaded into an ambulance and taken to local hospital where she would be flown to a military hospital in San Antonio.

A young woman, who I'm speculating was distracted by something (probably a phone), veered on to the shoulder and struck CK while traveling approximately 55 mph.  KC was riding right behind Lisa on the SHOULDER of the rode.  This isn't exactly a rode a cyclist would consider dangerous.  Like I said, there was a shoulder and more than enough room for cars to pass safely.  This wasn't a terribly busy road, nor was their anything to obstruct the view. KC was thrown a good distance from her bike.  Her wheels were knocked off , the frame was cracked, and her boot was about 20 feet from where she landed.  Fortunately, Lisa was not hurt. She's a nurse and I'm so glad she was there. I hate that she had to witness it, but she handled the situation perfectly.

The team rallied together and headed straight to San Antonio.  Fortunately, Lisa knew a neurosurgeon who was on call at the same hospital KC was being taken to.  He checked on our friend and called us while we were in route to let us know that the scans on her head and spine looked good.  During this time, Shawn was in contact with KC's parents to let them know what was going.  I'm not a parent, but I can't imagine what it was like to receive this call about your daughter.

Once we arrived at the hospital, the staff did an amazing job of talking with us and keeping us updated while KC was getting x-rays. We did finally get to see her. Her face was pretty banged up and she was in a lot of pain, but she was talking to us and even made a few jokes.  We learned that her trauma name was spinach because she had a little greenery in her teeth.  KC had angles with her on that ride.  There is no other way to explain that she escaped with no life threatening injuries. She says God must not be done with her, and I'm sure she is right. She does have a chip fracture in her elbow, 3 fractures on  her vertebrae, 22 sutures in her face, and plenty of road rash.  She'll be moving slow for a while, but I'm glad she is moving.

I get that cyclist can be an annoyance. I know first hand that we do some stupid and dangerous things on the road...as do motorist..., but for the most part we practice safety.  I wish people would remember that we are not out to annoy them  We are not trying to delay you a few seconds while you pass us. We are doing what we love.  We are doing something healthy that helps us deal with stress.  Cycling makes us better in all parts of our lives.  KC isn't just a cyclist.  She is a friend and teammate.  She is a vet who served our country.  She's also a vet who performs neurosurgery on people's pets. She is an Ironman and a child of God.  Most importantly, she is some one's daughter. We got to meet her parents this weekend...nice people!  Like any parent, they hopped the first plane to be with her when they heard the news.  I'm so glad they got to hug their daughter.  Not all parents get to do that after an accident like this.

People have asked about the driver.  At this point, we know nothing in regards to citations or charges. At the scenes of the accident our only concern was our friend.  All I know is that the driver is young....probably early 20s.  She said the sun was in her eyes, but the sun was in the opposite direction.  I can only speculate that she was distracted by something to cause her to veer on to the shoulder where cyclists were riding in clear daylight.  It's a hard lesson, but hopefully we will all be more careful when behind the wheel.

KC's Bike

Our hearts and prayers are with KC and her family. On behalf of our team, Bad Kitty Meow Phat Kat racing, I would like to thank the first responders in Kerriville, Tx and the staff at San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) for taking such great care of our friend. I would also like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for teammate. The team has received so many messages from so many people. The cycling and triathlon community always come together to support one of our own weather we know them personally or not. We love you KC Wolfe!  We are honored to call you our friend and teammate.  You are truly one of the strongest people I know.

Hotter n' Hell...Epic Weekend

This past Saturday I competed in my first ever road race with my Bad Kitty teammates, Lisa and Casey at Hotter n' Hell. This was actually the first road race for all three of us.  Our fearless leader, Shawn, helped us develop a solid race plan for this day.  While we all felt pretty confident in our abilities, the fear of the unknown was still  there.

As we lined up I was scoping out the competition.  Some of these girls looked strong, but I really didn't know what each was capable of.  There were about 25 women racing the cat 4 100K with us.  The race didn't start out as I had expected.  It was SLOWWWW!!! We were cruising along at about 15-16 mph for the first few mile.  It certainly didn't feel like a race.  My team's job was not to ride up front and set the pace, so we sat in and tried to maintain our position peloton.

The pace did eventually pick up, but it wasn't too bad.  When more than one girl tried to break away, we chased, and then the pace settled again! Even though we weren't riding all that hard most of the time, we couldn't let our guard down for a second.  We were constantly watching the girls in front, and of course, we couldn't forget about the girls in the back of us. You never knew when someone was going to make a move. This race was probably more mentally exhausting than physically exhausting.

The only setback in the race came around mile 40 when Casey broke a couple of spokes on her front wheel.  I'm not sure exactly what happened, but during a turn I felt something on the heel of my shoe and wheel.  When I looked back Casey was getting off her bike.  Man, I sure hated leaving her behind, but that was part of the plan. We couldn't stop for her...we just had to keep riding.  The wheel truck was right behind us so she could get a new wheel and continue.  Unfortunately, she never made it back to the pack.  She described it as an individual 20 mile time trial.  It wasn't a complete loss for Casey.  She's competing in a triathlon in a few days, so it turned into a good training day.  At that point it was just Lisa and me.  I knew I had to keep her in a good position to sprint it in at the end of the race even if it meant burning every last one of my matches. Fortunately, I was still feeling great, and so was Lisa.

The last few miles was really where the race picked up.  A few of the girls were trying to separate the pack, but we worked together and managed to stay in.  Lisa began making her way away from me and got closer to the front so that she was in the best possible position for the final sprint.  The girl was looking strong!!  We really started pushing hard during that last couple of kilometer. During the final sprint, Lisa got far enough a head of me that I could no longer see her. I was pushing as hard as I could.  It felt like my heart was going to explode. I heard another racer screaming at me to keep pushing.  It turns out that it was a girl who beat me at a crit weeks earlier named Missy.  I can't tell you how much I appreciated the push. Thanks Missy!!

After I crossed the finish line I found Lisa. SHE GOT THIRD PLACE!!!  I was so excited!!!! We did it!  Our goal was to get her on the podium and we succeeded! We executed our plan and it worked!  I was more than pleased with my own results as well.  I was only 6 seconds off Lisa and 8 seconds off the first place winner.  It turns out that all three women who made it on the podium were first time road racers. We completed our race in just under 3 hours.  The wind can be an ugly factor at this race, but this year it really wasn't an issue.

Casey came just a few minutes later with a big smile on her face.  She didn't have the luxury of other rider to draft and work with during the last 20 or so miles, so she actually worked harder than any one else.  I saw her heart rate files...impressive! We hung out at the finish line for a bit before pedaling 3 miles back to town to the podium.  Words cannot explain how proud I was watching Lisa on the podium stage.  I was proud to see my friend up there, and I was proud to see Bad Kitty Meow Phat Kat Racing representing in our first big race.  The cold beer that we bought using prize money right after was truly the best tasting beer EVER.

The entire Hotter n' Hell experience was amazing. We had a great time and made a lot of new friends. For the most part, the women we raced with were encouraging and displayed great sportsmanship. I learned a quite a bit from these very strong riders.  I'll spend the next few weeks working on a few things in preparation for Texas State Road Races at the end of September.

We couldn't have done what we did without so many people helping and encouraging us along the way.  A big shout out goes to Shawn Jantzen for preparing us for this race.  He has taught us so much about racing and is truly our biggest supporter. He made me get on my bike on days I didn't want to ride, and he pushed me to ride harder when I didn't think I could. Our kit sponsor, Jakroo, made sure we looked good in the peloton. Lots of people commented on how awesome our kits looked! It is seriously the most comfortable kit I've ever worn. Our good friends at Gnar Lube  provided us with some sweet smelling chain lube.  We all know that a happy chain means a happy bike.  And of course, a big thanks goes out to Marinara Pizza in Plano, TX for fueling us up the weekend before our big race.

