Ironman Florida 2013

Well, now…THAT was fun!

140.6 miles…16:48:15 and every minute of it a battle won…I'm still finding it hard to believe that I'm AN IRONMAN…but I find it most hard to believe that I ran/walked/slogged a marathon at the end of that day…somehow..that's the part that boggles my mind the most!

This weekend was absolutely perfect in so many ways.  How could (I can't) thank everyone who got me to this place. But here's the story….

My goal for the race was to finish…I knew I would be flirting with the 17 hour cut off..and mostly because of my run…I knew if I had a perfect race, I could do it in 16 hours an change…well - LESS change than I did it in!! But my goal was simply to finish. I pictured myself crossing that finish line over and over and don't know if I ever really thought I could do it.  I talked to myself about what it would mean if I didn't finish..how it wasn't the finish, but the journey that was important….but deep in my heart…I REALLY REALLY wanted to finish.

Having a cause to race for was a great motivator especially when you pass people (Tina Ament) on the road and they yell, "Do it for Dominic!"..

The weekend started off with PPU and all went as planned.  I was a bit worried since I had stupidly signed up for the wrong group of racers (wheelchair) so I knew they would have to change my number and well..i was just worried that they wouldn't remember that they said it was "easy" and "not to worry."  I didn't need to worry.  #3228 its was and with a little creativity with a silver sharpie (thanks Maureen), My name was boldly emblazoned on my Bib.  The only thing I missed out on was that they had printed my charity on my original Bib…so I did too..I just printed it right on there!

I was invited to participate in an Athlete panel for those of us who participated in  Ironman Foundation Charity Fundraising.  I don't know why but I wasn't really nervous.  I felt like it was a great opportunity to just "say it like it is" about childhood cancer! (I also said something really stupid about Sister Madonna Buder and her influence in my journey to Ironman)…=)

I am awed and humbled by the generosity of friends and family!  Because of them I have raised almost 10,000 to help aid in childhood cancer research!!!  A truly uplifting experience.  I had set my goal at 5000.00 and far surpassed that..Thank you friends and family!

The swim was beginning to worry me, not because I can't swim, but because the weather was really rough the last couple of days.  I had gone in on Thursday when it was "sort of" rough and chose to sit out Friday's "2 red flag" swim so as not to freak myself out!  Good choice.


My awesome housemates and sherpas extraordinair Keri and Greg were everything I could have asked for in roommates AND MORE!!!.  The days leading up to the event were focused on my needs (I'm not really used to that) and its was great.  I went to bed Friday night after ice-cream and part of my favorite movie and slept for almost 8 full hours before I woke up at 3am!! (and as with all good photographers - did not get a picture with Keri and Greg!!!)


RACE DAY IS HERE!!  I was not as nervous as anticipated.  Up at 3, ate my favorite (and only breakfast) - Headed down to transition by 4:30 with Keri (in her PJ's).  She dropped me off in good hands at the Team Z tent, I found my bike still tied to the bike rack (the day before it literally blew off the rack!) added my nutrition, dropped off my special needs bags and headed back to the tent.  All of a sudden it was time to put on wetsuits and head down to the beach…WOW, that went fast.

It was to be a mass start with self seeded corrals lined down the beach.  The slower you anticipated finishing, the farther you put yourself down the beach.  I decided to place myself in the 1:15-1:30 group and "hang back."  The national Anthem begins, tears well up and I made myself stop.  Take in the day, revel in the fact that I was here and DOING this!!!  I ate the one and only GU for the day. Cannon goes off and I begin my walk in to the water. At some point I turn around and thought..uh oh..I did not hang back long enough..oh well, let's go.  Thanks to Ryan and his coaching and having watched some not get out past the breakers in the previous year, I knew just what to do.  Getting out was not that hard though several time, I looked ahead, said "oh shit, duck!" and went under…Got kicked in the head and in the goggles and got one big gulp of salt water..but mostly just let the masses carry me along! All in all, I had a blast on the swim.  First loop seems do fly by - got out..heard my name..smiled..and headed back in for the second lap.  Long about the 1/2 way mark on the second lap I began to feel dizzy….Passed the first turn buoy..yay, the sun is no longer in my eyes, passed the second turn buoy and the current had carried me a little farther to the right than I wanted….so I thought to myself..it will take MORE energy to swim back toward the buoys than to just focus on the sighing on the condo bldg…so thats what I did.  Just about the time I got to the place I could stand..the nausea hit me like a brick and I had to stop…tread water…and puke….felt better, put my head down and prayed for a wave to carry me in…I'm not a very good body surfer..that didn't happen, but I got in in one piece…1:31…I'll take that!

T1 something around 12 minutes…total clothes change…Volunteers AMAZING!!!

Out on the bike..Head wind for 56 miles….then again at mile 60 ish until someone said, "I heard a rumor that we get at tail wind at mile 80!"…I don't know if we did, but in my head we did….. =)
It wasn't my fastest bike..I did PR the 100 mile mark, (BTW - they put 100 miles right at the top of the bridge overpass….) but I was hoping and planning on a 15mph average…what I came away with was a 14.5 MPH average..( and 2 x 100 bottles of beer on the wall) Bigger than that, though, was that  I met my other goal of finishing by 4:30…off the bike by 4:30 gave me 7:30 for the marathon….

Along the way, I had absolutely NO cramping (my nemesis ALL season)…my biggest complaint was the bee sting that came out of nowhere!!! and i was TIRED, TIRED, TIRED of Infinite and EFS..but they did the trick and I'm so thankful that I found the nutrition that worked for me!  I did begin to get nausea around mile 80…had some "Lemon Heads" and they seemed help.  I continued to drink water and take the EFS like it was medicine…...No cramping, no chaffing..NONE..zero..and very little sunburn…so a WIN all around..

