Half Ironman Training - Rebecca's Way

So I seem to get a good number of emails from friends and others who are interested in the sport. I thought I would share my opinions in case it helped anyone else. Beware, this is a rambling stream of consciousness and I'm in no way certified or trained to coach, this is the world according to Rebecca:
- - - - -
Ok - so I've been pondering your question - and I may not have a good answer for you. Everything I am going to say here is just my way of training - and may (or may not) be the same as a coach. I've just learned what I can do that works.

Training - use January/February to start getting your body used to 8-9 workouts per week (3-bike, 3-run, 2-3 swim) where you do at least 3 of these workouts on the weekend have have at least one day each week of total rest - not even a stroll, resting! Preferably after your long day (Monday seems to be good off day).

Distances - not much help on swimming, that's a no-brainer leg of the race for me and I really don't train too much for it b/c no one wins a race because they are a good swimmer. Ask Tracy - she'll have better ideas here.
Biking - start out your long ride on the weekend with about a 15mile ride working up to a 50 mile ride by 3 weeks before your "A" half-IM distance race. Since your goal is completion, just work on putting the miles in and going at a nice pace but remember - no coasting on your bike. Ride it the whole time - even on the down hills. Learn how to use your gears really well so that on the down hill you are going strong and can coast up part of the up hill. Practice eating on the bike - I'm partial to PB&J, the new PowerGel circle block thingies, and Gatorade. Drink Gatorade - NOT water - you need the electrolytes.

Running - start out your long run so that an 8-9 mile run isn't so terrifying ;) Then work up to a good 13-15 mile run. I think it's a good idea to push the run a little longer than your race distance here b/c your legs are going to be BEAT after riding for a few hours so they get used to running tired. Be sure that whenever you do a long bike ride you get off your bike and go run - even if you just run down Marshall Farm to Chalks and back. Just enough to get used to running a few miles slowly on tired legs. Eating - bananas, oranges, power bars, that sort of stuff. I wear my Skirt Sports tri top and Skirt so I have pockets (one on my top, 2 on my shorts) then I take advantage of the rest stops for fluid. During training I use my camel back hydration packs religiously. I never ever drink water while I'm training b/c of the electrolytes - you need them so get used to running and hydrating often. You shouldn't have to pee much during your training b/c as you take it in you are using it.

Diet - yeah... diet... eat when you are hungry. You WON'T lose weight training for an endurance event. Your body will need to consume a good number more calories than you are using now. Just eat when you are hungry, eat smart - no junk - no fast food - just good food whenever. Develop a pre-long ride, long-run nutrition plan for the day before and stick with it. Ex: I always eat the same thing the entire day before my long run so that I can be sure on race morning or long-ride/run morning my tummy will be the same. I didn't do this 1 time and ended up making potty stops 5 times on a run b/c my system was so used to it's routine. Drink lots of fluids - don't ever be thirsty - carry your bike bottle with you every where and keep it full.

Clothing - Be comfortable. Get used to wearing a swim suit or tri shorts during your ride and wear the same ones during your race. If you aren't a visor junkie yet, get a few visors. They are better than hats b/c they let the heat escape your head but not squinting while you run will be helpful on a 13mile hot summer race.

Coaching - there are tons of coaches out there - I don't use them b/c honestly, my life won't change if I'm an hour faster or not. I'd rather just do what works for my body, work it hard, stick to my schedule but also realize that life is busy and if I have an off week. If you ask others they'll say they need a coach to keep them focused.

So this is lots of info - tell me if you have more questions - I love to talk about this (go figure) but remember I'm not a trainer, coach, or specialist in any way.

Focus, focus, focus

Ever been so overwhelmed with something that you don't know where to start? I'm there - or should I say - I was there yesterday. It's Christmas time which for me means time to start planning my 2009 fundraising for The Smile Train, planning my 2009 event calendar, time to start making cookies with the kids and relaxing.

I want to do that - I really do want to relax but how! There is work (real paying-job work - not fun, non-paid Race Director work) to be done and working from home I have the down side of always having work at my fingertips whether I want it there or not.

Finally I hit a breaking point. A few choice words to my poor, sweet husband who tells me "it's my job" when I vent at him (I say at him because he never gets a chance to talk), a few tears, a few "don't cry mommy" from the kids and I'm better now.

So my magic solution to getting over this hump? Reprioritize and realize that work is just work - do the best I can do, work smart, communicate what can (and can't) be done and then just do what you can do. Make time for the fun stuff because that is what keeps you going.

I've been really good, so far, of balancing work - races - fundraising - training - family - church (not in that order of course) and I'm not going to let a few overwhelming weeks stop me. I'm inclined to believe that a lot of my self-imposed stress is me trying to please everyone which we all know never happens and also NOT being able to do my number one stress-reliever - RUN.

My new outlook for the next month while Polly is tracked out of our funky year-round school system - prioritize, work super-smart, do what I can and if something isn't getting done on time, know that I did my absolute best and that is always good enough.

Night night.

Finding what you love to do!

My IT band is still mad at me however, now it's my left one. I've been going to Physical Therapy, doing my exercises, NOT running when it hurts and now my left knee/IT band hurts. This is probably the most frustrating experience I've had in my training EVER.

Coming off Ironman Louisville I was looking forward to spending my 2009 running and doing a few triathlons just to keep my biking legs going. Now I can't even run 2 miles - better yet - I walked 1.6 miles and it started to ache.

So what am I supposed to do now? I can swim but the thought of doing Masters Swimming just sounds boring. Don't get me wrong - I'm a capable swimmer; I've been in the pool since I was 4 but I'm realizing it's not what I love to do - running is!! I can do spin classes, and I am, but it's not the same feeling as going on a 2-hour long run. And it's cold and dark so the only time I can do a good ride is on the weekend in the cold mornings.

I JUST WANT TO RUN! But I'm not - I'm being a smart athlete and realizing that I can run now and not run the rest of the year or I can take this as a break, enjoy (ha!) the recovery and hope that biking will keep my legs strong.

I may not be the fastest runner out there but I love how I feel during a run and after a run. I can give up a few weeks of what I love so that I can do it for a lifetime, but it is hard!

The refreshing thing about this is that I've figured out what I really love doing - not because I'm fast (because I'm not) but running is my favorite sport in triathlon. I have big biker legs that make it so I can actually enjoy the run during most tris without losing too much ground, but for me it's not really about the speed as much as it is the team and the training. Knowing that what I am doing is making a difference for someone - even if that is only me somedays.

Mega Skirt Sale

Wow - I get to give all my friends a mega 25% off at www.SkirtSports.com! Use the discount code REBECCAW and save through the end of 2008!

www.SkirtSportsOutlet.com also just moved most of the 2008 spring and summer line to the outlet so the prices are amazing. My favorite dress, the Footloose Running Dress, is only $25! That's a steal!

Go shopping!!!

I'm coming up for air!

