I raced a lot this year! Some were awful, some were OK, and some were awesome. The important thing is that I was racing and training again. And having fun doing it! I sat down to write race reports a number of times, but just was not feeling the writing bug this year. But I am gearing up for another full distance triathlon so there will be lots going on in my head. I found the last few times that I was on the Ironman roller coaster writing about it helped me to get excited to race and also deal with the plethora of emotions that comes from training for and racing a long distance race!
2015 Races:
Groton Road Race 10k
White Mountains 70.3
Westboro Off Road Sprint Triathlon
Cranberry Oly
Title IX Sprint
Pilgrimman Oly relay with Carole and Edith
Groton Trail Race 9.5
Season Recap:
I was humbled by the White Mountains 70.3. The conditions were cold and windy which did not help matters. I finished but it took every bit of will, determination, and bull headedness not to drop out ! I underestimated how much endurance builds up season to season. I am accustomed to finishing in the middle to top of the pack, but I was close to last that day. Finishing it proved to myself that I could do a long distance race again. I had a bit of foot pain, if I recall, but I was out there for a very long time and did a lot of walking. It did not last and I was able to start training again soon after!
Summer came and I started playing on the trails more and swimming a lot in Walden. I enjoyed my summer doing short training sessions. I even did non triathlon outside stuff; like a ropes course and played on SUP board! I found my love for triathlon again this summer. The later part of racing was fun! Really really fun! At times they were hard, but hard in way that I love. I found a tiny bit of speed and built up my endurance! I even did a few short triathlons. It was lovely to be done a race and home by noon! They helped me build some speed over a shorter distance without worrying about bonking later in an event. But I do love long distance racing the most! I love how spent I get after I've given my all. I love how I can't walk the next day. And how I say things like "o it's only a 40 mile ride or 13 mile run".
Last year I did the Groton Trail race 3 miler. I recall having some foot pain during and after (as well as it kicking my ass!). This year I did the 9.5. It was a tough race and I was very challenged by steep trail ups n downs. The front and back part of the course were heavy with the hills, but the middle piece was nice and flat. I moved pretty slow over the first 3 miles but then found some speed and actually felt really good for most of the race. I was very pleased with the race.
It is now mid November. I have been focusing on swimming, running, and strength with some short outdoor and indoor rides thrown in there. I am having fun training and feeling really really good! If I feel like this in March next year going into 140.6 training I will be very pleased. Speaking of 2016: tentative race plan: Quassy 70.3, Westboro Off Road, and Cedar Point 140. I am turning 40 next year and I plan to take it by storm! Fitter at 40 than 20! I am changing things for 2016 but I will get into that later! A big change is going to be my nutrition!
I have found a rythm and awesomeness with living with Amy and the kids. I am still not super awesome at dealing with kid drama, but I am getting there. I'm better able to juggle family stuff with training/racing, friends, and work. I have never been more happy with that part of my life than I am now.
Work is a different story. And I thank Amy, my friends, and triathlon for my ability to get through all of the drama the last three months. I left PT&SR in August for an outpatient job in Lowell. It was more money and much closer to home. It looked good on paper but proved to be a nightmare. I won't go into details here, but I am leaving this job on December 7 for a new adventure. I will be working at Seven Hills Pediatric Center in Groton. My hours will be something like 7-3 four days a week. One day a week I hope to be at an out patient facility (this in the works). One of the best things about the new job is that it is 3 miles away! I went from an hour commute to less that 10 minutes! I will be able to run or ride there a lot. I hope to ride most of the winter; pending winter conditions. I gave my notice yesterday and felt a ginormous weight lift from my shoulders. I have been a grumpy stress ball for several months. Everything is coming together for a great upcoming year of living, training, and racing.
I feel so fortunate to have a gaggle of people in my life. You are all amazing and I could not be who and where I am without all of you. Thank you!
#Newtons #TYR #TeamEnVision #trisports.com #trek #herballife
IMLP
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Sunday, April 5, 2015
spring has SPRUNG
For a long time I didn't want to look at my Garmin during a run, or swim for that matter. I recorded data, logged it, but rarely looked at HR or pace after. I didn't care and I knew that I was not fast. I didn't want my workouts to remind me of how out of shape I was or how I was not making gains. It would just make working out less fun that it seemed to be.
But I kept at it. Logged the laps. Logged the trainer minutes. Logged those short runs outside in the grueling single digit temps. Logged the treadmill miles. Diligently did my strength workouts twice a week and stretched at least four times a week with nightly foam rolling. I ate healthy, started to cut out alcohol and sweets. And then something happened. I started getting faster. Started to have fun on my workouts and look forward to them again! I started feeling good on them even when I felt a little icky going in. I even have started feeling good at the end of a long workout. Could I....maybe....perhaps...could it be that I...am. becoming...an ....endurance...ATHLETE again?!!? More on that in a minute.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG people! New Englanders have endured a winter of enormous proportion. We complained about it adn got a little crazy. But we got thru. That is what we do in NE. I was visiting family in Littleton, NH this weekend and was below freezing and snowing when I left. But I returned to 45 degree sunshine in MA! Things had melted when I was gone and we actually have a lawn again. Flowers are beginning to pop up! The sun is feeling warmer and days are getting longer.
Today I had to talk myself into going for a run. I was away all weekend and did not sleep well. But I knew that I needed to go for my run and that this maybe the best weather in the next couple of days. I got out there and had a really good 8.2 miles. Though it was not fast in my prior running standards it is the fastest 8 miler to date this season and one on a fatigued body. The point is that I am finally feeling good. I am definetly not were I was in two years ago, but think that if I continue to be smart this year I will make some solid gains.
More important than being fast is that I am having fun again. I am running with a group of folks in Harvard weekly. We mostly do 5 miles today. I have also started swimming with a Masters team at the Groton school 1-2 times per week. It is a much smaller group than Cambridge Masters or Boston City Swimmers, but is a group to swim with and be motivated by. Right now I am in my own lane, but think that soon I can jump up to the faster lane and get pushed a bit. TE group rides will start this weekend. I did my best and improved the most when I was training with others who are slightly faster than me. I also very much enjoy and thrive by the camaraderie of training and racing together. I need that crazy community of athletes.
I have signed up for the Whitemountains Triathlon at Echo Lake in Franconia, NH June 6. It is in my old stopping ground and super hilly!! I look forward to the challenge.
I have turned a few corners over the winter and seem to be making good gains right now. We shall see how that translates to outdoor riding and bricks.
