It's Good To Have a Goat

Hello Followers and welcome to my last posting. I have attained my goal of completing the 70.3 Calgary Ironman in 6:23:28 and ranked 17 in my division. Not bad I say for a Newbie!!!

What an incredible experience this has been for me and I am still pinching myself as I still cannot quite believe I did this.

As I crossed that finish line, needless to say I was in tears as I saw the faces of my little ones, my husband and an overwhelming surprise....my sister-who had flown in from Thunder Bay and had kept this secret all along!

Details? well...now to backtrack a bit....

The begginning of the race looked grim. My husband refused to let me look out the window at 3am as our alarm clock went off. He shared that it was light rain, but I knew something was up as he pulled the curtain around his face so that I would not be able to peer into the pitch dark blackness of cloud and rain. I kept thinking of a volunteer in transition the day before who encouraged me to think of something funny when things look bad. She suggested imagining people without their underwear-try as I might-that did not help in the slightest.

I quickly ate my breakfast, packed up and headed for the hotel lobby to get my body markings done before boarding the bus for Ghost Lake. Since I usually call my Voice of Reason in moments of panic, I opted to text her instead. I thought if I phoned her and went on and on and on about my anxiety on a busload of triathalete's that I would probabally get killed before the race even started.

As usual, my Voice of Reason provided me with words of encouragement and ended the text by reminding me of my Blog Title-"It's Good To Have A Goal"-but because it was 2 in the morning (Winnipeg time) and I likely woke her up-she informed that that she nearly text'd me back saying "It's Good To Have A GOAT!" Well, followers I can't tell you how hard I was laughing and I am quite positive that many on the bus thought I was insane and cracking up. Finally something to make me really laugh and take my mind of the impending race in the rain.

After getting off the bus, I headed to transition to pump Snagster's tires, load my water bottles, nutrition and spare tubes/cartridges. I was told the night before to take absolutely everything off my bike as even though it was a secure site-you never could be too sure. The shower curtain worked wonders and I was even able to recycle it! Lots of nervous energy was floating through the air and much to my dismay, I heard quite a few tires pop! (sounds like a gunshot BTW). Everytime this happened, I rushed over to Snagster to see if she was OK-and thankfully she was!

Next, I squeezed into my wetsuit after using the biffy. This was quite terrible as I was wet from the rain, the mosquitto's were insane (yes even worse than the worst night in Winnipeg) and there was no where to stand except in a foot of mud. I felt terrible, and then out of no where a fellow triathalete saw me struggle and helped me get the wetsuit on.

Moments later, the Canadian anthem was played and the Pro Athlete's were in the water warming up. If anyone gets the chance to see the begginning of a triathalon, it is something very incredible and awe-inspiring. Chills ran through my body as the horn went off and the Pro's began their race!

The swim was divided into waves-thank goodness! And since I was a newbie, I started last (7am). The water was freezing but very beautiful but I got knocked around a lot by very big men (I should mention that about 3/4 of the Ironman participants were males). I made a conscience effort to pace and not panic, and this worked out for me. The last 20 minutes of the swim were a bit rough though. Not so much in terms of effort but the water was rough and had a bit of a wake. I kinda felt seasick and was hoping that I would not vomit-purely from a not wanting to embarass myself perspective (did I mention this thing was being filmed and there were photographers all over the place!)

Once I came out of the water (48:02), I felt this tremendous weight lifted from my shoulders-phew I said to myself, sure is good to have a goat-and I laughed! The rain had also stopped and for the remainder of the race showers were light and intermittant.

Next the bike. I was happy to see that Snagster was still OK and her wheels had not blown. I managed to clip in well and before I knew it, I was off for 60 miles on the bike (the bike course had an extra 4 miles tacked on to it!) The course was extremely hilly but absolutely lovely. I heard many describe the course as Kona with cows! I really made an effort to eat and drink on the bike, but my followers, hills are hills, and they are hard with or without fuel. In the end, it is a mind game, and my mantra became, it's good to have a goat, it's good to have a goat....after 3 hours, 18 minutes and 48 seconds of saying this, I was done the bike!

Now the run....a half marathon ahead of me. My legs felt good but tummy was rumbly and not so good. This was definitely the hardest half marathon of my life, and admittedly I did stop several times, especially to conserve energy for the the mamoth hills. I don't honestly know how I ran it in a 2:10 time as it literally felt like I took well over 3 hours!

As I was nearing the finish line, I realized that I was going to become an Ironman. All the hard work paid off. I began this Blog with a quote that is dear to me, and one in which I have come to believe.

"The mind is everything-what you think-you become" Buddha- I became an Iron (WO) Man!!!!!

Before I end this last posting, I do want to say one other thing-not just to my faithful followers but a message to my children. Each life on earth is precious and everyone has been given this gift. I hope by doing what I have done, and learning something from it that I have inspired you to challenge yourselves in ways you never thought possible. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be anxious and afraid. You will question yourself and have to fight against self doubt and a terrible inner critic. You will learn to believe in yourself, and connect with love and passion. You will make friends, and perhaps meet a gangsta lady or two. In the end it's all worth it, because you have truly lived! Thank you for sharing my journey as I post my last entry. It has been a pleasure to have you along on this ride!