So I've disappeared the last month and wow - time has flown! I've been heads down working my real job (you know the one that pays the bills) and moonlighting as a race director getting all the info needed for the 2009 running of The BASF Smile Train Triathlon at Heritage Wake Forest.
It's going to be another amazing event! We modified the bike out/in just a bit to avoid a slight incline that was causing some trouble and we modified the run course to be an out-and-back so you can see everyone in front of you (and behind you) to cheer them on.
But my training... that has suffered. After the City of Oaks Half Marathon debacle I finished the race with a nice and easy time and an achy knee. I let it rest but for the next few weeks it hurt after all my long runs.
So I went to my friends at Triangle Orthopaedic and they told me I hurt my IT band. I thought I had but didn't really know what to do to help it and how far to run or not run. I love those guys, except that they told me to take 2 weeks off. I know it's good for me but I have to say I miss my long, slow, runs on the weekend!
I'm doing my physical therapy like I'm supposed to and hoping that my IT band won't be so mad at me and I can successfully complete the Houston Marathon. That race is one I've always wanted to do since it's in my home town and my family and grandma can come watch. We'll see what happens!!
I'm looking forward to a fun and race-filled 2009 so I better do what I can to get healed and stay healthy. I've got things to do!

Last race/run of the season!

Ahhh - what a nice feeling to have the last real run of the year over and what an awesome year it has been!

I did City of Oaks Half Marathon today (Sunday) and just enjoyed the run. I must admit, I felt pretty whimpy just doing the half - I know, don't tell me, a half is a good distance, it's not whimpy... I know.

I had signed up for the full and the something kicked in at the end of this week and I just got sick. John had it first so I guess kissing my little germ factories didn't help me to stay well.

So anyway, I had to go to packet pick-up and down-grade my registration. I know it was the right thing to do but man that was hard. It does make me feel better that my training program for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February actually started today and it called for a 13mile run so at least I stuck to that.

The run was super fun! I wore my green SkirtSports Footloose Dress (green is the official marathon color) and 2 strands of beads representing last years race and this year along with a tiara. In addition, I made some rocking arm-warmers that drew some comments. I had to opt for the hat b/c the tiara and sunglasses was too much stuff behind my ears. I gave out lots of Skirt Entourage cards with my Discount Code (REBECCAW) to some sassy women at the race.

I don't know what my time was but I think it was somewhere around 2:06 which isn't a PR but I was supposed to be just doing a long run so that's fine with me.
It was pretty cool to finish the race and get to see the fast guys. About 20 minutes after I finished the 1st place finishers of the full 26.2 mile distance were coming in so I took a picture with them. He didn't think Christine and I were as cool as we thought he was.

So I'm pooped! Between last weekends ultramarathon, this week getting an allergy attack or something and a half-marathon, I'm ready to hit the gym and recover a bit.

My first ultra marathon... good times and lessons learned!

Yeah, so this past weekend I took Polly back to Kansas City, MO to see our friends there. During our 49 hour visit my former running buddy Jenn and I got to experience our first ultra marathon.

The Blue Springs Runners club had a 50mile/50k/26.2mile run on Sunday so we signed up for it a few months ago.

Now a word 'bout Jenn. She's a fast runner - like a sub-3:30 marathon in the pre-kid days - so she knows all about competition. She also, one year ago today, gave birth to her 2nd son so she's not just a runner, she's a sleep deprived, working mommy of 2 little boys. Here she is in full drama :)

We both had to constantly remind both of us that this was only about having a fun time, running with an old friend, and tackling a new distance (or as much of it as we could) and still being able to drive home.

We wake up at 4:15am and get ready for the run. We are prepared for running in freezing temps until the sun rises and bracing ourselves for the cold. Silly, us - the weathermen are always wrong, remember! It was a nice 48 when we got up! That meant we could whip out the Skirts! So after a complete wardrobe verhaul, we were ready to go. We had the car loaded up like we were driving from Missouri to Oregon!

Our supply list for our first 50K:

• Skirts - I opted for the Gym Girl Ultra with 2 pockets on each leg that I shoved full
• Vests - I'm such a fan of the vest for cold weather running
• Longsleeve heavy technical shirts
• Kleenex and wipes to keep us clean
• Hats, gloves, ear warmers
• iPods which we didn't use b/c we talked nonstop for the whole run
• Fluids - 2 gallons of gatorade, 2L of Mountain Dew (just in case we needed a little jolt!)
• Camel back hydration packs
• Lots of food - pb&j, gu, trail mix, gum, bananas, candy

We get to the race and see all these people with head-lamps on. We're thinking, what are they doing? They need head lamps to get their stuff organized? Whatever. Then we hear a 10-9-8-countdown. Yikes - the 6am start is going and we're not there! So we slap on the camel backs knowing that in 4.5 miles there will be a rest stop and in 9 miles we'll be back at the car so we can reload.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, running in the night, on a trail, with the moon, and NO HEADLAMP! We get it ok! The head lamp is so you can see on the trail at night? I'm such an urban runner. There are street lights whereever I go. So we decide to mooch some light off the guys in front of us and follow in their footsteps. It was very Blair witchy running through the trail. Stealing light is good, it's a nice option.... until they stop to pee in the woods!

Thank goodness for the iPod = it gave off just enough light for us to catch the next group. Mr. Flag Man and another lady. Meanwhile, Jenn and I haven't shut up yet. We're having such a great time not being interrupted by kids when we try to talk!

Oh wait... do I have to pee... yeah, we forgot to do that at the start because we were so hurried. And oh yeah... there aren't porta potties on this course every mile are there. So we realize that this is what you do on trail runs and ultras. You run, get by yourself, pee, then catch the crowd. Repeat as often as needed.

So right about 6:45 we start seeing people (fast people) coming the other direction so the turn around must be up there. We say "hi" to everyone but they don't all say hi back and then we decide that we are going to be "the happy girls in their skirts". We look so totally out of place on this run. First of all, we are women (mostly men here), in our mid-30's (mostly 50+), and we are wearing Skirts.

We totally think they are looking at us thinking "there's no way they'll finish" - little do they know how determined we were. Anyway, we make it a point to say "hi" to EVERYONE we pass and smile and try to do it in unison (accidentally) when we can.

After the turnaround we notice that the 7am start group is gaining on us but we continue to remind our selves that we aren't here to compete, just to have fun and finish by 1pm so I can get on an airplane.

So I can sort of skip over the next few miles and get to Mile 27 - it's the same thing - run, see the car, refuel, see a rest stop, eat some candy, pee, repeat. At Mile 27 we hit the cars again and only have 5 miles left! We stop to take a picture on the trail we were running called the "Trail of Death" - how's that for inspiring confidence and Jenn realizes that her foot is really hurt.

I heard someone say in regards to injuries, do you want to run for the next 2 weeks or the next 20 years. Well, Jenn will be running her whole life so she takes the smart road and stops. I shuffle along for the next 5 miles by myself and continue to say "hi" to everyone. Especially the friendly ladies running the 50K the week before their friends 50th birthday! That totally rocks!