But I kept at it. Logged the laps. Logged the trainer minutes. Logged those short runs outside in the grueling single digit temps. Logged the treadmill miles. Diligently did my strength workouts twice a week and stretched at least four times a week with nightly foam rolling. I ate healthy, started to cut out alcohol and sweets. And then something happened. I started getting faster. Started to have fun on my workouts and look forward to them again! I started feeling good on them even when I felt a little icky going in. I even have started feeling good at the end of a long workout. Could I....maybe....perhaps...could it be that I...am. becoming...an ....endurance...ATHLETE again?!!? More on that in a minute.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG people! New Englanders have endured a winter of enormous proportion. We complained about it adn got a little crazy. But we got thru. That is what we do in NE. I was visiting family in Littleton, NH this weekend and was below freezing and snowing when I left. But I returned to 45 degree sunshine in MA! Things had melted when I was gone and we actually have a lawn again. Flowers are beginning to pop up! The sun is feeling warmer and days are getting longer.
Today I had to talk myself into going for a run. I was away all weekend and did not sleep well. But I knew that I needed to go for my run and that this maybe the best weather in the next couple of days. I got out there and had a really good 8.2 miles. Though it was not fast in my prior running standards it is the fastest 8 miler to date this season and one on a fatigued body. The point is that I am finally feeling good. I am definetly not were I was in two years ago, but think that if I continue to be smart this year I will make some solid gains.
More important than being fast is that I am having fun again. I am running with a group of folks in Harvard weekly. We mostly do 5 miles today. I have also started swimming with a Masters team at the Groton school 1-2 times per week. It is a much smaller group than Cambridge Masters or Boston City Swimmers, but is a group to swim with and be motivated by. Right now I am in my own lane, but think that soon I can jump up to the faster lane and get pushed a bit. TE group rides will start this weekend. I did my best and improved the most when I was training with others who are slightly faster than me. I also very much enjoy and thrive by the camaraderie of training and racing together. I need that crazy community of athletes.
I have signed up for the Whitemountains Triathlon at Echo Lake in Franconia, NH June 6. It is in my old stopping ground and super hilly!! I look forward to the challenge.
I have turned a few corners over the winter and seem to be making good gains right now. We shall see how that translates to outdoor riding and bricks.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Snowmagddon 2015 and other ramblings
It is March 8rd and New England is still largely buried in snow. Boston has gotten over 100 inches and we got closer to 112. The last few weeks there has been some melting and snow bank clearing. Finally we have a small shoulder on the roads. It is safer to drive, walk and run. In the last week we've actually had temps over 32 degrees. I recall hearing that we did not go above freezing for three weeks. It is the craziest winter in recent memory in MA. Commutes have been hell and people have a little bit lost their minds.
Many of my runs have been inside and most outdoor runs have been in frigid conditions and quite frankly have risked my life running on the roads. I have been extra careful running; avoiding dark runs, wearing super bright clothes, always running on the opposite side of the street, and trying to avoid main roads. I live in the boonies now and folks are just not as nice to runners and bikers. Bostonians thou not always nice are tolerant and mostly considerate. If you include honking as considerate. A few weeks ago someone posted on Nextdoor about her irritation with runners, bikers and walkers on the streets. The posts that followed mad me sad and a little angry. It was a lot of the "roads are made for cars. and how dare anyone be out on the roads other than cars". How dare anyone risk their lives or the lives of drivers for the sake of cardio. Someone actually said that. I understood the anti -runner/biker/walker sentiment to an extent. The roads have been terrible for a greater part of 6 weeks. They have barely been passable to cars let alone pedestrians and cyclist. BUT if done safely roads can be shared.
I resisted the urge to respond to the post as many others had responded the way in which I would. Instead I have been extra cautious and courteous to drivers while running and walking. I have waved to all drivers even if they're jerky to me. I am hoping if I wave I make myself human and perhaps less likely to be hit? I keep wondering how we can change the attitude that cars own the road. Clearly this is not just an issue in the winter, but can be more dangerous this time of the year. I wonder if a mass mailing to all drivers re the rules of the road might help. Or a segment and push in the media about the rights of pedestrians and cyclist. I believe that many drivers truly do not know that cyclist have the right to be on the road. Would education help to improve behavior? For now I am focusing on positive re-enforcement and good behavior on my part.
The good thing about treadmill runs is that it forced me to work on technique and speed. Slowly I gained speed in the last two months. I have been diligent with my strength training, stretching, swimming, biking, and running. I am now able to run a 5k avg 9-9:15/ mile, up from about 9:45. On my longer runs I avg closer to a 9:30 but sometimes faster. The best part is that I finally feel that I have a little extra to give during all my workouts. My persistence, determination, and diligence has finally paid off. I am feeling good at this point in the season. I can pretty comfortably run 7.5 miles without any foot pain!! o! I have discovered and fallen in love with Rock My Run. It is an online streaming and download site with playlists for running or working out. They have a paid and free service. Currently I use the free service which gives me one download per month. Check them out: http://www.rockmyrun.com/
I joined a Masters swim program in Groton last Monday. For now I can only swim once per week with them. But I think this will be a good way to ramp up my training and meet some swimmer people. I have been riding inside on my trainer mostly using Paincave. I think it is helping me with my cadence and equal leg power. I am itching to get out on the road. We have a warm week coming up so I am hopeful that this may happen in the next two weeks. My body is responding to my training in a way that it has not in over a year. Perhaps I really did need a full year of low key low intensity training to heal and recover from previous intense training and racing.
The trial of accused Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev started a week ago Monday. I have been trying to avoid watching any footage. Simply hearing the words (paraphrased) "that bombs disrupted a normal joyful and celebratory day two years ago" sent me into tears. I don't want to hear play by play accounts of the day. I certainly don't want to hear what Tsarnaev has to say. I understand that for some this maybe cathartic but it is too painful and still to raw for me. The Boston Marathon was the first Marathon that I did and was done Bandit style. I did not know what I was doing but still managed to cross that line in one piece. The Marathon will always hold a special place in my heart and life. When I moved to the city and went to the marathon for the first time as a spectator I really discovered what the day meant to all of the city and state. Whether you're a runner or not for that one day you become a fan. For many it is an excuse to party . But that comes with cheering on runners! Where else do we get thousands of spectators along the whole route cheering on runners?!!? As a runner you feel like a rock star for most of the course. As a spectator you're proud of the runners and of the city. It is a day that is difficult to articulate and needs to be experienced at least once. Runners, college students, business professionals, families, non-runners, Red Sox fans, and people from all over the world come together.