Love Donna

Tis the night before!

Hello my followers-lots has happened since I last blogged. We left Winnipeg on Monday morning to begin our trip to Calgary. It has been so great being with my family as many of you know that a great deal of my time has been focused on training. We managed some great adventures to Drumheller Alta, to see the dinosaur fossils, explored the Hoodoo's, went to Canmore and Banff (I so looove it there) hiked Johnston Canyon and ate at some great restaurants.

We arrived in Calgary on Thurs and have an awesome room here at the Westin. On Thursday I got to meet Lisa Bentley (11 x Ironman champion), pick up my race kit and got my number which by the way is #880. I have and continue to feel panicky as this is a pretty awesome but overwhelming experience. I have to thank my children and husband for the patience with me, as lets just say I have been on edge!

Friday we spent the day attempting to drive the bike course. I say attempting because we spent a looong time in the car trying to figure out the map given to us by the Ironman officials. The GPS was unable to find the road called Pringbank Way. After relenting and looking at a purchased map (several hours later) apparently Pringbank Way does not exist!!!! The officials made a typo and it should have been Springbank way!! Needless to say I let the officials know of this error and was disappointed that we did not see the entire course.

Today I dropped off my bike at T1 and took a swim in Ghost Lake. It was very very cold. Also because it is open to boaters the day of the race, the wakes in the water are wicked. This definitely is going to be a challenge!

Had my last plate of spaghetti about 30 minutes ago and have to be on a bus for 415am tomorrow morning. Must get to bed!

Lastly, I cannot end this post without saying a huge thank you to my voice of reason who had to listen to me yet again to calm my anxious nerves on this evening. She owns the Ironman with me, as I would never have come this far without her!

Also I must thank my sister who has always believed in me, who continues to support me and just about made me cry by sending me flowers to my room tonight-Thanks Laurie!

Finally, to all my followers...thank you for all your words of encouragement, your support and most of all your faith in me. This has been one hell of a journey that I will never forget. This experience has pushed me to my limits, has made me laugh, has made me cry. It has tested me all along the way, and has helped me for the first time in my life to believe in myself. After all is said and done......It's good to have a goal!

Almost there

Hello followers-well, here it is-the final postings leading up until next Sunday. I leave for Calgary bright and early tomorrow morning, and am a basket case full of nerves!

I have been extremely busy with making lists, trying to get organized and getting some quality training in albeit at a reduced intensity. I had my last open water swim on Tuesday with Mr. and Mrs. P and that went well. Here's hoping Ghost river will be like my little pond! (OK I know I am trying to delude meself!)

I also took my bike in and Mr. C gave it a final tune up and wrapped my aerobars which feel great-not as slippery!

Yesterday, I met with Mr. P for some last minute advice. Seems like even when I don't think I have any questions left-I do-and lots of them! As usual, Mr. P was able to give me some great tips-he also gave me a DVD to watch of last years race-which was fantastic to see (not the kind of DVD where you eat popcorn and drink pop)-but ramped up my wing nut anxiety even more!

For my devoted followers, just so you know, the race will be covered by TSN (not sure when they broadcast?) and on the day of the race you can actually go online and see when racers come out of the water, their bike and run splits! Man technology is crazy!

This morning, I am going for a swim as I don't know how much opportunity I will have before next weekend to get out and swim. I know the Ironman organizers are arranging a swim clinic on the Saturday which I hope to get to as I want to at least try getting in the Ghost River once before the race!

Prior to the actual race, we are taking the children to Drumhellar for the dinosaurs and Banff and Lake Louise for some hiking and touring! Must also hit the Calgary zoo as I hear it is awesome and of course, what is a trip to Calgary without visiting the IKEA!

Lastly my followers, my friends, my family.....I have to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Without your support, I would have never have gotten this far. Everyone who has ever been there for me-whether to provide a laugh, advice, a hug, or words of encouragement, will own a part of the Ironman. In life's successes-no one goes it alone. This I know for sure.

I also need to acknowledge the people who have not been there for me, the ones who have dissapointed me, the ones who have dropped off the face of the planet and the ones who get mad at me for splashing in the water (yes even you Gangsta lady). While you folks don't know it, you have given me a gift-the drive to go on, and a lesson about how to persevere in the face of adversity!

So there we are my friends, this time next week....I will be embarking on one of my greatest adventures.....I will keep you posted and love you all!

Arg-2 weeks left!

Hello followers-wow it's been a while since I last posted. I have been beyond busy this week with caring for my children and fitting in another crazy week of training.

I think the last I mentioned, I was tapering-but 2 heavy workouts were sprinkled in. I will make mention of one of them which involved a cycling expedition out to Morden to do some Hill repeat workouts. Very difficult to say in a nutshell-especially given that I was going on only 6 hours sleep! (I went to see Bon Jovi the night before-and well what can I say-worth every penny!)

Climbing and descending hills are a bit of a challenge when 1. you live in terrain that is generally flat and 2. your a newbie. I learned rather quickly that I am a weakling when it comes to climbing! but did OK going down. Thank goodness we had a fantastic day! I am also so glad I got this bit of experience in before Calgary!

