A Year in the Making - Game On

The morning started early. My training partner and I were up by 4am following a restless 4-hours of sleep for me. I began my morning rituals of getting dressed, making sure I had everything for the swim start and trying to mentally prepare myself for the battle that my body would endure in the hours ahead. Admittedly, anxiety did get the best of me for a bit that morning. I found myself being exceptionally emotional as the reality hit that this was to be my "one moment in time." Eventually, I settled down mentally and began running down a mental checklist of tasks that had to be accomplished before I could get in the water.

Pre-Race: My first stop was the bike transition area. Pumping tires, filling bottles, last application of Body Glide, etc. I dropped my special needs bags at their respective boxes and headed into the next task. The body marking stations went quickly and smoothly as they put race numbers on arms, age on my left leg and a bright smiley face on the back of my right leg. It was something new for me but I thought it might inspire those behind me, at least I'd hoped there would be people behind me. I'd forgotten all about it until the bike portion when someone told me that I had a great smiley face. My response, "I haven't even seen it yet!". I'd also heard about the "test" that they give participants to determine whether you are lucid and coherent enough to complete the race. Truth or rumor, I followed suit and wrote my number on the inside of my forearms to be sure I could pass the "What's your number?" quiz. Kind of the first thing most learn in prison, too, I'd think...LOL. A quick explanation to a "newbie to be in 2011" that marked me and the logistical tasks were done. Like clockwork, we moved in and out of this area. The pre-race time moved much quicker than I'd anticipated. Perhaps I was so focused or maybe it was because there were so many people around.

Swim: Everyone stood around once the pro's entered the water waiting to take the plunge into the frigid water that we knew awaited our arrival. Memories from the practice swim temps would be easily channeled and the water temps on race morning would be no different. There were no pleasant surprises once I hit the water. Midge and I jumped into the water, me first, with her falling in right behind me. This time I didn't make the mistake of jumping in with my goggles on my head like I'd done in Augusta. I surely would have never found them in the darkness of the morning and/or the murkiness of the water. I positioned them on my head and we headed out to find our start spot. Despite having numerous conversations pre-race about this, it seemed as if it were a new topic for discussion and of all times, race morning. We treaded water after finding our start position which we finally settled on being middle left. I'd repeatedly said over and over, I don't want to start together but on race morning, there was something settling about being with her at the start. Something familiar and calming that I really needed. We may not see each other again once the race is underway.

At the banquet on Friday night, they had reminded all of us not to panic when the first cannon sounds. This is not for us but for the pro's. Sure enough, the cannon went off, Midge turned white and with a frenzied look said "was that our start!?!" We giggled anxiously knowing that the next sound we'd hear would be ours. D-Day! There was no turning back now. Once we started, there was relatively minimal forward momentum. I was kicked under the chin, swam over, grabbed, pushed, etc. It was total chaos. Every now and then you'd find a spot and swim for a bit but mostly felt like a human pinball in a machine at war. I found myself never actually swimming a straight path (this is true in the best of circumstances but I'm just saying...). I worked hard trying to remain focused and it eventually paid off. I made it to the turnaround buoy and headed back upstream reciting the alphabet, repeatedly saying my niece's names, spelling I-R-O-N-M-A-N with every stroke and pretending to chase Bailey down the hall at home. These are the images that got me through what would be my biggest obstacle of the day. And just like that, the swim was over. I wasn't as cold as I'd anticipated or as traumatic. The Quintana Roo Speed Sleeves - very smart purchase for warmth and for movement. Swim Time: 1:30:34

T1: Out of the water, around the corner and happy wetsuit strippers to greet me. I was quickly out of my wetsuit and through the shoot. I grabbed my transition bag and made it into the tent. Contrary to what I'd heard, there were not enough volunteers to help with changing. I assume that there were more of us in one spot than they'd anticipated. Athletes were everywhere and modesty went out the tent! It felt like it was 100+ degrees in that tent. Did I mention that there were female athletes EVERYWHERE. I made the best of this transition and put on my Harrell's bike kit. I opted to save time and skip the chamois butter (this would also be a mistake) to save time. A quick slather of sunscreen by the volunteers and I grabbed my bike and headed towards the bike mount line. T1: 10:29

Bike: My feet were freezing as I clipped in and headed out on the first loop. I was wearing a sleeveless jersey which turned out to be perfect for me and the weather ahead. The race announcer had indicated that we'd face relatively no wind; however, I'd done my research and knew that the winds in Tempe were as unpredicatble as the stock market at times. I found myself climbing the long incline between 11 and 13mph. Still I heard those words, "Don't eat the paste" which we'd been saying all week. Buzz and I were going to have to be patient. This paid off as I pushed speeds of 27-30mph on the return trip. There was no doubt I could use the tailwinds to my advantage.

Fleeting thought that was! The other thing about Tempe winds, they change unpredictably...and they did. The headwind remained but there wasn't a strong tailwind on the return of the second loop. It now felt like a crosswind. I had a slower 2nd loop than the first but still made a relatively good time. I continued being patient, very patient. This was also my first glimpse of anyone that I knew. Until this point, I'd seen no familiar faces. Finally, the third loop was about to begin. I didn't know what to expect but began praying that I would not have a flat tire like the many, many that I'd seen off on the side of the road. Luckily for me, no flats. I would soon pass Rick and Cindy as they waited in the potty line. I, too, stopped and used my first port-a-potty all season. I stopped once and used it, stopped once and got tired of waiting in line and stopped once for my special needs bag. Otherwise, it was a solid, consistent ride. Oh yeah, Mr. Pina dressed in an all green kit...#1-Drafting is cheating and #2-How big you must feel drafting off a girl...I hope me slamming on my breaks both times raised your heart rate just a little. Sure was fun getting you to back off! Bike time: 6:25:08

T2: Into the shoot I went...I handed Buzz off to a volunteer and went to find my run gear bag. Thank goodness I'd put ribbon on my bag because it made it much easier to spot it in the sea of gear bags. Now, I just had to change clothes and run my first marathon - EVER! I had assistance in the tent and I made use of it this time. I changed into some dry clothes which were a welcome after being on the bike. Lathered up again with sunscreen and off I went onto the run course.
T2 6:07

Run: I started off very slowly on the run and actually walked some of the first mile. Again, I kept telling myself, be smart...be patient. You've still got a lot of work ahead of you. I soon found my rhythm. Running at a steady pace, staying in my HR zone throughout. I said to myself, just run the miles and walk the aids stations. This became my way of keeping the forward momentum going. Each aid station was a reward for the mile behind me that I'd already ran. I never used my gel flask, instead, I took advantage of everything provided. Early on in the run, I started alternating between coke (I'd practiced this) and Gatorade and sometimes both, depending on who was giving it out. I just couldn't tell the cute little kids wanting to be helpful "NO". They were so cute. Towards the end of the run, I took advantage of the disgusting chicken broth - solely for the sake of the sodium. Looking around, I noticed just how many people had salt lines on their tri suits and run clothes. Again, I had to race smart. I met some cool people along the way all vying for the same honor. I passed Rick going the opposite direction who made reference to how fast I was on the course. This just pushed me harder. I knew I was in the groove

Mile after mile, I wanted it to be over. Eventually, a new goal was set. I saw a chance to finish in under 14 hours. I had wanted to finish in 16 hours but had secretly hoped for a 15 hour finish so coming in under 14 hours would be achieving the impossible. The fans were amazing; the volunteers incredibly helpful; and the athletes continually inspirational. When I hit Mile 24, I knew what was left to do. Early on, I'd made the mistake (which was a good one) of asking someone, what is the cutoff for the run. His response, "It doesn't matter; don't worry about it; you're way ahead of THAT!" I had to break 14 hours...I'd have to!

THE FINISH LINE: When I 'rounded the shoot into the last dash to the finish line, my emotions took over. It was one of my proudest accomplishments. I savored every word of "TONYA LEWIS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA...YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!" They grab you, wrap you in a warm blanket like a burrito, place your medal around your neck and it's off to get pics. It was much like being a celebrity. And, the feeling was totally indescribable. You truly can't imagine it or explain it unless you've experienced it yourself for the first time. It was beyond what I'd envisioned! Run Time 5:43:43

Overall Time 13:56:01

All in all, I had a phenomenal race for me. The tips that I would have for any newbie surfing the net for their first Ironman event would be:

*Don't eat the paste; do drink the chicken broth.
*Don't worry with a fuel belt; you'll be glad not to have the weight or the task of refilling the bottles. Train with the Endurance Gatorade and it will be familiar to your taste buds on race day.
*Swim strategy is everything. Position yourself in your comfort zone. Wait if you need to but know that with a mass start, you're bound to get kicked. Keep moving! Don't apologize as it's expected you'll connect with others MANY times.
*Pacing and HR are EVERYTHING. They are the difference, in my opinion, between finisher and DNF.
*Be patient, be very patient. Make your moves when can and if you can't, there is a reason. Sit tight!
*If you think you will need it, put it in your gear and/or SN bags. You'll be glad it's there when you get there. I didn't use everything but was happy to see those items I'd packed that I did want.
*Changing clothes was wonderful for me. It was nice to have something fresh on after each event.
*Did I mention be patient?
*Lastly, enjoy it; savor it; be proud of it. You've earned it! Not all who dare will hear the words "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" but I am so glad to have joined the ranks of those who did! :)

Twas the Night Before Ironman

'Twas the Night before Ironman and all through Tempe town
athletes were preparing to lay the gauntlet down.
Their bikes were all racked and gear set to go
for tomorrow would be race day and time for the real show.

Each were soon nestled and snug in their beds
with visions of the finish line running around in their heads.
I, in my lucky race shirt, and Buzz all aglow
wanting and waiting for the start whistle to blow.

Soon it will be race time and the day underway
hours and hours pacing each mile marker away.
"Don't eat the paste" and "Stay in your box"
I giggle just thinking about Brandenburg's wet socks.

It's certain to be hard and undoubtedly tiring
but surely having supporters will be extremely inspiring
Yes, the day will be long and the miles will be tough
but each of us have prepared, we've got the right stuff.