Loved Loved seeing the Team Z cheer stations. There were long lonely times out there and I kept asking myself..WHAT mile did they say they would be at for a little pep????

And there were times when it would have been nice to have a cue sheet..NOT because they don't mark the course well, but boy, I could  have used the count down on miles out there…

T2 came…9 minutes and change… again, a total wardrobe change (and because I had NONE - ZERO - NO chaffing…I would do that again in a heartbeat!)…Left the tent, stopped at the port a lou..and headed out…thought I could run for a bit and of course ran by the Team Z HQ…but then the nausea returned. And from then on out it was a battle to run even a little bit.  Lisa met me around mile 3-4 and encouraged me in the way only Lisa can encourage…"Patty, talk to me - what's going on?  Why aren't you running" "If you don't run under 15's you won't make it"…I think I gave her the EVIL STINK EYE…but one of my goals was to NOT yell at Lisa…I may have…a little…but she came back for more later and she made me smile.  I power walked like I have never walked before…. I wished I could throw up..but that was not gonna happen.  Come around the 13.1 mile mark (I have no idea of the time) and I'm in a very very bad place in my head.  Katie (my girl Katie who videos, texted and FB updated ALL day so that my family [and friends] could feel like they were right there with me)…was videoing and it went  like this:…
Katie: How ya doing
Me: Is the video on?
Katie: yes
Me: Turn it off…
haha..she was nice enough to FB post..Saw Patty at 13.1 - she wasn't up for a photo op!

I never cried..until I saw Ed..and then I started too..but I pulled it together….and kept on going.
At 9pm I looked at my watch and saw that I was at 130.6 miles …I had 3 hours to do 10 miles…I COULD do this..I knew it then..I wasn't sure before..In fact, i had spent some of my alone time composing my FB message…"sorry folks..it just wasn't my day".."Sorry, I have no real  reason why..just didn't happen"…but then I knew…MY FEET were the only thing that was really hurting other than the nausea…I'm pretty sure my blisters have blisters….I at around mile 20…you hit the entrance to St. Andrew's Park…I saw Ryan and Alexis tearing down the tent and packing up..I whistled to them from across the street (at least I think i did) and they didn't hear..i headed in to the dark park…it was beautiful in the dark and I never felt alone (I wasn't alone for sure)….I was keeping some kind of pace (by this time I was not looking at pace, but at the total time)..knew what I had to do…I had to pee but didn't want to stop..I was walking really fast….I slowed down for just a few seconds to give my hips a break and there is was folks…the PEE going down my leg…all I could do was laugh…"I guess I'm peeing on myself.." oh well, at least I didn't have to stop at the port a john!!!  Again..volunteers amazing….came out of the park and saw Ryan and Alexis cheering on the runners ahead of me…Ryan went to sit down in the only chair left and I called out.."Don't you sit your ass down!" and I don't think I've EVER EVER seen a bigger smile…he was jumping up and down saying.."you're gonna make it..OMG, you're gonna make it…we though we were still waiting for you to go INTO St. Andrew's…"…that gave me a boost..I ran a little bit…then it just became me against the minutes on the clock.  Saw Lisa and her friend Meg at about mile 22…Meg gave me her shirt b/c I was cold (I took it off before the finish..HAD to finish in Team Z green)..Bruce met me at mile 25…Lisa held my hand and we ran..Bruce ran beside me..Meg ran ahead….we came upon Mairead and caught her..she was having a hard day…BUT..We WERE BOTH GOING TO FINISH!! Lisa kept me running between cones…sometimes I did it..sometimes I started Before she said run..and sometimes I just said "NO"…but it happened…I came around the bend…the noise was deafening…I could not believe it..there was the TEAM…by the way….almost better than the finish line!!!!  

Run up to the finisher chute and WHAT?  ALL THE PAIN GOES AWAY…tried to relish every second of going down the chute..but I was focused on finishing…haha..so focused that the announcer tried to stop me and I was like, "Um, NO..i'm crossing the line"…he called me back and I heard those words that everyone wants to hear..and sometimes being last (Or next last) has it bennies..(oh who am I kidding..being last on TEAM Z and in Ironman..has LOTS of benefits)….Patricia Glass, "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN"…Still can't believe it…

So, so thankful to everyone…especially thankful to my training partners Mairead and Chris

We started together and 16+ hours later, we finished 30 second apart!!  Thanks Mairead!

Chris and I at the finish!!

What a day!  16:48:15…..

And special thanks to Tina Ament who, when Ironman ran out of medals, gave me hers until mine could be mailed to me!!  Thanks Tina…

Much thanks to Coaches Ryan, Ed and Alexis…all the sherpas and cheerers, Greg and Kery Hadley...my teammates and a very special thank you to LISA who supported me, not only on that day, but all year through..I think she believed in me more than I did!  

Katie Herold..what can I say…you made friends with my sisters (should I be scared?) and kept my parents in the loop all day long..not to mention EVERYONE in FB land!!  thank you, thank you..and I can't wait to cheer for you at IMMT!!!!  Though..perhaps we should buy extra batteries and chargers for the phones!!!

and thanks to Sarah and Robin…Sarah..you're the best friend and massage therapist an athlete can have. You always know exactly what I need!!  Thanks for making it possible for me to walk the day after the race….

Last thoughts…I may have been next to last..I may have finished just under the cut off, but the WAY I KNOW that the training worked, is that I was able to walk the next day…"workout" sore…and in my head I heard the coaches…put in the time…do the workouts and TRUST THE PLAN….