I finish the run and got my light-switch-cover medal. I love this race, this distance, and these people. They are all so supportive, kind, friendly, and motivating! I can't wait to do this race again next year and maybe after a few years of doing a 50K, I'll take the plunge and do a 50-miler. Until then here are my lessons learned from my first ultra marathon:

• Layering is a good thing
• iPods while running are totally overrated
• Running with a good friend and talking about everything without fear of judgement is the best thing
• If you are an urban runner (like me) and want to do a trail run expect some post-race discomfort
• Cheese before a run, not good
• PB&J before and on a run, perfect
• Saying "hi" to everyone on the trail is an easy way to stay motivated
• Walking breaks during an ultra are encouraged
• Corn husks can work as TP but they tend to shred and that is no good
• Arnica on sore joints and muscles is wonderful
• Having the support of your family and friends on a run makes it all worth while

The day after the race I'm feeling ok but I am more achy than after my Ironman. I know I trained enough, my shoes aren't old, and I wasn't sore after my IM. I think that the trail messed with me a bit. My IT Band is a bit flared up but I've got some arnica and a will of steel so I'll rest up and get ready for next weekend.

On November 2nd we've got the City of Oaks Marathon. I'm signed up to do the full, but I'm going to make it a game day decision about whether I do the full or half. I hate to not do the full marathon distance if I know I can but it's not worth permanent injury. Besides all my friends are running the half so at least I'll have someone to trot with! In a dress, no less!!

Would you want someone to help you if this was your family?

http://www.bripardun.com/

A friend of mine from Kansas City, MO (where we lived before moving to Wake Forest, NC) forwarded this to me. It's the story of a young family with 3 beautiful little boys. In the past few weeks they found out that the oldest 2 sons have a life-threatening condition known as "Niemann Pick Disease Type C" or also known as "Childhood Alzheimer's". Over time the children "forget" how to walk, talk, and function. The estimated life expectency of children with NPC is 9-15 years.

This disease is always fatal which ultimately rob's innocent children of their life's!

On their website is an area where you can donate to help them. The money will go straight to the family to cover their costs for therapeutic equipment, medical expenses, or whatever the family needs.

Please consider giving a financial gift to this family. I know if these were my children I would be praying for a miracle. Maybe we can't provide a miracle cure, but we can take some stress off the family so our combined help can be a financial miracle for them.

Please consider helping. Every penny counts.

If I run slowly I could run forever!

Saturday morning I got up and started my run at 5am. Did a nice 10-miles then met up with the new Heritage Running Club that is starting up in my neighborhood. The other folks out there were looking for a 10/11mile routes so the 10miler I had mapped out worked nicely for the group. I had my running buddy, Kristie, there with me so I did the 10-miler again and felt great.

I really wish I were faster but I can see that I'm getting there little by little. I actually like my long runs and look forward to them. I'm a slow and steady runner but in the end I finish my runs feeling good (fatigued but hey, I just ran 20miles, I'm entitled to that!) and looking forward to the next one.

Speed is nice sometimes but the reality of it is that my life won't change if I'm fast or slow so I'll just enjoy my long slow workouts, the time to myself to think, and the joy of watching my neighborhood wake up slowly on Saturday mornings.

If you live in Heritage, FYI - there are owls on the new side of the neighborhood across Rogers Road. They'll hoot at you in the dark and it's kinda spooky... especially at Halloween time... ooooooooooo. :)

Who says you can't run in a Dress? Picking up some speed!!

The City of Oaks Marathon and Half-Marathon push to run in a Dress is picking up some speed! Spread the word! Here's the info:

At the City of Oaks Marathon or Half Marathon on November 2, 2008 in Raleigh, NC we are pushing for every Skirt-alicious woman to really break free here.

Run in a dress and have fun doing it!The unofficial-official attire for the City of Oaks Marathon or Half Marathon is the SkirtSports Footloose Running Dress.

If you've tried the Skirt then move on up to the Dress. You thought running in a Skirt was freedom - think about having NOTHING rubbing on your waist line, riding up, riding down - no riding at all.

On Race Day, we'll meet at the Starting Line under the Announcer's Podium at 6:15am for a photo. Be there in your SkirtSports Footloose Dress and be ready to rock the course for a great run!!!

Go to http://www.skirtsports.com/ and use the Discount Code REBECCAW to get your dress (and something to wear under it) for 15% off. Wear it on some long runs before the race and get ready for a Dress Revolution!

Personally, I'll be there in my favorite Footloose "little black dress" complete with some sparkly earrings, and necklace. See you at the starting line!

Skirt on!

Shoes tied, clothes folded, bike ridden - the path to growing up!

So this has been a big week in the Warriner household. Polly, our 5-year-old, has mastered some real big-kid things!

We did our standard "Fall Fashion Show" where we get out all her fall and winter clothes and try everything on to see what still fits. Looked like we needed to get some new church clothes so some shopping was in order.

Sunday we went to our favorite store, Super Target, and did some serious shopping. We made it to the fitting room with over 20 things to try on. After making some hard decisions (do we go with the red plaid skirt or the pink... so tough) we made it home with lots of mix-and-match pieces very appropriate for a little girl that is trying to grow up but her mom isn't as ready as she is.

Our ground rules - nothing with Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, or High School Musical, and we both had to agree on it. That's it - shopping was actually so much fun with her! She's got the pink/black preppy/punk look going on and I love it!

Then as we are trying to put her clothes away (usually done with forceful stuffing into her drawers) she decided she should fold her pants and showed me how she could do it! Very nice, we'll see how long that lasts. Most of her stuff hangs up so stuffing - whatever - as long as it's not on the floor.

Monday comes around and she comes home from school saying "I can tie my shoes! I can be the shoe tie helper!" She really can tie her shoes now. We've practiced maybe 5-8 times total and each time she insists she doesn't want to learn. It all has to be in her own time. That's just Polly!

Then Monday afternoon we finally got to put the pedals on her bike and she got on it and rode without a single minute of help! I must say, we got the Trek Float bike and it was so great. For the last few months she's practiced "riding" without pedals so she could get the idea of balancing, braking, coasting, and picking up her feet. It was the easiest bike training I've heard of.

Every day after school she's coming home and riding all around the driveway and around the block pretending like she's doing a triathlon! I've got a short video of her growing up and her little brother following in her footsteps!

Funny John story - he tells us that when he grows up he's going to "be a big girl and go to Kindergarten too" - too cute!

Oh my gosh... more new Skirts! Here I go again!

Ok - so SkirtSports.com just released their new fall and winter line and oh my gosh! They are too cute. I've got a hankerin for the toughgirl with the matching running shirt that has the holes in the sleeves for your thumbs. I'm gonna need to get another job so support my Skirt habit!

Check it out - www.SkirtSports.com

My little bitty guy!

So last Thursday my little guy John (he's just 3 weighs 26.5lbs and is about 36" tall) had his tonsils and adenoids taken out.