We've fought tirelessly through the blood, sweat and tears
and had many chats to calm our worst fears
yet uncertainly still lingers for all we cannot see
but anxiously anticipate all we thought it would be.

Tomorrow will be gone as quickly as the months past
Pushing and hoping our energy does last.
Tonight as we sleep and continually chant
inspirational quotes and ignoring "I can't"

I'll start race day thinking thoughts to make it through
racing like I know I have trained hard to do
I'll countlessly recount the words "Yes, I can"
and I'll patiently wait to hear those words "You are an IRONMAN"!

Good luck to all of my buddies. I am nervous, I am excited but most of all, I am hungry for it!

All Geared Up

Very busy day overall. A trip to the village to drop off bikes and gear bags. Got additional ART done by the ART staff here who have been great. Had some done yesterday also so I am hoping the foot will be ready tomorrow. C0mpleted a mental run through of the course. Add in breakfast and lunch, final stuffing of special needs bags, packing, etc. Back at the hotel now for some reast and feet up and ready for a nap before "THE LAST SUPPER". I will blog my final pre-race thoughts and feelings later this evening...Stay Posted. :)

TGIF Festivities

Here we go...we started the morning off swimming in the Tempe Town Lake. Gross? Yep. Smelly? Yep. Tasted funny? Yep. Visibility? Nope. Slimy face afterwards? Yep. It was very similar however to the temps at Lake Murray. My feet initially were a little more numb than I've experienced at Lake Murray but once the feeling is gone, I was fine. Nice slow, steady swim. Nothing serious. We followed this up with a 30-minute bike ride and 20-minute run. This is the last workout before THE WORKOUT.

The afternoon was spent getting gear bags ready and preparing for the banquet/dinner. It's been quite a busy few days with little down time. This is really the first opportunity since Thursday afternoon that I've had to sit down with nothing on my mind but sitting. The banquet was pretty cool last night from a motivational standpoint. I was completely proud to learn that the Ironman events in Tempe have inspired and impacted the local reservation. As you know there are quite a number of health issues that plague native americans with diabetes being a huge health issue. Last year they had 1 athlete that participated...This year they have 9 participating! Pretty impressive. I was also fascinated to learn that out of 2400 participants this year, over 1100+ participants, like me, will be newbies participating in their first Ironman. Quite a group I think.

Team Columbia is still rocking da house :) They keep saying "YOU WILL FINISH IRONMAN"

On Your Mark...Get Set....REGISTER

Busy day today but it's been a good day. My training partner started her day as she usually does, Dunkin Donuts nearby for coffee. We ate a light breakfast and headed down to the village. I had an opportunity to check out the swim start and finish. It sure does look like a L-O-N-G swim. Training buddies blew algae out of their noses from what we heard. Won't that be fun???We heard lots of folks complaining about how cold it was; however, we also heard it was 64 degrees which isn't far off the temp we've been swimming in at Lake Murray. I will get to check it out tomorrow morning as we're swimming at 8am.

After checking out the swim start/finish and finding our names on the bike racks in Transition (PHOTO OP), we headed over to pick up our bikes. They weren't quite ready so we opted to get in line for registration. I was the FIRST person in line for registrationat Ironman Arizona 2009. That doesn't get me any award or a time advantage but it sure did take away some of my stress. Kind of cool if you ask me, too. Alison, Midge and I were the top three in line. We had an opportunity to talk with others that were doing the event also. One was doing it for the first time whereas his coach was on number 30...wow! Seriously, I would have to find a different hobby I think and a much higher paying job. No problems in the tent for registration which was overall relatively smooth. And, thankfully, they don't make you weigh anymore! Alison and Sheila hit a snag when their packets were incomplete. This had to be a bit anxiety provoking but they are back on track now as the 2700's were finally given over to their rightful owners.

Next, off to get Buzz and gear bag....Buzz was easy to spot. Sitting patiently awaiting my arrival. I could sense Buzz itching a little bit to go for a spin but that will come soon enough. My gear bag...nowhere in sight. I went up and down the line 3 times. Panic set in on my face as I lifted bag after bag - no bag. After several moments of pacing start to end, I found it! It had fallen off the end of the line and was under the banner. Geez...that will definitely get your heart rate up! Pedals back on the bike, computer checked and gear bag in tow. Smooth sailing after that. We grabbed a quick bite to eat for lunch after meeting up with some of our buddies and off we went to check out the bike and run courses. (We had lunch at "The Library"...little did we know that this restaraunt was likely a bad spinoff of Hooters with the waitresses scantily clad in their "HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME" Brittany Spears outfits. We're obviously not locals. I, later, would find my own matching outfit at Target which I modeled and I'm sure will result in a blackmail photo circulating around...it was all fun and games until I was told I had to have cleavage to be hired. Still unemployed...LOL)

We drove the bike course and I couldn't help but cheese a bit...exceptionally flat except for a slow incline for the last miles of the out portion of the course. Winds weren't whipping it but they weren't calm either. Saw a few riding the course with flat tires. Temps are perfect out here right now. I think this will be a great race temp for me so from that perspective, I am set. Foot still tender but could be worse, right? Tonight has been spent resting and we'll head to dinner shortly.

On a side note, it's really rather desolate and sad if you ask me. There won't be a lot of "eye candy" to look at on the bike or the run. Lots of tall cactuses. Dry, pebbly land for miles and miles. The reservation out here is REALLY sad and very poor. Totally not what I was expecting!

Thursday Morning in Tempe

I think we were in bed last night before 9pm Tempe time. I'd had so much Dramamine to survive motion sickness on the plane that by dinner time, I could hardly hold my head up. A long night's sleep and I am ready for today. On the agenda today: We'll head over to registration where we'll receive all of our numbers, bags, etc. We will also be weighed in, get our participant bracelets and pick up all of our gear that shipped our here ahead of us. Reunited and it feels so goooooddd...Buzz and I will begin the journey here together.

We'll ride the bike course today and some of the run course by car. Temps today are in the mid-70's. As we were walking to the restaurant last night, it hit me, that hunger that Rick talked about. I am so ready! Itching to get this thing done. Temps felt really good right before sunset and right afterwards. Should make for good race day temps also. I think our biggest competitor may be the wind gusts. We'll see.

Up, Up and Away

I am presently 10,000+ feet in the air over Mississippi right now. There are 17 of us on this flight headed to Arizona from Columbia. Supporters and athletes with lots of energy and having a blast. No problems with flights today so far and hoping that continues to be the norm. We're all very excited about landing in Tempe in approximately 3 hours.

Update to follow upon arrival at hotel in Tempe. Great day so far! One of the flight staff at the Charlotte airport asked for a t-shirt. Seems everyone who hears where we are headed gets excited...well, excluding our waitress at "THE SPORT SCENE" restaurant who wished us luck on our exercise session. I think she must have thought we were going to a yoga class in Arizona. LOL

More to come...

Have Bag, Will Travel

I am officially packed and ready to leave for Tempe. We'll make our way to Charlotte - leaving around 5am. It's the night before and it's been quite a day. My office surprised me with a card that everyone had signed and we had cake after our Thanksgiving dinner celebration. It was such a sweet, inspirational card. There was quite a bit of discussion about what all I had ahead of me. Friends have been texting, bringing by cards and such (my good friend Paula Adams brought by "Wilson" who will make the trip to AZ). Everyone has been so supportive! I can't even say "thank you" enough. I just hope that I make all of my supporters proud. It's been such a great experience with the support I've had.

With that said, we ran our last 3-mile run tonight. My heel continues to fight with my brain about what's comfortable. Dr. Renick worked on it yesterday and I am icing as I type. I plan to take it easy over the next few days, minimize the time I spend on it as much as possible and keep babying it. It simply has to make it 26.2 miles as it doesn't hurt on the bike or in the swim. That's all I need and after that, I have promised it that I will give it a break - at least a week!

Tomorrow, the final phase of this journey officially begins. I get excited thinking about all of being on the same flights out to Tempe. Good friends, training buddies and supporters will all be on board. No turning back. No guts, no glory. Again, I am reminded by so many of my tri buddies to absorb it, have fun and take it all in. Here we go....!!!

The Gang's All Here

I've had the opportunity to be a participant in all of this training but just once, today for example, I wanted so desperately to be a spectator. I can only imagine the view of the sun shining across the waters at Lake Murray in November when you spot a line of kayaks paddling forward along the dam as swimmers in wetsuits make their way across the still waters. I wonder if I would cheer them on...wonder what they were training for...be inspired? What would it be like to be them rather than us for just one day? And soon enough, I remember, I have been there...I was once one of them. And I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I will ever choose to go back to being one of THEM. As much as I am ready for this chapter to be over, I don't see my life in fast forward being any other way than among the company of other triathletes who enjoy pushing the limits equally.

We had about 8-9 swimmers today with 5-6 kayaks leading our way or bringing up the back of the pack. Today was a much stronger swim for me. I forced myself to spend less time being bored and more on making my way out in front and staying ahead of the faster swimmers. Although I didn't stay ahead, I did feel stronger. It was nice today to hear several say that I'd had a strong swim. I even got a compliment that I'd lost more weight. (don't see that but thanks). I remained focused for 95% of the swim and it turned out to be a very good hour long swim. We all had a successful swim which makes it even better.

After the swim was the Ironman Kickoff Party held at one of the participant's restaurants. This was an opportunity not to size up the competition but to be among fellow competitors all vying for the same prize - finisher status. Whether it's the first for some of us or one of many for others, the nervous energy that could be felt in every conversation was for the same reason. You never know what the day will bring. We've trained hard for this and sacrificed a great deal to be among the finishers. I looked around and saw so much diversity in our group but yet one common factor that brought us all together. We are all wanting the same accomplishment. And in the end, regardless of the time we finish, we all will wear the same medal.

There are two training days left and then we'll all board the plane out of Charlotte bound for Phoenix. We'll make our way to Tempe shortly thereafter. I hope and pray that I do exactly as I was told today...take time to have fun, enjoy it, savor it, soak it all in. I plan to. I really want to have a great experience.