This week I will be packing up and making lists and making lists of my lists! Feeling overwhelmed and tired at the moment-and can not believe that the race is coming up so quickly. It's moments like these that I wish I had a few more months to train!

Panic attack

Good morning followers, I was feeling rather weary last night as I completed 58 miles on the bike and a 30 minute run. I panicked as that was all I had in me. My tank was empty and I just about cried thinking about how in the world will I be able to do a half marathon and swim?

After consulting with Mr. P, he reminded me that I should feel exhausted and that what I really need to focus on is pacing and some recovery before the race. I then watched stage 8 Tour de France yesterday and saw some serious suffering, which allowed me to tell anxiety, fear and self doubt to #$ off!

Speaking of recovery-my taper schedule is not a picnic. While there is more rest built in, there looks to be a few challenges as well. Will keep you posted but I can tell you this for certain-I have no scheduled days at the spa whaaaaa!!!!!

So this morning my legs felt way better. I think I must be getting stronger or my pain threshold is increasing as even 2 weeks ago I would have been in distress after having done such a long ride. My morning workout consisted of a swim-which I must say was awesome as it felt great not to have any force being directly applied to my body. Today is a day where I could actually say, that I loved the water. A year ago I would have burst out laughing if someone told me that I would say that!

So for the rest of today, I plan on hitting the beach with my better half and kids and play! No wet suit will be put on......until tomorrow!

80th Post

Well followers, today is my 80th post-and I am nearing the end of my blogging as my goal of the Ironman completion is drawing near.

What can I say? It's been quite a journey. I am feeling exhausted and actually opted out of my long ride today and will head out bright and early tomorrow am to do 3 hours followed by a 30 minute run. My tapering will begin Monday and I am awaiting my program.

I am looking forward to spending some time in Calgary. I love the coolness of the mountain air and the fact that you can actually enjoy being outdoors without worrying about mosquitoes. I think at heart I am a West coast girl and always recall with fondness my earliest childhood memories of living in Comox, BC. Don't get me wrong, there is something very magical about the Big Sky of the Prairie, but nothing can compare to the sea, the mountains and oh so very tall cedar and pine tree's-it feels like home. Ahhh, I digress......

So...back to reality, and it is kind of scaring me. Ok it is a lot. I have to trust that I have put in the necessary training and that I will be ready. Honestly, there is not much more that I can do to prepare myself in 3 weeks to derive much more benefit.

Tapering is a hard thing to do as I often feel at a loss when cutting back my training. So, this time I have a strategy-and it is to pick up some books that I have been meaning to read in the last 6 months. I am starting with the Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. Not only are books a good thing to read for when my babies are asleep but I always learn something and will have time to reflect as I travel those long miles swimming, cycling and running!

Worst fear yet!

OMG followers- I am still recovering from fear. I last left off advising that I would be completing an OWS and some bike rides.

Well on Tuesday, I met Mr. and Mrs.P for an OWS. That day, as I recall was quite windy- the beach flag was yellow-meaning swim with caution (aka not advisable). From where I was standing on the sand, I could see waves and I thought to meself-self this does not look good.

Since I did not get the "current" experience in Pinawa, I was sure to get the "wave" experience in Bird's Hill. Let's just say, it was a very difficult swim when swimming against the waves. I ended up swallowing a lot of water and had trouble relaxing in my stroke. Then I remembered something I read about not fighting the water. So I began to relax, and eventually felt I would not secumb to drowning. I also experienced feeling extremely hot in the wet suit. Not sure if it was because I was working really hard, the water temperature or my anxiety. Whatever it was, it was not good. Rubber does not breathe well in case anyone has not figured that one out.

But......that was not the worst part. After the swim, we got on our bikes and headed out of the park. Mr. P took us out onto a highway that was in the process of being resurfaced. I was sure that I would blow out my wheel and get a flat. And if that was not worrisome enough, the traffic was crazy and the wind insane. My hands also began to feel as if I was using a jackhammer as the bumpiness was unreal.

But.......that was not the worst part. After the resurfaced road part, we turned onto another highway. This was the worst. It had no shoulder, and traffic was crazy. Cars and semi's were zooming by me at an alarming rate. The wind was gusting, and I was trying my very best to stay on the white line at the very edge of the highway. If I went right I would invariably get hurt, if I went left, I would definitely get killed. I needed to stay straight, and focused. I am pretty sure my handlebars have imprints in the steel from how hard I was gripping, and the tension in my shoulders and upper back was painful.

And then.....a semi truck carrying oil started honking. It had this huge pipe that was sticking out from the side and if it did not move over, it was going to take me out. I of course thought the semi was honking at me to move, but it was honking at the oncoming traffic. Thank the good Lord, it was able to move out of the way just in time-but I think my face was white as a sheet! There must have been a guardian angel looking out for me that day!

On the way back to the park on Hwy 59 (fortunately this highway had a shoulder) the wind was at my back-an unusual event to say the least. It was a pretty cool feeling to hit cadence speeds over 90 and I was amazed at how fast little Snagster could go. Upon entering the park, I was greeted by some hippies playing the bongos and likely higher than kites (Folk Fest has hit the park) and I can't begin to tell you how relieved I was to be alive.