Someone tried to destroy that day, but they messed with the wrong city and the wrong crowd. Boston and runners are two of the most resilient groups I know. I won't let them destroy what it means to me and I will be there every year. I think this is why I can't watch the trials. I don't want the terror and sadness to move to the forefront of my brain. I want to remember those who died and lost limbs, but not the terror. I want to remember how the city and world came together after. How we took back the Marathon in 2014. How so many folks who lost limbs came back and plan to run. How so many people came together and helped strangers in a time of crisis. We cannot be broken. This week I have been taking a moment to be thankful for all that I have each time I do a workout and feel the warm sun on my face or feel the cold air in my lungs. I am lucky to have everything I do. Lucky to able to swim, bike, and run.
Many of my runs have been inside and most outdoor runs have been in frigid conditions and quite frankly have risked my life running on the roads. I have been extra careful running; avoiding dark runs, wearing super bright clothes, always running on the opposite side of the street, and trying to avoid main roads. I live in the boonies now and folks are just not as nice to runners and bikers. Bostonians thou not always nice are tolerant and mostly considerate. If you include honking as considerate. A few weeks ago someone posted on Nextdoor about her irritation with runners, bikers and walkers on the streets. The posts that followed mad me sad and a little angry. It was a lot of the "roads are made for cars. and how dare anyone be out on the roads other than cars". How dare anyone risk their lives or the lives of drivers for the sake of cardio. Someone actually said that. I understood the anti -runner/biker/walker sentiment to an extent. The roads have been terrible for a greater part of 6 weeks. They have barely been passable to cars let alone pedestrians and cyclist. BUT if done safely roads can be shared.
I resisted the urge to respond to the post as many others had responded the way in which I would. Instead I have been extra cautious and courteous to drivers while running and walking. I have waved to all drivers even if they're jerky to me. I am hoping if I wave I make myself human and perhaps less likely to be hit? I keep wondering how we can change the attitude that cars own the road. Clearly this is not just an issue in the winter, but can be more dangerous this time of the year. I wonder if a mass mailing to all drivers re the rules of the road might help. Or a segment and push in the media about the rights of pedestrians and cyclist. I believe that many drivers truly do not know that cyclist have the right to be on the road. Would education help to improve behavior? For now I am focusing on positive re-enforcement and good behavior on my part.
The good thing about treadmill runs is that it forced me to work on technique and speed. Slowly I gained speed in the last two months. I have been diligent with my strength training, stretching, swimming, biking, and running. I am now able to run a 5k avg 9-9:15/ mile, up from about 9:45. On my longer runs I avg closer to a 9:30 but sometimes faster. The best part is that I finally feel that I have a little extra to give during all my workouts. My persistence, determination, and diligence has finally paid off. I am feeling good at this point in the season. I can pretty comfortably run 7.5 miles without any foot pain!! o! I have discovered and fallen in love with Rock My Run. It is an online streaming and download site with playlists for running or working out. They have a paid and free service. Currently I use the free service which gives me one download per month. Check them out: http://www.rockmyrun.com/
I joined a Masters swim program in Groton last Monday. For now I can only swim once per week with them. But I think this will be a good way to ramp up my training and meet some swimmer people. I have been riding inside on my trainer mostly using Paincave. I think it is helping me with my cadence and equal leg power. I am itching to get out on the road. We have a warm week coming up so I am hopeful that this may happen in the next two weeks. My body is responding to my training in a way that it has not in over a year. Perhaps I really did need a full year of low key low intensity training to heal and recover from previous intense training and racing.
The trial of accused Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev started a week ago Monday. I have been trying to avoid watching any footage. Simply hearing the words (paraphrased) "that bombs disrupted a normal joyful and celebratory day two years ago" sent me into tears. I don't want to hear play by play accounts of the day. I certainly don't want to hear what Tsarnaev has to say. I understand that for some this maybe cathartic but it is too painful and still to raw for me. The Boston Marathon was the first Marathon that I did and was done Bandit style. I did not know what I was doing but still managed to cross that line in one piece. The Marathon will always hold a special place in my heart and life. When I moved to the city and went to the marathon for the first time as a spectator I really discovered what the day meant to all of the city and state. Whether you're a runner or not for that one day you become a fan. For many it is an excuse to party . But that comes with cheering on runners! Where else do we get thousands of spectators along the whole route cheering on runners?!!? As a runner you feel like a rock star for most of the course. As a spectator you're proud of the runners and of the city. It is a day that is difficult to articulate and needs to be experienced at least once. Runners, college students, business professionals, families, non-runners, Red Sox fans, and people from all over the world come together.
Someone tried to destroy that day, but they messed with the wrong city and the wrong crowd. Boston and runners are two of the most resilient groups I know. I won't let them destroy what it means to me and I will be there every year. I think this is why I can't watch the trials. I don't want the terror and sadness to move to the forefront of my brain. I want to remember those who died and lost limbs, but not the terror. I want to remember how the city and world came together after. How we took back the Marathon in 2014. How so many folks who lost limbs came back and plan to run. How so many people came together and helped strangers in a time of crisis. We cannot be broken. This week I have been taking a moment to be thankful for all that I have each time I do a workout and feel the warm sun on my face or feel the cold air in my lungs. I am lucky to have everything I do. Lucky to able to swim, bike, and run.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Snails pace build
For nearly two months I have been slowly building my strength and endurance. I have been at a level of fitness for so long I've forgotten how it feels to be this out of shape. Of course, this is a relative and compared to most I am very fit. It has been nearly 7 years that I've been able to run 7-8 miles without issue any time of the year. I am not there yet, but I am making baby steps.
Run: I am up to 4.5 miles without pain. I am still slow, averaging just under a 9:30 pace for this distance. The important thing is that it is pain free. When I do get pain it is more discomfort rather than PAIN. Part of that discomfort is my feet and ankles re-adapting to the pounding of running. I've forgotten that process. This week I completed the Dover Raid which involved run-walk in snow, ice, wet trails and pavement for a total of 13 miles. Then I ran 1 mile on the treadmill, 2.8 on road, and a 5k (Marathon Sports Jingle Bell Run). A grand total of nearly 20 miles of running and walking. I've not covered this distance since late January. My foot and medial ankle are a little angry today, but it is tolerable.
Bike: I am riding inside right now. The weather has been icky and cold. I've discovered Paincave bike workouts on line. I am feeling stronger with each week on the bike. I did one spin class and did like it. I plan to go once a week starting this coming Saturday. It will be nice to have some variety to my bike workouts. I am hoping that the weather will hover around 40 with clearish roads. That I can handle. Maybe even some trail riding! I think I need to get in for another bike fitting. There is a chance that some tweaking will help to keep my foot and ankle healthy.