Oh, and no doubt at the party, the plan was set in motion for many of us. Ironman Beach to Battleship 70.3 in 2010. Are you game?

Dora the Explorer

Imagine a 47" bike - white with pink trim on the frame. The rider on the bike is 5 feet tall with her helmet tilted so far back on her head that her forehead is entirely exposed. Meet Dora...Dora the Explorer...my training partner. The only thing missing on her borrowed bike yesterday was a pixie stick or a lollipop as she pedaled along. She'll kill me for blogging about her but it was quite a sight. We eventually told her to tilt her helmet forward and pedal hard and eventually, Midge joined Sheila and I on the ride.

I, on the other hand, got to ride the "big boy bike"...you know big girl needs a big boy bike to ride. Lucas' carbon Scott bike with the Power Tap computer and SRAM gears was quite a change from Buzz. Don't get me wrong, I am missing Buzz terribly. With no aero bars, it made for a longer ride. My hands and arms forgot that they sometimes have the responsibility of holding me upright on the bike. It was a beautiful day outside to take in our last ride. We wrapped up at about 30 miles and then ran.

The run was again, very pretty. We headed out towards Spence's point, a peninsula out at Lake Murray. It was such a pretty, sunny day. Quite a contrast from the rainy days that preceeded it. We did 1.5 miles with Marlee accompanying us. Marlee is Sheila's wonderfully happy dog. She couldn't have been happier to join us. We finished the short run and opted for a second loop. This time, Marlee got to get in the water. She was in heaven!

Overall, it was a great way to end the cycling training. The bikes were returned and the next ride will be when I am reunited with Buzz. I am ready to get there! Great day!

Cutting Class

Admittedly, I was supposed to swim today but I played hookie from class. I had an eternal laundry list of "TO-DO's" on my day off including going to work (yeah, day off) and picking up my borrowed bike which led to no swim. So, I don't have anything to report on the workout front.

My nerves, however, are continuing to get a workout. I am at the point now where I am ready to get this party started. Ready to be done. No more IRONMAN word. No more constant worries about M-dots and bricks and fartlecks. Just going for a ride or taking a short job. These are a few of my new favorite things! :)

Anyway, cycling on a borrowed bike tomorrow. It has SRAM gears and is bright red. Nothing like the pink bike with streamers and a basket that my buddy, Sheila, and I had been joking about that I'd show up on. The white lettering right below the seat post says "Pedal damnit" which I think is hilarious. I will definitely have something to report tomorrow! Happy Training!

It's the Final Countdown

In one week, we will pick up our packets, be reunited with our gear and bikes and will be acclimating to the Tempe, AZ weather. My nerves have been shot this week. Nervous anticipation, excitement, fear and a little bit of everything including an overwhelming sensation in my gut that I might puke (LOL). I guess this is what it's all about. I've talked with others who are experiencing the same thing. I don't have much to blog about today but workouts continue to go well. Still experiencing some foot pain which I am hoping will subside by race day. Worried about that given that we've not been running much and it still feels like I stepped on a rock. Oh well, I guess I can always drag it behind me.

I will continue to blog daily from here until the day after the race about little happenings, pre-race thoughts, etc. It will likely be scattered and similar to a ride at Carowinds (up and down) but it's the reality that we are in the final countdown! Yahoooo! (Note: There is definitely relief in there also!)

Ironman Arizona Race Day Tracking Information

Ironman Arizona Supporters:

I know that several of you have asked how you can track us online during Ironman Arizona. The race starts at 7am on Sunday, November 22. My race number is 2436 and Midge's (Swinney) race number is 2619. The link below should be working on race day and will allow you to track us. There is also an option to watch the finish line live. Remember there is a time difference...I think 2 hours behind. Do not be alarmed if we hit the 16 hour mark and beyond. We're not competing; we are completing! For those still questioning what in the heck we will be doing that day - 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. :)

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/arizona?show=tracker Thanks for your support!

The website is typically very user friendly. Sunset in Tempe that day is 5:28pm.

Swim, Swam, Swum

What a busy Sunday! Several of us made the trip to Charlotte to drop off 8 bikes and 8 gear bags. We went to the Bike Stampede at Lowe's Motor Speedway also. I had attended it last year and maybe it was the newness last year that excited me but I was disappointed this year. There wasn't nearly as much cool stuff as I'd remembered and there were vendors advertised that were obviously previous attendees because they weren't there this year. Anyway, it was fun spending time with friends and checking out bikes and such. (There were also go-kart races going on at the track. 6-year olds doing 70-80mph in go-karts...I am thinking, maybe I will try that next year!)

After dropping bikes and grabbing a bite to eat, we came back to Columbia and it was time to swim. Lake Murray Dam swim revisited. The water temperature was a lukewarm 66 degrees. Like bathwater, you know, bathwater that you forgot to drain from the tub LAST NIGHT. It initially took your breath but we got right into the swim as sunset would approach rapidly. Swam a strong swim to the stacks which is about a mile plus. I soon realized that we also had to go AROUND the stacks, that was disappointing...LOL. Nevertheless, we rounded the stacks and headed back towards the dock. On the other side of the bridge to our right was another larger, taller stack that sits at the base of the dam, opposite the lake. I reached a point to where I honestly thought I was swimming in place because either it was moving or I WAS NOT! Eventually, I left it behind me but boredom had already set in. I stopped and checked out my surroundings, chatted with our kayaker, made faces at Midge when she would stop and turn around and look at me. Notice I say "turn around and look at me"...she was way ahead and I even started out before her. I don't like her...LOL. Anyway, we swam an hour and 21 minutes before daylight disappeared. Good swim. Still love the speed sleeves but definitely learned some new spots to put Body Glide on before entering the water. One more open water swim before THE DAY! Happy Training! :)

Buzz - Over and Out

Today's 48-mile bike ride was accompanied by mixed emotions. There was excitement for what lies ahead, excitement over the long training season coming to an end and excitement that it was the last long ride on the schedule before the 112-mile ride. Yet, at the same time, there was a sense of sadness. I've become very fond of the ladies I've surrounded myself with this year and although, we will ride together again, each of our goals for 2010 will be different. There is also sadness that this journey is about to end. As ready as I've been for it to wrap up, I am going to miss the consistency of the schedule, the predicability of the rides and the familiarity of the roads. A short 4-mile run followed the bike.

Tomorrow is our trip to Charlotte. Buzz and all of my gear will be dropped at Inside Out Sports and we'll be reunited on the other side of the United States in two weeks. Two weeks! Unbelievable. What a ride it's been :) Happy Training!

Kickin' Butt

The schedule today called for swim drills, entirely kick drills. I opted to complete the drill sets along with an additional 1000 meters. I truly don't think I can swim too much. I am definitely looking forward to some off season weightlifting in hopes of improving upper body strength. Already thinking ahead to the next triathlon season and doing some smaller races to see how this year's training has had an impact on the shorter distances.

Friday night was the last shopping trip for my race gear. Several of us had gone back and forth on whether or not we wanted to change clothes after every event. My decision was made and I went looking for a tank top to wear for the run. I've decided not to run in a triathlon suit but run in what has remained comfortable and consistent to me. I chose a matching long-sleeved dry fit shirt to go in the run special needs bag as well. This should get me through the run and keep me warm should the sun set on the day and it become exceptionally cooler. I added all of these things to my gear bags and will be ready to head to Charlotte with everything on Sunday.

Tomorrow is a 50-mile bike followed by a short run. I saw Dr. Renick today and he did a wonderful job on my IT bands and my heel. A little tenderness lingering in the heel but hoping that it continues to improve by race time. Only time will tell. Happy Training!

Running Through My Mind

Tonight, we ran 5.7 miles. I felt some tightness in my left IT band but nothing significant like with the longer distance on Sunday. The temps outside were amazing and perfect running conditions. This was a good, steady paced run with the focus on HR. I wore my new running shoes, which are identical to the ones I've been running in all season. There was a great deal of increased stability tonight and I wonder if that minimized what I had been experiencing. Time will tell.

We also spent 1.5 hours tonight preparing the 5 gear and special needs bags that we'll be sending with our bikes on Sunday. On Sunday! I can't believe it. Everything from band-aids to cortisone cream to body glide to socks is included in these bags. Reality is setting in more and more as numerous thoughts ran through my head. Everything is packed except for a few things that I will utilize in the next two weeks that absolutely can't be duplicated. Otherwise, it will accompany Buzz on Sunday when we drop our bikes off only to be reunited with them in Tempe.

Paul and Lucas of Harrell's Bicycle World have been so good to us throughout this year. We couldn't have asked for a better support crew. They will be allowing us the opportunity to rent bikes and pedals from them for the next two weeks so we don't miss out on training. A very special thanks to them for all that they have done to ensure a successful training season for us all who shop there and are training for IMAZ.

Happy Training!

Death in the Valley

A camping trip to Clemson had been on the calendar for almost 8 months and training would definitely have to be a part of the festivities. Upon arriving on Friday, we made camp by Lake Hartwell and within 2 hours after our arrival, we were in the lake. It was actually quite fun or should I say, I think we were quite the spectacle. Campers came out of their tents, people pointed us out to their dogs, etc. Two crazy swimmers out in the middle of a lake. I am sure that "What are they thinking?" was a frequent phrase. This was the first swim with the Quinatana Roo Neoprene Speed Sleeves. And can I just say, WOW! They were absolutely awesome. Even better than I'd anticipated and worked perfectly! We didn't have anyone following us so we opted for a repetitious zig-zag pattern for 45 minutes. Good swim. I also utilized the wax plugs to cover my right ear, I am a right-side breather. This was equally effective. Nothing expensive, got them at Wal-Mart with the other earplugs. Actually had three good swims last week. Feeling confident about the swim minus the 1999 other people who want to be swimming where I am :)

We were off on Saturday and had planned to run 13.1 miles on Sunday. I'd been advised by several folks to stay off the foot but I really wanted to get the mileage in. This was to be our last long run of the training season. If I could just push through... Of course, I am not a good listener when it comes to training, haven't been most of this training season when it comes to testing the limits of my body. We met Rick at his tailgating spot around 9AM. We brought two buddies with us who decided the night before that they would like to run with us. Great, I thought...the more the merrier. Kim and Kris are really good runners.