Mrs. P reassured me, that the ride we completed was the worst it would ever get, and confirmed for me that it was pretty bad.

I of course threatened to kill Mr. P but you really can not blame me. After all I was in a traumatic state of fear. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

Much cooler

Hello followers, I am happy to report that I am much cooler now that a purchase of a portable air conditioner was made. My better half was getting panicky after my threat to scratch out his eyeballs (kidding).

So it's official, I completed my last triathlon before the Calgary 1/2 Ironman which is 3 weeks away! I have 2 -100k bike rides and an OWS swim coupled with some running this week-and then tapering will begin.

The Pinawa triathlon went well although the run part (usually where I feel the best) did not feel so good. It was extremely hot out, my feet were blistering as I was running with no socks through swamp grass which caused uber chafing and I was getting terrible stitches on my side. I am not sure the cause of the stitches and wonder if it had something to do with being in the aero position on the bike and my diaphragm being compressed? I also thought that I drank enough but perhaps I was dehydrating as well?

On the up side, my swim went well-I did not lose my swim cap! Love the latex and have no problem saying good riddance to the silicone! The water in which I swam was supposed to have a current-but either it was really weak, or I was totally freaked out, that I did not notice
it (likely the later). In some ways I wish that it had been a stronger current as I really did want to get the feel for that before Calgary!

So this morning my swim coach assisted me in trying to teach me the Breast Stroke. It is useful for when one panics in water, and that is the reason Mr. P was pretty insistent I learn it. I found this stroke to be very awkward and sloooooow! For me, it was like trying to tap your head and rub your tummy at the same time-complete lack of coordination and likely very laughable! But I suppose with practice I will get used to it.

So for the rest of today, I get to recover, tend to my blistered feet and of course sit in front of the air conditioner!

HOT

Too hot to post much of anything-no AC....wilting away. Wish me luck followers as I embark on another Olympic Distance Triathlon tomorrow in Pinawa, MB. Picked up some Heat Endurance Powders and Recovery Drinks and Voice of Reason gave me her GPS for my 4am drive out tomorrow. Hope all goes well! Arg!!!

Aerobars

Hello followers, hope you are all well. I hit the wall from exhaustion today and lucky for me that my husband and mother in law were around to take care of the kids as I indulged in an hour and a half nap in the middle of the afternoon. Hopefully that brain of mine was releasing a lot of growth hormone to repair all those tired bones and muscles. My butt is still not back to normal and I have 4 days before my last Triathlon in Winnipeg.

Yes you heard that right, following another Olympic distance triathlon in Pinawa, MB on Sunday,I will begin a 3 week taper period to prepare for Calgary. This is quite unbelievable to me as I reflect back to all the races I have done. It seemed like yesterday I was hyperventilating about the duathlon series in the park-and now I will be doing my 3rd triathlon in 4 days time.

The Pinawa triathlon will be a challenge for me big time. The water I will be swimming in is a river with a current. I need to get this experience in, as I am sure the Ghost River reservoir in Calgary is similar-if not worse! It will likely be a very lonely day-I don't know anyone who will be doing this triathlon, and will be on the road by 4am to drive out to the race site as it is 2 hours from Winnipeg. So if any of my followers want to accompany me -let me know!

So I should also update you, that I met Mr. and Mrs. P for an OWS followed by a lesson on how to use Aerobars. The swim went fine, but I was quite concerned about how Mr. P's hands turned blue (and I mean Really Really Really blue) as he opted not to wear a wetsuit. Now I REALLY understand why the race officials take water temps and insist on wetsuits in Canadian water!

Fortunately Mr P's hands recovered and we were on the bike before I knew it. Once I got into the aero position, I must say that while it was initially quite wobbly, I found it easier to cycle. My legs were fatiguing less and I felt considerably less exposed to the elements. Because my aerobars are the clip on kind, I have to switch position onto my drops to shift gears. This was hard to do and I must practice this because I change gears lots to save my legs. I could almost see myself not changing gears to avoid the discomfort, but will make an honest effort not to get into that pattern!

The other thing about the aerobars is that you can not brake as fast as you can if you were on your drops. So Mr. P and Mrs. P advised me as to what situations one should avoid being on the bars which was +++ helpful. In addition to that practice, Mr P insisted that I get my water bottle in and out of the cage a gazillion times. I still hate it, but think I am making some progress.

At the end of the day, I felt that I learned a lot, and while not entirely confident, I believe with practice I can get there! Must go now and get an Aero (chocolate) bar as that just sounds way more appealing to me at the moment!

Crinkles and Wrinkles

Hello followers....OMG it's official it's my birthday today and I am 28. Ha Ha Ha-I am actually 40, but screw middle age I say! Nothing like a little physical activity (OK a freaking lot) and future Botox . My poor husband, it's going to cost him!

In all seriousness, it is weird to think I have walked on this planet for 40 years. I have been fortunate enough to embark on many adventures and have the most wonderful family and friends to share them with! I also love to laugh-and that's likely why I have crinkel's I mean wrinkles on my face.