Swim: I am swimming three times a week. I've gradually been building to a mile or so of stroke and free. I've been focusing on form mostly. This week I will begin to add some speed work into the mix. I hope to start going to a Masters class once a week once I'm able to easily swim for 45 min three times a week. The goal is to begin in January. For some strange reason I have fallen in love with Butterfly. I am not sure that my stroke is super pretty, but I am fairly efficient! My ability to feel the water and my movement through it is right on target right now. I have started closing my eyes every now and then to work on feeling the water and swimming in a straight line.
Strength: I am doing a long strength workout twice a week and a core workout once a week. I am feeling stronger each week. I am focusing on hip and core strength, as well as single leg balance and stability.
I have finally gotten back into a rythm of working out. For months when I've been tired I've talked myself out a workout. Part of that was being tired of "having" to do a workout for whatever race it was I was training for. Part of it was being in a new environment and living with Amy. There are more distractions now! I've forced myself to do my workouts regularly in order to get back into shape and get to that point of loving it again. There have been days when I've been tired, but the result is not a crappy workout. Instead, I've felt good and surprised myself!
I am in a good place heading into the Christmas -New Year holiday rush. I've built a solid base for the upcoming season. If I continue to be smart I feel that I will be in a great spot to be bad ass next season.
Possible race schedule 2015: Challenge Family Quassy 70.3, Mass State Oly, Westborough off road with Sun Multisport, Cranberry Oly, and maybe a late season half!
Run: I am up to 4.5 miles without pain. I am still slow, averaging just under a 9:30 pace for this distance. The important thing is that it is pain free. When I do get pain it is more discomfort rather than PAIN. Part of that discomfort is my feet and ankles re-adapting to the pounding of running. I've forgotten that process. This week I completed the Dover Raid which involved run-walk in snow, ice, wet trails and pavement for a total of 13 miles. Then I ran 1 mile on the treadmill, 2.8 on road, and a 5k (Marathon Sports Jingle Bell Run). A grand total of nearly 20 miles of running and walking. I've not covered this distance since late January. My foot and medial ankle are a little angry today, but it is tolerable.
Bike: I am riding inside right now. The weather has been icky and cold. I've discovered Paincave bike workouts on line. I am feeling stronger with each week on the bike. I did one spin class and did like it. I plan to go once a week starting this coming Saturday. It will be nice to have some variety to my bike workouts. I am hoping that the weather will hover around 40 with clearish roads. That I can handle. Maybe even some trail riding! I think I need to get in for another bike fitting. There is a chance that some tweaking will help to keep my foot and ankle healthy.
Swim: I am swimming three times a week. I've gradually been building to a mile or so of stroke and free. I've been focusing on form mostly. This week I will begin to add some speed work into the mix. I hope to start going to a Masters class once a week once I'm able to easily swim for 45 min three times a week. The goal is to begin in January. For some strange reason I have fallen in love with Butterfly. I am not sure that my stroke is super pretty, but I am fairly efficient! My ability to feel the water and my movement through it is right on target right now. I have started closing my eyes every now and then to work on feeling the water and swimming in a straight line.
Strength: I am doing a long strength workout twice a week and a core workout once a week. I am feeling stronger each week. I am focusing on hip and core strength, as well as single leg balance and stability.
I have finally gotten back into a rythm of working out. For months when I've been tired I've talked myself out a workout. Part of that was being tired of "having" to do a workout for whatever race it was I was training for. Part of it was being in a new environment and living with Amy. There are more distractions now! I've forced myself to do my workouts regularly in order to get back into shape and get to that point of loving it again. There have been days when I've been tired, but the result is not a crappy workout. Instead, I've felt good and surprised myself!
I am in a good place heading into the Christmas -New Year holiday rush. I've built a solid base for the upcoming season. If I continue to be smart I feel that I will be in a great spot to be bad ass next season.
Possible race schedule 2015: Challenge Family Quassy 70.3, Mass State Oly, Westborough off road with Sun Multisport, Cranberry Oly, and maybe a late season half!
Friday, October 24, 2014
annnd that is a wrap ladies and gentleman
2014 Racing season is done. Did it ever really begin? Compared to the last 7 years the answer is no, however; this wise now slightly aged womyn says yes.
2014 started with a goal of doing my first 30 mile running race and several shorter triathlons. Some where in January I hurt my foot. I am still not 100% sure what I did but it was some sort of stress reaction that led to posterior tib tendonitis. I kinda ran, swam, biked, and kinda strength trained. I was pretty bummed that I was unable to run the way I wanted to. Instead of being smart I tried pushing through it. I did bike more and tried swimming. I had a very hard time getting into a new rythm with the new move, new location, new commute, new humans, and new mammals. NEW EVERTYTHING. For this creature of habit it was a learning curve. I finally got into a rythm and stopped sulking about not being able to run in late July. I started strength training, biking, and swimming more. Stopped running more than one mile. Took off my running hat and put on my PT hat. I now have a pair of ALINE orthotics for work and run. I am now able to run about 4 painfree miles and can even do short (2ish) back to back!
Races this season:
Groton Road Race 5k 26:45 22/102.
Pilgrimman Oly Tri relay with Becky.
Groton Trail Race 3.4 miles 35.48 47/83
In the last 60 days I have felt stronger than I have all season. I feel that I am finally in a routine. I am feeling confident that I will be in a good position to race next season. I have made myself a return to run program and a core strengthening program to get stronger! I think a big part of my foot issue stemmed from weak hips, abs, and back (what we in the PT world call core). Over the winter I will gain stability and work on slowly building my running base back. I hope to do some cross country skiing and snowshoeing to work on cardio in ways that are not biking and running.
I want to come back on fire next season. If I am smart and deligent I can do it. The 2014 season is done shortly after it started.
Things I accomplished:
I moved out of JP into Ayer with my amazing girlfriend with our little family. Into a house with a garage (bike storage!), a basement (PAINCAVE!), and a yard.
I continue to LOVE my job.
I remembered why I love triathlon so so much and how much I adore racing with Team EnVision
I learned to really ride a mountain bike. I am by no means amazing but I can do it and I don't totally freak out.
I did my first trail race.
This season did not turn out as I had planned but that is OK. Next up Turkey Trot!
2014 started with a goal of doing my first 30 mile running race and several shorter triathlons. Some where in January I hurt my foot. I am still not 100% sure what I did but it was some sort of stress reaction that led to posterior tib tendonitis. I kinda ran, swam, biked, and kinda strength trained. I was pretty bummed that I was unable to run the way I wanted to. Instead of being smart I tried pushing through it. I did bike more and tried swimming. I had a very hard time getting into a new rythm with the new move, new location, new commute, new humans, and new mammals. NEW EVERTYTHING. For this creature of habit it was a learning curve. I finally got into a rythm and stopped sulking about not being able to run in late July. I started strength training, biking, and swimming more. Stopped running more than one mile. Took off my running hat and put on my PT hat. I now have a pair of ALINE orthotics for work and run. I am now able to run about 4 painfree miles and can even do short (2ish) back to back!
