Packet Pickup, Pre Race Jitters...

WE made it safely to North Carolina last night. What a road trip that was!! 14 1/2 hours, 4 rest stops, 2 meal stops, 2 gas stops....and then 2 Im Freaking out LOST stops!! See when we got into Wilmington it was a little confusing as to where US 17 was as it was marked business district. Little did we know thats exactly where our hotel was!

We have a nice hotel with a flat screen TV, Free WiFi, Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffee Maker! Hotels.com was right! Woot! And the best part is we are right in between both of my transitions which is about 5 miles each way. (Yes T1 and T2 are not in the same area!!)

Packet pickup went smoothly. These people have it all down pat! I saw my Finisher Jacket hanging up calling my name after I finish. Thank god it will be available AFTER the race. No jinxing the race here!! I will finish, then get the damn thing!!! :)

Being the Transitions are not in the same area makes this a very confusing race. Ugh. I have to have all bags packed tonight which I have worked on for the last couple hours! I am now eating, drinking and resting until tonight when I have a pre-race meeting and need to drop off everything to transition area where the volunteers will transport all the bags to the appropriate areas!!

I have had a few freakout moments, but I am ready. I know in my heart I am ready.

My coach just called and we both know this is a great day to be nervous. As soon as that gun goes off I will be that much closer to finishing. 3 workouts in 1. Thats all this is. NO pressure.

The next time Ill be writing is when I am a Iron Distance Finisher!!

2 weeks and Counting

In 12 Days I will culminate this year long journey. I have envisioned how it will play out in my mind a billion times. I have watched myself enter the finishers shoot with pure joy and elation, I have visioned myself running out 6.55 miles and back 6.55 miles, Twice. I have visioned myself settling in the swim and just relaxing.

Easy to say now!!! I cannot believe it is so close! I have had some teary moments, frustrated moments, pure happy moments. It all comes with the territory of your first 140.6! I know that now and I have embraced it all.

Through my last 18 mile run on saturday I kept thinking to myself. This is it. This is your last chance to get nutrition and hydration right. Get it right. I was loving every 18 miles of my run. Through the wind, rain, cold, it was all worth it. My friend was slowing down, but I was on a mission. I was on that mission to block the muscle fatigue, to smile through that, to focus on form and nutrition. It paid off!!

Yesterday I went out with my friend KD who is doing IM Florida. Thank god for her as she has spent the last 4 weekends with me training. If it wasnt for her pushing me and me pushing her, I dont know where I would be right now. Its friends like her that mean so much to me. Friends who inspire, who let you see all the sides of the Ironman experience. This is her 3rd IM and she has some goals in mind that I know she can achieve!! Anyways, we set out for the ride. Me doing 6 hours, her 4 hours. We were great 30miles in, when we made the turn to go back the 30 miles it was Torture!!! 25 mph winds, my bike almost came out from underneath me, I couldn't get into aero without being scared I would fall off my bike. I was miserable. Not to mention I started having a lot of tension to the neck. I finally got home, got on the trainer but my neck was bothering me only to finish another hour because of my neck. I had so much tension from riding outside. Not to mention I had deep dish wheels on which made it that much more difficult to control!! I should've changed the front tire out!

I am ready, I have done the workouts. This has been a long journey. Im ready to soak up the moment and smile through the pain!!!

12 DAYS!!!!!

Last Week in Review

I just got a chance to stit down and type a bit! As the days get nearer to my Full Iron Distance race, time is crunched between my work, activities, my Daughters activities and then being a good old partner to my honey!

Last week was one of the best training weeks I have had and It is another boost to my self confidence going into B2B.

Saturday was my long bike which I rode from my house, met a few friends and rode out to Green Lakes State Park for the 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness 25mile ride. This was a great event where we raised $10,000 for Breast Cancer research and had over 450 cycling! It was a beautiful day! I then Rode home and around with my friend closer to home. On the Way home I flatted 2 times. After 107 miles Ill take it! I called my honey to come to my rescue. His comment to me was "How are you going to change this at B2B if you are taking so long changing it now? Mind you I have 808's on my bike which are deep dished making it a little harder to get off. So I had to do a few changes at home and still was frustrated as I couldn't get the wheel (Back wheel) back on the bike. I had a little meltdown. I'll wait for the repair wagon I guess if it happens on race day!! I am able to change it...but it takes me about 15-20min to do so! I would rather have my regular wheels on but then I've been training with these ones all summer so I will stick with what I know.