I've heard it wasn't such a big deal and that in 3 days he'd be like new but man, is this taking a toll on him. It's Tuesday and he's still not eating much, still needing his pain medicine, and really weak.

I'm sure this is nothing compared to what some families have to go through, but man - watching your teeny-tiny little boy not eat because he's uncomfortable is tough. I know he'll eat eventually but until then I'm reminded how fragile and delicate a child can be.

However, John does get pumped up still when he watches football so I know he's spirit is still in there - he's just too tired to let it out very often.

I'm ready to have my spunky, "bad boy" (his words not mine) back!

The Unofficial Official City of Oaks Attire - the Footloose Running Dress

Ok gals (and guys with gals) - we are on the cutting edge here and I need your help to spread the word!

After talking to a number of friends all doing the City of Oaks Marathon or Half Marathon on November 2, 2008 in Raleigh, NC we are pushing for every Skirt-alicious woman to really break free here.

We have decided that the un-official official attire for this event is the SkirtSports Footloose Running Dress. If you've tried the Skirt then move on up to the Dress. You thought running in a Skirt was freedom - think about having NOTHING rubbing on your waist line, riding up, riding down - no riding at all. There are a number of us who will be sporting the Dress. Join the movement!

On Race Day, we'll meet at the Starting Line under the Announcer's Podium at 6:15 for a Skirt Photo. Be there in your SkirtSports Footloose Dress and be ready to rock the course for a great run!!!

Go to http://www.skirtsports.com and use the Discount Code REBECCAW to get your dress for 15% off. Wear it on some long runs before the race and get ready for a Dress Revolution!
Forward this email on to ANYONE you know running at this event. Let's get it started here!!!

Skirt on!

More Gear?

So I noticed that there were tons of people wearing compression socks at IM Louisville. I saw some pink ones (they were sleeves actually) so I could consider wearing them but first... why do you need them? I really don't know yet but I'm looking.

Perhaps this is just one more piece of "must have" gear that we will learn to love and not live without!

More New Skirts

I just got 2 new skirts!!!! The Red Skirt Chaser Series Skirt and the Sapphire Blue Gym Girl Ultra.

Have to say I love the new red! It's a nice switch up to my wardrobe and great for the fall. The liner is the girl shorties which I am a total fan of... no riding up. I did notice that the Skirt Chaser Skirt seems to run a bit bigger than the others so I actually wear a size Small in this one (that's only helpful if you know what I look like - sorry!) so size accordingly.

As for the Gym Girl Ultra, I'm not usually a Gym Girl gal but I love this skirt. The compression shorts mean that they are a little tighter on my thighs and booty so there's less visual booty-bounce!

Wouldn't you know it as soon as I get these Skirts I get the announcement about the new fall line so I guess I'll be buying more stuff!

The new line includes some new colors - royal blue, more red, and of course more black. The new Gym Girl Ultra has Racing Stripe! Don't worry, the stripes make you look fast.

To go along with this there are the new Tattoo Tees, of which I'll likely have to order a few of those as well. Good thing I have my 15% off Discount Code!

I'm Pod-worthy!

So I'm also excited because I got an IPod for my anniversary gift last week! I've never run with music so this will be a first for me. I got all my favorite CDs loaded and bought about $20 worth of new songs as well as the Nike add on that I can put on my running shoes.

But I don't wear Nike shoes so I found a neat little add on that I can attach the sensor to and hook it on any of my running shoes. It was something like $8 on Amazon.com.

Now I just have to learn how to use that program... ugh! I'm planning on doing a 50K trail run in Blue Springs, MO at the end of October with a friends so I'll be totally decked out.

Getting geared up

Picture this, me in my turquoise Gym Girl Ultra (yep, I'll stand out), in my pink camo Dirty Girl Gaiters and my turquoise IPod. I think the midwestern ultra-marathon purists will be in for it when my other Skirt-alicious girlfriend, Jen, and I come to their race. Yep - we have all the gear!

Ironman Louisville 2008 Race Report

Ahhh - my first Ironman Race Report - hopefully the first of many in the remainder of my life!

We arrived at Louisville on Thursday, August 28 after a 10hour car ride that started at 5:40am. Thank goodness the kids were angels in the car and that made it easy. I was pretty nervous and edgy.

Upon checking in at the Galt I went to athlete check-in - wow! The caliber of people I was surrounded by was intimidating. I wasn't scared but more feeling like I didn't belong there - I didn't look like they did and my bike was nothing like theirs. I have a Trek 1000 that I bought in 1999/2000 and stuck some aerobars on. It's nothing fancy at all. Oh yeah, and I didn't have an M-dot (Ironman logo) tattoo to show off either ;)

Friday
Friday morning we were able to do our first practice swim in the Ohio River from the swim finish. I jumped in and had no shock from the water temperature. It was very, very comfortable. So I swam up stream for about 10minutes and then back down river in about 8 minutes. The current either way wasn't noticeable. That was a bit disappointing as I was hoping to have a faster swim time so I'd have some wiggle room on the run. Oh well! Can't change it so I just dealt with it. When I got out of the water, my nice white Smile Train Triathlon swim suit was a nice dingy cream color. Yuck! Dirty silty river... most of it washed off when I got home.

Friday mid-morning my mom and Aunt Phyllis and Aunt Pam arrived at The Galt House hotel and we went to eat. It's what we do best together! John napped, Polly did lots of adventure walks around the hotel and I went shopping at the Expo. Got myself a nice Ironman jacket for running in the winter and some tri-shorts. No, they aren't SkirtSports tri shorts but they are from my first IM so I'll make a concession on my wardrobe with that one.

The welcome dinner was ok - I probably wouldn't go again because I didn't have any friends there and I really didn't eat anything. But I wanted the full IM experience so we did. After dinner it was in bed by 9:30 for me!

My wonderful husband, Richard, was such a good sport through all of this. Friday was our 10-year-anniversary and this is all I wanted for my gift. He got a great new gun (whooo hoo!) and I got to do an Ironman.

Saturday Practice
Saturday I met up with my most awesome 10-time-Ironman friend Katie Paulson and her crazy friend Suzanne. Katie is actually training for an Ultraman race in October... she's an amazing athlete! I digress - we did another practice swim in the water and again, no great current. Good for the confidence. Following the swim we drove out the first 15miles of the bike course and saw that it was mostly flat so it would be a nice warm up. We stopped at a church right before the out-and-back on the bike course and rode that portion of the course. It was the steepest incline and decline we would have on the entire course.

I wish my computer were on my bike to see how fast we were going - at least 40+mph. It was awesome. Of course every hill you go down you must come up. These 2 inclines were hard but having trained in North Carolina I thought they were manageable. Just took them easy and knew that eventually they would end. Since my strength on the bike is the hills I enjoyed this ride.