It's too bad wrinkle's couldn't talk, as they would reveal a lot- like the struggle to take my first steps in life, the happiness I experienced (and yes sometimes jealousy) of having a baby sister and the fear of my Grade 1 teacher who had a propensity to yell at small children. It would tell you about the loneliness of being away from home as a little girl going to Brownie camp, the heartache I felt at having to move away from friend's every 4 years and the sweetness and innocence of being kissed for the first time by a boy. It would also reveal those shy moments of getting your first period or wearing your first bra and the angst of being a teenager. (Girl's in high school can be really mean!) It would also tell you of how hard it is to have your heart broken-whether you are the dumper or the one getting dumped-it sucks either way! It would reveal gut wrenching nearly soul destroying loss of my Dad, and of an unborn child that I believe is in heaven waiting to meet me one day! My wrinkles would also tell you of how all humility goes out the window after you give birth, and of how all encompassing love is for your children (Yes I am a mamma bear and would die for them!). My wrinkles also reveal good fortune in having been able to share a journey with a man who adores me and confirms for me that he still will even when I am 80-God willing! Those wrinkles will also reveal self-doubt, fear and anxiety but are tempered by my Voice of Reason and my dear dear sister, who know always know what to say. My wrinkles will also tell you that I live life with no regret, that my heart is on my sleeve, that I love the human race (except when they do really really bad things) and that there is nothing better in this world to laugh so hard that it hurts!

So there it is followers, I plan on getting an extra wrinkle today when I learn to ride (with self doubt fear and anxiety) my bike with aerobars today with Mr. P!

Celebration

Hello Followers, I must report that it has been a CRAZY couple of days!

I think I last posted on Friday-my "recovery" day. I spent a great day with my children as neither had school. In the morning we went to the park with a good friend of mine, and then in the afternoon we went to the Red River Exhibition Fair. I was absolutely exhausted but thought-no problem because my Saturday scheduled workout was a 20 min bike followed by a 10 min run so I could taper a bit more for the Olympic Triathlon on Sunday.

Then........as the sun was beating down on me, and my children were nearing the end of their rope from all the excitement of the fair (not to mention the junk food they consumed), I get a SURPRISE text from Mr. P . He informs me, that I should do a 100 k bike ride with a group of cyclists. I laugh and laugh-text him back and said that I would not be falling for his sick joke. He of course indicated it was no joke, and went on to say it would be important for me to get some practice in so I could get comfortable with other riders being close to me.

Of course I freak out a bit (OK maybe a lot) because here it is that the Olympic Triathlon would be the following day-I could potentially drown in the water due to the exhaustion of the 100 k ride the day before. Ultimately I agree and on Saturday morning I meet the 7 cyclists that would assist me in this journey of learning how to ride in a pack along the Trans Canada Highway and draft.

Upon first reflection, I must admit, that I was intimidated by these cyclists. They are a very experienced group of riders, and obviously had been riding bikes much longer than 4 months. But they were all very kind to me, and helped me so much in terms of learning how to draft. I realized very quickly that if you fall out of the draft pack it is almost freaking impossible to catch up. This happened to me, but I managed to get back in the pack (but my my heart beat went up to 180 bpm-obviously something I would not have been able to sustain for any length of time).

I think I did OK until the last 10 miles or so. Then exhaustion hit and I just did not have it in me to do the sprint at the end and I was left in the dust. The group stopped and waited for me, and I felt terrible about this. They reassured me not to feel bad, and were very kind. One of the cyclists-Mr. J shared that he thought I had the capability for the last 10 miles but because my drafting was not the greatest, he thought I was working too hard on the ride.

Speaking of drafting-that was a tad overwhelming, as in order to derive benefit, you have to ride extremely close to the cyclist in front of you. When you get in the draft zone-it is amazing how much easier it is to cycle. But for me, I was worried about clipping someone's wheel and taking out the whole pack! If that were to happen, I would have been horrified-thus my reticence about following really close! I suppose, like anything, the more experience one gets, the easier it becomes.

Following the cycle, I went home and ate, drank lots and took some baths in preparation for Sunday's Triathlon. My legs felt terrible when I was going to bed, so much so that I needed to take drugs! (Advil). Less than 24 hours later at 4am, my alarm was sounding off.

So at 4am, my legs felt better but boy was my butt sore! I was in my usual anxiety ridden panic mode, and picked up Mrs. B who was racing as well and a newbie like me! Following registering, getting my body markings and setting up transition, an announcement was made that just about sent me over the edge. The race officials indicated that wetsuits would not be allowed due to the water temperature reaching a 23 degree's. They also made a second announcement saying for racers to be careful due to the abundance of weeds on the shore line that one could get caught in.

Now followers you can only imagine how a "weak" swimmer competing in her first Olympic Triathlon (with a 1500 m swim) would feel. But I needed to get a grip because panic would not do anything positive. I thought back to words from my Voice of Reason.

When the horn went off in the mass swim start, and legs and arms are flailing everywhere, and weeds are covering your goggles and twirling around your arms and legs, I began to hyperventilate. But then....I remembered to Breathe. And you know what? It worked! I was able to get in a rythym. The cool water on my body felt so good after the 100 k ride the day before, and I have to say that the swim was the best part of the triathlon. Crazy!