I originally said never again…but I broke the news to my mom today…there will be a next time..I'm just not sure when.  I have fitness goals that I want to meet before I attempt another one…

Wow- that's pretty much all i can say

Today I leave for Panama City Beach, FL.  It has been almost exactly one year since I signed up for this race…the work, the workouts, the swimming, the biking, the running..the trying to fit it all in while working nights, days, evenings and weekends….the journey has been tough…ups and downs…though certainly more ups than downs….

and ….It takes a village…it certainly does… a village of family and friends, teammates and colleagues..and my cats…yes..my cats..who are there when the tears of frustration, worry, anxiety and happiness come in the depths of the night…when I can't sleep…when I'm TYRING to sleep….

From the 120/20 weekend on its been a whirlwind.  That weekend was both exhilarating and frustrating for me. Its where I learned…No its where it was CONFIRMED that I have some of the best friends and teammates in the world.  We are not all the same speed…there are speedy ones and slow ones and I'm sometimes…most times…somewhere in between.  This makes training hard some days. And on this day…it was especially hard.  I rode 85 miles by myself..and let my thoughts take over and the negatives came in and I was tired and cold, then tired and hot..and I wondered who would know if I just laid down on the road and fell asleep!

And then…Janet and Keri came to my rescue and rode the last 30 miles with me.  Someone told me that I may be in "a bad place" during this lonely ride, and I certainly was…Ask Patti Jackson….I was " a little grumpy."

This was my fake, "I'm happy" smile at mile 100

Anyway…I'm so absolutely blessed to see this day…to anticipate Saturday, to have trained with my best friends, to have a family that loves and supports me..and I am absolutely humbled by the generosity of my friends and family who have contributed to my efforts to help end Pediatric Cancer.

And a special thanks to my training partners Mairead and Christine, who, without them, this would not have been nearly as fun or as fruitful.

And special thanks to Coach Ryan…who had confidence in me and promised to have kleenex at the finish line!

Lisa Folb…I could not have attempted this without you!!!

And finally…but certainly NOT least, in honor and memory of my dear friend Kari who showed me what it is to fight, to persevere and to live life with dignity and grace.

And for Dominic and all pediatric cancer patients who have a very close place in my heart!  One day, my friends…there will be a cure for pediatric cancer that rivals that of adults…One day..we will have pediatric specific drugs and treatment plans…one day…..until then

Stay #strongforDom

I know there are many whom I have not mentioned…you are all near and dear to my heart..and I fear I have missed some very important people…Know that I love and appreciate each and every one of you. ( I could name every person on Team Z, with a special shout out to Coaches Ed and Alexis!)

Mom and Dad….without your love and support over all my years…all my "adventures" and "misadventures"…I would not be the person I am today….I love you more than you can know.

See you all after the race…Whatever the day may bring, I'm ready….

100/15 miles....done!

Wow..its done...I cannot believe how good I feel after being so freaking tired last week....

That's all....Lessons learned in the past were put into place....

Extra special encouragement from my friends Lisa and Janet..."you'll have to report back to us whether you hold your pace on your run...you don't want to tell us that you didn't keep your pace"....so quaking in my boots...and feeling pretty good...I did it...so that means that I can....

PR'd my 13.1 without focusing on it...didn't PR the 5k, which only means that I held a consistent pace for 15 miles...which was and IS my goal....to NOT start off too fast...to keep putting one foot in front of the other....

Sore today..but not unusually so...

Off to work...Less than 7 weeks to go...oh my!!!

Patriot's Half - "Just" another training day!

First, the good stuff...

(1)I only had twinges of cramping on the bike...you should have heard me..."oh NO you don't...shut up legs!" Lesson, take more salt, spin at higher RPM's...and have fun.

(2) Nutrition was again, right on..EFS is the way to go..though I admit to dry heaving three times while trying to get it down...lesson learned...take smaller sips...

(3) Swim was good, though I don't like current...Lesson learned...it IS easier to cross the current if you kick!

(4) The bike was long and boring and I remembered some words to songs that I could sing other than my ABC's..Lesson learned.....though I haven't learned ACDC's Highway to hell, I WILL brush up on "100 bottle of beer on the wall, 100 bottles of beer......."

(5) I can swim without my earplugs.  I got in the water, didn't have my plugs..panicked a bit..but mentally got over it and it wasn't bad.  Funny thing is..as I was doing laundry, I found the ear plugs in my tri top..so I had them all along!!  Lesson....I will give Lisa and extra pair to bring to the beach start just in case.

(6)..lets see, the run..what was good about the run...well, i finished...I ran more in the second loop than the first...the quad cramps I DID have off the bike went away with my magic magnesium potion (haha)....Eric and Lisa coming out to run me in at 1 mile to go was just what i needed....

Now..the hard stuff...

As I have written the good stuff...the bad or hard stuff has pretty much fallen to the wayside....
I have perseverance..I won't give up easily...the only thing keeping me from running is ME.  I can do it..I know I can..I've RUN 10 in a row before...I've done 13.1 many times....my head is what keeps me from doing this....so.....my head will really really need to be in the game on November 2nd....

I have to push through the pain..(hopefully there won't be barnacles in Florida...but there may be jelly fish!)...i just need to know that I will be an IRONMAN if I can wrap my head around that fact..and say "yes" instead of "no" or "I don't care" as I am walking...it will work....but I can't wish this to happen...BUT i CAN MAKE it happen.....i can do this...i really can..I just have to keep saying this...

after all, I'm doing it for Dominic and for Kari...who's birthday is today...and 2 years ago today my parents and I took her out for her birthday...when her parents didn't come to celebrate....and it was her last birthday...Happy Birthday my friend....!!!!

a Century and a superb training weekend!

Well, what do you know...something IS working.

Completely nailed my nutrition on the bike this weekend.  The EFS, thanks to Eric and Chris, was exactly what I needed.  It wasn't the best tasting stuff, but it beats the GU and other such liquid like things...and is really more caramel than mocha...and as long as I had water to wash it down...BINGO!!