After our ride we did a little 5/10minute transition run. I love it when I do a little run like that after some big hills and my legs feel normal! It was very good for my confidence. I did deserve to be at IM Louisville - I had trained as hard as I could and as much as I could. It felt good to realize that yes, I belonged there.

While I was doing this my family got to go see the Louisville Slugger Museum and play around downtown Louisville. John got 2 new baseball bats that instantly became swords with which he could get the "bad guys" because, as he tells me "he's a bad boy."

So Saturday afternoon during naptime I got all my gear ready as it had to be turned in that afternoon before 5pm. Really glad we did that the day before - it took a load off my mind knowing that I didn't have to worry about it after I turned it in. Of course it did take me a full hour to check, re-check, and re-re-check it all. We finally got it all turned in, did the tour of the transition area and walked up the 1mile to dinner at Tumbleweeds.

Again, I didn't eat after having snacked all day I was pretty sick of food. I should mention that I eat so much during the morning and afternoon that usually by dinner time the last thing I want is food. I'm usually done eating by 5pm and then have a little snack after my kids go to bed.

Saturday night I was pretty nervous. Sitting around making plans with my family and providing them with estimated times for where I would be at what time was a good exercise. It helped me make a mental map of the day. I ended up referring to these times in my head through the course so I would know if I was ahead or behind my pace.

I was in bed by 10pm and slept quite soundly for a pre-race night. At 4:10am I heard the doors slamming, potties flushing, the athletes were rising. I too got up and gathered up my special needs food bags and got dressed.

My mom and Aunt Phyllis were awake so we hung out for a moment, said a prayer and I was off to the transition area then the swim start.

Pre-race
The transition area was open at 4:55am when I got there so I dropped my helmet, shades, food, bottles, bento box, etc. on my bike and headed up to the swim start. The swim start was a first-come-first-in time trial start and I'm so glad I got there early. I did have to sit in line for an hour but I was also in the water in the first 3minutes of the race.

I lined up, took my Sport Legs, waited, chatted, waited, and finally we heard the National Anthem. Surprisingly I wasn't teary. I wasn't nervous, just ready to get it on. As we approached the swim start I got my cap on, goggles ready, crossed the mat and people were jumping in one after another.

The Swim
My turn - jump in and whoosh - my top and heart rate monitor go right up under my arms! Yep, lost my top in the first 3 seconds of the race. I fix my wardrobe blunder and I'm really off.

The swim along the protected side of towhead island was easy. In about 33 minutes I made it to the turn around buoy. Nothing great to report, just swimming. As I turned I noticed the wake was a bit more rough but the current wasn't very strong either way. Keep swimming. The swim was relatively easy but it did take me longer than I thought. I finished the swim right around 1:24 but was hoping to do it in 1:15. I wasn't really pushing it at all during the swim, probably doing a pretty slow warm-up-pace but I was pretty concerned about not pushing it too hard too early in the day. My hip flexors were surprisingly fatigued during the swim but as soon as I exited the water that went away.

Transition 1
I saw my mom as I was running into T1 so I gave her a quick kiss and kept on jogging. Picked up my bag and was very glad that I had tied colored ribbons to my bag so I could easily identify it among the bunch. Others had put colored duct-tape or balloons on their bag to make it stand out. In T1 I just had to put on my Race Belt Skirt that had my number attached to it. Since we had to wear our numbers on the bike I just wore my Skirt backwards then I was dressed for the rest of the day. Threw on my shoes (no socks for me), strapped on my Camelback hydration pack and I was off. Got to my bike, strapped on my helmet and shades and ran to the mount line. As I was going I saw my cheering section - that was awesome again! My babies were cheering "go mommy!"

I was out of T1 in about 3-4minutes. No big wardrobe changes so that gave me some more time to enjoy my day on the run and ride!

The Bike
The first 15miles of the bike were relatively uneventful. The course is rather flat, actually a bit of a false flat so I just warmed up, got passed a bit, but held to my own plan. My heart rate was hovering right around 143 - perfect for me. We made it to the out-and-back that I had ridden the day before and I was very glad I knew what was ahead. I hammered the down hills when I could to get as much speed so I could spin the uphills and work a little less. Thanks to my friend Mike Brown for teaching me that! We finally made it to the loop that we would do twice.

I had a number of people comment on my baby-feet footprint tattoos on my back but more guys comment on my outfit. I wore my Blue Paradise top and race belt skirt. The head USAT ref actually said I had the cutest outfit on the course. I of course told him, that no - he did because I wanted him to be on my side. He just laughed and moved on. I got comments like "aren't you worried about your tan lines", "I can see up your skirt", "hey cute outfit"... from girls and guys alike!

I was grinning the entire bike ride and actually thought "wait, smiling is using muscles which are using energy - gotta stop smiling and conserve that energy!"

The hills were not too different from what I usually ride but there were just more of them. I took water at every water stop and splashed it on my head, chest, back, legs, everywhere to keep me cool. By this time the temperature was getting close to 90 (high that day was close to 95) and it was perfectly sunny.

In La Grange I saw my family again and got teary. That pumped me up. I was a bit behind schedule but knew that I could make up the time on the back part of the loop.

On the second loop around (started around 12:30) I noticed that people were starting to fall back. Guys who looked strong were getting passed by me in my skirt on my old Trek going uphill. People were pulling off and resting in the shade under the trees.

On the first 65miles of the ride I emptied my 40'ish oz Camelback filled with regular Gatorade and 2-20oz. bottles of Gatorade Endurance. My food consisted of 2 pb&j sandwiches, 1 Power Bar, and 1 Hammer Gel, and 2 doses of Sport Legs.

At mile 65 I got my special needs back and realized that I had tons of food. I got another sandwich, gel and Power Bar and filled up my Camelback again.

The second loop was warmer than the first but I knew I could do it. Never at any point in this bike ride did I think about getting off my bike. My heart rate was hovering right around 145 which was exactly where I wanted it. Of course, on the up hills it would go up but recovered quickly. Upon reaching the final big turn where we had a tail wind and lots of downhills I went back into my aerobars (I had been riding upright for most of miles 30-70) and hammered it in to make up for some lost time. The downhills were awesome and I really enjoyed myself out there.

During the last 5miles or so I slowed down a little bit so I could start spinning out my legs to get ready for the run. I got passed some more and realized that the pros were probably about to finish up their run.

I managed to do the bike in just under 7hours. Again, that was slower than I expected by about 20 minutes but there were more uphills than I had in my training rides so I wasn't surprised.

Transition 2
As I approached T2 the volunteers were there to take my bike and re-rack it. I handed it off, ran a few feet and realized I couldn't run in my bike shoes. So I quickly took them off and ran through T2 barefoot. Got my bag - again it was easy to find - and made my way to the changing tent.

Not much to do again. Got out of my tri-briefs and into my most comfy SkirtSport Spankies under my Race Belt Skirt, dried my feet and slipped on my socks, shoes, and visor. Dumped my Camelback since I knew there would be aid stations every mile. No need to carry anything on the run except my Sport Legs. I stopped for my first potty break, got some sun screen and I was off on the run.