Let me preface the next part by saying...injury, lack of sleep and 48 hours in the rain before the run probably didn't help the situation but I was determined to make it work. Rick went easy on us to begin with - okay, so not really (but I know he's reading this blog and he told me to be nice). We soon learned what Death Valley was all about. Climbing like crazy followed by death in the valleys. Over and over, we'd hear him say those words that were music to our ears "it flattens out". I suppose that there is a least one ledge on Mt. Everest that one would attest "flattens out", too. Perhaps it's all about percpetion. We just weren't seeing or feeling it in the same frame of mind that he was. We kept pounding the pavement and reached a point where we didn't want to know how far we'd been running anymore. All I know is that the up and downs created havoc on my IT bands as I tried my best to baby the left heel. My left knee buckled twice towards the end and I was forced to skip the hill at the stadium. I just couldn't risk further injury to say I'd done the big climb, the one that Rick says would break me. My knees and foot felt pretty broken. We wound up with 13+ miles as we'd planned. It wasn't by far the perfect run but it was about pushing through pain something that I've realized I may have to do in Arizona if I can't get everything right in the next 2 weeks. I can say that I wasn't standing outside of Subway like one of our friends feeling like throwing up. I stretch a lot that night and submerged my foot in an ice bath. Surprisingly, I didn't have to crawl to the shower before work today. :)

We'll see what lies ahead. Day by day. Workout by workout. "Everybody hurts", right? 18 days...HAPPY TRAINING!

Who, What, Where, When, How, Seriously??? #1

We met with one of our training partners, Alison, tonight to discuss all of the logistics of the special needs bags, transitions, race week planning, etc. We came armed with our Athlete Guide and questions. Alison spent 2+ hours with us having dinner and allowing us to ask all of the IM newbie questions that she was asking last year. I compare it to sort of cramming for an exam. You have your foundation of knowledge but you have to squeeze in the little details that could totally change the outcome of the test.

This goes in the blue bag...that is a morning bag...you'll put this on during the bike...you shouldn't eat for this many minutes after swimming....the list goes on. We also watched an IMAZ race preview that was forwarded to us by the tri club we're a part of. Tonight was very informative. I continue to remind myself that I am in Tempe to COMPLETE not COMPETE. More updates forthcoming as the race day draws nearer and nearer. Happy Training!

Working It Out

It's been several days since my last blog. Our goal on Saturday was to run 20 miles; however, a visit to The Renick Clinic on Friday yielded a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis in my left foot. Remember my last blog on obstacles? Let's add this one to the list. Saturday's run was scheduled for 9am but was rain delayed several times yielding a noon start time. Shiela joined us but wasn't feeling very well so she dropped out of the cold rain after the first loop to seek refuge in the gym on the treadmill. We opted to continue until I couldn't push through the heel pain any longer. We finished up 10 miles. I was bummed with the second five mile loop but felt very strong the first loop. I have continued to baby it with ice, NSAIDS, stretching and that wonderful ortho sock that makes me look retarded. I'll do whatever I have to do, right?

This week has brought two really great swim workouts s - 2800m and 2450m drill sets. Last night was a bike trainer workout so all in all I am feeling well. I've opted to stay off the foot a great deal in hopes that I can run a little tomorrow night and pick up a half marathon run on Sunday. Still feeling strong, getting more nervous but ready to produce results. Happy Training!

The Year in Review

Given that this is my last "recovery week" of the IMAZ 2009 training season, I thought that I would take a minute to reflect on everything that's taken place this year during the course of my Ironman training. What a year it has been!

When my training partner and I signed up with 18 other people from Columbia, I am not sure that we fully grasped the concept of the "training" that would be involved in preparing for an endeavor such as Ironman. Nevertheless, we felt we were up to the challenge. Committing to training was something that both of us felt we could do. I know I felt confident about it and as time passed, I actually came to enjoy the majority of it, especially training with really cool athletes who have now become friends. However, I never once stopped back in the process of registering to ask myself, what exactly will I be giving up? What if there are other obstacles that I will encounter? Will my friends and family understand?

I was prepared for the training but I can't say that I was prepared for the training AND the obstacles along the way. Training started off with a case of patellar tendonitis in my left knee. This was discovered shortly before completing my first half marathon. Soon, I would be introduced to Dr. Renick, the Ironman doctor, and he would slowly begin making the pain go away. Additionally, I had developed a pinched nerve, neuroma, under the second toe on my right foot. Dr. Renick along with a pair of inserts from Foot Solutions solved this problem as well. Blue skies ahead.

Training continued through the Christmas holidays and into February and March before I faced my next obstacle. The dreaded sinus infection season hit me hard. I seemed to be taking antibiotics every other week as I struggled to push forward through training. Eventually, this too would pass. In the summer, I was taken down by a peritonsillar abcess that left me with no choice but to have an emergency tonsillectomy. The same day of my surgery, my father was diagnosed with esophogeal cancer and began nine weeks of chemotherapy via a 24/7 pump that soon became known as "Charlie." Seven weeks into his treatment, my grandmother (his mother) died as a result of a massive stroke. Little obstacles and disappointments that have accompanied the bigger ones have been the loss of four toenails, a bike crash, mental and physical exhaustion, missing birthday parties, not seeing friends, less time with my family, etc.

I say all of this as a reminder to myself, however, that I committed 100% to this journey almost 48 weeks ago. It wasn't until this week that I watched a video recently of Team Hoyt. Although I knew about Team Hoyt, I never had seen the two of them in action. What a truly inspirational story! As I watched the video, I thought about the obstacles that I've faced and the reality that mine pale in comparison to what this father faced in helping his son achieve something that seemed impossible. The gift that he has given to his son is priceless. It showed me the strength of a father and the determination to complete the journey despite the obstacles that he has encountered. My father's struggle with the side effects of chemo have also been a silent reminder to me of the strength and determination of my father (and others) to beat the biggest obstacle he's faced even when it was tough, painful and almost unbearable at times.

I guess what I am really saying is that I salute Team Hoyt. I salute my father's fight against cancer. And, I salute all of my friends, family members, training buddies and co-workers who have stood beside me throughout this journey. I hope to make each of you as proud as my father has made me in his struggles and to finish as strong as Team Hoyt has finished in each of their endeavors. I truly could not have done this without the love, support and understanding of those I am fortunate to surround myself with daily. So, if you are reading my blog for the first time or have been following along since Day One, thank you for your support. Now, my final goal is to F-I-N-I-S-H! :)

There She Blows!

I must preface this by saying I've never been sailing on the open seas. I have never been in a sailboat on the lake. I have been on a small catamaran-like boat on a day where there was relatively no wind. But today, I can honestly say, I know what it must feel like to sail. I also know what it felt like when Dorothy's house was being blown to and fro before it came to rest on the witch. Needless to say, when my bike came to a stop, it was time for me to put on my ruby slippers (a.ka. tennis shoes) and hit the yellow brick road. I'm not from Kansas but yesterday, I'd have made the trip!

We ventured out for two 50-mile loops on the bike. I can honestly say it was one of the most unpleasant rides I've been on. Although it was an accomplishment after it was all said and done, it was miserable from a fun perspective. It was cold, windy and overcast. We managed to make it as fun as possible. We laughed, we complained, we pedaled, we tried to move forward and we tried not to be blown over. At one point towards the end of the first loop, I turned around to one of my buddies and said, "Seriously, am I going anywhere?" I was pedaling but felt as if my output was maximum effort with complete and total minimum return. We took a beating. We dropped one after the first loop and added two new cyclists. It was great to have a cycling buddy of mine from the Bettys, Amanda, join us for the second loop. She was quite the trooper to be out riding for fun despite my forewarning. We didn't get to see the wizard but we did get to see quite a few Toto's along the way.

Following the bike, we'd planned for an 8-mile run. I think I wound up running between 5.5 and 6 miles. It was much later than I had anticipated given the wind and running solo in an unfamiliar area just wasn't appealing to me. The run continues to feel really good after cycling. I am hoping it continues in the weeks ahead or should I say, 34 days. I felt strong on the run despite honestly not doing well nutritionally on the bike. I am going to have to force myself to drink even if I am cold. I consumed 4 of 6 bottles of Infinit while on the bike. It must've been the wind because I've been doing so well. I have to mentally force myself as we may face similar winds in Arizona.

The coming week is a recovery week and then we taper. TAPER???? Seriously, already??? We've got a 20-mile run on Saturday but otherwise, 4 days off this week with a short swim, bike and run on three separate days. I am very much looking forward to catching up on some much needed "TO DO's" on my list. The goal now is to stay injury-free and healthy. I am praying for the same for my training buddies. Again, I say, what a phenomenal group of people I've grown to love, admire and cherish over the past 12 months. Happy Training!

A Week in Retrospect

Excellent training week last week. I redeemed myself on the swim on two separate occasions. Swam 2600m of drills on Tuesday and swam a straight 2850m on Saturday. Saturday was supposed to be an open water swim but the cold air mass moving in created an icy washing machine effect to Lake Murray and we opted for 114 lengths of the community pool. You can only imagine how much fun that was. I was very thankful for my lap counter; otherwise, I'd have never counted that high :) Wednesday was an indoor trainer workout for the bike. This was relatively uneventful but successful nonetheless.

After reading several other blogs pertaining to IMAZ, I decided it would be in my best interest to purchase some neoprene sleeves to accompany my wetsuit. These arrive on Friday and I'd hoped to try them out on Saturday but that wasn't happening. They don't match my wetsuit which is BlueSeventy. Nevertheless, I am hoping the mismatched Quintana Roo sleeves will be worth me sacrificing matching to be able to feel my extremities.

