Five Weeks And Counting Till I Am An Ironman

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. – Mark Twain

The last time I used this quote was Sunday, August 18, 2013 and my friend, Krista, just finished her 1st Ironman in Mont-Tremblant.  Now I am just weeks away from doing my first Ironman in Coeur d'Alene and the above saying takes on a whole new meaning for me. 

A long time ago, approximately 9 years, little did I know that my journey to Ironman started in the Running Room of the Glenmore Landing in Calgary.  I was planning my wedding and thought running would be a good way to shed some pounds for the big day, so signed up for a Learn to Run class.  It it was the most difficult thing I had every done.  I started my running career with 1 minute walking and walking minute running for 20 minutes. 

This class lasted for 10 weeks and each week we had someone come and talk to us about different subjects, food, clothing and form etc…but the subject that really fueled my desire to eventually do what I am doing was a motivational talk (rather lack of).  The instructor (whose name I have forgotten or don't care to remember) asked us all to write down our running goals (weekly goal, short term, long term and ultimate). 

We were all asked to read these goals out and when it came to me I read:

Weekly Goal: attend the running class and do my runs;

Short Term Goal: 5K race goal;
Long Term Goal: train for a 1/2 Marathon; and
Ultimate Goal: run the London Marathon.

Guess what the instructor said when I read this goal out - oh you'll never be able to do that.

Well you know what I want to say to that instructor? 

THANK YOU

because your negative comment has helped shape me to be the strong, confident person I am today and the above saying "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why" will take on a whole new meaning June 29, 2014.

Since that day in the Running Room LTR clinic I have not run the London Marathon - not because I cannot do it, but because it is a lottery entry system and after the 3rd go I got bored and gave up (I have other goals to accomplish).  I have, however, done 7 other marathons and will tackle number 8 on June 29, 2014.

On June 29, 2014 I will cross that finish line (up right and smiling)  and I will be declared an Ironman!

13 weeks and counting....

Yup, there is apparently 13 weeks till I complete my first Ironman.  It seems like only yesterday that I was signing up for this event and now it is almost here.

Tonight is a "night off" as I ran a race yesterday (glenco icebreaker)and obtained a PB.   Getting a PB has put me in a better frame of mind for IM as I had to learn to focus and dig deep for this race and that is exactly what I did!  Focus and digging deep is what I will need for my 15 hour gaol time for IM.

The training has not been too gruelling to-date for IM but it has all been very doable, however it has taken over my life - but for the better. I am a much stronger athlete, I have lost 15 pounds (I am in a size 6 dress), eat better, cut back on my alcohol intake (had to cause I can't hold my liquor anymore), have become more disciplined in my training and have learn to relax when I need to.

Yes I am a bit worried and nervous but someone said to me the other "it's a long day to be nervous" so I am determined to just breathe and soak in all I can on the day.

What Would You Do To Get A Two Hour Ride In?

Coach said in my schedule that I should do a two hour bike ride today.  Most of the time I do these rides in my basement while watching a movie (boring) but a great idea was presented by my coach (Trevor) and that was to get out of bed at 4 a.m., haul our butts to the Engine Room at Speed Theory and watch our Canadian Hockey Team play for Gold while cycling our hearts out.

I really didn't mind getting up so early to bike 50K, it was nice to be distracted with the hockey game with 14 other cyclists and how brilliant was it that Canada won the Gold medal.

Got home at about 8 a.m. made myself a huge breakfast and then crashed on the sofa for two hours now, I get the rest of the day off!

I have 4 months or so till my Ironman so anything I can do to help me get thru 2 hours on the saddle (in doors) is most appreciated. 

To-date I have run 380K, biked 2,247K and swam 104K and I am always tired and I mean always tired.  I expect that the next 4 months are going to be a bit more intense than I am use to so far but I am up for the challenge when it me across the finish line in 15 hours!  I will be so proud of myself when that happens.

I Can't Wait to Be An Ironman in 2014

I have just come back from spending 4 days over the Christmas holidays with my husband's family.  I love them dearly, but chocolate is not a daily food staple and someone has to let them know this (as I write this my husband had just opened another box of chocolate - OMG). 

No worries about my chocolate consumption I was "good" but seriously I have put my foot down from this point forward.  

I have 6 months from today till I do my Ironman - 6 months and I can't wait.  I am not scared, I am not nervous, I am just excited to see what I can do and I am already planning for 2015 IM.  I have been practicing my run in for the finish and am now visualizing a finish of 15 hours (down from 16:45).