The Run
Thank goodness for the cleavage alley pocket on my tri top. Through the bike and the run I stashed my sport legs (in a travel medicine tube), a power bar, and a gel in that pocket. I could probably have fit more!

Wow - the first 2 miles on the run were interesting. My legs were tired as I expected but my stomach was a mess. I kept moving forward and knew it would take a few miles for my body to re-adjust to this leg of the race. After running and walking the first 4miles I hit a good groove. I was so excited to see that through the entire run course my heart rate was in the mid/high 130's. I was staying in my ideal range and wasn't winded at all.

For the first part of the run I drank Gatorade at every stop, put ice down my top, and used cold sponges on my head as needed. I didn't want to be too soaked as I could hear people around me sploshing in their shoes - I had that happen to me at my half IM and it wasn't very comfortable. The ice down the shirt did wonders for me. I knew it was hot b/c people were dropping out, and looking really red but I managed to not really feel the heat.

As I approached mile 13 I got my special needs bag which had nothing good in it. I didn't really need anything on the run as the aid stations were so well stocked. I could have gone without it.

One thing that did surprise me on the entire run course was how much walking was being done by everyone - even people that looked like they were pros and really fast. I didn't mind walking myself and just let the day progress as it would.

I realized at the half-way mark that my hopeful time of 13:30/13:45 wasn't going to happen. I saw my family at around 6:30 at mile 14 and told them to give me about 3 more hours to do the next half of the race. After that point I pretty much race-walked the remainder of the run course. My walk was a quick 12/13/13.5 mph pace but my run didn't seem much faster.

My feet were very tired. I don't think any amount of training could have prepared my feet for the fatigue they would experience. I knew they would be tired so I never thought I would have to stop or wouldn't finish.

I also had heard - don't sit down - never sit down so I didn't. Not even in the transition area. Keep moving forward at all times.

I did notice around mile 15 that my hands seemed swollen and I was having to pee more often so I cut back on the fluids. Apparently I was getting enough. This didn't seem to have a negative effect. For the next 3-4miles I just sipped Gatorade or Coke to keep my mouth moist. As the evening set in I didn't need the ice anymore and just used the sponges to wash the grime off my body and keep my head feeling cool. Again, being careful not to have water dripping down my legs into my shoes.

Funny things started happening around mile 18. I would get to the food/water stations and it was like I was tipsy! They volunteers would ask me if I wanted Gatorade or water and I really didn't know what I wanted. I'd look at them and say "what?" - really, I didn't remember what I was asked! It was sort of fun because I was so there in the moment and new it was an easy question but I just couldn't come up with my answer! Ha!
Around mile 24 I noticed that my heels were really hurting - probably from the race walking. I didn't do too much of that so I was getting some new blisters under my old calluses. I had, before the race started, covered my feet in New Skin/Liquid Bandaid wherever I thought I might get a blister but didn't do anything on my heels. It was actually on the bottom of my feet where I got them so it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

The Finish
At mile 25.5 I was elated to be finishing. I started a slow jog. At mile 26 we rounded the corner to Fourth Street Live where the finish was. I got faster. We entered the finishing chute and I was running as fast as I could and smiling so big! I passed the Ford Flex (which I'm in love with) and hit the lights. I did it! I was crossing the finish line!!! I heard my family calling for me but was afraid to look - afraid if I lost focus I might trip. I wanted a picture perfect finish and I got it.

The Standings
1174 of about 1800 finishers (but I saw bibs with #s in the 2300's)
49 of 78 in my age group
Swim: 1:24:27
Transition 1: 3:56
Bike: 6:56
Transition 2: 7:50
Run: 5:55:19
Total Time: 14:27:30

The Photos
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35535&l=04c1c&id=606960484
Post Race
I was pumped the rest of the night. Walking a little gently on my feet but happy, smiling and feeling good. My kids were at the finish line so they got to see me. When I was done they were so sweet kissing me and wanting to wear my medal.

Richard and my Aunts took them to bed and my mom stayed with me to get my massage. I didn't really feel like eating anything at all so we just talked and enjoyed the moment.

The Scoop
I did get some scoop while on my trip. My mom sat next to 2 Race Directors who are going to be organizing Ironman Utah in 2010 in St. George. It's a new race, going to be hilly, but the down hills are supposed to be amazing. I'm pumped and ready for my next challenge. I think I may be able to do this but I have to give Richard a break with all this.

The Thanks
Of course, I must thank Richard, my wonderful husband. He put up with a summer of long training weekends, a moody and stressed me the weeks before the race, and he sacrificed having a long relaxing weekend for our 10th anniversary for running around Ironman Louisville.

I have to thank my training buddies - especially Bill for all the support on those long rides, Ali for being my jack rabbit on the runs, and the entire Y tri team for their ongoing support and encouragement.

Thanks to my family, neighbors, and the SkirtSports Entourage gals for all the support and jolly banter about the race. I'm glad it's over but soooooo ready to do it again! Good thing I told Richard I wouldn't do one in 2009 or I'd already be signed up for IM Louisville again.

We're outta here!

I'm ready! The car is loaded - bike rack is on complete with bike - the cargo carrier is on top of the car and loaded with everything from suitcases to our big red wagon.

Yes, we are taking the wagon... hey who wants to carry 2 tired kids to the finish line late at night when they are tired. I don't want anyone having to miss the finish so we are loading the kids up in their pjs with their blankets and letting them chill until I get to the finish line.

I've got everything I think I might need and some things I probably won't need at all. Sunday is going to be amazing - Ironman Louisville 2008 will be a day to remember for me.

My goals for the weekend are to 1) enjoy every moment, 2) relax, 3) spread the word about The Smile Train, 4) look extra cute in my Skirts and pass out lots and lots of my SkirtSports.com Discount Code (REBECCAW if you didn't know), and 5) FINISH my first Ironman.

I've had lots of people ask me if I'm going to win... these are the folks that are still learning what this whole triathlon thing is all about. Nope - no winning here and not even a top 10 (or 100) finish for that matter. My goal is completion.

It would be nice if I said I truly didn't care what time I finish in but, of course, I do. I would really like to finish in under 15hours and think that is very realistic. However, based on my half Ironman race from May I would really like to finish with a time around 13hours and I think that could be possible too. Since I've never done this distance I don't want to set myself up for disappointment so I'm going to take this race as I did my first half IM race - my heart rate will be my guide and I'll let my body tell me how it's doing.

During the run I'll be praying for someone on each mile. I'm making a little "cue sheet" of who I'm going to pray for on the run so I don't forget anyone. Please do me the favor of praying for me as well.

Again - thank you to everyone who has supported me this year and who has shown their support for The Smile Train. We are Turning Miles into Smiles and will continue to do so for the years ahead.

My worries... they're nothing in comparison!