I could tell on several fronts:

1. I didn't run out of energy
2. My fingers did not swell - therefor enough sodium

I still had cramping, but now I'm beginning to think that is more FIT than nutrition, so will have the fit checked again this week.  I'm beginning to think the aero bars are slightly off and the seat may need to go UP a smidge....

I felt great off the bike..and when I was half way, i got off the bike and RAN to the bathroom across the parking lot (the bathroom was closed - haha), but never mind that...I was able to get off the bike and run with NO cramping....I wasn't really feeling like running off the bike at 105...but i'm ok with that right now..I was cramping in my adductor starting at mile 47 and worked through it until mile 90....then at 92, I was convinced I needed to stop.  Put one more sodium in my mouth, flagged Ed down...told him i was hurting but was gonna do 100 if it killed me!!  haha...I didn't really cramp again.  Ed told me he wasn't gonna sag me in  - "why get sagged in at 102, when you can get clapped in at 105?"...he was SO right and I'm glad I did it....

the run...was OK...I hadn't run since the 12 miler...i had been sick and coughing..and this was really the  first day when I wasn't coughing all the time.  My hip was hurting a little...so I did what I could..and overall, the average wasn't that bad...so i'm psyched about this too..

Ocean swim.......AWESOME.....and fun....and a little bit nauseating...but we won't be swimming along the shore so that's good.

I had AWESOME training partners this weekend.......between Chris, Mairead and I, we are somewhat directionally challenged...but we managed not to get too lost and even managed to avoid the closed route 66 on the way home..

all around...and most excellent weekend.

oh..and I can't forget the superb hospitality of the Coffee's....two great nights of pre training sleep.....

so much fun....
makes training for IMFL so much better when doing it with Friends!!!

Asthma and other such nonsense!

Just keep moving forward...there's nothing I can do about this little set back than to take my meds, bide my time, rest and hope it goes away soon....

This happened same time last year and I haven't had an exacerbation since..hmm....weather....allergens....who knows..

Just keep moving forward....Frustration sets in as my cumulative mileage decreases...sigh....but just keep moving forward....

Looking forward to Luray...was hoping to best my time...now just want to get in the race and finish strong....

REALLY looking forward to our training weekend next weekend....so please...make this asthma/tight chest/coughing thing...GO AWAY!!!

That's all..

Im building a bridge and "getting over it!"
HTFU.....mentally as well as physically...

90 miles...boo ya!

So, today was 90 mile day.  What a day it was.  Beautiful weather, but appropriately windy, which is what I was looking for.  I wanted to feel what it was like to ride in Florida....the humidity was not there, but the sun and wind was!  It was a really good ride..and yet again, i learn something new.  I still need to figure out how to get in more calories, especially at the end of the first 50 leading into and continuing into the second 56....I just don't feel like drinking...I hate chews, blocks and gus...so what's a girl to do??  I did take in applesauce twice, but its only total 120 calories...I figured I burned 3005 (Garmin with HR) and only took in about 1200..if that....

I learned that the ready made Infinite is good if I make it...but not so much if you use the pouches...so that's something...

I did take in 4 shot blocks with no untoward effects - so that's something...though I couldn't do them for long....Mairead took in 6 packages of them... NOT! haha..

I also was interested in trying this new Mag-nificent gel/spray that is supposed to stop cramps immediately....but they wanted too much money + a initiation fee.....SO..... I decided to take my magnesium gel pills and open them and spread it on my crampy parts....so I did this before the bike....I was starting to really feel the tiredness on the way in at 50, so I applied more..and LOW and BEHOLD..absolutely no cramping today.  Now..was it just that we did no hills?, the weather?, the electrolytes or the "poor man's magnesium gel?"...who's to say, but I think I"ll continue anyway....why mess with what seems to work...=)

80 Mile lessons

Today was a tough day...I was pumped..i was ready, I was a little nervous about the hills.  There weren't as many hills as I thought or remembered, but on the second loop, they got me good.  I was cramping in the quads, then cramping in the hamstrings, then the adductors, THEN all at once.  At one point I was looking for a place to just "fall over" on the bike because the pain was so excruciating that I just knew I would not make it to the crest of the hill, but I did.  Thanks to Maureen who came to my aid and massaged my quad....every time I stopped it would eventually get better, but it was taking longer and longer for the cramps to go away...you could see the knot of the muscle and then you could see it twitch and I could not straighten or flex the leg...I wanted to quit, I wanted to finish, I wanted to quit, i wanted to finish...and in the end, I made it to 73 miles.  And that was enough for me.

Lessons:
1. I love going fast and working it hard - unfortunately that's NOT how this race is done.
2. I need to still figure out how to get more real nutrition in on the bike. The first 44 miles were great, but as I cramped I was nauseous and dizzy. - not my goal.
3. I need to work the lower gears more...My cadence has definitely picked up, but if I had a power meter on my bike it would probably show that I was way above my FTP, especially on the rolling hills.
4. HOLD BACK, HOLD BACK, HOLD BACK in the beginning.
5. I think that I am so worried about not being able to maintain 15-16mph in Florida that I think I need to do it on the hilly rides.  The first 44 average pace was 15.4mpg, but the second loop brought it back to 13.1.  ugh!!
6. Patience
7. Patience

I didn't cry during the ride, but I was super mad at myself and disappointed.. I want ALL of that 80 miles....(but I did cry when I was talking to my brother about it...weird...just came out of no where)...

So, next week..I'm holding back, i'm going zone 2 in low gears, i'm praying for not so much wind (haha) and 90 miles will be mine!!!!

That's all. I guess every workout you learn something is NEVER a wasted workout...

99 days.............

Ironman Lake Placid is this weekend.  I so wish I could be there to cheer on my friends...even thinking about it makes me have goose bumps....

Only 99 days until IMFL...WHAT?????

looking forward to the ride this weekend.  The weather has broken and we have some cool weather today and tomorrow..hoping that Saturday is just as nice.  80 will be my longest training ride ever!!!  Actually, each ride from here on out will be "my longest."  I'm just liking the way the training is making me feel.  I'm tired, yes, but also invigorated by the accomplishment.

Woo hoo...would I ever do this again...I say "no," but who knows...there's something about the training, the camaraderie of the pain and struggle, the expectation and anticipation...but its HARD on the body...Hard on the mind....and yet..I feel strong!

Random thought, I know....

99 days...

Hot and Humid

Wow...its like week 2 of the first real build session..and I have to day..I'm so happy its NOT 100 degrees outside....but it SURE is humid.....

So far, so good...the ride yesterday (70 miles) was actually pretty good and I felt great when it was done...my legs weren't sore today, just heavy for the run.  Running is coming along..its not fast or pretty, but i'm building the mileage...I"m a little bit behind b/c of the calf injury, but adding each week and trying to run a bit more during the week, even if its only for 30 minutes.

We are supposed to be getting a heat wave this week..so this is an AWESOME week for recovery!!!

Not much to report...just plugging along...getting the miles in....hoping I get to the finish line so I never have to do this again!!!  haha...

Thinking...just thinking...about Ironman 70.3 Mount Tremblant for next year.................................

Why oh Why?

For whatever reason, I still do NOT want to believe that I am gluten intolerant...LOL!  I KNOW i am....but for whatever reason, I like to blame my headaches on "other" things....being tired, that time of the month, stress....well, last night...(and I'm hoping for the last time) I finally realized that I AM GLUTEN INTOLERANT and it CAUSES MIGRAINES...(among other GI issues)!....

yesterday was an hellish day at work...I started running and never stopped all day...so I didn't get breakfast or lunch....instead...I chose to eat what was available to me...1/2 a bagel and a package of crackers....THAT was probably bad enough...but then my friends talked me into going out after work.  Anyone who knows me even a little, knows that I usually research the place and KNOW what I can eat before I get there....I THOUGHT we were going to Chevy's...not my favorite place, but one I know I can get things without wheat....but we went to this place called Chasin Tails...a New Orleans style restaurant....I tried to get chicken without breading, salad and fries...but SOMETHING had gluten in it...the salad dressing?  whatever was on the "non fried" chicken...the sweet potato fries....ugh....Even before I got home I had a headache..and it continued...and continued....until my alarm went off at 6am and I had the worst migraine that I have had in a long time......

I don't know why I can't remember this BEFORE i choose poorly........

and I missed my personal training session b/c I couldn't see to drive OR lean over.....(good news is...he's fitting me in tomorrow!).....

My headache and GI stuff is mostly gone right now...almost noon and I can't bring myself to put my contacts in or get off the couch.....

UGH..the next 4 months are gonna be hard enough without sabotaging my own success with things I KNOW don't work for me....

So...here it is...NO MORE GLUTEN of ANY KIND...even if it means I can't eat for the day at work....I will carry gluten free bars with me to work...and have protein shakes there too!!!  I will begin to journal everything I eat again!!! (Funny, Rebecca M just emailed me last night and asked if I was every gonna journal my food again...haha..I'm tired of doing it...but it does keep me accountable and I guess I just HAVE To do it to keep me honest!)...

So, today is it....I start again today.....

IMFL..you ARE MINE..and you will BE mine without headaches or GI issues...but its up to NO ONE but me to get me there headache free (I'm still depending on my friends and family to get my there!!!)...but only I can do it gluten free..

Thanks for listening...
ME

Rev 3 Williamsburg - many lessons learned

It took me a few days to process my "freak out" from the swim...to see this race for what it was..and to wrap my head around my expectations and what really happened.

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend...Eric and Lisa and Leanne were the best traveling partners around!  Laid back, easy going and EARLY for everything so I wouldn't stress...

We got there early on Friday, checked in to our motel and headed to lunch!!  Then to packet pickup (easy peasy) and then back to the hotel/motel......We had a great dinner out at a Tavern complete with music and candle light ambiance!

Lets just skip to the race....

After the practice swim on Saturday I decided to NOT wear my wet suit.  The current was in our favor, the water temp was perfect and I could have stayed in the water all day.  The real swim was another matter....the water temp was still perfect and I should have picked up on the fact that the Pro's were swimming way to the left because of the current, but it didn't click.  We had to run a bit because of the shallow water and I tried this new skipping thing I saw one woman pro do...kind of fun, actually.  Started my swim, put my head down and swam to the first buoy.  All is good, swam to the second buoy, still good....but when I got to the second buoy and looked for the third red buoy it was WAY WAY to my left...oh brother...put my head down, swim...swim, swim....seems like I was swimming forever and did not give in to the temptation to look at my watch, made it to the buoy and found myself in a whirlpool of swimmers gong NOWHERE!!!....decided to just go to the right of the buoy instead of around...good move...as others got stuck there....began swimming again...but because of the chop and the bidirectional current, it was hard to time my sighting with the swells...making sighting really hard...soon i found myself in the complete middle of the swim...olympic swimmers swimming over me....saw the red buoy and swam, swam, swam...going almost no where...decided to make the executive decision to swim for the second olympic buoy instead...only to find out later that the red buoy had drifted....finally turned the corner and said..swim till you can stand..and then give yourself permission to walk...but when I could finally stand, it was more fun to dolphin in..so I did...and it worked faster and I learned a new skill...I did swim 1.2 miles...but admittedly not around all legal buoys...ah well...almost 57 minutes later and i was spent!

I was so darn happy to be out of the swim!