Races this season:
Groton Road Race 5k 26:45 22/102.
Pilgrimman Oly Tri relay with Becky.
Groton Trail Race 3.4 miles 35.48 47/83
In the last 60 days I have felt stronger than I have all season. I feel that I am finally in a routine. I am feeling confident that I will be in a good position to race next season. I have made myself a return to run program and a core strengthening program to get stronger! I think a big part of my foot issue stemmed from weak hips, abs, and back (what we in the PT world call core). Over the winter I will gain stability and work on slowly building my running base back. I hope to do some cross country skiing and snowshoeing to work on cardio in ways that are not biking and running.
I want to come back on fire next season. If I am smart and deligent I can do it. The 2014 season is done shortly after it started.
Things I accomplished:
I moved out of JP into Ayer with my amazing girlfriend with our little family. Into a house with a garage (bike storage!), a basement (PAINCAVE!), and a yard.
I continue to LOVE my job.
I remembered why I love triathlon so so much and how much I adore racing with Team EnVision
I learned to really ride a mountain bike. I am by no means amazing but I can do it and I don't totally freak out.
I did my first trail race.
This season did not turn out as I had planned but that is OK. Next up Turkey Trot!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Lake Placid Ironman 2013 Race Report
Things were different this time around. With Vineman I traveled to CA alone and raced alone. I had no one to calm my fears or to celebrate with until a few days later. At IMLP I traveled with a gaggle of friends. They were my secret weapon. In various ways the helped to calm my nerves and motivate me at exactly the right time. As you will soon find out I needed it.
Amy, Cort, Carole and I traveled up the Thur before the race. The drive was gorgeous and windy thru the back roads of VT and NY. Immediately upon entering Upper Jay I was awe struck by the beauty. Already I was excited to race here. The Navajo Lodge where we stayed was incredible. It was huge with all sorts of unique corners and knick knacks. And the kitchen was huge. Carole and I started the weekend off right with a short 45 min ride while Amy did her organizational thing. That night we drove into Lake Placid so that Carole could swim and I could run. I got butterflies driving through Athlete Village and a little teary eyed running through it. Never have I said hi to so many people on a 20 min run!!!
The next day Becky and Mona arrived. Friday was a rest day but filled with pre-race obligations. The anxiety set in when I registered. Thanx to Amy and the girls I felt better by the time I went to bed that night. I was scared of the swim start. Scared that I would get knocked in the head. Scared I would have a panic attack. Scared of the Keene descent. Scared I would bonk. Scared I would let down the 12 people who came to cheer me on. Travel 4-6 hours just for me. By the end of the night I was feeling better about the swim and confident in my training. No matter what happened I would enjoy the day. I put in the hours and was so fortunate to able to be there. Enjoy every minute.
Saturday was filled with the final pre-race obligations: gear and bike drop off, quick ride with my girls, and a swim in Mirror Lake. Hair cut, Henna application, nutrition prep for the race day all with the help of Amy. Everyone arrived and cooked an amazing dinner of grilled chicken, seitan, veggies, pasta, and salad. We had a big family dinner followed by a nice fire. It was the perfect way to end the night before Ironman. I slept reasonably well until 3:30 am.
And so the day began. Parking was easy and we took the shuttle for ~ 1 mile. Man did I feel like a goober doing that! I ran into my friend Vic at body marking. Always great to see a familiar face that morning. There were SOO SOOO many athletes and spectators. I added a few things to my bags, checked on Speedy and headed down to the water with Amy; eating my samich and coffee as we went. I was super nervous but also filled with confidence. Having Amy there helped calm my nerves tremendously. Around 6:10 I jumped in the water to acclimate and warm up; then found my place at the back of the 1:10-1:20 group over the far left. My plan was to stay left most of the way and perhaps work my way to the center. The Pros cannon went off then ours 10 minutes later. We all filed into the water. It was a smooth start. I was a bit anxious but was able to find my rhythm fairly quickly and did not get swam over. I felt pretty good in the water on the first loop. I proudly swam until my hand hit the bottom, hopped up and ran into the second loop and dove perfectly back into Mirror Lake. I took two perfect strokes and then BAM I get knocked in the head by some dude not paying attention. There was no excuse really. It was just he and I in that little section of water. I stopped and yelled and him as it rattled me a bit. But regained my composure. The second lap went well but I was getting cold by the end. Over all pleased, though slower than last 140.6. I blame the dude who clobbered me. I jumped out of the water got my little wetsuit stripped and headed into T1.
Let's talk about transitions in Ironman. As you enter transition there are a zillion volunteers telling you where to go. You grab your transition bag and head into the tent. One volunteer helps you change into appropriate gear and organize. I did not expect this and tried really hard not the laugh as my lady tried to help me with my socks and stuff my nutrition in my shirt. It was a pretty speedy transition considering the long distance between the water and transition. By the time we exited the water it had rained and was cool. Thank goodness for the rainbow arm warmers! I heard and saw all of my peeps as I exited out on the bike! Another boost!!
I took it easy on the first part of the bike. Partially to warm up and partially to pace myself. The course was crowded by not chaotic. I came to my first serious descent and then the infamous Keene descents. The road was a bit wet so I rode with caution. Within a mile I relaxed a bit and found my confidence, looked around at this AMAZING scenery, and killed it. I am still not sure how fast I was going 'cause I am having trouble uploading my data. Buuuut I am pretty sure I was close to 40 if not faster. I felt in complete control but was going fast! I was grinning from ear to ear at the bottom. The next 20 or so miles were false flats or flats. Up until the long hills I was averaging 19 mph. I have not done that all season. I was feeling fast and fantastic. At some point I dropped a Perform and ran out of water. This may have been the cause of future issues. Again, I paced myself on the hills until I hit the last one. Before rounding the corner you could hear the crowd. The hill was lined with spectators and riders. I downshifted and sped up the hill. I was in complete control and let the crowd and energy carry me up the hill and around the corner to the final climb before going into loop 2. I felt a little tight in the next ten miles but good by the time I hit the descends. Again, I rocked them. I got a boost when I saw my Amy in her aid station! I wanted to stop and kiss her, but there were hills to climb and a marathon to run! I slowed down a bit on this round of climbs, but rode solidly. Then, then I came to the final climb. Again, the crowd pushed me up the hill. I shifted and...and ...and I dropped by chain. I managed to unclip my right foot but keeled over to the left. I got a little bruised but was other wise ok. I got out of the way and got some encouragement from a spectating couple. The dude really wanted to help me, but didn't want me to be DQ'd. I took some deep breaths and got it back on the chainring! phew. I would have walked the final miles if I had to!!! He DID give me a little push up the hill. I think I lost about 5 minutes. I saw Carole and heard everyone else coming in on the bike. The crowd was amazing thru Athlete Village!