Next was the bike, which was absolutely painful. Not in terms of my legs burning, not in terms of having to cycle into the wind that never stops, not in terms of the heat of the sun, but because my butt was on fire! Every bump was agony (and there were lots of them) .

The run was a relief in that I was no longer on my bike, but I felt I was running at a turtle's pace. I crossed the finish line in 3 hours with my tank on empty! I did it!

Today, is a day for celebration in another way too. It is my beautiful daughter's 4th birthday! So Happy Birthday Little one, mommy is so lucky because of all the baby girl's in heaven-I got the best one!

Believe

Good morning followers,

It is a rest day for me-so weird to have one on Friday-but Mr. P scheduled it that way in consideration for the Tri this weekend.

So it's official-I got my aerobars and water bottle. I am so excited by the prospect that I will not dehydrate and couldn't care less about being in an aero position at this point in time. Mr. C also readjusted my bike frame, so I hope this will work out. I have to trust him.

Speaking of trust, this experience has taught me that you really have to put your faith and trust in people who happen to know something about something-even if you really don't know them. Get it?

Let me explain, prior to October, I did not know my swim instructor. I had to put huge faith into her that she would not only save my life in case I drowned, but teach me the proper form and technique to swim. I had to believe her when she said that my swimming will come and that I would improve.

In Febuary, after meeting Mr. C and buying my bike, I had to put huge faith in him that he wasn't just trying to sell me a bike to make a buck (considerably difficult considering my first experience in another store was not a positive one). I had to believe that he was a genuine person and was looking out for my best interests-especially when it came time to the bike fitting so I could ride the thing without fear of crashing or getting injured.

Shortly after this, I met Mr. P in a coffee shop. I decided to put huge faith into him, that he would be the guy to help me accomplish my goals. So I had to believe him when he told me that I would survive the cycle in windspeeds exceeding 50 km/hr, that I could do an OWS and get hit and still survive or ride 100 km on a highway. I believe in him and believe in the program he has set out for me.

After believing in so many others, now is the hardest one of all. I have to believe in myself. I believe I am getting closer!

37 more days

Yup you read that correctly followers-I have only 37 more days until the Big One. I think I am nuts and am now getting regular panic attacks.

This Sunday will be a big test as I plan on doing the Olympic Distance Tri (1500 m swim, 40 k bike and 10 k run). The swim portion of this race is not much less than the Half Ironman, so I will have a good idea of what it will feel like. This race is also employing cut off times and for the swim portion this means 50 minutes- so I really hope I can do this!

Speaking of swimming, I did another OWS and was horrified to discover leeches in the water. Disgusting! Also, I noticed that the water is becoming a lot less clear as it appears that the algae is growing! On the up side, there are no waves or currents to deal with yet-Oh and I haven't seen a shark, poisonous jellyfish or snapping turtle-so I am counting my blessings!

Today is also a big day, as I will be getting my aerobars installed along with a water bottle. I doubt I will have much practice with the bars, so highly unlikely I will use them on the weekend, but am excited that I will be able to drink on the bike! The trick will be to drink enough but not too much so I don't get a stitch on the run-Ahhh more experimenting!

Along with all this training, my bedtime hour keeps getting earlier and earlier. Last night my better half looked in on me, and he advised me that I had fallen asleep with my glasses on and my arms straight out in front of me. He was laughing because he said that I resembled a Zombie. So anyone of you out there that is suffering from Insomnia-I would highly advise you to take up triathlon training-it's a sure fire way to cure you of that affliction.

Tech issues-grrr.......

Hello followers-hope all is well! Been busy over the last couple of days as my baby girl had her 4th Birthday party and insanity overtook me as I opted to have the party at home with the kids decorating jewelry boxes and treasure chests and cupcakes. I am the furthest thing from Martha Stewart as they come-so lets just say there were a few "technical" issues with the glue gun. Fortunately no one got burned! Talk about feeling exhausted, but at the end of the day, I think my girl had a great time judging by her shining smile!

So last evening I was trying to get my gear ready for the half marathon today, and went to listen to my ipod. Well wouldn't you know every freaking song was distorted and muffled. I tried calling support-but because this was 9pm last night no one was available. I called my voice of reason-she was not home-finally I called a friend who has ipod issues in the past, and she guided me through the process of restoring it. Unfortunately that did not work, and my friend was kind enough to lend me her ipod. So there I am at 930 pm driving over to her house in my pajamas. I cursed my ipod the whole way and was shaking it as I was getting prepared to throw it out the window. Well I can't explain it,but perhaps the electronic device sensed my fury and decided to all of a sudden start working. Grrrr........Wasted evening as I was really looking forward to unwind and read some trash.

So this morning was an early start-but I am used to this, and prefer the cooler morning temps-as long as I don't have to go in water. The run went well but since I was in the second wave start, I spent almost the whole race dodging people-very annoying. Perspective on these things sure changes. Throughout the race,I kept thinking about how the 1/2 marathon is only one component to the half Ironman and that is what gave me motivation to run. Then I think, that I am in big trouble as I question whether I can put all 3 sports together. I guess I will get a better feeling next weekend when I do the longer distance Olympic triathlon. Yikes nervous already!