The bike was great....I was able to maintain over 16mph for the whole thing..I was aiming for 17 and I will blame "data error" on my not being able to maintain (I hit the stupid lap key at mile 45 and lost all speed/mileage data) my 17 mph..I was just over 17.3 mph for the first half..and then came the two hills and then..the computer...and then...I need to learn to not be so dependent on the computer!!!  ah well, I felt great on the bike, my new bike fit was PERFECT!  I had ZERO pain in my left arm, my neck or my back (until the next day, but then what does it matter???).....

Off the bike, onto the run/walk...well, walk....I felt like I was having an asthma attack in the beginning. I'm not really sure what happened...i wasn't wheezing, just felt like I could not get all my air in or out...Nothing a little inhaler action couldn't cure, but I panicked thinking that I had forgotten the inhaler and I couldn't remember where I had put it in order to be able to tell anyone where to get it!  THEN, i remember that I had actually hooked it to my hydration belt!  Alleluia...managed to get two puffs before dropping it right in traffic....Don't you worry, I just stopped traffic and ran out to get it..haha.. I was NOT going to let that thing get away from me.

I had some quad cramping off the bike...usual for me. I was VERY guarded as I had been having severe calf cramping and injury that had prevented me from running more than 4 miles in a row since April....I took in some magnesium, salt and Sport legs and the quad cramping went away.  NO CALF pain at all, but I was not feeling right.  I was extremely tired...and hot..and even though there was water, ice, sponges and cokes at EVERY water stop, I just didn't have ANY energy.....come to find out after the race when I was cleaning out my speed fill, that I had only taken in 1/3 of the total nutrition that I was supposed to take in on the bike.  DOH!  no wonder I had NO energy.  Good news is, the apple sauce PowerBar Fruit packs work like a charm...no GI, but also not enough calories...Lessoned learned...I will need to set my watch on the bike to  remind myself to drink!

Back to the run...for what its worth, I'm not really sure what I was expecting...having not run more than 4 in a few months...so I'm not all that disappointed in my performance given all the circumstances...Actually, i'm rather happy that I finished in MUCH better physical shape than 2 years ago at Musselman....

Everyone was passing me on the run...but it didn't matter...I asked a cop if I could cry and he said "NO."..so being the law abiding citizen that I am, I did not cry...I just kept going....then that crazy thing where you have to go PAST the finish line, down a hill and back UP the hill to the finish....Thanks to Kat I was able to run it..even though by then I DID have calf and hamstring cramping...Thanks to Team Z, Lisa, Eric, Keri, Sally, Judy, Jean, Jodi etc, etc, etc (i'm forgetting LOTS of people)....the finish is always strong b/c..well...you just HAVE to run by the team tent!!!  Thanks to REV 3 for putting on a stellar performance and for being there for all of us at the end..with cold water and towels...and AWESOME Medals......

Lessons learned and things that went right!
1. I can still swim despite the freaking out.....I will just practice at the beach this summer
2. I need to take in ALL my nutrition on the bike (I actually took in water, but not enough calories or carbs)
3. NO GI distress...well a little on the run, but was able to work it through.
4. NO CALF cramping until the very end and that was just because...well, it was the end.
5. I can bike! and my FIT was fantastic...well, worth the money
6. Certainly NOT 6th, but I have the GREATEST friends EVER!
7. I have the GREATEST family EVER! and they finally figured out how to track me online...we'll have to have IM tracking lessons during IMLP this July...
8. Applesauce/Fruit packs work great - only remember to open them before starting the ride (which I did and that worked well)
9. LEANNE LAYNE is a super roommate...sleeps through anything and doesn't snore!!  PLUS she finished her half and now has a 70.3 sticker to prove it!
10.  Dude this is my 4th half ironman...WHAT?????
11. Team Z rocks!
12. Rev 3 rocks!
13. Brady makes me want a puppy!

Thanks Kat and Fredrik and Paul for pacing me at the end and getting me up that final hill!

Nerves

Why is it that when the Athlete's Guide or Ed's emails come out prior to race day, my heart rate immediately hits zone3 and I actually have tears?  Its not like I haven' trained...its not like I'm stressing about winning...I think it is fear...but also excitement....

I've been looking forward to this race..working on my bike...working on my run that was curtailed by the calf injury...but lately, so far, so good....

I'm not sure if its because I'm depending on this to calm me for Florida...haha..better not make THAT the goal...

All I know is that I'm going to a great race with a great team and the best teammates around!  Sometimes I don't know if I'm looking as forward to the race as much as I am looking forward to spending time with my friends and a little "away" time from work....

I'm sort of glad that I don't have people around me that are my speed...- you people are speedy- because I don't have that added pressure (self imposed) of trying to beat anyone but myself...

I'm praying for a good race, but will be ok with whatever the experience holds for me....I hope..=)

Ok REV 3 Williamsburg...ready or not, here I come!

Awesome Fundraiser Poster by Holly Shoemaker....

Thanks HOLLY SHOEMAKER for the AWESOME poster....I'm hoping it brings in lots of donations and take me over the top... I still have quite a ways to go for fundraising!!!

I'm sure this will help!

I have AMAZING friends!

Last night I witnessed a "pay it forward" event like none other....

Sweet, sweet Jodi had a bike accident several weeks ago....I was heartbroken for her...AND for her bike (I know, I know...its a bike, right?)...But her bike is the twin of my bike and both of us have not had them very long.  Her bike was pretty messed up....

Last night at our bar-b-que...we were able to surprise Jodi with a fully restore, fully paid for bike!  (It wasn't my idea - but I LOVED the idea)....What an incredible moment...

But also...what a GREAT time, what a special time...this Team Z West has together!  We are friends, we are confidents, we are acquaintances, who all come together EASILY because of the sport of triathlon...and because we see more in each other than just the sport!

Thank you guys for being there for me...for each other....

That's all!...I'm just very grateful for your friendships.........