"I have always struggled to achieve excellence.  One thing that cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it's not going to be satisfying." ~ Greg LeMond

        Me, Casey, and Lisa

Busy!! Busy!! Fun!! Fun!!

This summer is certainly shaping  up to be a an exciting one.  I recently began working on a few projects with my friend Shawn who is an avid cyclist and professional photographer. For a long time he has talked about starting a cycling team, and I'm excited to announce that Bad Kitty Meow Phat Kat Racing is officially up and running.  It's pretty excited to be a part of something new.  Earlier this week we got the first shipment of team kits.  They look amazing...lots of fun details!  It felt like Christmas when the FedEx truck pulled up with the goods. 

Last night was our first night to race under the new team name.  We headed out to the Thursday night crits at Fair Park.  The new kits did get some attention.  Lots of people commented on how good they looked, and we even got a few "Meows" as we rolled by.  

Just before the race started, big dark clouds began moving in and the temperatures dropped a bit.  It was nice to get a break from the blazing 100+ degree temperatures.  I felt better in last night's race than I have at any other crit.  I was able to stay with the pack a little longer than I have in the past. I was one of only 3 women in my race, so I don't feel so bad that most of the other cyclist were riding circles around me.  My friend and teammate, Lisa, was one of the other women, and she kicked butt! Go Lisa!! I'm getting more comfortable riding in the pack.  The turns still make me a little nervous, but I have to admit that I feel little bit like a bad ass when I'm able to take corners with riders only inches away from from me. 

I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm excited about this new adventure.  In August I'm racing...yes RACING... the 100 K at Hotter n' Hell.  I did the 100 mile rally there a few years ago, but this will be different.  I won't get to cruise into the rest stops to eat snow cones and take pictures. 

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in being a part of Bad Kitty Meow Phat Kat Racing.  We welcome men and women at all levels of cycling.  All you need to do to be part of club right  now is purchase a kit.  We have several options to choose from. Visit www.badkittymeow.com to order yours. 





If constellations had been named in the 20th century, I suppose we would see bicycles. ~ Professor Carl Sagan 

Crit Racing...A Whole New Adventure

I recently decided that I wanted to get into crit racing.  Basically, a crit (short for criterium) is a fast bike race race on a short course.  You go round and round for a specified amount of time.  This type of racing is completely different from the racing I do in triathlon. The point is to stay with the pack and NOT fall behind. It's hard racing from the start.

Last night I showed up for my first crit race at Fair Park.  I was there last week as a spectator, and I was super excited to be there this week participating.  I showed up in my official Dallas Racing/Park Place race kit.  I'm so excited to be a part of their team...they have certainly rolled out the welcome wagon. My road bike was finally getting some much deserved love after nearly two years of watching my tri bike have all the fun.  To make her feel (and look) better, I even treated her to some new race wheels so she would feel a little more legit. I'm not sure who was more excited to be racing, me or my bike. It really was good to be racing with her again.  I rode her in my first few triathlons.

I knew I was out of my league before the race started. I was one of a handful of women racing with a lot of men.  I was even lined up next to professional triathlete D'Ann Arthur.  Umm...really! At least I knew who would be kicking my butt and that I was in good company. I felt better knowing that my partner in crime, Casey, was right there with me as well.  It was her first crit too.

As soon as the race started I was in trouble.  I couldn't get my foot clipped into my pedal and I was dropped from the group shortly after the second turn.  Yes, it was that fast.  I tried to catch the pack, but just couldn't.  As I finished the first lap...way behind the pack, I was feeling a little deflated.  I really thought I would have been able to hold on for a little while.  There was even a point when I thought about quitting because I knew the pack would eventually lap me.  That's when I had one of my little "come to Jesus" meeting with myself.  I told myself that I would stop when the race was over or when the officials pulled me.  Quitting wouldn't make the next race any easier. They don't actually pull people from this race for getting lapped, so an early exit wasn't a possibility.  I was just going to have to keep riding hard.  And did I ever ride hard.  My heart rate was so high that I actually felt sick after a while. My lungs and legs were on fire!

At one point, one of the other girls in the race who had gotten dropped from pack, slowed down to give me some tips on cornering.  SERIOUSLY, this girl was nice enough to take time in a race to give a rookie some pointers!  Talk about making the new girl feel welcome. I cannot say enough about all the nice people out there.

The pack actually lapped me twice.  Each time I tried to tuck back in with them, but failed.  I couldn't even stay close enough to watch them to see how they handled things.  I am proud of the fact that I did stay vertical and I didn't cry.  It was nice to go home with all of my skin still attached to my body.

If I had know the outcome of last night's race, I probably would have waited a little longer before doing my first one, but I'm really glad that I did it.  The truth is, if I waited until I felt "ready", I would never make it to the starting line.  The whole experience was amazing.  Despite the suffering, which is more than I've suffered in ANY triathlon, I did have fun.  After the race I got to hang out and have a couple of cold beers with some great people. Like triathlon, I felt very welcomed in this new community.

I have a lot to learn and a lot of work ahead of me.  I need to get stronger, and I mean A LOT stronger if I want to be able to hang with the pack.  Since I have a little over two months before I go back to work, I have plenty of time work on my skills.  There are a ton of people from my team, Dallas Racing, as well as some great friends who have offered to help me out and give me advice.  This new adventure is just what I needed.  I love a challenge and can't wait to race again next week. 

As far as triathlon goes, I certainly am not throwing in the towel. I'm still running and swimming and getting ready for the X50 next month. I think the crit racing will be a fun way to improve my strength for triathlon.

I've been able to use my experience of triathlon to try to teach my students  lessons in goal setting and perseverance.  My experience in cycling will hopefully help me to teach them even more lessons.  Failures are only failures if you allow them to be.  They are opportunities to pick yourself up, take what you learned, and get back on the horse.  I will probably never be an elite level cyclist, but I'm determined to have fun and see just where this sport will take me.

A big thanks goes out to all my friends and family who are supporting me in this new venture. Congratulation to Casey Poe for being brave enough to start this adventure with me.

                                           Here is my picture right after the race. Thank you to
                                           teammate and friend Lisa Stone for letting me borrow
                                           her jersey since mine hasn't come in yet.


"Beyond pain there is a whole new universe of more pain." ~~ Jens Voigt

Lessons

The medal is more than a token that is placed around an athlete's neck at the finish line.  I can't really say I value the hardware that hangs on a little ribbon.  The value is in the lessons learned, discovering truths about myself, and the sacrifices made.  It's the hours, weeks, months, blood, sweat, and tears that it took to take on 140.6 miles.

"Athlete" is the last word that would be used to describe me when I was in high school.  I wasn't busting my butt at practice before and after school.  I wasn't on the playing field.  I was behind the camera filming basketball games.  I even spent a couple of years in the dugout keeping a pitching chart.  I was the girl bitching and complaining in PE as I walked most of the mile we had to complete each year.  Man, I wish I could go back and do it differently, but then again, maybe that's part of what made my journey so special.

Triathlon is grueling sport, but it can also be spiritual.  During my first year of racing I would write the same initials on my ankle to honor little boy who never experienced life. Even though we never met, racing makes me feel close to him.  I remember struggling though my first Olympic distance race.  I knew that if I couldn't finish it for myself, that I could finish it for him...and I did. While I don't race with his initials on my ankle anymore, I still think of him every time I toe the starting line. I find myself not only think of him, but of others loved ones who are no longer with me.  In particular, I think about my dad's dad...Paw Paw Manuel.  I know when I race that he is looking down from heaven watching with pride.  My aunt, his daughter, said she wished he could see me.  I told her that he does.  I feel him most when I'm running.  I see him in his John Deere work shirt clapping and smiling.  He never misses a race.  He has been with me every single time.

