Disclaimer: This
blog is a documentation of my now second Ironman Journey for AZ Ironman 2013.
I’m doing this race for a former patient, Sunny, who recently passed away this
summer from a brain tumor. I hope that I can honor her well as I take her on my
journey. Format will be random, i.e. quick journal format, random thoughts,
motivational quotes, pictures of random moments and memories along my journey.
For the most part, it’s documentation for me and may not be to exciting for
anyone else to read, but for those of you brave enough to ever wonder…could I
do an Ironman or even just a triathlon? I then offer you a firsthand
account of what goes on in the mind of an Ironman age group triathlete
including all the highs, lows, emotions, fears, rants, etc, etc. Please
forgive any spelling mistakes as I’m sure I am just happy to get everything
written down, just chalk it up to fatigue from lots of training!
Current Stats Overall:
SWIM: ~207,032 Yds
BIKE: ~ 1668.58 Miles
RUN: ~ 492.83
Miles
Strength: ~ 24:55 hr/min
Other
~ 11:50 hr/min (PT, Stretch, etc. )
Total Training Hours: 349:16
hours/minutes
Taper week # 2. This
should be a relaxing time. It is in a sense. I had two days off!! Granted, I slept those days. But that’s what
recovery and taper is all about. The
good news is I feel READY. I feel so ready to get this show on the road. This
was an emotional week for me. All the stress of getting ready for race day must
be screwing with my brain. And not exercising enough and having too much time
to think and relax may also be the issue.
Monday was rest day. I
did exactly that, coming home and relaxing, started to watch a movie but ended
up sleeping. Tuesday I only had a one hour bike ride, felt like I was cheating
on my workout with nothing to do. Work
has been pretty hectic, getting in a full house with 40 patients and down three
therapists for the week and you got an insane amount of work. I don’t think I did less than ten hours all
week. But it was a team effort, everyone worked hard and everyone pulled
together well. I work with an awesome group of co-workers, which is a fact.
Wednesday was a swim and
a run. And easy swim and run. But today was a personal emotional day for me. As
I confirmed that my parents won’t be coming to watch me race. I learned I had to finalize my hotel
reservations. So calling home, I briefly
talked with my mom, who basically said just cancel their room, they weren’t
coming. I didn’t realize how much that was going to affect me. I was much more
upset then I realized. It hurt, knowing
that they had a year to plan; a year to get things in order, and basically
other things became more important. My
dad is on the verge of retirement. And rather than try and figure it out before
and my mom with her job, they are trying to do it all this week. And just
running out of time. Please don’t get me wrong, they are amazing parents who I
wouldn’t trade for ANYTHING in the entire world. I love them dearly and fully.
But sometimes, I just feel like, I come “after”. They are no means selfish, either. Even
though this may sound like it. They just have such a strong work ethic and such
a strong commitment to each other, that if one does want to go, neither does
the other. It’s very commendable, and it’s a great example and role model for
me. But it makes me sometimes feel that I’m not as important, like my
‘exercising” is just that thing I do to pass the time, till I get back to work. My dad tried calling me a few times, I was
too upset to talk, so I just had to go workout my disappointment and
frustrations with my swim and run. I actually started to have a panic attack in
the water swimming, talk about hard to breath. But I channeled that energy to
what might happen during the race swam. So I finally, decided that it was stressing
me out way too much, wanting them to come so bad, and it was stressing them out
I’m sure. So I called my dad the next
day and let them off the hook. I told them to just not worry about trying to
get it all to work in a week, stay and work, don’t retire if you’re not ready
to, and mom can work on her job and not feel guilty for taking a vacation or a
break. I should have not gotten my hopes up, the only time they have ever been
out to AZ is when they drove me out here when I moved 11 years ago. They’ve
never been out since. It’s not their thing, and I just need to let it go and
accept that they won’t be out. I had a surprise for them too. It was also for dad’s birthday next week. I
got them shirts to cheer me on, and for me to find them while on the bike.