I followed this bike up with the best transition run I've had in a long time. I felt fresh, I was holding a pretty good pace in my heart rate zone! This really made me happy with 3 weeks left until show time.

Sunday I had a split run with a spin in between. I felt great for the 1st hour and a half then I was mustering up some good old energy to finish the last half hour. I made it home and was relieved that I could focus on other things in my mind and keep running despite my legs being lead. Took a few hours to visit the family who thinks I am crazy, thinks Im too busy for them, etc. It was nice to see my family. I haven't seen my sister in a month since we got back from Florida!! Geesh!
I came home, Spun out the legs for a while, then on the treadmill for a hour. I started out with a not so good feeling. Running on brick feeling legs is not fun. But after about 15 min I found a groove I could stick with for a hour. (Not to mention the chafing, changing clothes, turning the radio up, etc), I was a bit slower this time around but managed a solid effort.

Last Night I had my first IronMan Dream. I was swimming, swimming, swimming, I looked around and I was last out of the water. I looked around and all the bikes were still there. Looked up at the clock and it said 6 hours. Everyone was already back from their bike and running already. I was all alone.......what a dream!!!!!

From Breast Cancer ride (the date reset! Stupid Camera!)

18 Days and Counting!!

Here is last week in numbers:
Swim: 4,484 yds - 1.67 hours
Bike: 131.8 miles + Trainer- 15.03 hours
Run: 51.63 miles- 8.66 hours
Strength: .50 hour

Total Time: 16:10:26

A Decision that was made

In the past few weeks, I have been contemplating the Syracuse 70.3 as to whether I should race it or not. It is about 6 weeks out from my Full Irondistance race. While I could race it and cross the finish line as my health and fitness is there, I had reservations of doing this race. All week when I was in Florida I thought about it as the Registration would be closing soon. Seeing my friends posts about their swim wave times, colored caps, their excitement about doing the race made me want to do it even more.

My coach and I have been going back and forth about me doing this. She put it like this. She wanted me to be fresh and confident going into B2B. If I do Syracuse and do poorly, my negative thoughts would creep up on me. If I did well, I would be too confident going into B2B. She wants me to be just right for my race.

All the molding and remodeling I have done in the last year to get me to this point in my journey has been a rough road. No one tells you how tough it is both physically and mentally to prepare for a race, to make the right decisions in regards to which races you will race each season.

I chose not to do Syracuse 70.3 this year. Not that I don't want to or think I wont do well. (I just did the Bike course which is Very Challenging in 3:04 a few weeks ago!) I just feel at this point in my training it isn't worth tapering and resting and losing valuable training opportunities that can be gained with my Full Race coming up!

I am very excited, nervous, scared and all that in between for my Full!

53 DAYS!!!!

2 months and counting!

I have a little over 2 months left until my Full Ironman Distance Race!! Woo hoo!!

I am scared....I am excited that its almost here....Im nervous...Im glad...You know how it goes!

My job is up and booming already. My schedule is full with patients! I cannot believe how busy this practice is! Its like a mini ER/Urgent care! While Im glad I am busy, today was one of those days I felt like I knew S*it. I had some of the weirdest complaints today. But I guess it wasn't just me today, it was everyone in the practice having a weird day. Is it a full moon??

With work in full swing again, it definately has taken my training in a different direction. Yes, I loved my 3 months of training, eating, sleeping, Only. Now I have to plan to get up at 4 am, Make sure Im eating healthy (Which hasn't been too good with Drug reps bringing you Lunch EVERY DAY! Willpower anyone?!) Make sure my daughter is safe and taken care of, plan a late night workout if needed. Phew...

Im wondering what I will do when my life isnt so chaotic for a few months after B2B??

For now, Im focusing on our amazing vacation trip for 11 days starting next Tuesday to Orlando, FL!!! I will be bringing my wetsuit, bathing suit and running shoes with me!! Of course there is no where for me to bike but coach has me doing what I can for the next 2 weeks. Im nervous Ill lose some of my fitness!!! OMG! why did I plan this RIGHT before B2B?!!

Then, when I get back, its big rides, then taper for Syracuse 70.3!!!

69 days until I step foot in North Carolina!!!!