I hit the ground running and feeling fantastic! My legs felt weirdly good. I saw Mark coming down the hill heading out of town. He gave me a giant hug and exclaimed how cool it was to see me. I felt great running through town, then I took my first Clif Shot and immediately felt nauseous. I slowed a bit and switched over to water only, walking thru rest stops. Then it was time for Clif Shot #2. I could only get 1/2 down. CRAP. At this point I switched to water and pretzels, still walking only thru aid stations. Around mile 8 I started feeling really shitty. I was running out of energy and had 18 to miles to go. I thought of all my friends and family who were in Lake Placid just for me. I thought of Amy. Of Tootsie. Of every friend at home and around the US. Of every Marathon victim. Of all my patients who could not run. I pushed on. I walked. I jogged. I ran. I was strong up and over the hills back into Athlete Village. I saw Amy, Mona, and Carole right away. Everyone else was across the way. Immediately my spirits rose. I actually stopped and hugged them and pushed on. At this point I was feeling nauseous and low on energy. I could keep pretzles, Coke, and water down. Heading out of town I was feeling ok again...as good as I could at this point. I wanted to throw up badly. But I would finish. I knew this. Even if I walked I would finish. It was starting to get dark. I did the good ole Ironman shuffle and somehow I made it back into town. I have never been happier to make that right hand turn over the bridge and up into Lake Placid Village. It started to rain and I am pretty sure I was crying at this point. The finishers circle was loud! I turned down to run by Mirror Lake one more time. Shady, Laurie, and Amy stayed behind to cheer me on. Thank GOD cause I needed every little bit of umph. There was music everywhere. People were crazy cheering, especially when they recognized that they'd seen me before and that I was finishing. I saw the couple that cheered me on when I dropped my chain. I found a little extra umph somewhere deep in my soul and was able to increase my speed in that last few miles. When I entered the finisher shoot I really did start crying. It was SO CRAZY LOUD. I was the only person in there at that very moment and I slowed my pace and took it all in. My arms were out by my side the whole time. "Kristi Paradis You are an Ironman". The sweetest six words.
I cannot thank Amy,Cort, Becky, Marcus, Laurie, Shady, John, Mona, Carole, Amy Wong and my parents for traveling to watch me race and be my support system for the weekend. My experience was so different than in Vineman for that very reason. It was amazing to know that they were somewhere on the course. They were crucial to me finishing IMLP. And words can't describe how wonderful it was to be taken care of after I finished. They legitimately dressed me at one point, bought me food and tea. Walking back and seeing everyone gathered welled up an indescribable emotion in me. If I had any hydration left I would have cried. Later that night most of us at more food and drank Jack Dor and sparkling wine (forgive me I can't remember the type) on the floor of the kitchen. I landed there and it was decided that this is where we should stay. That was one of the best tasting glasses of beer and wine I've had. Post Ironman with a group people that I love.
My official time was 13:27:47. This was not a PR for me, but I suppose it was for the course. In a way I am disappointed as I very much wanted to finish near 12 hours. BUT with all that happened on course and that day and in the last year I am truely proud of myself. My year of racing was funky. I did not place, I did not average faster in any discipline, with the exception of my Oly. But both big races were harder than any races I'd ever done. Rev3 for weather reasons and IMLP was a tough course and I was nauseous. It's a hard thing to rationalize to most people, the reasons why I am disappointed. Deep down I am proud, but this will be the fuel that starts the first in 2015. I'll be back to IMLP and I'll be back to long distance racing. But for now I am going to stick to Oly for 2014. I need a summer to play. To do things like trail races, hike, and maybe lay on the beach. I need to reboot my love for long course.
It has taken me a long time to write this for some reason. I wanted to process everything I was feeling and then...well I just got busy.
Amy, Cort, Carole and I traveled up the Thur before the race. The drive was gorgeous and windy thru the back roads of VT and NY. Immediately upon entering Upper Jay I was awe struck by the beauty. Already I was excited to race here. The Navajo Lodge where we stayed was incredible. It was huge with all sorts of unique corners and knick knacks. And the kitchen was huge. Carole and I started the weekend off right with a short 45 min ride while Amy did her organizational thing. That night we drove into Lake Placid so that Carole could swim and I could run. I got butterflies driving through Athlete Village and a little teary eyed running through it. Never have I said hi to so many people on a 20 min run!!!
The next day Becky and Mona arrived. Friday was a rest day but filled with pre-race obligations. The anxiety set in when I registered. Thanx to Amy and the girls I felt better by the time I went to bed that night. I was scared of the swim start. Scared that I would get knocked in the head. Scared I would have a panic attack. Scared of the Keene descent. Scared I would bonk. Scared I would let down the 12 people who came to cheer me on. Travel 4-6 hours just for me. By the end of the night I was feeling better about the swim and confident in my training. No matter what happened I would enjoy the day. I put in the hours and was so fortunate to able to be there. Enjoy every minute.
Saturday was filled with the final pre-race obligations: gear and bike drop off, quick ride with my girls, and a swim in Mirror Lake. Hair cut, Henna application, nutrition prep for the race day all with the help of Amy. Everyone arrived and cooked an amazing dinner of grilled chicken, seitan, veggies, pasta, and salad. We had a big family dinner followed by a nice fire. It was the perfect way to end the night before Ironman. I slept reasonably well until 3:30 am.
And so the day began. Parking was easy and we took the shuttle for ~ 1 mile. Man did I feel like a goober doing that! I ran into my friend Vic at body marking. Always great to see a familiar face that morning. There were SOO SOOO many athletes and spectators. I added a few things to my bags, checked on Speedy and headed down to the water with Amy; eating my samich and coffee as we went. I was super nervous but also filled with confidence. Having Amy there helped calm my nerves tremendously. Around 6:10 I jumped in the water to acclimate and warm up; then found my place at the back of the 1:10-1:20 group over the far left. My plan was to stay left most of the way and perhaps work my way to the center. The Pros cannon went off then ours 10 minutes later. We all filed into the water. It was a smooth start. I was a bit anxious but was able to find my rhythm fairly quickly and did not get swam over. I felt pretty good in the water on the first loop. I proudly swam until my hand hit the bottom, hopped up and ran into the second loop and dove perfectly back into Mirror Lake. I took two perfect strokes and then BAM I get knocked in the head by some dude not paying attention. There was no excuse really. It was just he and I in that little section of water. I stopped and yelled and him as it rattled me a bit. But regained my composure. The second lap went well but I was getting cold by the end. Over all pleased, though slower than last 140.6. I blame the dude who clobbered me. I jumped out of the water got my little wetsuit stripped and headed into T1.