The 31-page IMAZ athlete guide came out this week. I guess it's official. They are really going to have this thing...LOL...and I am really going to participate. Nah, in all seriousness, I can't believe how quickly the time has passed in retrospect. Granted, some days have been long and some weeks even longer but overall, time has flown relatively quickly. It's just been a long journey that I am looking forward to finishing.

The First Appearance of "Tanya"

We've all got them and we've seen just about all of them in our group; however, yesterday was the first official appearance of "Tanya" who is my alter ego. This was the first time they'd seen mine. Of course, Tanya decided the middle of Lake Murray would be a great place to make her grand entrance. I don't know what it is specifically about the swim other than it is the one part of the triathlon that I hate and that bores me to no end. There is nothing fun about it, no scenery, lots of work, etc. Granted, I am a slower swimmer than most of my training buddies and I think that likely adds to my individual frustration with the swim. Halfway through, I decided I would turn a flip so I did. Once I get in my head that I want to play around, it is typically downhill after that. I just wanted out of the water. I wanted the swim to be done.

For those who don't swim, you must realize one key point. When you want the bike to be over, you get off the bike. When you want the run to be over, you stop running and walk. When you want the swim to be over and you're in the middle of the lake, the only way to end the swim is to SWIM! So, I proceeded to backstroke, sidestroke, float, flip, breaststroke until eventually making my way back to the shore. I was very tempted (and even tried) to talk a fisherman into switching places with me. He was curious if we were seeing any fish under us. I gladly offered him my goggles if he would like to get in and take a look. This would mean he'd have to let me in the boat. He was as thrilled at that idea as I was about swimming. I made my way out of the water, somewhat deflated, but I did my best to put the swim behind me and move on for what was to be a long day of cycling and running.

The bike portion of the training day involved 3 30-mile loops of rolling hills and one road of steadt hill climbing out and back. My goal for the day was to focus on nutrition and caloric intake and to be sure that I maintained a consistent HR and pace throughout the entire 90 miles. I am very proud to say that all of these goals were met with relative ease. I had two packs of energy beans and 5 bottles of Infinit along with my standard water/Hawaiian Punch mixture in the front bottle. Average speed for the day was 16.1 mph (great for the route we did and for the distance of 90-miles) and my HR remained consistent. I was very pleased with my bike performance and came into transition at the end first overall.

After the bike, I shifted gears and transitioned into my run clothes. We'd tried to simulate everything as much as we possibly could for this big training day. The three loops would be very similar to IMAZ, the swim would be an out and back and we'd be tired going into the run.

The run for me was very strong. I again focused on maintaining a consistent HR and pace. My HR didn't climb tremendously except for the huge snake I spotted on the side of the road. I did not stick around to see if he was living and breathing but rest assured, my HR did quickly change zones as I was running solo at the time and it was simply me and him/her. I stopped twice along the way to knock over a big mushroom or two. This has become a favorite training thing of mine. We'd passed SO MANY of them on the bike. I just had to stop and kick a few during the run. I did pretty well with right at a 9-minute mile pace (IM Augusta was more like a 12-minute pace...LOL).

Overall, I had a really strong day even with a not-so-great swim. It's a mental game now coming into the final training weeks. This is where the mind helps you decide just how bad you want to be an IRONMAN. Just remember -"You've got to be hungry for it!"

The Vomitron

Last year, Darron and Lisa, two of my cycling buddies shared their pet name for the indoor trainer, the "Vomitron". I, too, have adopted it as the descriptor for my nights spent spinning. I spent 90-minutes on the Vomitron tonight doing hill climb simulations. Doesn't that sound like fun? Riding solely in the big chain ring except for short periods of recovery. In all honesty, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was, however, surprised when I hit what I thought was close to a halfway point, did some quick calculations and realized that I had 40 minutes left. SURPRISE! Thank goodness for America's Next Top Model followed by some MTV. Nothing like mindless TV to pass the time.

Anyway, lots of little things starting to take place that are a prelude to the real deal. We received our tentative dates for bike shipment. "Buzz" and one equipment bag will be taken to Charlotte sometime between November 12-14 by Inside-Out Sports and then driven cross-country to its final destination in Tempe, Arizona. They have to have our bikes set up by November 19th. For $250, I should have a sense of peace knowing that Buzz will be cared for. Instead, I feel like I am putting my child solo on a bus and saying, "Find your way back to me, please!" Eek! Nevertheless, this is good news in the sense that we will actually be separated for less time than I thought. I'll be getting another bike to use in the meantime because training for this thing never seems to end. :)

We've also made plans to have dinner with our training buddy, Missy, who is going to go through a crash course on everything we need to know about special needs bags. She apparently co-lead this in this last year for some newbies and offered to do it for us so we couldn't say "NO" to that kind of offer. Any last minute tips will greatly be appreciated, no doubt.

My remaining training schedule for the upcoming weekend looks somewhat busy. Friday is a 5-mile intensity run; Saturday will likely include the Habitat for Humanity 5K Run followed by an relatively easy 1-mile swim; and we'll wrap the weekend up on Sunday with a 1.2 mile swim followed by a 30-mile bike loop x3 and an 8-mile run. Sort of our own mini-mock-tri.

Nervous excitement continues to build. Until next time...Happy Training!

Two-A-Days

Wow! 4:30AM came very early this morning. I got up, well, more like crawled out of bed with the assistance of my wake-up helper, Bailey. I was awakened by a happy tail followed by a cold, wet nose in my cheek and again in the center of my forehead. It was as if to say..."you woke me up with that clock, now you get up, too!" She undoubtedly was much happier to greet the day than I was. I had all of my clothes and swim gear ready from the night before which worked entirely to my advantage.

Midge, my training partner, and I headed off to the pool to swim. I stood at the double glass doors waiting on the center to open. I know that the lifeguard was seriously wondering if a rescue was in his future. I yawned, I stretch and I reluctantly got into the water. Luckily, it was the warmest the water has been since we've been swimming there. This must mean oh, 300+ days into training, that the heater has officially been repaired. Hooray! We had a fairly good swim, nothing to write home about but it was successful nonetheless. Didn't get to complete the full workout because I only had an hour to swim before having to be at work.

Today was not a brick workout but rather a split workout. The afternoon brought a 9-mile run. I ate dinner before running which I thought was going to be a huge mistake but turned out to be perfect. I ran the entire distance maintaining a steady and consistent HR. The route was a new one that I'd mapped and to my surprise was exceptionally hilly. Total run time was 95 minutes, which is pretty good for us considering the hills. We're really not trying to beat any time records anyway but are more focused on consistency and endurance for the remainder of our training season. We're 45 days away from this thing and now is not the time to worry about getting faster - that is for next season! :)

Feeling Good from My Head to My Toes

Cool fall temps make for an extraordinary workout. This morning proved this to be very true. Eleven of us ventured out in the 52 degree temp for a 50-mile bike ride. Several cyclists had two loops on their schedule whereas we only had 50 miles followed by a 6-mile run.

The bike ride started off relatively fast, undoubtedly, the result of an attempt by us all to warm up. As usualy, 15 minutes into the ride and it was time to take the sleevies off. I opted to stay in the front of the pack. We had one male in the pack who I think decided, since we weren't pacelining, to play chase with me. I decided that I would see how far I could push it and I did. Soon, looking back over my shoulder yielded no one in sight. It was a good feeling. Of course, I stopped at the end of the road to allow everyone to regroup with me. This was followed by comments about "Tanya" being out on the ride today. Soon, the rest stop was over and one cyclist took off...I heard a "catch me" so I decided, why not. The remainder of the ride was three of us as we left the remainder of the group behind. It was a very strong ride. My legs felt rested and strong.

A relatively slow transition followed as we waited on several folks to run with us. Today's plan was the 8K Snowman run + 1-mile. Felt really great on the run. Maintained HR for the majority of the run. No stops throughout the run. Three of us finished this up relatively quickly.

Overall thoughts for the day: Strong, feeling very strong. The restful week was very much worth it. I think I've found my second wind leading into the remaining 47 days of training. Two days off this week. Let's do this thing!

"T" for Two

It's been almost a week since Ironman Augusta 70.3. "T" for transition, "T" for tired, "T" for timeout. We slowed down this week to recover from the weekend's event. The first two days following Sunday brought quite a bit of soreness, especially on Tuesday. Therefore, Tuesday included a walk with Bailey only. The next few days included a 90-minute bike, 7-mile run, and an easy 1500m swim. I've taken this week to mentally regroup and prepare for the coming weeks. We are less than 50 days out from Arizona and I am admittedly ready for a long break. I think we all are, or so it seems. Nevertheless, IM Augusta was a huge confidence booster. I think that the slower week this week was very needed and I am ready to hit it hard again tomorrow. On the schedule bike/run brick (50-mile bike followed by a 6-mile run). I'll be ready to ride...first ride of the cooler morning temps. I think it may be a sleevies morning :)

Pain is Temporary; Pride is Forever

Despite being in bed around 9PM on Saturday night, 4AM came early. Around 5:15AM, we made our way to the shuttle buses that would take us to our final destination. Race start time 7:30AM. The plan was to arrive early, settle in and mentally prepare for the day ahead. Within minutes it seemed, we were back where Buzz and I had parted ways and he had been left in transition getting to know his rivals. As expected, the transition area was already a very busy area. "Do you have a pump?" "Where is ...?" "Is this the right side?" "Where is my....?" In addition, the race announcer was barking off announcements..."The water temperature is 71 degrees...pro athletes will not wear wetsuits...pick up your timing chip at the swim start...be sure to..." I found my way over to Buzz who was now surrounded by 9 others along with their partners vying for space and breathing room to set up their gear. After deciding to change sides of the bike for my transition mat, everything found its place relatively quickly (although I did go back and check 4 times). Amazing how much gear goes into such a small 3' x 3' area and that's what you will survive on for the day no matter how long it takes you.