So Freaking Tired! 48 miles on the bike, 3 miles open water swim.....= TIRED

I'm so tired that this will be short. It was a great weekend.  I was actually afraid to go to Culpeper to cycle...I was afraid of the hills...I decided to go when I realized I did not have another place to ride or another time to ride this week.  I also decided that I would just take it slowly to get the miles in.

It started out cold and windy but not as cold or windy or rainy or snowy as my friend were having it at Lake Placed - so it was all good.  The weather actually turned out perfect!  Sunny, a bit windy, but definitely not cold...PERFECT.

I took the hills as they came...surprising myself at climbing what once would have been an impossible climb for me.  Even though I was doing 2 or 3 miles an hour...I decided that the pain of muscle cramping did NOT outweighed the pain of falling over =) and so I continued....slowly, slowly....

The downhills were totally worth it!!  For all my friends who did 48, 64 or 70 or 96!  Kudos to you..Those hills are NO JOKE!

Sunday's swim was a success too...b/c I learned some things...

1. I can swim...and I can swim comfortably in my wet suit now

2. I need to go to swim practice, b/c even though I can swim, 3 miles was TOUGH!

3. No more swims in my Team Z onesie!! OUCH...it chaffs... (so I guess I won't need the lipo after all...just a new suit!)

4. Team Z rocks!

I decided NOT to run today b/c my muscles were still kind of twitchy from yesterday...I will try to run tomorrow before work.  I'm so thankful this is recovery week!!! If this is the build for a 1/2 Ironman!!  OMG...i'm dreading, but excited to push myself for the Ironman builds (I may regret I said that!!!)

One other thing...my house if FINALLY being painted, repaired and otherwise spiffed up.  NOT the best week for it b/c of work...but I'll take it..Excited to see the finished product.!

The frustration of a calf that won't heal...b/c I have no idea what is wrong with it.....

Rather than whine...I'm just gonna say it once...I'm REALLY, really frustrated with my calf and not knowing what the issue is.....I have rested, stretched, and used it...gotten a massage, ART and more resting and stretching...It no longer twitches just by walking or going up and down stairs, but it won't let me get past one freaking mile........

I was so incredibly tired today too...is it the heat...the humidity.....still responding to the gluten "fest" i had last week that caused the migraine....I don't know...I just know that its WAY too early to be feeling this fatigued.

Work is stressing me out too....not enough babies..too many babies...sick babies....cranky staff....ugh..I love my job..I love when I'm there, but I sure hate getting there!!  These next few weeks will be another test in mental /physical toughness of another kind...One that I may need to get used too as our work schedules change....3 days a week of work plus call for the next 3 or 4 weeks...I know, I know...for those who work 3 regularly, or 5 days a week....it doesn't seem like much...but 13 hours nights, 3 x week really cuts into any good quality training time.  I do go to the gym on my training days even If I have worked the night before..and I get through the workout...but its not really a quality workout....and then...i'm tired for two days....I must figure this out though b/c its only going to (not get worse) but be MORE like this......I am going back to day shifts for awhile.....so this should help....

Now i'm just musing...really...things are going well..i'm able to ride and swim.....(but I will admit i'm a bit lucy goosey on the swim haha)...and the run will come again...at least I can continue walking.....even when the calf hurts....

Nothing profound here..just ramblings...talking myself out of being frustrated...being grateful for what I can do..and realizing that I have time to worry about my leg...

Riding in the Rain!

Yesterday's ride was my longest ride (since I did 100 miles on a mountain bike PC (pre - convent). We did 2 laps of 33 miles so the second time I around I knew what I was getting myself into.  Nokesville is really a very nice ride except...well...NOKESVILLE folks...LOVE their trucks!!!  And they love to rev them up while they are passing you at breakneck speed!!!  No worries, though...we all did well.

I had such great partners in crime yesterday, Eric, Mairead, Carol and Lucy road with me, while we had Lisa waiting for us at the park if we should need anything.

I will admit, during the first 6-10 miles of the road I was a new kind of miserable.  There wasn't a dry spot on my body. The rain was coming down so hard I couldn't see.  I had to take off my glasses but that led to water getting sprayed into my face. If you rode too close to the person in front of you, the "plume" of water coming off their bike tire landed directly in your

lap....ah well...here's where the mental toughness drill comes in.  I totally was trying to talk myself INTO and OUT of riding the second loop.  But dang it...all this training is actually paying off and at the end of the first loop, although I was soaked and cold and I could not really feel my feet, I definitely had another 33 miles in me....so out we went again.

Thanks to Eric and Lucy, the second loop "seemed" faster than the first although the trusty Garmin said were were slightly slower.  Lucy and I are blaming that on the Nokesville Day parade....we had to ride VERY slowly the last mile or so in order to avoid all the people who weren't really paying any attention to where they were going..

And of course, by the time we finished....the rain stopped.

It was another great training ride. For me, though, it seems to be more about outside temperature than actual rain.  I love riding in 60 degree weather...Florida is NOT going to be 60 degrees (unless the "global warming" trend keeps up). Personally, I'm praying for a cold front!

OK..haha..two posts in one day....well, I just figured out how to post this on FB by copying the link and I had forgotten what I had named the link...thegiftisinthejourney...

so...it IS what it IS..and THAT is a GIFT!!!  What a precious gift it is to be able to physically accomplish these things no matter the speed....with bumps along the way and with GREAT friends....this is NOT about winning..but about doing something I (we) never thought we could accomplish..

Thanks for being there with me..walking/running/crawling/swimming/biking by my side...thanks for allowing me to swim/bike/run/crawl/bike by your side too!!!  Its the journey!! and I AM grateful!!  Thanks for reminding me!