Now that I'm aware of John's issue with his tonsils it's on my mind all the time. He now weighs just over 27lbs at 3yr 3mo old. That's how big Polly was when she was 2... It's so sad b/c he just burns so many calories trying to breath at night and has a hard time eating b/c he can't swallow too much food. Only 10 more days until his surgery so I couldn't be happier to see those tonsils go.

I think he is going to be a whole new child in his eating and sleeping habits and hopefully he'll start to gain some weight.

I think the most exciting part for me with all of this is knowing that my kids will be there at the finish line watching me. They totally won't understand what they are watching but some day, they'll have an "ah ha" moment and realize what this meant to me. It's going to be an amazing day full of determination - hope - and completion through out the day.

The completion won't just happen at the finish line, I'll be completing things all day long. Completing the swim, completing the first loop of the bike, even just completing a big hill. But ultimately I'll be completing my first year of Turning Miles into Smiles.

This past year we raised $23,400+ dollars for The Smile Train. We can NOT forget why I did this. There are children whose parents have lost all hope. I think I'm sad b/c John has issues with his tonsils! These parents have given up hope for their child ever living a normal life. They don't have the options we have to just fix it.

The Smile Train makes sure that these children are healed and in healing them their families and communities are touched. While my race will be long, some of the children walk for days or weeks just to put their name on a list for surgery. They are barefoot, poor, hungry, but determined and hopeful. Their goal is a smile. A simple smile that will change their life.

Thank you to everyone who donated their time, dollars, prayers, and support to Turning Miles into Smiles.

September 2008-September 2009 will be filled with lots of endurance running and ultra marathons. Again, we'll be raising money for The Smile Train and I'm hopeful that we can hit the $30,000 mark for our annual donation.

The Smile Train Triathlon will be back next year as well so stay tuned to www.milesintosmiles.com!

You are ready

In one week I'll be packing the car for our drive to Louisville. I'm edgy - excited - nervous - pumped but mostly just quiet.

I've learned that shortly before a race I don't really like to talk - about anything to anyone. I just get very silent. Of course, this always scares my husband who thinks something is upsetting me. Ever want to just be quiet and not talk... like they say in the movies "Silence is Golden."

So I've got my gear list, food list, kids entertainment and sleeping items list, and my to-do list. Somewhere in the next week I've got to get my bags packed, the kids packed, the groceries bought, dog taken to the kennel, house cleaned, laundry done, bike checked, car needs new tires and gifts to buy. Ugh... this is when it would be nice to be going to this race alone but then after the race I'd be so sad to not have anyone with me. That happened at my half Ironman in May. I had no family there and the only person I saw after the race was my friend Rob (he and his wife, Melissa, are doing IM Canada this weekend - they are AWESOME) at the finish line. Never go to a big race without a friend or family member. It's too emotional.

Anyway - I'm still not sure what I'll be wearing. Considering my tri briefs for the bike but I really want to wear my Smile Train Triathlon swim suit. Just worried about bike chafing. Then again, it's only one day and I'm expecting to be a little uncomfortable anyway so why not try and be as comfortable the whole time as possible. I'll decide later...

As I move into this final week I'm remembering a speech my friend Bill sent me called "You are Ready" - it's an amazing and affirming statement made before a prior IM race. Go read it - it's my mantra. I am ready. I'm determined. I'm hopeful. I will complete!


Bob Mina wrote this for IM Canada a few years ago.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right now you've all entered the taper. Perhaps you've been at this a few months, perhaps you've been at this a few years. For some of you this is your first IM, for others, a long-overdue welcome back to a race that few can match.

You've been following your schedule to the letter. You've been piling on the mileage, piling up the laundry, and getting a set of tan lines that will take until next year to erase. Long rides were followed by long runs, which both were preceded by long swims, all of which were followed by recovery naps that were longer than you slept for any given night during college.

You ran in the snow.
You rode in the rain.
You ran in the heat.
You ran in the cold.

You went out when others stayed home.
You rode the trainer when others pulled the covers over their heads.

You have survived the Darwinian progression that is an Ironman summer, and now the hardest days are behind you. Like a climber in the Tour de France coming over the summit of the penultimate climb on an alpine stage, you've already covered so much ground...there's just one more climb to go. You shift up, you take a drink, you zip up the jersey; the descent lies before you...and it will be a fast one.

Time that used to be filled with never-ending work will now be filling with silent muscles, taking their final, well-earned rest. While this taper is something your body desperately needs, your mind cast off to the background for so very long, will start to speak to you.

It won't be pretty.It will bring up thoughts of doubt, pain, hunger, thirst, failure, and loss. It will give you reasons why you aren't ready. It will try and make one last stand to stop you, because your brain doesn't know what the body already does. Your body knows the truth:You are ready.

Your brain won't believe it. It will use the taper to convince you that this is foolish - that there is too much that can go wrong.

You are ready.Finishing an Ironman is never an accident. It's the result of dedication, focus, hard work, and belief that all the long runs in January, long rides in April, and long swims every damn weekend will be worth it. It comes from getting on the bike, day in, day out. It comes from long, solo runs. From that first long run where you wondered, "How will I ever be ready?" to the last long run where you smiled to yourself with one mile to go...knowing that you'd found the answer.

It is worth it. Now that you're at the taper, you know it will be worth it. The workload becomes less. The body winds up and prepares, and you just need to quiet your worried mind. Not easy, but you can do it.You are ready.You will walk into the water with 2000 other wide-open sets of eyes. You will look upon the sea of humanity, and know that you belong. You'll feel the chill of the water crawl into your wetsuit, and shiver like everyone else, but smile because the day you have waited for so VERY long is finally here.You will tear up in your goggles. Everyone does.

The helicopters will roar overhead.

The splashing will surround you.You'll stop thinking about Ironman, because you're now racing one.
The swim will be long - it's long for everyone, but you'll make it. You'll watch as the shoreline grows and grows, and soon you'll hear the end. You'll come up the beach and head for the wetsuit strippers. Three people will get that sucker off before you know what happening, then you’ll head for the bike.
The voices, the cowbells, and the curb-to-curb chalk giving you a hero's sendoff can't wipe the smile off your face.You'll settle down to your race. The crowds will spread out on the road. You'll soon be on your bike, eating your food on your schedule, controlling your Ironman.

You'll start to feel that morning sun turn to afternoon sun. It's warmer now. Maybe it's hot. Maybe you're not feeling so good now. You'll keep riding. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep moving. After all, this is just a long training day with valet parking and catering, right?

You'll put on your game face, fighting the urge to feel down as you ride for what seems like hours. You reach special needs, fuel up, and head out.By now it'll be hot. You'll be tired. Doubts will fight for your focus. Everyone struggles here. You've been on that bike for a few hours, and stopping would be nice, but you won't - not here. Not today.

You'll grind the false flats to the climb. You'll know you're almost there. You'll fight for every inch of road. The crowd will come back to you here. Let their energy push you. Let them see your eyes. Smile when they cheer for you - your body will get just that little bit lighter.