Condom cap- I mean Latex

Hee Hee-thought the title would get your attention on this rainy dull morning.

Yesterday I took out all of my swim caps-I have 5 in totoal. One latex one for long hair, a silicone one, a cloth one, my recently acquired race cap and now........a latex one that fits for regular hair.

After searching the internet like mad to see if there is something to put into your hair or to find a a cap that would be guaranteed to stay on, I was dismayed. Everything that was suggested, I have tried. The only thing I could possibly experiment with was a latex cap (for normal hair). Since I don't have regular hair-I was skeptical that this would work.

In reading more about latex, swimmers report that these caps are hard to get on. Why? Well it is because "latex is very rubbery and grips your hair". When I read the word Grip-I said to meself-self I don't care how long it takes me to get on, it it grips to my hair and stays on, then I will be able to avoid a clipper situation!

Off to the store I go-fortunately swim caps are cheap! Since I had a swim lesson in the afternoon-it was perfect timing to try out this cap.

So knowing that this could be a bit of a problem to get the cap on, I arrived at the pool early. My hair was expecially puffy because it was rainy and humid. (BTW this is a great look in the 80's-not so much now). As soon as the cap touched my hair, it felt like it was pulling off my scalp. So I grit my teeth, struggled in pain and managed to get it on my head. Now I know why condoms are lubricated! Unfortunately for me, any sort of lubrication was out of the question as this would defeat the whole purpose, and the excercise would be wasted!

Now, Miss T, my swim instuctor is one of the sweetest people I have met on this adventure. Let's just say that when she heard about the swim cap struggle-she even laughed (normally she is very sympathetic) . She promised to work me hard, to see if the stupid cap would fall off. So after many laps of freestyle, and head up front crawl she had me do this crazy drill of 3 strokes front crawl flip and 3 strokes back. So I was flipping and flopping and losing my direction, forgetting to breathe, and going under. After many bobs to catch my breath, I clung frantically to the edge of the pool in survival mode.

Then..........Miss T had one of the biggest smiles on her face.......and when I touched my head, I realized that the cap stayed on!!!!!!!!

Now I know that it was only 45 minutes in the pool, but I am cautiously optimistic that the normal latex swim cap might be my saving grace. Never have I gone a whole lesson without having to adjust the cap until yesterday! Never in my wildest dreams would I have bought a cap for "normal" hair, and never would have the saleslady sold me one (she told me this herself).

So there you have it. I will try this cap on my next OWS and hope that the beach is not too crowded when I put the cap on-Oh how very embarassing that would be! Crossing my fingers this will work!

Gangsta Lady's wrath returns

Hellow followers- happy to report that I did not drown in the pond the other day. I think I am feeling more confident with the whole OWS although like I mentioned before, I still have to work on getting better at seeing where I am going. Swim cap issues are still a problem, so if there is any advice out there regarding what I can try to have the thing stay on, I would welcome your feedback. I have googled this problem, and have not had much success in finding a solution.

On to other news.... I can not recall if I have blogged about this before, so forgive me if I have-but it involves the notorious Gangsta Lady. She happens to be a woman with jet black hair who wears a Baby Phat jacket and neon pink lipstick all over her teeth. She attends the same gym as me, is probabally in her 60's and is incredibly mean-I have seen her yell at many people. Normally, I would avoid this individual, but unfortunately she happens to swim at the pool.

Back in October, I of course chose unknowing the lane next to Gangsta lady to practice in. Well- I guess I must of splashed her a little-and she stopped me in my lane and blasted me. Gangsta lady does not wear a swim cap and does not like getting her hair wet. I assume this is because her jet black hair dye could ink the pool ? The other pool patrons have encouraged me to continue swimming and not let this woman unerve me-after all I am not the only one she has had "issues" with.

So I continue to go to the pool and practice. Every time I swim, she is there and gives me the evil eye. Now I don't puposely go out of my way to splash her, but being in a pool and the lane next to her, sometimes this happens. For the last several months she has said nothing other than to give me her icy stare. The odd person she does talk to, she will speak badly of me . Today it happened once again. She went on about how awful I am in the crowded loby entrance to the gym, suggested I was a horrible swimmer, and went onto to say that even 4 lanes away she gets splashed by me.

Clearly this woman has anger issues and hates me. I do my best to ignore this, but sometimes I tell you-it gets to you. So today I felt like an idiot (even if Gangsta Lady is crazy-it's not a great feeling to be dissed in front of a crowd) but refuse to engage in such a ridiculous circumstance I find myself in. So today, my followers, you are the unfortunate who get to hear my rant. The one positive that came of this is that I had an awesome workout-nothing like a little anger to fuel that fire!

First Triathlon-DONE!

Hello followers- I am happy to report that all the anxiety and nerves are over. On Sunday I completed my first sprint distance triathlon in one hour 30 minutes to be exact.

The experience was great aside from the swim. My swim cap came off and I lost probabally about 5 minutes from this. I was too afraid to let go of the cap or stuff it into my wetsuit, as I thought that I could have gotten disqualified. So swimming or trying to swim the crawl was so very difficult!