Post Aqua Bike blues

Ok..so this wasn't my best weekend.  I felt totally unorganized and a bit stressed about the swim and the rain...I really didn't want to ride in the rain.  I am a good swimmer...but I'm not a fast swimmer...I know that...I don't panic in the water....but I don't kick either..haha...I can't decided if its the wet suit, the swells (they weren't that big), my sighting or that I'm just NOT a great OWSwimmer.....sigh...and then...there's the bike....I really thought I would be better this time...new bike, working hard...but I can't seem to get out of that 15mph range....the hills still get me every time..and my quads and hammies start almost from the beginning bothering me.....I obviously didn't eat enough on the bike...well, eating is a relative term b/c I don't eat on the bike..but i didn't drink enough..though I never felt really thirsty....I guess the good thing is that even though I was happy that I didn't have to run when I was done..it thought maybe I "could" run, which is an improvement.

I guess I'm just mad at myself for not losing enough weight...not being FAST at anything...frustrating and beginning to really worry about Florida.

I was beginning to see great improvement, if not in speed, then in endurance with my run until my calf started acting up.  It actually feels pretty good today as does my foot so I will try and run a bit tonight...and maybe stay for boot camp...we'll see.

I think, really, that I set too high of a goal for myself...at least for the bike...i don't even figure the math out in my head..i just think about what I WANT to do..and then think I can do it...but really..that would be an improvement of OVER 5mph..and that's pretty much not gonna happen.

I'm really nervous about the flat bike too.  My time in aero is painful..hoping I can work on those muscles in my neck....bi weekly massages will just have to be on my "to do" list as will the chiropractor....love my chiropractor..haha..she's the only one I rust to adjust my neck!!!

ok, enough bemoaning the weekend.....I don't have another tri until the Half in Williamsburg...until then...swim on....swim on...and work on the bike....must....get....on....the....trainer...in...aero.....

Back in the "habit"

No..no..no...NOT THAT habit......whew!

Today began with a swim...it was 19 degrees outside and I thought..what the heck are you doing?  But the water felt great. My endurance is definitely down, but with my peeps, its easy to keep up.  Lots of drills today, which I hate b/c I like to see distance...but for today...i was grateful for the drills.

I also went to see my trainer today...we were on a pretty good schedule, then the marathon...the foot...work...bleh...but I think we are back on schedule next week.  I'm hoping to get my VO2 max done ...and/or my RMR done this week even if I can't work out with him....you know...I COULD work out on my own....wow..what a novel idea...

Tonight is computrainer....I HAD to come home and take a nap...whew....now on to the bike!

I also had what I call my "pre Ironman physical" today...they scale made me happy...but what made me most happy was being pronounced, "VERY HEALTHY."...I 'll get the blood work done tomorrow...and then go from there....

Signing off, going to computrainer....just had my second bowl (EVER) of homemade oatmeal (gluten free, of course)...and it was ok....

Gotta work on that nutrition  every minute of every day....(makes up for the Coke I had for lunch - just can't give it up...ho hum....)...

Until next time

I'M BACK!!!! and it feels good

Disney Marathon...just a bump in the road

Anyway, it took my a couple of days to gather my thoughts about this race/run/walk/crawl.  I was initially very apprehensive about the distance.  I had done 18 miles...but they were super painful miles and to tell you the truth, I was scared of this distance......I didn't really know if I was gonna make it..but I DID know that I'm not a quitter and I would crawl to the end....but...I didn't want too...  I had a plan to walk/run with Leanne and Judy Layne.  During our training runs, though, it was cold, cold, cold and my hamstring would start cramping and shortening to the point of changing my gait.  I was being dropped by them at mile 10, then mile 12....I still managed to get the miles done.  But I was scared that I could not...would not be able to do the full 26.2.

So..after the race was over, I was initially very disappointed in the outcome.  Yes, I finished 26.2 miles...but my time was no where near what I wanted or thought it would be.  I was plagued in the first 13 miles by severe GI distress...and this distressed me even more because for 6 months now..since changing my hydration to Infinite and then going Gluten free in August, I have had ZERO GI trouble on any bike, run or race.  I spent the second 13.1 miles trying to rehydrate.

And then...I remembered, that I freaking finished 26.2 miles!!!  Somehow I have GOT to get out of my own head and be happy for my victories.  2 years ago I could not run one lap around the track.  Running has NEVER been something that I was good at or even enjoyed...Over the past 4 months of training, I began to see how "doing the program" really helped me to improve...and I began to enjoy 3 miles, then 5 miles, then 10 miles..and I was finding that 13 miles was "relatively" easy....and I could push myself to do 14, 16 and 18 miles....THIS is something that I NEVER thought I would be able to do or enjoy.  Now, I'm slow...actually slower than slow....and I have to admit that when I saw the old man with the rolling walker ahead of me in the marathon I thought, "I'll be damned if I'm gonna let HIM  beat me to the finish line" In case you were wondering...I passed him.

Every race I learn a bit about myself even if its what I need to "figure' out.  As I journey to Ironman, I still need to figure out what to eat, how to eat...and for God's sake...not to worry about the calories as I'm out there expending them!

I have learned that I'm a fighter and I have a hard head...I don't give up easily....even when, well, maybe I should....

Ryan asked me tonight if doing this marathon made IM training harder or easier....I supposed... a little of both.  At least I know that I can DO the distance...but I have much to work on. Initially I thought I would never do another marathon...but I have a score to settle..if only with myself.  When I crossed the finish line I wondered how I would ever do this after a 2.4 miles swim and 112 mile bike...but I think I can...NO, I know I can...if I put in the work..It may not be fast and it probably won't be pretty...but I will do my best..and that's all I can ask of myself.  And as long as I am under that 17 hr cut off, I will crawl across that finish line.

Here's to training....here's to getting out of my own defeatest head... HERE'S TO THE JOURNEY!