After observing 100's of athletes anxiously waiting for the shuttle bus to go to the swim start, we decided that we'd walk the 1.2 miles. We made our way to the swim start, picked up timing chips and the waiting began. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. Quickly, I was on the ramp leading down into the water. Even more quickly, it was my swim wave ready to jump into the water. Wetsuit on - check; swim cap on - check; goggles over swimcap check. I waited my turn, jumped into the water and once I caught my breath from the frigid water temp, I reached up to put my goggles on...THEY WERE GONE! Frantically, I looked around wondering what I was going to do...how would I swim...could I swim without them? Luckily, they were white and floating beneath the murky surface, I found them before I hit full panic mode. Within a minute or so of this, the horn sounded and the swim began.

I quickly found my groove on the swim. Suprisingly enough because typically I don't ever find a groove in the swim at all. Once we dispersed, I had no problem making forward progress. Well, the seaweed and I made forward progress. Disgusting...the water was absolutely disgusting and I saw large masses of weeds right below me. Seaweed on my arm, in my mouth, on my forehead. It never ended. It was on the left, on the right, under, over, it was everywhere! I had to block this out...I swam faster and stronger than I've ever swam. I didn't stop to talk this time and I stayed focused. Stroke after stroke until it was over...I hit the ramp at 31:39. My best swim ever! And that quickly, 1.2 miles of the 70.3 miles was behind me.

About 200 yards of jogging later, I made my way back to Buzz. It was time for battle. I transitioned fairly well (T1=4:03) and hit the blue line for bike mount. Off I went. I kept hearing familiar advice for the bike "Pace Tonya"..."the first 30 minutes don't push it"...I did exactly what I'd heard. Smoothly and with relative ease, the first 18 miles were behind me. For the first time in an event, I had to pee. I debated for about 20 minutes before making the decision to dismount and potty. I quickly jumped off the bike, ran over the hill, squatted and jumped back on the bike. This took less than a minute to accomplish. Buzz and I had a phenomenal bike portion of the event. Although I thought we averaged 19.0MPH, my computer, when all was said and done, registered 18.2MPH. I am still very happy with that given the headwinds that we all endured on the return trip from New Ellenton. At one point, the wind caught my wheelsets and for a brief second, I saw myself on the pavement. Luckily, I popped out of my aero bars, grabbed the handlebars and stayed the course. Bike time 3:03:58. I was very pleased with this time also. (T2 =3:27).

Two events down and one to go. I kept telling myself "Flat as a pancake". That was the way the run had been described. And it was but so was my motivation to run. By mile 6, I was, as I often am on the run, O-V-E-R it. Lucky for me, I found Rick...my knight in shining armor. He and I ran the bulk of the run portion together. Running and talking...he continued to motivate me. He was a Godsend as I wanted nothing more than to finish strong. And, finish strong we did. The two loop course was a mental test, just like Arizona will be, as we looped the same course twice for mileage. Seeing a sign that says "Mile 9" when you've just started isn't inspiring but rather daunting as the reality of what lies ahead sinks in. Nevertheless, I did it! Run time 2:41:58. Overall time for the day was 6:24:39.

Now, it's a day or two of recovery and the training continues. Believe me, during the run, visions of Arizona danced in my head. I had no desire to go there. However, now that it's done, I think I am ready for the next step...the big one. The best thing I can say about what I learned from today is what Rick taught me. I'm not sure he realized how valuable the lesson was for me in the end and will be in the future. I honestly had not stopped to think about it in the way in which he put it. Rick said to me several times that "EVERYBODY OUT HERE IS HURTING" and the truth in that was overwhelming to me because he was right. I saw men with IM tattoos walking, people cramping up, some staggering, etc. When I needed it to most, it registered for me. It wasn't as much about the body at that point because in truth, regardless of your talent or speed, it had become for all intensive purposes a level playing field. We were ALL hurting. The difference was now entirely mental. "Pain is temporary; pride is forever!" Thanks, Rick Rikard!

Afterthoughts: I graduated high school in 1991 number 11 out of 292 and the MVP softball player on my varsity team. In 1997, I graduated from graduate school with a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with honors. In 2002, I earned the Most Outstanding Employee award at my job. But nothing, and I mean nothing compares to having that medal draped around my neck like it did yesterday. Pride REALLY is FOREVER :) And today, I am proud of my accomplishment!

Preparing for Battle

Numbers...helmet...socks...race belt...Around noon, the mood shifted a bit and became took on a much more serious atmosphere in Room 729 today. Three of us in one room co-existing yet each in an entirely separate world. Methodically, with our own individual precision, we prepared for battle the next day. There was a method to our own madness and a nervous energy in the room that you couldn't describe but you readily recognized its intensity. Eventually, I couldn't take the silence any longer and put on my iPod to drown out the silence.

We had received notification from a fellow IMAZ participant that the transition area had opened up earlier than anticipated. Our plan was to ride our bikes down to the transition area, approximately 2.5 miles, and then we'd run back to the hotel. This was a great idea as I had so much pent up energy...and R-U-N back to the hotel I did.

When we arrived in the transition area, it was as if I was about to play my first NFL game after leaving college or much what it would feel like stepping onto the courts at Wimbledon for the first time. I know the feeling had to be very similar to that as this was the biggest playing field I'd been on yet. There was enough room packed in an area less than the length of a football field for 3400+ athletes. Once I located my number on the racks, which turned out to be more difficult than one would think, I racked my bike, changed shoes and was ready for the run back to the hotel. But wait...

Where WAS my bike? In all of the underlying excitement, I'd not assessed where my back was. Tomorrow would be a mass of metal, carbon and antsy athletes. Everything would look the same and I would need to be able to easily find my bike after leaving the swim tomorrow. Back I went following along the transition area until I found my bike. It was much easier this time because a fellow age-grouper was in the process of moving my bike. This is a triathlete NO-NO. I stood watching her well-covered bike move in and in a matter of seconds destroy the comfort zone that had already been established by "Buzz". We were two alone on a rack of ten. I had no idea why she felt the need to move Buzz. I went back into transition to reassess the situation. Buzz, still donning two shower caps I'd taken from the hotel (one over the seat and one over the bike computer and aero bar pads for the raining coming in) was unscathed. I made a mental note of Buzz' location and off I ran back to the hotel. This was to be the last time I'd be in the transition area before "game time"...reality settled in and for once in the entire training season, it was a giddy excitement. It was exam time!

Georgia on My Mind

We're here!!! We're finally in Augusta...

We arrived this morning about 9:30AM and began taking care of the "to-do's" that each of us had on our lists. This included the mandatory race briefing, packet pickup, race expo and finding the start, finish and transition area. WOW! I can't believe I'm here. When I arrived, I wasn't overly nervous. As the day has progressed and the more people talk, the more nervous I am getting.

Over and over, I keep hearing questions...What is your goal time? How cold is the water? How fast are people swimming? Are there hills on the bike course? What's the transition area like? What are you wearing? Do you have...? What are you...? What are we going to do tomorrow?

I think that I am going to be exceptionally nervous. Breathe....

Feet Don't Fail Me Now

Every step now gets me closer to the goal of my A-Race for 2009. Three days until IM Augusta, which is technically a B-Race for me so I am going at it with the hopes of gaining knowledge about what I need to do for the next 59 days or so. Of course, today I was made aware that there has been a recent sewage leak in the Savannah River and they are or are trying to correct the problem. Will make for an interesting pre-race briefing. Neverthless, I ran my last long run before the race last night. Completed 7.5 miles and felt really strong. I am always amazed when I go back and run less frequent routes at how much easier they are now than they were when I started. This always make me smile. I think I have my nutrition on the run down to a science and now just have to decide whether the hassle of the fuel belt is worth it or I should rely on what the race coordinators are providing at the 1.5 mile race stations. Hmmm...not much time to decide but this will not be a major issue either way. However, 3399 other people to contend with on race day will be more problematic than the fuel belt, I can assure you of that! :)

Max the Muskrat

Yesterday was the last open water swim before Ironman Augusta 70.3. Since swimming at Sheila's place on the lake, we've become acquainted with a muskrat who is always present in the cove where we swim. I, of course, had never knowingly observed a muskrat and have been given a hard time about this. After yesterday, I decided the four of us (me, Laura, Sheila and Midge) had to give him a name. The name Murray was a consideration for Lake Murray but a friend of our has a puppy named Murray. We opted to name him Max the Muskrat. He was very playful and attention-seeking yesterday and was closer to the dock than he's ever been. It was as if he wanted to play. Oddly cute but quite the charmer he is.

We swam approximately 45 minutes. Felt good other than a little soreness in my left shoulder from the 2-mile swim on Saturday. Looking forward to winding down a bit before Sunday. Getting a bit nervous but excited as well. Weather forecast for the weekend isn't great but I suppose it could be worse. Maybe it will change for the better. Rain I am okay with as long as the roads aren't unsafe. Running in the rain: PRICELESS!

Finished the Dam Swim

Wow...wow...wow! Seriously, I thought running the length of the Lake Murray Dam was pretty cool but now that I have swam the distance, I am really ecstatic. What an accomplishment given that last year I was stopping on a 300 meter swim.

I was experiencing quite a bit of pre-race jitters. I was in with most of my IMAZ buddies in Wave 11. My goal for the day was to complete the swim, which is definitely not my best leg of a triathlon, in under 1.5 hours and avoid a nice volunteer boater/kayaker tapping me on the head with a paddle and pulling me out of the water at the cutoff time. I was not pulled out of the water either for possible drowning or for the cutoff time. If my watch was correct, I swam in right at 1:13. Not the best swim time of my IMAZ buddies but I successfully completed the swim and that to me was success.

Not making excuses but I should probably add that my times might have been a little bit faster had I not stopped so much. I have a horrible habit of playing around when I'm bored and 2-miles swimming is a long time to be overtaken by monotony. I stopped and gave the peace sign to people I knew. I checked out my surroundings several times. I observed a catfish in its last moments on earth and reported it to a kayaker. I encouraged two young swimmers who would take 3 strokes and ask each other how much longer. I think all of these things added time and I hope that I will be wiser at the next event not to do this. Of course, I will, right?