This whole experience has taught me more than I ever would have dreamed.  The path that eventually led me  to Ironman isn't the path I expected my life to take. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to change my path.  When I began this sport it was a fun way to work off stress.  It was an escape from the things that were weighing on me. As I got further into my Ironman training I realized that I can't hide from my problems.  The long rides and long runs forced me to think about a lot of things in my life.  Often those long training sessions gave me clarity and helped me to discover a lot about myself.  It helped me to figure out the things I needed to keep doing as well as the changes that I needed to make.  Of course, Jeneen and I often solved many of the world's problems on our long rides that we did together.  Sometimes to answers to life's problems seemed so easy for us to figure out.  We even found ways to solve everyone else's problems.  Perhaps we should have shared our insight with those people! Through it all I learned to love this path that I'm on.  I'm  exactly in the place in my life that I'm supposed to be right now. The people and events that led me here were for a reason, as were the lessons the Ironman taught me.  I've learned that I'm stronger, both  mentally and physically, than I thought.   Looking forward I know there will still be challenges to face, but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to tackle them with a more positive mind set because I know that there is nothing I can't overcome.  I'm not saying that it will be easy, but perhaps things won't seem so impossible.  It's okay to be uncomfortable. It's okay if it hurts. I know that if I dig my heels in and keep moving  forward I will get through it. I don't think this sport is done with me.  There are still limits to test, more goals to achieve, and lessons  to learn.



"I thought of that while riding my bike." ~~ Albert Einstein on the Theory of Relativity 

The Final 140.6 Miles

I've been writing and rewriting this post for several days, but I just can't seem to capture this whole experience with words.  For the past year my focus has been this Ironman.  I gave this race everything I possibly could, and now that it is all said and done, I can honestly say that I do not have one single regret.

It wasn't always an easy journey.  Yes, most days were fun, and I loved seeing myself grow stronger both mentally and physically.  Of course, there were days when I just wanted it all to be over.  It took a while, but several weeks before the race, the Ironman truly broke me. The joy was gone.  The fun was gone.  It just sucked!  I was told that the challenges I was facing had purpose, and that it was part of the process.  I knew the people who were telling me this were right, so I had no choice but to suck it up and let it happen.  Once I overcame this hurdle, I felt stronger and more confident than ever.  I truly felt ready for Arizona.  I knew the hard work was done and November 18 would be my victory lap.

I woke up on race morning ready to tackle the Ironman.  I was excited and full of energy, but when it came time to leave the hotel, the nervousness crept in.  When we arrived at the race my eyes were filling up with tears.  The tears were part nerves, part fear, but mostly the emotion that came knowing that this was the final 140.6 miles of one of  the most amazing years of my life.  Once I got into transition to make last minute checks on my bike and gear bags, I began to feel relaxed.  This is not at all what I was expecting  to feel.  I savored the moment and said a prayer for the nearly 3000 athletes who were getting ready to take on this course.  We all had different reason for being there.  We all had challenges to overcome, and we had all changed in some way preparing for this day.

As I toed the starting line waiting for the cannon to signal the start of the race, I thought about all the people who had helped me get to this point.  My coach, the community of triathletes, my friends, my family, my students, my chiropractor....they were my inspiration.  Their support and prayers would carry me every stoke, ever crank of the pedal, every step of the marathon. 

At 7:00 AM the cannon fired and I began swimming in the crazy mass of people.  I had positioned myself near the front, and I was feeling pretty good.  It wasn't the miserable experience I had been anticipating.  Shockingly, I kinda of enjoyed it.  My goal was to finish the swim in 1:25-1:30, and I actually finished in 1:19!  I was pleased.

The bike course was a three loop course.  Each loop was approximately 37 miles.  It was a fairly flat and fast course.  There were times when I really wanted to push myself and go faster, but I knew I had to save my legs for the marathon.  I stuck to my race plan and soaked in the experience.  I kept thinking, "Wow!  I'm really here!"  I had a great time on the bike and finished up way ahead of schedule. 

I went through transition pretty quickly and began my marathon....my very first marthon!  My legs were feeling great.  I followed the 5 minute run/1 minute walk schedule that I had used during training.  I also had my bottle of EFS nutrtion that I had trained with.  The run/walk schedule worked like a charm on race day, but the EFS didn't.  The aide stations were stocked with Perform sports drink, water, sponges, potato chips and pretzles, Gu, and flat Coke.  Because I hadn't trained with most of this, I had no plans on using it, but since I needed a new nutrtion plan ASAP, I decided to throw caution to the wind and try something new.  I started with the potato chips!  After 112 miles of eating and drinking sweet stuff, the salty chips were so awesome.  Then I decided to try the flat Coke.  I swore I would never try this on race day since I've never trained with it, but so many people had told me of it's magical powers.  OMG! It was like crack for runners.  I suddently had a new nutrtion plan....Perform, water, potato chips, and Coke...and it was awesome! Once the sun went down, warm chicken broth was being offered....more magic in a cup.  The new nutrtion plan couldn't have worked better. 

By mile 20 my quads were getting tight and my feet were hurting, but I was still smiling and having fun.  At this point I decided to stop walking, except for at the aide stations.  I needed to slow down enough to grab what I needed.  I knew if I let myself walk, I would never be able to start running again.  I began looking at my watch and realized that a sub 5 hour marathon was very possible, and that I was going to finish this race in under 13 hours. Never in a million years did I think either of these times would be possible.  The adrenaline was serging though my veins.  The last few miles seemed to tick away pretty quickly.  Near the last mile there was a man on the side of the course cheering us on and telling us that if we didn't stop we could finish in the 12:40's!  For a second I thought of walking most of the last mile so I could save the moment a little longer, but decided against it.  I knew my friends were waiting at the finish line.  I knew there people in Louisian and Texas watching the live feed online.  Walking wasn't an option. 

When I saw the turn for the finish I started screaming and pumping my hands into the air.  I had a few hunded yards to go and could hear Mike Reilly announcing each new Ironman.  It was my turn now.  As I made the final left turn and ran the last few yards, my ears were filled the sounds of the crowd. For a moment, those cheers and scream were just for me. For a moment it felt like the whole world was cheering for me! Most of those people didn't know me, but they understood!  Finally....finally....I heard the words I had been waiting to hear, "From Plano, Texas...Amy Manuel YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!"  That moment, those few precious seconds, was everything I thought it would be and more.

There was no magical transformation when I crossed the finish line.  My friend Trent said there wouldn't be.  The transformation happened slowly over the past year.  I was the same person who toed the starting line 12 hours and 43 minutes earlier, but I was not the same person who was sitting at my computer a year earlier registering for this race.   Once again, I was reminded that I'm surrounded by some of the caring, supportive, loving, inspiring, and kind people I will ever meet.  I didn't cross that finish line alone.  The hundreds of people who have supported me through everything were with me.  I couldn't have done it without them.  If you are reading this, you are probably one of these people.

Yes, I did get my sub 13 hour Ironman.  My goal was 14 hours....and I smoked it;-)  I can  honeslty said I had fun from the first stroke to the last step of my 140.6 mile victory lap.  The experience far exceeded my expectation. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity.

What now?  I'm still going to swim, bike, and run through the off season, and I'll be racing agin in the spring.  Next season I plan to give back more to the sport though volunteering than I was able to do this year.  Unfortunatly, an Ironman probably won't happen in 2013, but I'm sure there will be more in my future.  I learned so much about myself over the past year.  I have grown and changed in so many ways.  Hopefully I've inspired someone along the way.  Tomorrow I will go back  to work for the first time since the Ironman.  I can't wait to share my story with my students. They  have been some of my biggest fans, and they have been such a big part of this journey.  I want them to understand that their only limits are the ones they place on themselves. I hope they always remember to dream big!

Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. 

"Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much. Success is measured by what we have done to prepare for competition." ~~ John Smith

"If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. You goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just to finish your race. It's up to you." David Scott

3 Weeks To Go!

Three short week.  Yep, all I have is three more weeks until the big day.  A race plan is in the works and most of my trip details have been worked out.  It's safe to say that I probably won't be able to focus on anything other than Ironman for the next 21 days. 

The year has been full of up and downs.  Fortunately, there have been more ups.  Since my last post things have gotten much better.  I did have a moment on a particularly windy ride where I threw down my bike, sat on the side of the road, and cried....and screamed... and cursed!  I'm sure it was a sight to see. It was definitely a low point, but I had no choice but pick myself up and train through the brutal winds and misery. My journey to the start line has definitely challenged me in ways I could have never imagined, but I know it will pay off.

Yesterday I had my last big training day.  I started off with a long swim that I ended up cutting a bit short in order to keep my shoulder happy.  Next, I headed out on my 4 hour bike ride.  My wet hair didn't make the 37 degree temperatures feel any better.  Within minutes my nose and fingers were frozen. I couldn't even grab my bottles out of the cages, so I just sipped out my aero bottle.  I was heading north and the wind was blowing from the north. It wasn't a strong wind, but it was COLD. Knowing that the second half of my ride would bring more sunshine and a tail wind made things much easier.  There is a good chance that I'll have a cold start in Arizona, so I couldn't really complain about yesterday's conditions. I was able to catch a little break near the end of my first hour on the bike. A friend and a couple of his buddies came rolling by me. I grabbed a wheel as they passed, and drafted as long as I could.  It was a nice little break from the winds and some free speed.  THANKS GUYS!!   After a few miles we made a right hand turn, and they picked up the pace dropping me like a hot potato.  By this point I was warming up and didn't mind pulling my own weight once again.  The rest of the ride was nice and uneventful.  After the sun came  out, it turned out to be a pretty nice day. The tail wind home was icing on the cake.

I finally made it back to where I started and began my hour run.  My feet were still pretty cold, so it took a little while to get all the feeling back.  Overall, I was pleased with my last big training day.  I got a good workout, but I didn't feel completely beat up at the end.  I even got to refuel later with a nice bowl of gumbo. Next weekend I have one more long run and that's about it as far as the big stuff!  I'll taper down and get ready to take on Ironman.

Over the next three weeks I'm going to do all I can to make sure I'm prepared for the race - eat right, get enough sleep, finish up my race plan. But the truth is, I've really done all I can do at this point.  There is no way to know what Ironman will throw at me on race day...I just hope and pray that I can handle whatever comes my way. 

” It’s important to know that at the end of the day it’s not the medals you remember. What you remember is the process – what you learn about yourself by challenging yourself, the experiences you share with other people, the honesty the training demands – those are things nobody can take away from you whether you finish twelfth or you’re an Olympic Champion.” – Silken Laumann

Sometimes It Sucks

For over two years I've dreamed about doing an Ironman.  I can't explain why I want to do it, but I do.  The first time I watched a video of the race I was hooked.  I knew I had to find a way to get to that starting line. It's hard to believe that in less than six weeks I'll be in Arizona for my first Ironman.

To be honest, the last few days have not been great.  I've hit that low point where I've been questioning my sanity and why I would willingly put myself though something like this. It's not like I'm getting money for finishing. Last week I was crying because I was tired.  I though I could just suck it, but earlier this week I broke down again.  After work I headed to the gym for a long swim session.  I struggled the whole time I was in the water.  I had to talk myself into each and every miserable lap.  About half way through the workout I ripped off my goggles and got out of the pool.  I sat in the locker with my face buried in a towel crying.  I didn't even care that there were other people in there.  They politely ignored me.  I finally got myself together and left.  Of course, I broke down again as soon as I got in the car. I was disappointed that I didn't finish my swim.  I was disappointed that I gave up, but I really didn't have what I needed to finish.  I think I've been trying to prepare myself  for these mental hurdles on race day, but I didn't really take the time to think about how I would overcome them in training.  

I reached out to my coach to let him know that I wasn't doing so well.  He, of course, was very understanding and told me to take a day off if I need it and he unloaded some of my workouts.  I hate the idea of not doing workouts on my schedule, but I also hate feeling burned out.  

It sucks feeling like this so close to the end.  I've talked with others who have been down this path.  Most of them just smile and say, "Yes, that happens around this time." No one seems concerned or even very sympathetic.  If this is part of the journey, then I guess I'll just deal with it and move on. People say that challenges of this training will prepare me for race day.  No one said this was going to be easy.  I also don't think I've heard anyone say it was going to be fun.  

I hate to sound like Debbie Downer, but this is my story.  I'm not ready to give up, but I do need some time to regroup and rest.  Before I know it, it will be time to taper, and hopefully I'll start to feel like myself again. Despite the mental and physical exhaustion, I wouldn't trade the past year for anything, and I have a feeling I'll miss all of this when it's over.

A friend at work compared what I'm going through to the end of her pregnancy.  She was so tired and just wanted it to be over.  Instead of a 140.6 mile race to end her pregnancy, she went through labor and delivery.  I wonder how the two compare.  They both last several hours.  Ironman cuts you off after 17 hours, but labor keeps going.  Labor gives you the option of drugs.  You're more likely to share your Ironman pictures on Facebook than you are to share your labor pictures.  After Ironman you get a medal, and then you go home and sleep. My friend's pregnancy has been over for 9 months, but I don't think she's gotten any sleep yet.  Hmmm....

Even though things have been hard, I must say that coming home my dog, Roxy, always puts a smile on my face. 

"A true champion knows how  to overcome doubts and mange those doubts and  turn them into motivation." ~~ Misty Hyman

50 Days!

Ironman is 50 days away.  Today, during my long run, I kept thinking about how I have only 7 weeks to get these legs ready for a marathon.  My longest run so far has been 14 miles.  My coach says we will start ramping up the miles. 

Last weekend I had an amazing opportunity to compete in the full aquabike at Redman in Oklahoma City.  I got to swim 2.4 miles and bike 112 miles.  It was like a catered training day! 

The swim was two loops.  I can't say that I particularly enjoyed either of them, but I got through it. The  best part was finishing and getting out of that lake!   I wore the wetsuit that I'll be wearing in Arizona, so I'm very familiar with all the places it will leave "wetsuit hickeys."  Arizona will be much colder and more crowded, but I'm hoping to swim it in approximately the same time of 1 hour and 25 minutes.  We'll see how that works out. 

The bike course was also two loops.  The first loop was great.  There was a lot of people and very little wind.  Just before finishing my first loop I was able to get to my special needs bag.  It had all of my nutrition for the second loop and other special goodies.  A very nice volunteer helped me with my bag.  She even ran and grabbed toilet paper and hand sanitizer when she noticed me applying more butt butter.  All modesty goes out the window on race day.  I'm sure those poor kids who were dragged out to that race by their parents saw all kinds of interesting things at the "special needs bag" station.  After my quick pit stop, I finished the loop and headed out for another 56 miles of fun. 

The second loop was lonelier and windier.  I found myself making up songs to pass the time. After a while I realized that I was ready to get off that bike.  I had to stay in a low heart rate zone and treat it like it was the Ironman.  I had to pretend that I still had a marathon and save my legs even though I really wanted to go faster.  After 6 hours and 51 minutes (21 minutes slower than I was hoping for), I finally finished the 112 mile bike ride.  My friends were there to cheer me on as I heading to transition. 

At this point my race was officially over, but I still needed to run for 30 minutes.  This was to see if my pacing and nutrition on the bike worked.  I felt like a million bucks, and my legs couldn't wait to get on that run course.  As I was running I couldn't believe how good I actually felt.  I would have run longer, but I knew my friends were waiting.  I was also pretty sunburned and figured I should wrap it up. I still had a long drive back to Texas waiting for me.  Aquabike racers were told we could grab our running shoes and run through the finish line so our name could be announced and we could get our picture taken.  I loved running down the finishers shoot and crossing that finish line.  I pretended like I was finishing up my Ironman.  The whole day made me more excited for the real thing! 

On a different note, one of the little girls I taught last year completed her first triathlon this morning.  I got to go and cheer her on.  I don't think I could have been more excited or proud of her if she were my own child.  She's been training for months, and she rocked it!  Seeing all those kids out there today...in the rain...melted my heart.  They looked so proud with their medals and snow cones after the race.  The little girl I went to watch had a fall on her bike and STILL had a great bike split.  She has a nice little scrape on her knee, but she can brag that it's a triathlon injury. 

"The one thing all famous authors, world class athletes, business tycoons, singers, actors, and celebrated achievers in any field have in common is that they all began their journeys when they were none of these things. Yet still, they began their journeys." ~ Mike Dooley

Long!

I can't decide if I ONLY have two months to go or if I STILL have 2 months to go until I'm in Arizona for the Ironman. Part of me is ready for it to get here, but part of me knows that I still have a lot of work to do.

My long rides are getting really long.  Actually, my runs and my swims are getting longer too.  Jeneen has been joining me for part of my long rides.  We've been riding a 25 mile loop.  It's nice because there are no stop lights and little traffic.  I can park my car at a ball park and use it as an aide station.  The downside of this route is that there is a lot of chip seal and it's a nice little drive from my house.

Yesterday I rode 100 miles.  It was a good, yet very long, ride.  I've only done this one other time, and it was two years ago.  Last time I did it there were aide stations every 10 miles that felt more like little parties.   One aide station even had snow cones and a band!!  When I finished the ride there was a big banner, music, beer, and someone there to take your picture.  I didn't have any of this yesterday, but I realize now that I didn't need it.  Two years ago I had some rough moments during that ride.  There were even some tears, but at the end of the ride I was completely elated!  For weeks I was on cloud nine!  Yesterday I didn't have those moments of weakness.  I did get tired, but I didn't cry!    As I finished up, I rode quietly into a parking lot, packed up my bike, and headed home.  I felt a different kind of satisfaction. 

I was able to use the day to try to work out my nutrition.  As I've mentioned before, I LOVE to eat, and training makes me hungry.  You would think that I would have no trouble getting in the 200 calories/hour I need on the bike, but it is hard. Earlier in the week I popped into the Tri Shop and asked for help selecting nutrition.  I told them that I needed whatever had the most calories!  I had never put those words together before.  My mouth tingled a bit. I left with a variety of my favorite bars, waffles, gummies, and gels.  I also picked the same sports drink that will be served on the Ironman course.  It has a more calories than what I was using before.  By the end of the ride I was still 200 calories short of my goal.  I bet if I were sitting at home watching television I could have easily taken in those calories.

As far as nutrition goes,  I had better luck on my run today.  I only needed about 150 calories/hr.  By the end of my 2 hr. and 15 minute run, I had consumed 400 calories.  My stomach handled it very well.  Overall, I had a great run.  My pace is still not fast, but it is improving.  We had great weather...temperatures in the 60's and a light drizzle.  I LOVED it! I ended up running 13.5 miles. I've never run more than 13.1 so this was a new record for me.  My coach has me doing a 5 minute run/1 minute walk combo.  It's working great!

My legs were rewarded this afternoon with a one hour massage at an actual spa!  They loved it. I think this might have to be a regular part of my Sunday...at least until Ironman.

Next weekend I'll be doing the full aquabike race at Redman.  It's a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride.  It's just like the Ironman, but without the run.  I'll get to take another crack at my nutrition.  After my race I'll run out on the course for a while to see how my legs are feeling.  I've heard great things about this race, so I'm pretty excited.  

"Champions aren't made in gyms.  Champions are made from something they have inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision...they have to have the skill and the will.  But the will must be stronger than the skill." ~ Mohammad Ali

Hungry Girl Part 2

Last year I wrote about how hungry I was during my half Ironman training!  I gained 10 pounds (no, it wasn't all muscle) getting ready for that race.  When Ironman training started I was a little nervous.  Would I gain 20 lbs?  I even worried that the wetsuit I purchased for Arizona wouldn't fit by the time the race came around.

As my training got underway the 10 pounds just seemed to melt away.  Getting a little sick helped speed up the process.  During the summer I was even able to shed a couple more pounds without trying.  For a while I didn't seem to have an appetite at all.  I was having to TRY to sneak in extra calories where I could.  One of my favorite ways of doing this was adding peanut butter to my smoothies...YUMMY!

Over the last couple of week my appetite seems to have caught up with my training.  I'm once again at the point where I can't seem to eat enough. On Saturday I drove through the drive though at Dickey's BBQ after my long ride.  I ordered my meal and asked for an extra roll (to eat in the car).  I absolutely LOVE their rolls. The simple carbs seem to hit the spot after a workout.  It must have been my lucky day because I was handed a separate bag with not one, but TWO extra rolls!  I ate both on the way home and figured I would eat the third one as a snack later in the day.  That idea went out the door because I ate it as soon as I got home. 

When you're burning thousands of calories during a workout your body will scream at you to replenish.  It's embarrassing and expensive to eat this much.  Today I had my usual English muffin, PB, banana, and honey breakfast sandwich between my run and bike ride.  This typically keeps me full for a while,but today I barely got 20 miles in on the bike before I was ready to start eating my own hand.  I was very thankful for the Cliff Bar I had with me....and so was my hand.  By the time I finished my 40 mile ride I was ravenous!  We went to Fuzzy's Taco Shop where I ordered 3 tacos.  I wanted more, but I was too embarrassed to go back for seconds.

Trying to satisfy my appetite is a lot like a dog chasing it's tail.  I'm just going to have to accept that it's not going to happen.  I'm trying to keep lots of fruits and other healthy snacks around my house.  It can be tricky to find healthy meals on the go.  Between work and training I don't always have time to cook.  Cedars Woodfire Grill and Simply Fit Meals are two places I can get quick healthy meals.  It can get expensive, but I figure it's better to spend the extra money and fill my body with real food as opposed to the junk in typical fast foods.  When I'm craving something sweet, like cookies or ice cream, I try a glass of chocolate milk.  It usually does the trick.

"Do you know what my favorite part of the game is?  The opportunity to play." ~~ Mike Singletary

Only 3 Months To Go

Ironman is exactly 3 months away!  Woo Hoo!!  In some ways the past nine months have flown by, and yet it seems like November 18 will never get here.  Most of my travel arrangements ( for myself and my bike) have been made.  There are still a few small details to work out, but the big stuff is done.

Overall, I would have to say that my training has been going pretty well.  There are have been some up and down, and  I've had good days, and I've had few bad.  I'm still paying regular visits to the massage therapist and chiropractor for routine maintenance.  The massages often leave me begging for mercy. I wonder if he gets pleasure inflicting that kind of pain on paying clients. Sometimes I have little bruises that remind me of the torture sessions.  As much as it might hurt, the massages are great.  They help work out all the little knots and kinks in my muscles.  Most of the time I walk in feeling perfectly fine and unaware of just how tight and knotted up I actually am.

After a swim session on Wednesday my shoulder began hurting.  I recognized this feeling and knew I had to get into to see Ron, my chiropractor, ASAP.  Luckily he had an opening on Friday. He began with a little ART.  I promised him I wouldn't give him any bad publicity by talking about why I dropped a couple of F-bombs during the session, so I won't give details.  I will say that at one point he asked me if I was going to cry.  I did not!  When he was done he let me pick out the color of Rock Tape that he used to tape up my shoulder. It feels a lot better, but I'm really not sure what the tape is supposed to do for me, other than leave some pretty interesting tan lines.  It's also going to limit my outfit choices when I go out to dinner later this evening. 

Today I had a 3 hour bike ride.  Because of the much welcomed rain we've been getting, my backup plan for was to ride the Ironman Arizona course on the computrainer.  Luckily, the rain held off and I got to ride outside.  Typically an August ride in Texas is HOT HOT HOT, but today was nice.  Lots of clouds and just a little wind.  Not everyone was happy about us being on the road.  A car, going in the opposite direction as us, yelled, "Get the @#%$*!) out of the road!"  I'm not sure why these people feel the need to harass us.  We have just as much right to the road as they do, and we were following all the traffic laws. Anytime I've encountered this type of behavior, it's almost always some guy in a big pick up truck!  I wonder how he would like it if someone yelled at his daughter, wife, mother, or sister the way he yelled at us.  Do these people really think we are going to stop riding?  Perhaps he should put down his Big Gulp and honey bun and go for a bike ride. Even though these people anger me, I can't help but feel sorry for them.  They are obviously unhappy people who feel the need to be mean to others from the comfort of their gas guzzlers.  In all fairness, not every motorist on the road is a jerk to cyclist.  Jeneen and I noticed a woman smile as she watched us ride by this morning.  It was nice.  I hope she had a wonderful day:)

"A bicycle ride is a flight from sadness." ~~ James Starr

My Legs Have Not Been Happy With Me

There are good days in Ironman training and then there are not so good days.  I'm not sure I like saying that I had few bad days last week because I am still so thrilled to be able to do this.  Any day that I can get up and take another step toward my goal should be considered a good day. 

Last week I hit a rough patch.  As the week went on my legs were screaming obscenities at me.  Thursday morning I showed for a track workout at 5:30.  My body was just plain tired.  It wasn't a sleepy tired, just a "I've been pushed too far and I'm not going any further" tired.  I figured my legs were just pissed because I was making them run again.  I left track early and headed out for a two hour bike ride.  My legs are generally very cooperative on the bike so I figured it wouldn't be a problem.  WRONG!  After one 9 mile loop around Whiterock Lake I was ready to pack up my bike and go home, but I went a head and began a second loop.  I'm sure the two people I scolded for not following trail etiquette wished I had made a different decision.  I was on the verge of tears by the end of that loop and didn't even contemplate the final loop to complete my workout.  I was done. 

I hosted a pity party for myself for the remainder of the day.  It began with hitting up Chic-fil-a for my second breakfast that morning.  Those little chicken minis are darn good.  Once home, my sofa and I spent some quality time together.  I worried how I was going to manage Ironman training and work in just a few short weeks.  The feeling of defeat ate away at me all day. 

By the end of the night I knew my attitude needed major adjusting.   I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself because I'm actually getting to do something I've been dreaming about doing for almost two years.  I'm not the first person to juggle a full time job and Ironman training.  Many people I know have a lot more on their plates than I do, and they still manage to get it done.  I also get a nice 10 week vacation from work in the middle of all my training! I shut the pity party down decided to move forward.

My remaining workouts for the week did go better, but the legs continued to curse me.  Yesterday my bike workout required me to go out with the fast group and try to hang on as long as possible.  I did stay with them for almost 6 miles before getting dropped.  As it turned out, one of the guys was actually trying drop the fast group so the pace got a little out of control.  Despite being way out of my league on the ride, I did have a lot of fun.  Maybe next time I can make it a little longer. Thankfully this week is a recover week with just under 9 hours of training.  I don't have any workouts today, and I'm fine with that, but in the next couple of days I know I'll be going crazy. As much as I'll want to do more, I know my body needs this rest, so I'll resist the temptation.

"It's hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is again the little voice inside of you that wants to quit." ~~ Dr. George Sheehan

Who Says Disco Is Dead

Today I raced Disco at Johnson Branch State Park for the second time.  Last year this race was my first olympic distance ever.  To be perfectly honest, I spent much of the week regretting my decision to do this race.  I figured it would be better for me to spend the weekend getting some serious mileage on the bike, but since I paid the money I figured I had to race.

One the way to race I had a little come to Jesus meeting with myself.  Whether I like it or not I was doing this race so I might as well enjoy the experience.  Once I got my transition area set up I made my way to swim start and found several NTM members setting up the tent.  Seeing my people helped get me more excited.

The swim was pretty choppy but I wasn't bothered by it.  I've swam in choppy water before so I just went with it.  Last year I freaked out during the swim...and the water was smooth.  Despite the choppy water and the several gulps I swallowed, I thought the swim went well.

 

I made my way to bike and ended up with the fastest T1 time in my age group! (It's the small victories:))  I hopped on my bike and immediately had two regrets: 1. I used regular bottles instead of my aero bottle so it was harder to drink. 2. I forgot to tape the number to my bike so it was sliding around my top tube and rubbing my leg.  I had a pack of peanut butter Gu taped to my tube, so after I ate it I was able to use the tape for my bike number.  As the race continued I was pleased with my pace and feeling pretty good.  Around mile 15 or 16 I ended up dropping my chain.  I quickly jumped off my bike and fixed it. Normally I wear black shorts for training, so when I get chain grease on my hands I can just wipe them on my shorts.  My race shorts are red and white so that wasn't an option.  The only black I had on was my sports bra. Soooo, I unzipped my top a little and wiped my hands.  I'm sure it quite a sight! I finished my the bike portion of the race in 1 hour and 16 minutes.  

 

 

My legs were still feeling good when I started the run, but I think I went out just a little too hard.  As the miles ticked away my pace slowed a little bit.  Because this race has a disco theme, there were people with big wigs and crazy outfits.  It was pretty entertaining, but I don't know how they race with those mops on their head.

I finished the race in 2:51 and came in second in my age group.  I was pretty pleased with my race and excited to place.  While I did miss out on getting some good training miles in, I think today's race is just what I needed.  With all the Ironman training, its easy to forget what I love most about this sport...racing!  Today was great measuring stick to see how far I've grown as an athlete over the past year. 

I have to give a big shout out to my coach.  With his help I was able to shave 17 minutes off last year's race.  I also have to give a big shout out to all the NTM volunteers today.  Those guys always make race day special and fun.  

"I'd rather look back at my life and say 'I can't believe I did that' instead of saying 'I wish I had done that.'" ~~ stolen from my Uncle John's Facebook page:)

Stacy and I both took home a little hardware!

Music To My Ears

Several months ago, unpon the advice of other triathletes,  I bought a Finis SwimP3 to use during my long swim sessions.  I'm so glad I listened.  Shortly after signing up for IMAZ I found a great deal on one at Trishop's Black Friday sale. 

I haven't been doing a ton of swimming by myself, so I haven't had many chances to use it...until  now!  After my hour swim practice on Wednesday and Friday mornings, I stay a little longer to get some addition distance in.  I wasn't sure how I would like this arrangement, but it's working out pretty well.  For an hour I get to swim with other people during a coached workout, which is what I like.  When everyone else is getting out of the pool I grab my music and get in some extra swim time.  Having music makes up for having to swim alone.  At first I was afraid that the music would be a distraction, and I wouldn't be able to keep track of my laps.  This hasn't been the case.  The only downside of swimming with music is that it's pretty hard to sing along.  It throws off my breathing and I end up with a lot of water going up my nose. 

Another handy device I purchased for my long swims is a lap counter.  It's a little ring that fits around my finger that helps me keep track of time and distance.  I'm sure at some point I'll need it, but for now I'm able to swim without it.  I don't like it as much as I thought I would. It actually makes my hand cramp up due to the funny positioning trying to keep it from falling off. Besides, I sometimes forget to hit the little button after a lap, or I don't press hard enough for it to register.  It probably wasn't the best $30 I've spent.