Let's talk about transitions in Ironman. As you enter transition there are a zillion volunteers telling you where to go. You grab your transition bag and head into the tent. One volunteer helps you change into appropriate gear and organize. I did not expect this and tried really hard not the laugh as my lady tried to help me with my socks and stuff my nutrition in my shirt. It was a pretty speedy transition considering the long distance between the water and transition. By the time we exited the water it had rained and was cool. Thank goodness for the rainbow arm warmers! I heard and saw all of my peeps as I exited out on the bike! Another boost!!
I took it easy on the first part of the bike. Partially to warm up and partially to pace myself. The course was crowded by not chaotic. I came to my first serious descent and then the infamous Keene descents. The road was a bit wet so I rode with caution. Within a mile I relaxed a bit and found my confidence, looked around at this AMAZING scenery, and killed it. I am still not sure how fast I was going 'cause I am having trouble uploading my data. Buuuut I am pretty sure I was close to 40 if not faster. I felt in complete control but was going fast! I was grinning from ear to ear at the bottom. The next 20 or so miles were false flats or flats. Up until the long hills I was averaging 19 mph. I have not done that all season. I was feeling fast and fantastic. At some point I dropped a Perform and ran out of water. This may have been the cause of future issues. Again, I paced myself on the hills until I hit the last one. Before rounding the corner you could hear the crowd. The hill was lined with spectators and riders. I downshifted and sped up the hill. I was in complete control and let the crowd and energy carry me up the hill and around the corner to the final climb before going into loop 2. I felt a little tight in the next ten miles but good by the time I hit the descends. Again, I rocked them. I got a boost when I saw my Amy in her aid station! I wanted to stop and kiss her, but there were hills to climb and a marathon to run! I slowed down a bit on this round of climbs, but rode solidly. Then, then I came to the final climb. Again, the crowd pushed me up the hill. I shifted and...and ...and I dropped by chain. I managed to unclip my right foot but keeled over to the left. I got a little bruised but was other wise ok. I got out of the way and got some encouragement from a spectating couple. The dude really wanted to help me, but didn't want me to be DQ'd. I took some deep breaths and got it back on the chainring! phew. I would have walked the final miles if I had to!!! He DID give me a little push up the hill. I think I lost about 5 minutes. I saw Carole and heard everyone else coming in on the bike. The crowd was amazing thru Athlete Village!
I hit the ground running and feeling fantastic! My legs felt weirdly good. I saw Mark coming down the hill heading out of town. He gave me a giant hug and exclaimed how cool it was to see me. I felt great running through town, then I took my first Clif Shot and immediately felt nauseous. I slowed a bit and switched over to water only, walking thru rest stops. Then it was time for Clif Shot #2. I could only get 1/2 down. CRAP. At this point I switched to water and pretzels, still walking only thru aid stations. Around mile 8 I started feeling really shitty. I was running out of energy and had 18 to miles to go. I thought of all my friends and family who were in Lake Placid just for me. I thought of Amy. Of Tootsie. Of every friend at home and around the US. Of every Marathon victim. Of all my patients who could not run. I pushed on. I walked. I jogged. I ran. I was strong up and over the hills back into Athlete Village. I saw Amy, Mona, and Carole right away. Everyone else was across the way. Immediately my spirits rose. I actually stopped and hugged them and pushed on. At this point I was feeling nauseous and low on energy. I could keep pretzles, Coke, and water down. Heading out of town I was feeling ok again...as good as I could at this point. I wanted to throw up badly. But I would finish. I knew this. Even if I walked I would finish. It was starting to get dark. I did the good ole Ironman shuffle and somehow I made it back into town. I have never been happier to make that right hand turn over the bridge and up into Lake Placid Village. It started to rain and I am pretty sure I was crying at this point. The finishers circle was loud! I turned down to run by Mirror Lake one more time. Shady, Laurie, and Amy stayed behind to cheer me on. Thank GOD cause I needed every little bit of umph. There was music everywhere. People were crazy cheering, especially when they recognized that they'd seen me before and that I was finishing. I saw the couple that cheered me on when I dropped my chain. I found a little extra umph somewhere deep in my soul and was able to increase my speed in that last few miles. When I entered the finisher shoot I really did start crying. It was SO CRAZY LOUD. I was the only person in there at that very moment and I slowed my pace and took it all in. My arms were out by my side the whole time. "Kristi Paradis You are an Ironman". The sweetest six words.
I cannot thank Amy,Cort, Becky, Marcus, Laurie, Shady, John, Mona, Carole, Amy Wong and my parents for traveling to watch me race and be my support system for the weekend. My experience was so different than in Vineman for that very reason. It was amazing to know that they were somewhere on the course. They were crucial to me finishing IMLP. And words can't describe how wonderful it was to be taken care of after I finished. They legitimately dressed me at one point, bought me food and tea. Walking back and seeing everyone gathered welled up an indescribable emotion in me. If I had any hydration left I would have cried. Later that night most of us at more food and drank Jack Dor and sparkling wine (forgive me I can't remember the type) on the floor of the kitchen. I landed there and it was decided that this is where we should stay. That was one of the best tasting glasses of beer and wine I've had. Post Ironman with a group people that I love.
My official time was 13:27:47. This was not a PR for me, but I suppose it was for the course. In a way I am disappointed as I very much wanted to finish near 12 hours. BUT with all that happened on course and that day and in the last year I am truely proud of myself. My year of racing was funky. I did not place, I did not average faster in any discipline, with the exception of my Oly. But both big races were harder than any races I'd ever done. Rev3 for weather reasons and IMLP was a tough course and I was nauseous. It's a hard thing to rationalize to most people, the reasons why I am disappointed. Deep down I am proud, but this will be the fuel that starts the first in 2015. I'll be back to IMLP and I'll be back to long distance racing. But for now I am going to stick to Oly for 2014. I need a summer to play. To do things like trail races, hike, and maybe lay on the beach. I need to reboot my love for long course.
It has taken me a long time to write this for some reason. I wanted to process everything I was feeling and then...well I just got busy.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
What a wild and strange trip its been...