Mr. P is threatening to shave me head, and I am frantically searching the internet to see if a less drastic solution exists-surely I can not be the only one! It's too bad that they force you to wear the event swim caps which are cheapy cheapy given the hundred's of people they have to give them out to. On this race, I tried wearing my own cap underneath, and I even had my hair in a tight French braid. Geez!

In the end, I must say that it was pretty awe inspiring to witness the first wave of swimmers. It was really a moment that nearly brought tears to my eyes as I reflect back 8 months ago when I was first learning the front crawl! Blood, sweat and tears really does pay off! This is something I hope my children will learn from me-Self-discipline-If they can get it, it will reap benefits for them in whatever becomes their destiny!

Yesterday was a recovery day and Ms. L was again working on my butt (still hurts and I have the half marathon on Sunday)-no more rest as I have a wicked workout planned today. An OWS with Mr. P -I know this is NOT going to be easy!

The Big Deal

Good morning followers-I just slept for 10 hours and am feeling rested. It has been a busy week and obviously I needed sleep. In many of the training articles I have read, they talk about how sleep is critical as your body releases certain growth hormones. It is these hormones that repair and make you strong. The elite athletes actually schedule sleep into their afternoons between workouts because of this! I however, knew I would need a good sleep for today as tonight may be a problem. That's right.........tomorrow is a very very Bid Deal for me. I will be competing in my very first Triathlon, and I am not sure how good a sleep I will get tonight!

If you had read earlier posts, I had been contemplating doing a longer triathlon distance, but after consulting with my Voice of reason and Mr. P, they both thought it would be a very bad idea. So for my first experience , I am doing a Sprint Distance which in layman's terms means
800 m swim, 20 k bike and 5 k run. Ahhhh........

The race starts early, and this means that transition opens up at 6am. This is where you rack your bike, get your race bib, body markings, swim cap, pee a million times and try like mad to calm your nerves. All the racers are then debriefed on the rules and the course is outlined. It also means that I will be getting up a 4am so that I can eat and get ready as it will take me roughly a hour to get out to Bird's Hill.

For those of you who know my struggle with food experimentation, I plan on consuming some Boost as I think if I eat solids before the swim, coupled with my nerves, I am liable to throw up in the water. I also think I will put my Bento Box on the bike and take some gels just in case I need some extra energy from the swim. All 3 times when I have gotten out of the OWS practices, I have felt really wobbly, so hopefully a little carb/sugar combo will help!

Speaking of OWS, I completed a third one on Thursday evening. I owe my Voice of Reason a big thank you as she pretty much forced me to do this swim against my will. You see I did not want to do this, as I was worried that I would have another bad experience, and that this would unnerve me for my upcoming race. My voice of reason, however, was very firm in not allowing me to get away with this bullshit (pardon the French but emphasis is required here) and basically advised me that I was never going to allow myself to get to a better place if I did not confront my fear. In essence she told me that the only person responsible for letting myself down is me-and I can choose not to beat myself up!

So in the end, I followed her advice. It wasn't as great a swim as I had with Mr and Mrs. P but it wasn't as awful and crushing as my first one. I swam roughly 1500m and it was only after I was halfway done, that I began to feel a rhythm (this is why I prefer the longer distance). I am so glad I did it, and thank you my dear dear friend-as usual you were right!

Adding just a tad to my anxiety, is a problem that has developed in the last several days. I am having some pain-in my butt! This is related to a sacreal nerve-very common for runners. So I did change my running shoes (something that everyone will tell you not to do before a race-but mine are identical to the ones I had) and booked a therapeutic massage yesterday with my friend Mrs. L. She is a wee little thing, but can make a grown man cry with the force she puts behind her tiny hands. She pounded on my butt muscle for an hour and today I am happy to report that it is feeling much better and "runable". But as a precautionary measure, I have booked her in regularly for the next month. Thank goodness for Blue Cross coverage! Gotta love Canada!

Well that is all for now folks. I must tend to my family, and try and keep my mind occupied and my breathing deep. I am also hoping for rain today so our neighborhood block party will be postponed (don't need noise to be added to the equation as sleep will suffer even more tonight). I will carry all your support with me tomorrow as I experience my very first Triathlon! Luvs ya!

Forgot about dinner

Ok followers- I made it to the Bike Shop yesterday and Mr. C was a fantastic coach in the whole tire changing escapade. Aside from som grease on my hands and pants, I successfully changed my tire. A little tip for those who do get bike grease on their clothes-Rubbing alcohol works wonders!

I also spent more money (when is it going to stop?) and ordered aerobars and a water bottle. They should arrive in a couple of weeks with some luck so I can get some practice in before Aug.1st. I also will be packing some C02 cartridges with me as Mr. C demonstrated how to use these-and would be key in a race situation. I must admist the contents of C02 are under pressure and it was a bit intimidating to watch the tire inflate a such a fast pace-wow!

So it is again raining in the city-making another open water swim seem unlikely today-this is causing me some stress.

I am also stressed as my first triathlon is on Sunday. I am signed up for the Sprint distance, but am seriously considering going longer as I tend to settle better with the longer distances. The short distances freak me out more as I go faster and burn out quick due to the anaerobic state I often get myself into. I must consult with Mr. P for the final ruling!

Yikes........forgot about dinner-must go buy something-Geez!