2.4 miles sure is a long way to swim.  It's 3860 meters or just over 154 lengths of a 25 meter pool.  My longest swim to date is about 200 meters shy of this distance.  On race day I will get to swim this crazy distance with over 2500 other insane people.  I don't even want to think about how much pee will be in the water just before the start of the race!!

I want to take a moment to give a big shout out to fellow triathlete, Heidi Lueb, who just signed up for her first Ironman!  Go Heidi!!

"Somewhere behind the athelte you've become, the hours of practice, the coaches who pushed you, the fans who cheered for you, is the little girl who feel in love with the sport and never looked back.  Play for her." ~~ Unknown

Just a Lot of Training...And I Like It

The big race is 4 1/2 months away and my Ironman training is really moving along.  This week I completed almost 16 1/2 hour of training....that's a lot of swimming, biking, and running.  Most days I get up early and train, go home and take a nap, and then I train some more.  My whole day seems to revolve around my training schedule.  It's like being a professional triathlete without the sponsorships and free stuff.  Going back to work in August is really going to throw a wrench into my training schedule. 

The last two Saturdays have consisted of 5 hour bike rides.  On Friday my legs were pretty tired and a little sore, but they really came through for me over the weekend.  Due to the heat I'm having to start my long rides as soon as the sun comes up...that means wheels down at 6:15.  Most people don't want (or need) to start that early, so I start off by myself and meet up with others later.  I love riding early in the morning.  Everything is quiet.  It's a nice way to start a long morning in the saddle.

This weekend I tried out a new route just to shake things up a bit.  I had some friends join me for part of the ride, but they aren't on the 140.6 training plan so they cut out early.  I got into a zone and ended up missing a turn.  Luckily I figured it out before I got off course too much and was able to get myself back on track.  At one point I ran into my coach.  He rode with me for a while and kept me company.  It was nice to get to ride with him and talk about my training. He eventually split off from me and I finished up my last hour of riding alone. I rewarded myself with a Cookies-n-Cream Muscle Milk and a couple of breakfast brisket tacos...can you say YUMMY!

This morning I wrapped up my training week with an open water swim, a 75 minute bike ride, and a 15 minute run. I do feel pretty good after this week of training, but I have to admit that I am a little tired.  This next week is a recovery week so I won't have as much training. My body gets to rest and recover so I can begin the insanity all over again.

Last summer my mind and body was trying  to adjust to this new training regimen.  I couldn't stop eating, and something on my body always seemed to hurt.  I'm happy to report that my appetite seems to have settled to a level that no longer embarrasses me. I've shed the extra weight that I gained training for the half Ironman, and I'm feeling great.

This journey isn't easy, but I love it.  I can feel myself getting stronger by the week.  While this is a good thing, I don't always feel...well...very girly.  The other day I was doing my strength training at the gym.  I wasn't wearing any makeup and my arm muscles were looking particularly muscular that day.  As a single woman, that really wasn't the look I was going for. I'm going to make a conscious effort to put on a little makeup before going to the gym.  I'm even thinking of brining my own weights that are sparkly and have pretty ribbons tied to them.  I am still a girl, and I want to make sure that my femenine side doesn't get lost in Ironman! I also need to look into pink chain grease.  Somehow I think it will look less dirty when it gets all over my legs. 

"What am I on...I'm on my bike 6 hours  day busting my ass." Lance Armstrong

Why?

At some point all endurance athletes ask themselves one simple questions, "Why?"  Why do we put our bodies through hours training? Why do we get up at 4:30 to knock out an hour swim class before heading to work? Why do we bike and run at 7:00 AM (or earlier) on weekends?  Why do we pour thousand of dollars into a sport that rewards us with sore muscles, injuries, and drawer full of t-shirts?  Why do we endure the pain of race day?  The answer is simple....WE ARE CRAZY...and we like it that way!

Honestly, there is satisfaction is the suffering.  It makes us feel alive.  It allows us to escape the real world for a little while.  It makes other aspects of our lives seem easy.  It's not always fun to run for two hours or to push yourself beyond the limits in a race.  I always describe my experience at the half Ironman as gratifying; not fun. There were parts of the race that were fun, but overall, I wouldn't use "Fun" as to describe the experience. When it hurts,when I'm tired, and when I want to stop,  I say, "To hell with it," and  keep going.

I've never crossed a finish line or completed a workout thinking, "I wish I hadn't done that," or "I should have just quit."  The feeling of crossing the finish line is like an addiction.  It makes the hours of training all worth it.  I may not feel physically stronger at the end of a race, but I am mentally stronger.  I've found that I do a better job when facing challenging or uncomfortable situations lately, and I attribute it to my triathlon experience.  When I'm presented with an uncomfortable situation I always think back to the swim start of the half Ironman.  It's not hard to remember what that gut wrenching feeling was like.  I bring myself back to that place of being uncomfortable and just wanting to get out of the water.  I think about how I overcame it...I just kept swimming.  I didn't stop and I prayed a lot.

I love triathlon.  I love the training, and I love the racing.  It's a challenge unlike any other I've ever given myself. It's not always easy, and there are moments when it is not fun, but I can't imagine giving it up at this point.  I'm learning more and more about myself each day that I'm in this crazy sport.

I don't mean to give the impression that this sport is all about pain and suffering and misery.  Most of the time I'm more than happy to train.  I have fun when I'm swimming or biking with my friends, and I even find enjoyment in the long runs I do alone.  There is something soothing in listening to my feet hit the pavement in a continuous rhythm. While the hours of training and racing may leave me physically exhausted and a bit sore, they also leave me renewed and excited about the challenge of doing an Ironman.

"It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you don't stop." ~ Confucius

The Other Side of Triathlon

This past weekend I traveled to Kansas for the half Ironman.  No, I wasn't there to race.  I was there as my friend, Jeneen's, sherpa.  What is a sherpa you ask?  A sherpa is someone who goes out to the race to support an athlete.  The job of the sherpa is to encourage and support the athlete in any way needed throughout the day. Jeneen was a great sherpa for me when I did my half, and she even walked my parents through the race day sherpin. 

As a triathlete I understand how important a good support system is on race day, so I was determined to do all that I could to be the best sherpa I could be.  I knew it would be a long day so I made sure that I was prepared.  I packed a chair, my nutrition (cliff bar, Reese's Pieces, and mixed nuts), water, a cowbell, and plenty of sun block.  I also made a few signs to hold up for the athletes. One of my favorite things on the race course while I'm racing has got to be the signs people make.

Most of my day was spent waiting for Jeneen to pass by.  I didn't have to wait too long for her to come out of the water.  When she did I was there screaming and cheering her on while ringing my cowbell and taking pictures.  She left her bike pump and transition bag with me, so after she came out of the swim I grabbed these items and sprinted to the bike mount line to see her off as she began her 56 mile bike ride. I may have taken out a few spectators during this mad dash. At this point I knew I had a few hours to kill before she would return to the park and begin her 13.1 mile run.  I hiked a mile to the car and traded Jeneen's gear for my own gear.

I returned to the bike-in and run-out section of the race course to wait...and wait.  When I knew it was almost time for her to come in from her bike ride I positioned myself on the side of the road with my signs held high, my cowbell ringing, and a camera ready to snap a photo.  When she finally came by I screamed as loud as I could and tried to snap a picture.  It was pretty difficult to maneuver the signs, cowbell, and camera.  I was also trying to update friends back home via text and Facebook with both my phone and Jeneen's phone.

I spent much of the day moving between 2 spots on the run course with my sherpa gear in toe.  I held up funny signs and cheered on tons of complete strangers.  I knew what they were going through, and a big part of me was wishing I was in their shoes.  There were times when the wind made it difficult to hold up the signs, but I knew I couldn't put them down.  Many of the racers expressed their appreciation for the cheers, cowbell, and signs.  It was fun watching their race as they read them.  The sign that seemed to be most popular said, "Smile if you peed yourself today (we know you did)"  Some of the racers pointed to their smile or told me that they had indeed peed themselves.  It was a lot of fun, and their reactions made it worth the trouble of dragging the signs around and chasing them down when the wind blew them away.