Another success for the day, the wetsuit! What an awesome discovery earlier in the week. Worked like a charm! No problems, a little rubbing where I didn't put Body Glide but overall, no problems. Post-swim report...3 hours of cycling. Legs felt like I'd left them in the lake but eventually they caught back up and I rode fairly well. It was exceptionally hot and the swim left all of us exceptionally thirstier than usual.

IM Augusta 70.3 is one week away. I suppose it's time to get this "party" started!

Busting a Sag :)

Another day in the rubber-blubber suit and it started off no differently that the previous swim day in the wetsuit. This feeling of suffocating and choking, airway obstruction around the collar...ugghhh! I stopped, regrouped and headed back in to shallow waters. I stood there in the water for a minute fooling around with the suit, pulling and tugging, etc. Then, with one big tug, it happened. The reality that I haven't been wearing it correctly. Busting a sag is obviously not the correct way to wear a wetsuit. As I pulled the suit up further, it was instantaneous relief. The pressure in my chest area and legs diminished. It was as if the vice grip it had on me was gone. Voila'!

I got home after a successful short swim in the wetsuit and did some research. Lo' and behold, genuis! This has been my issue. I haven't been pulling it up in the crotch area enough. Hmmmph! LOL. Glad I figured this out before Saturday's 2-mile Lake Murray Dam Swim! :)

Tri Days

It was a three-day weekend! It was a three day weekend??? Aside from how my body feels, it became apparent to me this morning just how tired I am when I was asked by a co-worker if I had been given a black eye over the weekend. Exhausted today, entirely exhausted.

Friday evening included a 2-hour bike followed by a 5-mile run. The run didn't happen as I was trying to baby my knee for the longer run on Sunday. Still icing and doing some anti-inflammatory drugs. We did a transition run for time and called it a night. This concluded around 6:45pm Friday evening.

Saturday morning came quickly on the heels of the Friday evening workout. We were up at 5:15am and in the water at Lake Murray for an open water swim by 6:45am. I was already feeling a little tired but thought the beauty of the lake at sunrise would perk me up. As we headed out onto the dock, there were turtles everywhere as if waiting for our arrival. Oh yeah, and a muskrat...who knew what a muskrat was? I surely didn't! Sheltered life I suppose. We put our wetsuits on and it all came back to me. I hate swimming in a wetsuit. Needless to say, this feeling would not dissipate during the course of the swim. The first 500 meters was quick, consistent and relatively uneventful. I made it out to the buoy, a quick tuck of my zipper cord and off we headed towards the next point in the triangle. Then it happened...that feeling like you've been wrapped in a human-sized rubber band-aid flailing around trying to propel forward. Panic, not a panic attack but more like, freedom, I need freedom! This resulted in me flipping onto my back and eventually treading water for a little bit. I watched my heart rate go up as I resolved that I had to get out of the wetsuit. Middle of the cove, 1000 yards out, yeah, not a viable option really. I eventually made my way back into the dock. Going to have to reacquaint myself with this thing and quickly get over it! We biked for almost 50 miles of rolling hills. Good bike course compliments of our training buddy, Sheila. Nice and steady. Boy were we tired though...but wait, it's only Saturday!

Sunday meant getting up again at 5am. This time to be across town for a 4-hour bike ride. We met our cycling friend, Amanda, out at Caughman park. The ride was relatively easy and consistent throughout. Having some seat issues that will hopefully get resolved this week. Buzz is going to the shop tomorrow for the pre-Half IM Augusta tune up. I think the seat issue was the result of the crash a few weeks ago. Following the ride on Sunday, we ran 7.3 miles (the Snowman 8K Course + some). This was one of our best brick runs this season in my opinion. Despite the hills, we only walked a little and remained consistently paced and in our HR zones throughout. Very successful run for us.

Today is Monday. I don't know how big or how hard it hit me but I had to have been run over by a truck this weekend. At 4pm yesterday, I realized it was the first time I'd sat down most of the weekend. I am so thankful today is a rest day! I plan to take full advantage of it, after work of course. Stay at home folks...enjoy your training opportunities. Those of us working and training are and will remain envious!

Tendin' to My Tendon

Fourteen mile run tonight down at Riverfront Park. Very strong for the first 11 miles but then my knee began rebelling. Patella tendonitis seems to be back and my knee isn't happy with the amount of running I've been partaking in. The last 3 miles was a lot of starting and stopping which is exhausting. Home now icing and medicating. Hope Sunday's run is better!

A Night in the Washing Machine

A long pool swim was on the calendar tonight and I'd mentally prepared myself to swim hard, non-stop and consistent. As we made our way to the pool, it became apparent that we stood a good chance that we'd been dragging a thunderstorm behind us which would result in us getting kicked out of the pool during the swim workout. Nevertheless, we wanted to take that chance. We got a lane quickly. Completed a quick warm-up. Started the watches. Off we go!

Let me preface this next part by saying I, in no way, am attempting to offend anyone. I greatly appreciate anyone who exercises or attempts to exercise and tonight is no different. The adult swim aerobics class was beginning at the same time we started to swim. They started out with their elbows against the wall kicking their feet in the water or either hanging on to a noodle to warm up. They practically went unnoticed by those of us doing laps in the open swim lanes. However, at some point into the aerobics workout, and about 15 minutes into our swim, I found myself swimming forward but being thrown against the lane lines. Literally! Completely out of my control. My initial thought was WOW, what's up with me and my inability to swim straight tonight?!?. I continued swimming. On my way back towards the shallow end of the pool, I realized that I was being caught in an undertow like never before. I glanced to my right and there they were, 50+ pairs of feet playing follow the leader in a circular motion. Arm weights dancing in sync as they moved simultaneously counterclockwise. Instantly, I was sucked in, like attempting to swim in the inside of a washing machine. I popped straight up in the water like a cork in the lake whose bait has just become acquainted with a fish. I looked around and nobody else seemed to be noticing what was happening but me. I proceeded on. I did another lap and same thing. By the time I made it back down to the deep end this time, I soon realized that it WASN'T just me. There were two guys swimming in the lanes next to me and they both were experiencing the same thing. I politely asked if I could move to the outside lane and share with the one gentleman that wasn't having as great a difficulty as the rest of us. I couldn't believe what a commotion they were creating until I moved out of current. Sheewww! Big difference...

I continued on, swimming strong and smooth. Stroke after stroke...lap after lap...and then I was halted by a horrific whistle! Blowing, blowing, blowing. Again, I popped up like a cork and realized that one streak of lightning had ended the continuous swim that was on the schedule. Everybody out of the pool. Single file, they again moved in synchronized fashion up the stairs and disappeared into the locker rooms. For us, the waiting begins...30 minutes from the first lightning streak or sound of thunder followed by lots of prayer that it doesn't happen again at minute 29 because the time would start again. At 8:15pm, we finally make our way back into the pool. Two swimmers, two lanes, smooth like glass. 2700 meters later, the workout was done.

It wasn't a continuous swim but it was a very, very good swim. I am very pleased with it despite all of the obstacles. I guess you never know what your swim conditions are going to be like.

3-Peat

Bike-run, bike-run, bike-run. Triple brick workout was on the agenda for today's training. We'd decided that we would start from the house as opposed to going out to Lexington High School as we'd originally planned to do. After 4.5 hours of non-stop movement, we finished this triple brick. First brick was a 17-mile bike to Ballentine followed by a 30 min run. This was relatively uneventful as my legs were trying to wake up from yesterday's ride.

The second brick we opted to ride the hills on Lake Murray Blvd. It became apparent rather quickly that the purpose of this workout was not only to finish to completion but it was going to be a mental test and a physical test. On the return trip on the bike, Midge decided to give me some of her water while we were stopped. Somehow this became Midge on the ground, clipped in under her bike, and the water flowing down the pavement. It wasn't a pretty dismount. She always falls while stopped. We finished the triple brick by pedaling for 45 minutes on the indoor trainer followed by another 30 minute run.

This was a super workout for endurance - mentally and physically. Tomorrow, we are OFF! :)

Pacing - Not Racing

WOW! What a weekend! Of the 36 Labor Day weekends that I've been alive for, this proved to be the most tiring of them all. I can't recall a Labor Day weekend so exhausting. A part of me wishes that I'd been off camping somewhere or on a trip with friends that was phenomenal. Instead, I worked out like the Iron(wo)Man that I wanna be!

This morning, bright and early (of course...oh, the days of sleeping late have long since passed), seventeen of us ventured out to cycle the flats at Caughman. As always, I started out kicking it with the lead pack that we'd labeled the B-Group initially, averaging 20+ MPH for the first 45-minutes or so. The A-Group would be more of a 16-18 MPH average. Off I went, out in front with the guys and lead females taking pulls and rocking along in the paceline. Then, as we approached Congaree Swamp, about 15 miles into the ride, it hit me! What am I thinking? How is this helping me? And just like that, I made a very wise decision and opted to be a part of a much smaller C-Group as I decided to C-my-way out of the paceline. Sure it was fun, it was invigorating and it was a confidence booster to hang but how was this going to help me in the long run. I'd not been utilizing the paceline for the simple fact that it creates a false sense of security and gives you an advantage you won't have in a race. Pace today, not race today.

I fell back off the lead pack and actually wound up having one of the best, most consistent bike rides that I've had all training season. I ended the ride, 50 miles, with a 17+ MPH average without the assistance of anyone but me. I couldn't have been happier with this performance. Following the bike ride, we headed to the pool to do kick drills for 1000 meters. We couldn't swim pre-ride so we opted to get it in afterwards.

Great workout today. Felt strong!

Feels Like I'm Moving But I Go Nowhere...

Swimming at Lake Murray yesterday was undoubtedly one of the most uncool experiences I've had while swimming next to almost drowning when I was younger in attempt to learn how to ski. Stroke, same buoy, stroke, same buoy, stroke-stroke still same buoy. We just didn't have a very successful swim. The wind was blowing just enough to thwart our efforts. Nevertheless, we'd biked to the dam so we got to practice transitioning out of the water and getting back onto the bike after a longer swim.