Last July 29th I signed up for IMLP with gusto. I could barely afford the entry fee 'cause (as you may have recalled) I was only working part time as I'd just quit my job. I was confident that I could find something permanent and be in a good position to train. Things work out. They always do.
But before they did I experience tremendous periods of ups and downs. Nov 4th I went out for an easy ride and crashed, experiencing minor soft tissue injuries and a concussion. This was to be day 4 of my training. Not off to a good start. With some TLC from friends, family, and co-workers I managed to get through that OK with no lasting affects. It took me a long time before I could ride on my own. The hardest part was the fear of riding. I am not scared on a bike. I am strong, confident, and balanced. In fact it was not until the following April that I rode alone. And not until just this last week that I rode past the scene of the accident. Determination. Perseverance.
Then I quit a job, started a new 40 hr job that was to be awesome. I was laid off 5 weeks later, I was unemployed. Worked a bit at a SNF, then a day hab, then got hired full time at an out patient clinic. I started working full time just as my training was peaking. The 3 hardest weeks of my training. All while training for Ironman Lake Placid. It wasn't so bad working 24 hours during much of my training. Once I got a steady contract job things were OK. The hardest part about a rocky employment is the unsteady pay check. Triathlon training is expensive. Food is expensive. Gear is expensive. And you need to eat a lot when training for an Ironman. But somehow I managed. Friends fed me. I borrowed money. Unemployment finally came through. In the last 5 weeks I have had a steady paycheck. But with that came a sudden increase in hours worked and stress of a new job. Perserverance.
I met Amy in January. This is a huge up. It's, well it's amazing and wonderful...but I'll save that for another day. The point is that it was a huge change. For the first time, maybe ever, I had to work training around something other than me. It mattered if I was on a 3 hour run or needed to spend 4 non-consecutive hours training. But, she could not be more supportive about my triathlon training and addiction. (Lets all face it...it is a bit of an addiction!) I have cold bottles of water, chocolate milk, and smoothies waiting for me after long workouts. Sometimes I even get dinner made for me. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing there is someone who cares about me when I arrive home.
In March my Grandmother passed away. She was older and had dementia, so really it was for the best. But it was and still is very sad that she is no longer with us. She taught me to make pie and to always bring something when you visit a friend, amoung other things. She was kind, a good listener, a fantastic baker, and an even better eater. She always asked about my racing and told me how good and healthy I looked. I think she knew how happy triathlon makes me. She will be in my thoughts tomorrow.
The Marathon Bombings happened. No need to go on about this. But I will be racing for each every person who was affected and lost their lives. No matter how hard it gets out there on Sunday, I will remember that I am there. I am able to race. I will love every second. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to train and race. It is a gift. Every single day is a gift.
Without doubt I am a happier fuller person today July 24, 2013 than I was this time last year. A lot has happened, but it has changed me for the better. I am stronger. I know that I can get through periods of unemployment. I know that I can make any PT setting work, at least temporarily. I have swam, biked, and run longer and harder than I did two years ago. I am more confident. I have my confidence back. My self esteem was hiding last year. It is returning with vigor. I have a huge gaggle of friends that care about me. I am in love with an amazing womyn who cares about me. My life is frickin fantastic. I am ready for Ironman Lake Placid.
I bounce well. I know this. But the last year has proven that to me multiple times. Too many times, universe. I am heading to IMLP with a secret weapon this year. One that will make me unstoppable. More about that in the next few days. I am SOOOOOO excited to start this journey with Amy and Cort.
But before they did I experience tremendous periods of ups and downs. Nov 4th I went out for an easy ride and crashed, experiencing minor soft tissue injuries and a concussion. This was to be day 4 of my training. Not off to a good start. With some TLC from friends, family, and co-workers I managed to get through that OK with no lasting affects. It took me a long time before I could ride on my own. The hardest part was the fear of riding. I am not scared on a bike. I am strong, confident, and balanced. In fact it was not until the following April that I rode alone. And not until just this last week that I rode past the scene of the accident. Determination. Perseverance.
Then I quit a job, started a new 40 hr job that was to be awesome. I was laid off 5 weeks later, I was unemployed. Worked a bit at a SNF, then a day hab, then got hired full time at an out patient clinic. I started working full time just as my training was peaking. The 3 hardest weeks of my training. All while training for Ironman Lake Placid. It wasn't so bad working 24 hours during much of my training. Once I got a steady contract job things were OK. The hardest part about a rocky employment is the unsteady pay check. Triathlon training is expensive. Food is expensive. Gear is expensive. And you need to eat a lot when training for an Ironman. But somehow I managed. Friends fed me. I borrowed money. Unemployment finally came through. In the last 5 weeks I have had a steady paycheck. But with that came a sudden increase in hours worked and stress of a new job. Perserverance.
I met Amy in January. This is a huge up. It's, well it's amazing and wonderful...but I'll save that for another day. The point is that it was a huge change. For the first time, maybe ever, I had to work training around something other than me. It mattered if I was on a 3 hour run or needed to spend 4 non-consecutive hours training. But, she could not be more supportive about my triathlon training and addiction. (Lets all face it...it is a bit of an addiction!) I have cold bottles of water, chocolate milk, and smoothies waiting for me after long workouts. Sometimes I even get dinner made for me. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing there is someone who cares about me when I arrive home.
In March my Grandmother passed away. She was older and had dementia, so really it was for the best. But it was and still is very sad that she is no longer with us. She taught me to make pie and to always bring something when you visit a friend, amoung other things. She was kind, a good listener, a fantastic baker, and an even better eater. She always asked about my racing and told me how good and healthy I looked. I think she knew how happy triathlon makes me. She will be in my thoughts tomorrow.
The Marathon Bombings happened. No need to go on about this. But I will be racing for each every person who was affected and lost their lives. No matter how hard it gets out there on Sunday, I will remember that I am there. I am able to race. I will love every second. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to train and race. It is a gift. Every single day is a gift.
Without doubt I am a happier fuller person today July 24, 2013 than I was this time last year. A lot has happened, but it has changed me for the better. I am stronger. I know that I can get through periods of unemployment. I know that I can make any PT setting work, at least temporarily. I have swam, biked, and run longer and harder than I did two years ago. I am more confident. I have my confidence back. My self esteem was hiding last year. It is returning with vigor. I have a huge gaggle of friends that care about me. I am in love with an amazing womyn who cares about me. My life is frickin fantastic. I am ready for Ironman Lake Placid.
I bounce well. I know this. But the last year has proven that to me multiple times. Too many times, universe. I am heading to IMLP with a secret weapon this year. One that will make me unstoppable. More about that in the next few days. I am SOOOOOO excited to start this journey with Amy and Cort.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)