When I saw Jeneen at mile 11 I told her I would meet her at the finish line.  This is probably my favorite part of watching a race.  I got to cheer on many racers as they came across the finish.  I found myself getting choked up because I know that their journey began long before they stepped in the water earlier that day.  I waited with anticipation for Jeneen to round the turn and come down the finishers shoot.  You can bet that I was cheering as loud as I could and ringing the hell out of my cowbell when she came into sight.  I am so proud of her!  She rocked a course that threw choppy waters, big hills, lots of wind, and the blazing sun her way.  Kansas 70.3 had no mercy on the athletes.

While I would much rather be racing than watching a race, I'm glad I got to be there to see Jeneen complete her first 70.3.  Perhaps someday I will return to Kansas and take on this race, but for now my focus is on my first Ironman.

"The only one who can tell you 'you can't' is you.  And you don't have to listen." ~~ Nike

Playtri Festival...First Olympic of the Season

This weekend was the Playtri Festival in Irving, TX.  I spend Saturday afternoon volunteering at the ITU pro races.  It was pretty cool to watch draft legal racing.  I got to stand on the side of the road and yell into a bull horn, "U-turn ahead!" It may not have been the most glamorous job, but I was happy to be there and watch the bikes go by. 

Today I completed my first Olympic distance race of the season.  Honestly, I've been pretty busy and had a million other things on  my mind, so I didn't feel like I had mentally prepared myself for this race as much as I would have liked.  I didn't write out a race plan, and didn't really give much thought to it until a day or two before the race. 

My stomach wasn't prepared to handle the amount of food I needed this morning for my pre-race breakfast.  I choked down what I could.  Luckily, it settled just before it was time to race.  I managed to get a little pre-race swim in.  Last year the water was like swimming in a dirty hot bath.  This year it didn't seem as bad. 

I began my 1500 meter swim without too much trouble.  There were several turns on the swim, and after a while I got kind of lost.  I didn't really know where I was on the course or where the next buoy was.  It really didn't bother me too much.  I just followed the other swimmers that seemed to be moving in the same general direction as I was.  I did feel someone on my feet, and I found out later that it was my friend Sabrina.  She said I was swimming a zig-zag....I'm sure I was.  My swim didn't feel stellar, yet it didn't feel awful.  When I came out of the water I looked for the race clock so I could figure out how long I was out there.  My math skills become a little fuzzy when I race because I thought my swim time was around 37 minutes, but it was actually 33 minutes.

I headed out on my bike and quickly noticed that my legs were feeling very fresh. I wasn't sure if my quads had the 24 miles of biking and the six miles of running I had left on this race in them.  For the first time outside of the swim, the thought of DNFing crossed my mind.  I didn't want to DNF, but I didn't know if my legs were going to cooperate.  Throughout the 2 loop bike course I saw lots of fellow NTMers that gave me the encouragement I needed.  I manged to average 18.8 mph on the bike...not too bad for me, but I think I could do better on that course. 

I wasn't looking forward to the run.  There is not a lick of shade out there, and I just remembered how much the heat hurt me last year.  This year wasn't as bad.  There was just enough cloud coverage for most of the run.  The run course was a two loop course with a lot of running up and down the same road.  It was a great way to see everyone several times.  After about a mile and a half, my legs settled in and I was feeling pretty good.  I did have a little cramping and tightness in my hip and butt, but it wasn't too bad. The last half mile I started to feel nauseous.  I did everything I could to NOT throw-up.  The streets were lined with spectators and I didn't want to be the chick puking in front of everyone.  I turned the last corner and made it to the finish line without embarrassment.  I even heard the announcer call out my name.  I still felt like I could throw up.  I kept my head down and volunteers put cold water on my neck.  My friend Jim was there and he brought me a wet towel.  He told me I needed to wipe the sh** off my shoe because I was kicking ass out there!  I joined my other NTM friends and was feeling better.  Everyone seemed to have had a great race.  Several of my friends even finished top 3 in their age group.  I finished in 2:54...a PR for me! 

I went to one of the tents after the race and got some work done by one of the chiropractors.  Those people were saints for being there and volunteering to work on dirty athletes.  By the end of the race we are covered in sweet, salt, dirty canal water, sticky sports drinks, sun block, and God knows what else.  It's a dirty sport. 

A big shout-out goes out to Playtri for pulling off a great weekend of racing.  The staff and volunteers were awesome!  I can't wait to go back next year. 

I know you're not supposed to try anything new on race day, but I did.  The day before the race I bought a new sweat band.  I didn't have a chance to try it out before hand.  It's a Quantum Cool head band.  It's very thin and comfortable. It fit nicely under my bike helmet and visor.  It stayed in place and it kept the salty sweat out of my eye.  This is my new favorite accessory. 

"Life is simple. Triathlon. Swim. Bike. Run. Eat. Sleep." Unbekannt

One of Those Days

I learned early on in this sport to expect the unexpected.  Someone recently told me to expect at least 3 things to go wrong during my Ironman race.  I'm not sure what kind of statistics he has to back up this information, but those words have stuck with me ever since.  It's made me think about what to do when things don't go as planned.  Over the weekend I got a little taste of this.

Jeneen and I set out on a four hour bike ride. I had been looking forward to it all week. I made sure to pack plenty of nutrition and water, and I slathered enough sunblock on my skin to make my dermatologist happy.  We were about an hour into our ride when I shifted down and dropped my chain.  This normally isn't a big deal, but when my cranks locked up I knew I was in trouble.  My chain was jammed between the ring and the frame. I hopped off my bike and tried to pull it out, but the darn thing wouldn't budge.  In no time Jeneen  had my bike flipped over and the back wheel off.  We were trying everything to dislodge the chain.  It wasn't long before I realized that my training day was over.  Luckily, my friend Michelle was home and agreed to come pick up me and my bike.

Jeneen suggested that I walk down to the school that was about a block away to wait for Michelle.  I gathered up my bike, back wheel, and assortment of water bottles and began my trek. I couldn't help but laugh at the situation.  I'm sure it was a sight to see.  Once we reached the school I was on my own.  Jeneen continued on her bike ride and I found a shady spot to wait.

Two women drove up while I was waiting with my disassembled bike.  They drove to the back of the parking lot, sat there for a few minutes, then left. I have no idea what they were doing.  They looked straight at me, but never asked if I needed any help  or if I was okay.  There really wasn't anything that the women, or any other stranger driving by, could have done for me, but I found it odd that so many people could pass right by and not ask if I was okay or needed anything.  While Jeneen and I were trying to fix my bike, one woman did stop to ask where the high school was. I gave her directions, and she drove off. Seriously! It was obvious that I was having trouble of my own, yet she didn't seem to notice.

The first stop on my way home was the bike store. My bike will be there a couple of days getting repaired and undergoing some other routine maintenance that I've been meaning to get done.

I could have let this whole situation upset me or anger me, but I didn't.  I did lose some training time, and I did have to inconvenience someone to drive out and pick me up.  This is an unfortunate part of the game.  I'm glad it happened on a training ride and not during a race.  You never know what race day will bring, and sometimes it brings challenges that may end your race early.  You have to decide how you are going to handle it.  Are you going to get angry and make a fool of yourself in front of everyone, or do you handle it with class and accept that today was not your day?  I would like to think that I would choose the latter if something like this happens on the day of my Ironman, but I'm praying really hard that I won't have to find out.

"To a brave man, good and bad luck are like his left and right hand.  He uses both." ~ St. Catherine of Siena