Of course during our transition, we were greeted in transition by "Captain Dan the Lake Murray Man", if I recall his official title accurately. He proceeded to tell us that he saw a guy cycle in one day that got off his bike and swam all the way out to Spence Island. Now I am not a Lake Murray Afficionado but I can tell you roughly, based on where he was looking, that this this tri girl will not be embarking on any journey, unless by motorized vehicle, to this so-called Spence Island he was referencing. Especially given the lack of forward progression we were making yesterday. I'd still be on my way to Spence Island. Still loving my new goggles. My training partner wasn't as impressed with hers. I think, like any, it depends on your facial features. Her face is much smaller so they don't seem to fit around her eyes as well.

After the transition, and honestly having to blow off Captain Dan the Lake Murray Man, we ventured up the hill and back to the house to do hill climb simulations on the indoor trainer. It was, overall, a successful workout night. Tonight's adventure...a 13.5 mile run. I can hardly contain my excitement...LOL. Seriously, the cool weather makes it much more appealing!

Half the Distance

My training partner, Midge, and I did an optional 13.1 mile run today. Isn't it funny to know that there are people who "opt" for a half Ironman as noted on the schedule. It's even funnier that I opted to do a half marathon on a Sunday when I could have surely taken advantage of sleeping in late. This was to have been a RECOVERY week. Nevertheless, we did a 13.4 mile run actually. I think we did pretty well! Focus today was running in my HR zone. This was successful even after seeing the alligator nearby in the canal. However, there was a sweet lady walking behind me...I would venture to say that HR, had she been wearing a monitor, most likely altered just a weeeeeeeee bit! :)

"Competitive stage" of training begins this week. Endurance swims, lots of brick workouts and a lot of split workouts ahead. I'm sure I will have more to blog in the 84 days ahead but for now, I am going to sign off.

My new nicknames are "Railroad" and "Tracks"...deserving I suppose. Happy training!

Throwing Myself in Front of a Train

We ventured to the "other side of the river" today as we headed to Augusta, Georgia for a trial run of the Augusta Half IM course. We had a nice 10-15 car paceline zipping down I-20 with our bikes in tow, drafting along the way. There was a moment of clarity and childlike excitement within as reality hit me that all of the cyclists in line and I will actually soon be a part of something "bigger" when we complete 70.3. What a unique experience!

In addition to checking out the unknown route ahead, I was looking forward to meeting my Atlanta tri buddy,Teri, for the first time. I feared, like several times in the past, that it wasn't going to happen today either! The morning started off relatively chaotic. I won't use the terminology that a fellow cyclist used but I will say that it was a little short of a mess initially. Early obstacles included a short jaunt (NOT) down the Riverwalk to find the bathroom which became a 20 minute round-trip endeavor that resulted in me checking out the host hotel and the dirty waters we would be swimming in; we didn't park where I'd told my Atlanta buddy we were going to park; Google maps got one cyclist lost before we even started and when we finally hit the route, I soon realized that I may not get to see Teri afterall given that we never even made our way onto a few roads that were on the cue sheets. Nevertheless, despite the delays, we headed out onto the course.

As always, it was a quick start. Like horses out of the gate, we were off! Once we realized that we were not on the cue sheet mileage, several of us gave chase for about an hour with the lead pack. Although totally invigorating and quite a confidence booster, it was also a bit draining both physically and mentally cycling without a warm-up. We soon dropped several riders and a few of the guys dropped the bulk of the pack, too. As we began to find our groove, finally!!!, the meeting that seemed as if it would never happen took place in the passing of two cyclists on the highway. Teri and I finally got to meet and how appropriately so on the bike! It was short but seemed to be just the way it was meant to happen. Amazing how a random FB posting about a wetsuit led to this moment.

The route, overall, was a good route. There were some really good, long flats, some quick downhills and as always, a few inclines that left you begging for a chairlift to pick you and your bike up to take you to the top. Taxi!!! The cue sheets offline weren't accurate and this was a bit frustrating at times. Lots of "we missed the turns" and "that was our road". We stopped for directions once and close to the end of the ride, realized we'd overshot our final destination. Needless to say, we found our way back and were able to make a fairly quick transition into a run. Success!

Aside from meeting Teri and her friends, the highlight of the trip was undoubtedly my first official initiation into the hardcore cycling community. In an attempt to avoid the bolt-heads on the railroad tracks, I turned my front wheel slightly to the left. This proved to be quite an error in judgment as I soon found myself on the ground checking out the bolt-heads up close and personal and bringing new meaning to "throwing yourself in front of a train". In that instant, I saw my IM days flash quickly before me. It's amazing what you think of in the span of 10 seconds. Luckily, I wasn't injured (nor Barry who took a similar fall right behind me) and my body (today I was thankful for a meaty booty) broke Buzz's fall as I left no bike parts, only my own DNA, on the pavement. I think that I can honestly say, I got a Georgia peach tattooed on my hiney! As we gathered the group back together, a ringing bell and blaring horns reminded our group of exactly where I'd fallen...on the tracks! Oncoming train! LOL. This made for a much quicker recovery.

We ended the day, including the missed turns, downtown traffic and redlights, and my first crash averaging 17.1 MPH. We did a little over 65 miles in 3:52:12. Not exceptional, but today, I'll take it! :) And at the end of the day, Teri and I actually had a chance to stop and talk, if only for a little while. I have no doubt that we'll meet again on these same roads in near future. IM Augusta 70.3!

The Georgia peach tattoo and I will run 13.1 miles in the morning. I can hardly wait :)

BlueSeventy Siren Swim Goggles

Finally, a pair of swim goggles that rock! On the advice of a good friend, I decided to check out the goggle selection offered by BlueSeventy, the same company that makes my wetsuit. The product, Siren, are women specific goggles that are exceptionally light, comfortable and remarkably clear. I decided to try them in both the pool and in the lake. Both were remarkably successful. I would highly recommend these goggles to anyone having trouble with pain around the eye socket or if they are just looking for a comfy pair of goggles.

We did an open water swim last night for 45 minutes, non-stop. This was a great swim and I felt very strong overall. Continuing to work on spotting, stroke efficiency and endurance. I can't wait to put it all together and see how it turns out at the Half IM. I think this will be a good test of what I need to focus on in the remaining weeks before IMAZ.

Gimme A Break

Wow! What a weekend...I am so thankful that today is the beginning of a recovery week. Saturday was unbelievably hot and humid for a 90-mile bike ride. We started exceptionally early and joined in with some friends who started cycling at 8:00AM. By then, we were "warmed up" to say the least and rode with them for about 17-miles before breaking off and venturing out to climb the hills of Newberry County as we'd originally planned. This was an L1/L2 ride for us and despite pedaling at a consistent pace, neither of us could find our groove. Several times I looked down to check my gears - I felt like we were pushing through a dense wall of humidity and thick air. I can honestly say that this ride today was not fun. By the time the ride was over, all we wanted to do was hit the lake and that's what we did. No run like we had on the schedule. Some days are just like that right?...

Day two - Some days are just like that right? We were supposed to do an open water swim this morning. Feeling guilty from yesterday, we decided we would run first to get some mileage in so we headed to Riverfront Park with the IM ladies + 1. We ran a little under 6-miles and then were off to swim. ROADBLOCK - our swim location was unavailable as one of our fellow swimmers was sick! EEK! Change of plan. We decided that we would swim later in the afternoon. Ummm, yeah, that didn't happen. My training partner and I were just tired. Simply put.

I am so relieved that this is a recovery week. Perhaps this past weekend was a subconscious anticipation of the week ahead. We are going to take it easy except for a few days where we are going to add a few things in just for good measure and a little extra mileage. The weekend allows for an "optional half Ironman"...I find that so funny to think about...it's on there like today you decide, yeah, I'll do a half this weekend...hope I can find one. Anyway, we're going to Augusta on Saturday to ride the Half IM cycling route. Sunday will be a long run and then we begin the "Competitive Phase" of our training schedule. This is intensity at it's finest.

33 Days Until IM Augusta 70.3!!!

Drills, Drills and No Thrills

The last two days have been tiring, tedious and torture! One-legged cycling drills, speed running drills, speed cycling drills, etc. Between the indoor trainer and the treadmill, I am ready for some open road action this weekend. The plan ahead: today is a 1.8 mile set of swim drills. If I can make it through tonight's workout, I get an off night tomorrow and then the weekend begins. YAY!!!

The plan for the weekend includes some fun things like lake activities, shopping, dinner with friends, etc. BUT, the real fun is the 90-mile bike ride followed by a 3-mile run on Saturday with a 1.75 mile open water swim on Sunday. I know, for many, that sounds like the REAL torture but that's so much more fun than any "stationary" exercise.

Return to Open Water Swimming

I was supposed to race yesterday in the Tri the Parks Series in Georgia but had opted out given my lack of open water swimming time over the last month. This was my first post-op open water swim and admittedly, I was a little nervous, especially given the fact that it would not be just my training partner and I. Laura, Sheila, Midge and I had decided to meet to swim at Lake Murray in a cove where one of them lives. I'd heard and seen previous swim times and knew that Sheila is a very good swimmer. Last year she swam the 2-mile dam swim in a little over an hour. I think that's a very respectable time to say the least given the comparison to me. Being the competitive one that I am, I decided I'd give chase for a little while and see where that got me. Off the dock, into the water and in hot pursuit. Surprisingly, I actually wasn't that far behind her. My training partner and I really only had to swim a mile and we had a pretty good idea of what this entailed for us based on Sheila's previous GPS tracking of the area. This area is absolutely ideal for swimming.

It was nice to be back in the open water again. I still think breathing for me has improved. I also made a slight adjustment to my swim stroke based on some advice I'd received from my training partner's observation. This made a huge difference, too.

Two days off this week...Monday and Friday. I broke down and ordered some women specific Blue Seventy Siren goggles for a friend and I tonight. We've both had issues with a cramp about 2700+ meters into the swims right below the eyebrow and slightly adjacent to the bridge of the nose. Will give these a try during Thursday's swim workout. Looking forward to trying them out. I'll give a review of them perhaps.