Thought it would have been a nice surprise. And
really, it was also my way for any of my friends who might come watch me race,
that if they saw them, they could go say “Hi”. So my parents had someone who
they could talk with who knew me, and knowing I had friends who would be
checking on them so they didn’t feel alone or lost in the shuffle of the race,
I’d feel better knowing they were safe. But I guess, it just wasn’t meant to be. So
I’ll mail them, and hope they get to them in time, and hopefully they can wear
them on race day at home and cheer me on from there. I sadly feel reminiscent of my high school
days when they didn’t come to a lot of my meets or my games, or to my high
school graduation. Again, not because
they didn’t want to, just a strong work ethic that kept them away. I know they
cared, but it sure made me feel like I was doing everything alone. Guess it makes sense I am where I am in
life. And that I choose a sport that is
a lonely endeavor. At least’s it’s one
of the things in my life that makes me feel the most alive, and not alone with
the support of the tri community. Guess that is another reason why I do it,
I’ve met so many great people from all over the country and made some good
friends at triathlons. Yep, emotional
day. I was very happy that it was done, and I could go to sleep and just forgot
it and re focus on what I needed to do next. I at least know I have some of those tri
buddies as my “family” at the race. I am
grateful for their support, because I know being a spectator can be just as
hard and tiring as doing the race. Ok
okay, self pity party over. Refocus.
Thursday started with a
trip the dentist. Apparently I chipped off part of my tooth under my braces on
the bottom and haven’t been able to eat anything solid the last few days. The
dentist filled it with a temporary filling until after the race so I didn’t
have to worry about it. Back to work and
another long day, I was happy to get home and get in my last long run. Got to
break in my new running shoes and they felt really good.
Friday…..Rest day number
two. Once again a hectic day at work and not getting out til after five. But
once home I caught up on a few things and relaxed …..as in asleep by 7pm.
Looking forward to another easy weekend of taper training, and hopefully
meeting up with my close friend before her baby arrives.
Saturday – Whew…I was
tired. I slept in until almost 11 am today, that and it was freezing and since
I’m trying to hold out as long as possible for turning on the heat, I was cozy
in bed waking up. It has been an insane
week at work, guessing I really needed it. I’m looking forward to having a week
off for Ironman and get focused on what I need to do. Once I rolled out of bed, I got my crock pot
going and had a quick “brunch”. Then I was on to my bike and run brick workout.
My last one until race day.
I can’t believe I’m only
7 days out to race day. I should be freaking out more. But for some reason I’m
just calm. I’m just ready to get it going. I’m ready to just be in the moment,
in the race. I think it’s a lot to do
with knowing that I’m ready, knowing the course, knowing I’ve done it once
before and will do it again. I’m sure once I get down to Tempe closer to the
race, I’ll start to get more nervous. But for now,I ‘m just…. calm. My workout felt easy today for just 3 hours
total. I am think back to what I was doing last year. A five hour workout with a 1hour swim, 2 hour
bike and 2 hour run. My intensity
training is paying off. I love taper weeks.
One of the weird things I’ve noticed with the last two taper weeks, its
I’ve lost almost 4 lbs, and I feel like I’m eating more. Not sure if it’s a good thing or bad. I still
feel strong and ready to race so that’s what is really important right now.
Sunday—Nice lazy Sunday today.
Headed out to Y for my easy 45 min swim, ran some errands and then headed over
and spent the afternoon with my good friend and soon to be mom, Nicole. She is
just days away from her due date, and is as beautiful as ever. It was so good
to spend the afternoon with her and her
hubby, had a few baby gifts to open for the little guy and just relax. Enjoying this beautiful fall day with family,
can’t get better than that. I’m looking
forward to meeting my new “nephew”.
 |
| 10 day forecast is looking good!!! |
The
first step
Towards
getting
Somewhere
is to
Decide
that you are
Not
going to stay
Where
you are.
-unknown
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