Grind.
Fight.
Suffer.
Persevere.

You'll plunge down the road, swooping from corner to corner, chaining together the turns, tucking on the straights, letting your legs recover for the run to come - soon! You'll roll back - you'll see people running out. You'll think to yourself, "Wasn't I just here?" The noisewill grow. The chalk dust will hang in the air - you're back, with only 26.2 miles to go. You'll relax a little bit, knowing that even if you get a flat tire or something breaks here, you can run the damn bike into T2.

You'll roll into transition. 100 volunteers will fight for your bike. You'll give it up and not look back. You'll have your bag handed to you, and into the tent you'll go. You'll change. You'll load up your pockets, and open the door to the last long run of your Ironman summer - the one that counts.

You'll take that first step of a thousand...and you'll smile. You'll know that the bike won't let you down now - the race is down to your own two feet. The same crowd that cheered for you in the shadows of the morning will cheer for you in the brilliant sunshine of a summer Sunday. High-five people on the way out. Smile. Enjoy it. This is what you've worked for all year long.

That first mile will feel great. So will the second. By mile 3, you probably won't feel so good.That's okay. You knew it couldn't all be that easy. You'll settle down just like you did on the bike, and get down to your pace. You'll see the leaders coming back the other way. Some will look great - some won't. You might feel great, you might not. No matter how you feel, don't panic - this is the part of the day where whatever you're feeling, you can be sure it won't last.

You'll keep moving. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep eating. Maybe you'll be right on plan - maybe you won't. If you're ahead of schedule, don't worry - believe. If you're behind, don't panic - roll with it. Everyone comes up with a brilliant race plan for Ironman, and then everyone has to deal with the reality that planning for something like Ironman is like trying to land a man on the moon. By remote control. Blindfolded.

How you react to the changes in your plan will dictate your day. Don't waste energy worrying about things - just do what you have to when you have to, and keep moving. Keep eating. Keep drinking. Just don't sit down - don't EVER sit down.

You'll make it to the halfway point. You'll load up on special needs. Some of what you packed will look good, some won't. Eat what looks good, toss the rest. Keep moving. Start looking for people you know. Cheer for people you don't. You're headed in - they're not. They want to bewhere you are, just like you wanted to be when you saw all those fast people headed into town. Share some energy - you'll get it right back.Run if you can.

Walk if you have to.
Just keep moving.

The miles will drag on. The brilliant sunshine will yawn. You'll be coming up to those aid stations fully alive with people, music, and chicken soup. TAKE THE SOUP. Keep moving.

You'll soon only have a few miles to go. You'll start to believe that you're going to make it. You'll start to imagine how good it's going to feel when you get there. Let those feelings drive you on. When your legs just don't want to move anymore, think about what it's going to be like when someone catches you…and puts a medal over your head... all you have to do is get there.

You'll start to hear the people in town. People you can't see in the twilight will cheer for you. They'll call out your name. Smile and thank them. They were there when you left on the bike, and when you came back, and when you left on the run, and now when you've come back.You'll enter town. You'll start to realize that the day is almost over. You'll be exhausted, wiped out, barely able to run a 10-minute mile (if you're lucky), but you'll ask yourself, "Where did the whole day go?" You'll be standing on the edge of two feelings - the desire to finally stop, and the desire to take these last moments and make them last as long as possible.

You'll hit mile 25.
Your Ironman will have 1.2 miles - just 2KM left in it.

You'll run. You'll find your legs. You'll fly. You won't know how, but you will run. The lights will grow brighter, brighter, and brighter. Soon you'll be able to hear the music again. This time, it'll be for keeps.

Soon they'll see you. Soon, everyone will see you. You'll run towards the lights, between the fences, and into the night sun made just for you.

They'll say your name.
You'll keep running.
Nothing will hurt.
The moment will be yours - for one moment, the entire world will be looking at you and only you.

You'll break the tape at the finish line, 140.6 miles after starting your journey. The flash will go off.

You'll stop. You'll finally stop. Your legs will wobble their last, and suddenly...be capable of nothing more.

Someone will catch you.
You'll lean into them.
It will suddenly hit you.

YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

You are ready.

The joy of parenthood
Tonsils... John's got 'em but not for long! We just found out that our little guy, John, who just turned 3 this summer is going to have his tonsils out. I know it's not a big deal but now I feel so sorry for the little guy! As soon as I get back from Ironman Louisville we'll go to the Dr. and he'll supposedly come home a new little boy.
I thought that he just didn't eat much by choice and was a long - but light - sleeper. Come to find out a common trait among kids who have tonsil issues is that they are under weight (check), don't eat much that isn't soft (check for my vegetarian), and sleep a lot because they don't get any good nights of deep sleep! Poor little guy!

The thrill of Ironman
But I now have less than 2 weeks to Ironman Louisville and I'm entering my last week of real training. Of course, I'm starting to question if I'm ready and if I've trained enough. The answer is probably that I'll do fine but we'll find out soon! My target words during the race? Determination. Hope. Peace. Completion.

I set out to do this race for the kids and families helped by The Smile Train. If they can live their lives for as long as many of them do with the issues they face then I can do this race. After all my event is only one day. These parents look at their children every day and have to go on. They are determined. They have hope. We are giving them peace - actually 93 children so far. Their mission to help their children will be complete.

How blessed we are to have families and friends that love us and support us unconditionally. Through the generosity of many of you we've raised over $23,400 for The Smile Train. I wonder if we'll get to $25,000 before the year ends... wouldn't that be awesome!

Ta ta for now... If you are going to be at IM Louisville, look for the girl in the Blue Paradise Tri Top and Race Belt skirt. I'll do my best to smile if you say 'hi'!

My New Blog - 2 weeks to Ironman Louisville

Ok - so I got tired of maintaining my own blog so I succumbed to the blogspot.com and love it. I'll do a better job of keeping my blog up to date now that it is easier. As for my prior posts - go to www.milesintosmiles.com/blog.aspx and you can read what I put out there.

So I have just over 2 weeks until Ironman Louisville and I'm starting to taper. I am getting pumped about the race, but equally nervous. After 15+ months of planning, training, working, shopping (gotta look cute!) it is finally here.

In typical Rebecca style I've already planned my races for after the Ironman so I'll continue to have goals.

• 26-Oct-08 50-50 Trail Run in Blue Springs, MO (50K)
• 2-Nov-08 City of Oaks Marathon in Raleigh, NC (26.2mi)
• Jan-09 Hopefully the Houston Marathon (I'm on the waiting list)
• Apr-09 Umstead 50mi run (if I can get in - registration is in September)
• 16-May-09 Rim-2-Rim Grandy Canyon Run (44-50mi)

But, I have to get through Ironman first. I'm already visualizing what it will be like to get off my bike and start the run and how awesome it will be to hit that turnaround to begin the second lap on the run. Knowing that once I get on the run I'm good to go. I'll be tired but I know I can do this. My determination is high - completion is the goal!