So far I am loving the training, I have been advised it will be ramping up starting January 1st and I'll be way more tired than usual (is that possible).  I am training 6 days a week right now - here is what my typical schedule looks like:

Monday - Ride
Tuesday - Swim/Run
Wednesday - Ride
Thursday - Off
Friday - Swim
Saturday - Long Run/Ride
Sunday - Swim/Ride

2014 is just around the corner and is proving to be an exciting year for me - I hope the same for you.

Training Totals as of July 8th to-date

Total Running Distance: 287.01K

Total Swimming Distance: 74.21K

Total Biking Distance: 1,794.40K

 

Total Hours: 158

Total Distance: 2,157.58K

Frustation

Frustration
"the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something."

This is defines exactly how I feet about tonight's bike workout, I am just not getting it, will I ever?

Is it that I don't understand or just that I am not giving my full 100%.

Well from now on whatever I think I should be doing I'll up it!

Wish my luck cause right now I am angry with myself!

If Your Doing Ironman, You Have To Be Organized

I thought I'd take the time this evening to add to my blog.  I have taken the night off from training as I am feeling run down - coming down with a cold.  I went to the drug store right after work and got myself some Cold-FX (the strong stuff 300 mg) and hope that it will help me get over whatever it is I am coming down with. 

It's only 8 months till my Ironman and training is going pretty well right now.  It is getting a bit more intense but I have it in my head that training is just part of my life (like brushing my teeth) so doing it does not really bother me.  However, it is really important that I have good food to eat after my training and not junk.   Four nights a week I get home late from training so wanted to make sure I had good, healthy, homemade meals to eat for after my workouts. 

 

I don't want to make dinner once I get home from working out cause then I won't eat till about 10 p.m. so every other Sunday I make a ton of meals and freeze then.  This weekend I bought another crock pot (now have two) and made chili, a peanut chicken dish (mmmmm), Jamaican hot pot dish, meat for tacos and cooked some chicken ready to defrost and eat whenever.  

 

While everything was cooking I got on my treadmill (I know have a treadmill as my coach does not want me to run outside during winter months) and ran race pace for 1 hour.

 

At the beginning of each week I cook up some new potatoes (lower on the GI index than large potatoes) and a brown rice dish ready to each with whatever meat dish I am taking for lunch.  I then cut up a bunch of vegis and pack then ready for work.   I then jot down on a sheet what I am going to eat for dinner each night after a workout for that week so I am not grabbing for junk.  For instance this week I am eating:

 

Monday - Peanut Chicken Dish

Tuesday - Omelette

Wednesday - Chili

Thursday - Tacos

Friday - Stew

 

Right now my life is pretty repetitious and quite boring, just trying to stay healthy and strong.

 

Training Totals as of July 8th to-date

Total Running Distance: 233.11K

Total Swimming Distance: 33.80K

Total Biking Distance: 1,274K

Total Hours: 112.09

Total Distance: 1,544.07K

 

Ironman...Anything is possible...

 

Indoor Cycling Begins

Today Jeff and I got our bikes ready for indoor cycling. 

Trainer tires were put on, chains lubed, cadence meters in working order and some meals made and frozen so we don't have to worry about what to eat when we are tired and home late from training.

My coach, Trevor Williams, has a new studio "The Engine Room" at Speed Theory and I know everyone is looking forward to trying the new computrainers.  I am sad that outdoor riding is "almost" over (but I'll be riding to and from work until the weather says I can't) but I am looking forward to the great workout the class provides (it is tough).  This year I am hoping I will be able to complete the 20 minutes standing we will be expected to do during one of our training sessions.

Ironman is only 272 days away so I'll want to get in all the indoor cycling I can till spring arrives and allows me to ride outside again. 

 

So for now...goodbye vehicle fumes, goodbye motorhomes who don't see me on the shoulder, goodbye tacks in the road that caught me off guard but taught me how to change my tri bike tires, goodbye Saturdays with good friends and long rides, goodbye riding to Bragg Creek for coffee, goodbye tans lines...I will see you all in April.

Training Totals as of July 8th to-date

Total Running Distance: 185.88K

Total Swimming Distance: 23.91K

Total Biking Distance: 1,080.61K

Total Hours: 87:04:41

Total Distance: 1,292.56K

 



If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, then triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise.