March 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
(Cycle)
·
Digg! this story.
Sounds like a cool band name! 
Workout:
March 13th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
(Swim)
·
Digg! this story.
I blogged about the swim at Oh-Dark:Thirty - but forgot to log it in my pie chart. Sheesh! I need a nap!
Happy Days!
Workout:
March 13th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
(Uncategorized)
·
Digg! this story.
Yeeps…. I was at the pool when it opened at 5am today. This means my alarm went off at 4am. There is something psychologically disruptive about ‘4am’…….. My brain thinks it is still “night time” - and therefore has a doozy of a time getting wrapped around “getting up”. Any time that follows 5am… 5:05…5:15… not a problem. That’s officially “morning”……. But the “4 o’ clocks” sure mess with my head.
If you’ve seen the Nike commercial, it looks like this: alarm clock clicks to the early hour and beeps loudly. girl slaps alarm clock. girl swing legs over bed. girl hears a sexy voice with a sexy french accent calling her. “ooooh, come back to bed…..you know you want to….. I am so warm and comfy……come back to bed….” girl looks behind her to realize it is her duvet talking to her…..The duvet continues, “you don’t need to run…you had salad for dinner last night….come back to bed”……fade to black…next scene: looking out the window at the girl running down the street…. tag: “Just do it.”
And……at 4am…..that means just ‘doing it’ while it’s still the middle of the night.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
(Cycle)
·
Digg! this story.
Long live the groovin’ tunes on my iPod! They set me up for a great trip on the bike today! Rock on!
Workout:
March 12th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
(Run)
·
Digg! this story.
Workout:
March 12th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
(Uncategorized)
·
Digg! this story.
A friend asked me why my IMC race report wasn’t on my ‘blog’….. Well, I was still resisting the many benefits of blogging back then…. So, for archives and posterity, here it is! :-) ~ S ………………
After several years of secretly wishing… one weekend of camping out to sign up….47 weeks of sweaty training…4 weeks of physical rehabbing… five days of freaking out…and 15 hours and 58 minutes of pushing myself beyond what I ever thought possible……I am an Ironman!
It takes a Village….
It takes a village to raise an Ironman. Crossing that finish line would never, ever have happened without the love, encouragement, listening skills, (ignoring skills), counseling skills, medical knowledge, training knowledge, and words of pure wisdom offered so generously by SO MANY people!!!! Those of you who rode beside me (and in front of me to block the wind), those of you who taught me how to swim, those of you who talked me off the ledge on numerous occasions, those of you who provided care for my physical ailments, those of you who took care of our kid and our farm animals so we could put in the hours, those of you who traveled many miles to stand on the road side and cheer your hearts out (and who stayed up VERY late) to watch me finally cross the finish line, those of you who were on pins and needles while hitting ‘refresh’ on your computers to track our progress from home….. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I love you.
Ironman is 90% Mental……and 10% Mental….
When we first registered, a wise woman named Lisa (Ironman 2003) told us that Ironman was 90% mental…and 10% mental. We didn’t quite realize how true this would be – until the days leading up to the event. Someone told us that Ironman is the place where, if you have fears, you would see them. If you have doubts, you would feel them. And, it is the place where you will face your deepest personal truths. They were right. What they didn’t tell me was how all of these things would appear over and over and over in the weeks and days leading up to The Day.
There were moments (real and imagined) where I absolutely did not think I was going to finish this thing. That said, even before we ever stepped onto the beach to start the race, the process of training and preparing for Ironman has forever changed me. It has changed my perception of what is possible. It has changed my perception of my body. It has changed my perception of what it means to belong to (and be contributed to) by a community. It has changed my perception of what it means to experience love. For this, I am forever grateful.
One day in your life….
One day in your life
Shouldn’t be a problem
One day in your life
Shouldn’t cause you pain
Because it’s one day that
You might never be around here
And I’ll never ever see you again
One day in your life you feel
Something in you
One day in your life your
Heart will free your fear
Because it’s one day that
You might never be around here
And I’ll never ever see you alive
Go back
There’s nothing you can do about that
Go back
The only one talking talks back
Go back
Inside, you must serve inside
(From the song, One day in your life, by the epic Canadian band 54-40)
On a training run about 6 weeks ago, this song popped up on my iPod. It has been ringing in my head ever since. Sunday, August 26th, 2007 was all about these words. It was all about moving forward. You can’t go back. You can’t look back. What’s done is done. Today is ‘the’ day. Today is my day. Today is about allowing myself to heal. Today is about allowing myself to feel. Today is about trusting myself. Today is about feeling alive.
The feeling of crossing the line was so invigorating and enlivening. It is difficult to describe. But, first things first….
Race morning….
The alarm went off at 4am. My dear friend Shelley Would (also racing) made yummy oatmeal. I adorned my oatmeal with my favorite things…bananas, raisins… Oatmeal….Uh oh…. Oatmeal = baaaaaaad. I had to scoop out another plain dish and eat it very, very slowly… I was so nervous that I could barely keep from woofing it all up. Must eat…need calories.
We (Mitch, Shelley W, Bruce and I) drove down to the transition area and beach start where we had set up our bikes and transition bags the day before. It was still dark out. We thought we were very clever to get there early so we could leisurely double-check our tires, drop off our special-needs bags, get body-marked, all with some time to just sit and rest. Apparently, all Ironmen are clever. All Ironmen arrive early with the same notions….. So we stood in line for at least half an hour to get body-marked… then, there was just enough time to get to our bikes, pump tires, line up for the bathroom (another 20 minutes!), and get our wetsuits on……I almost forgot my ear-pillows in the fray. Then, like cattle, (or, perhaps Lemmings?) we were herded down to the beach.
The Swim….
At last count, there were over 2,700 of us standing in various levels of water behind the line – to wait for the cannon and mass start. We looked frantically for our families on the water’s edge – but there were just too many faces to sort out in the crowd. After a kiss and a few hugs (and one final look of terror all around) – the cannon went off – and the day really began.
It was as much of a washing machine as I had expected. After swimming into, over, and under the mosh-pit, I finally found a small clearing on the inside. It allowed me to gather my wits and calm my breathing. The mosh-pit re-formed at every buoy, but it was manageable. It was cool to see the scuba divers on the bottom of the lake giving us the “Hang Loose” sign. Turn the corner at the first house-boat. Good. Turn the corner at the second house-boat. One leg to go! Oh, wait a minute. The wind must have picked up because suddenly, it was quite choppy in the water. It’s a good thing I can breathe on both sides because I would have been hooped. :-) It was buoy-to-buoy after that. Eventually, I could sight on the swim finish line ….. and the next thing I knew I was waving at my Auntie Lolly as I was exiting the water! WooHOOOO! (She had waded in to get ‘action shots!’)
One of the COOL things about Ironman (that doesn’t exist in other distances) is they have PEELERS! Yes, Wetsuit Peelers! It’s your job to get your wetsuit off to your waist, but when you get on land, you simply lay down and two very friendly volunteers “peel” your wetsuit off you! I can’t even tell you how helpful this service is!!!! 
They help you up, hand you your suit, and it’s off to find your transition bag. My transition was a bit lengthy because I was….how shall I say?…. a BLITHERING IDIOT in the change tent! Normally, I’ve laid my transition gear out at my bike with a very systematic and linear approach. I set it up so I put things on in order – and don’t forget anything. But the ‘bag-system’ means all your crap is mangled together, and you’re expected to sort yourself out. Add to that I was FREEZING, and it was a mess. I initially put my bike shorts on the back of my chair…but they slipped off behind the chair. After flailing through my stuff, I looked into my bag – and PANICKED because I couldn’t find my bike shorts. “Oh MY GOD. I don’t have MY BIKE SHORTS! (panic, panic).. Oh my god! I DON’T HAVE MY SHORTS! CAN I GET A VOLUNTEER!” (yes, picture the raging lunatic…) In the meantime, the racer across from me spotted them under my chair and politely pointed me in the right direction. Phewf! (After also forgetting my sunglasses in my bag and having to run back into the tent to get them, I finally made it to my bike …..and I was off!)
The bike…….
Or should I say, the bain of my existence for the last 5 weeks…… For those of you who don’t know, I hurt my back riding the race course at the end of July. I did not ride for more than 1 ½ hours in the last 4 weeks. Medically, I was told NOT to ride for longer than 1-2 hours while rehabbing. However, with physio 2x/week + massage 2x/week + happenin’ anti-inflammatories– and race day pain management with Tylenol….. miracles DO HAPPEN!
As I exited the transition area, all I heard from every direction was: GO SHELLEY! GO SHELLEY! To my left was my friend Dorrie who had driven from Calgary, a hundred feet later there were my friends Chris & Susannah from Seattle, and, of course there were my amazing family who were yelling at the top of their lungs: Mom, Denver, Lolly & Corrie!!!!!
With the back-pain-thing going on, my strategy was to ride ULTRA conservatively. Erik (the genius physical therapist) had re-configured my bike to minimize the stress on my back as much as possible. (All I needed was a basket, a baguette, and a beret – and I would have been ready for a tour around Europe! Ha!) I also had meticulously planned out my eating and hydration strategy to ensure I was well nourished. Beyond that, it was up to Mother Nature. This course is extremely hilly – riding up and over 2 mountain passes. The first 45 miles felt great. I had a tail wind. But - I knew that a tail wind here meant a head wind on the way back. Not the best of conditions. (I re-focus and realize that I’ll just deal with that when I get there.) Chris & Susannah drove down to Osoyoos to cheer from the side of the road. They made a sign with my name on it! WooHOOO! My family drove by in their car too! Honking, cheering, hanging out the windows! (I’m sure they put their seatbelts back on AS SOON as they passed me though. Heh, heh!) The first climb, Richter Pass, is a doozy. I also had mechanical issues where my chain fell off & got snaggled in the cranks. But, I bit the bullet, flipped my bike over, got my fingers greasy, and figured it out! Shelley – 1: Richter Pass -0! After reaching the top of Richter, there are about 35 miles of rolling hills through a valley. Well, I’m sure the local tourist guides call it a ‘valley’. To a cyclist: it is a nasty, grueling, leg-beating, bloody-hellish WIND TUNNEL. Good grief. The headwinds from mile 55-90 were BRUTAL…… I mean, head-down-spin-those-legs-beat-you-up sort of brutal.
But I just kept pedaling……….. This was the place in the race where I had to trust others more than I trusted myself. Mitch said…..Shelley W said……Roger said…… if you just keep pedaling, you’ll make it. Just keep going forward.
And so I did….. I ate my sandwich at the special needs stop, plugged up the second climb on Yellow Lake Road – I even PASSED a few people in my granny gears! Yeah! My family had set up their cheering station at about mile 100 – so it was a HOOT to see them with their signs, their plastic clappers, and their pom-poms! My mom & Denver were stationed reconnaissance - and they ran into the road to urge us on. This signaled to Lolly & Corrie to have their cameras ready as I flew by! WooHOOOOO! I think they were having a gas cheering for everyone – even if they didn’t know them!
So I sailed down the back-side of Yellow Lake Road and back into town…….. Bob & Lynda Would (Shelley W’s mom & dad) were on Main Street … “Hey, we KNOW YOU!” they said!! And into Transition Two I went……..this one went MUCH smoother!
The Run……or rather, Shuffle/Walk
What’s there to say about the run? I’m happy the route was out-and-back. It was the only place on the course where I could really see my compatriots in their fine form. First I saw Bruce – who was SAILING. Then I saw Shelley – who was an Ironman in true form. (She had hurt her knee on the bike but slugged through the run on pure adrenaline alone!).. and then I saw Mitch. He looked great!!! I couldn’t bear the thought of another GU or any more Gatorade, so my strategy was to alternate cola and chicken soup at every aid station. The first 4 miles were rough as I was feeling a little woozy. The blood was pooling in my legs so the world was spinning a little. I’d never experienced that before so I just kept following the white line. Follow the white line. Once I hit mile 6 or so however, my lungs and my heart-rate felt really strong. Those of us left on the marathon course after the sun went down all got Glow Sticks. It was neat to see this long line of what looked like a trail of fire-flies. Too cool! More cola. More chicken soup. My legs started to wane about mile 21 – so there was more walking than running…. But, it was heart-warming to see the local residents still out on their driveways, cheering us late-comers home. It was then that Bruce had ridden his bike back to ride beside me - to make sure I was on my way home. (Yes, he still had enough juice after finishing his own race! Wow!) I was saving my legs so I could run the last mile. Bruce told me where my family was stationed at the finish line so I was sure to see them. As I rounded the corner on the last trip up Lakeshore Drive, it hit me. I was going to make it.
Although he had officially finished earlier, Mitch had set himself (and Denver) up with about 200 metres to the finish line so we could run in together. Just as we approached the last chute – with grandstands of people cheering on either side – Mitch let me go. He let me run the last few metres by myself. He let me realize that, although it does take a village to raise an Ironman, I only get to the finish line though my own grit, my own power, and my own will. It was my victory. This was one of the most valuable gifts anyone has ever given me. I am an Ironman. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Epilogue……..
It is now 4 days post race. Surreal. The first three days were spent managing some seriously sore muscles, and some wacky gastrointestinal goings-on. But today, I can make it down stairs without hanging on for dear life, and I think I might even fancy a brisk walk! 
We signed up for the ‘option’ to sign up for next year……but I think I’m going to need a few more days to really understand and soak up what all of this means before I sign on the dotted line. In the meantime, we’re going to enjoy the beautiful wine country of BC, sample some local sun and libations, and get some well-deserved rest.
We’ll keep you posted.
March 9th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
(Run)
·
Digg! this story.
The Motivation Mind Game…………No matter who we are or what we’ve accomplished, we’ll invariably experience times when we’re not so motivated to train. Our drive will undoubtedly wane from time to time. Will our motivation to train magically come back? If so, how soon? What if it doesn’t?
One thing is certain. We can’t just sit around and hope our desire returns. Often taking the first step to get back on track is the toughest. I offer up are some strategies that can help successfully work though the down times. (I’m posting these as a reminder for me! :-)) Imagine this as a letter (no, a Love Note) to myself:
Dear S,
1. YOU ARE NORMAL. Keep in mind that your feelings are normal. What makes people champions is the way they handle those difficult periods. They have the ability to take action and fight through them.
2. SEPARATE YOUR THOUGHTS FROM REALITY. Step out of yourself for a moment and examine your circumstances. When we become a little less emotionally attached to our predicament, we gain a better perspective. Our problems seem much less intimidating. As they do, they become easier to manage.
3. DETERMINE WHAT YOU NEED. Determine exactly what you think needs to happen and/or what feelings you need to experience in order to feel that you’re in your groove again. Be specific. For example, do you want to start by just getting into the gym as scheduled? Are you okay with giving 80 percent and resting a bit? Know what it feels like to be winning your game - according to your own standards - it’s the best way to experience victory!
4. FOCUS ON THE GROOVE. Try not to dwell on the “problems” you are having right now and focus on what it will feel like to back in the groove. This is a powerful process, perhaps not easy, yet powerful!
5. ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY. Understand it may take a little while to get back in the groove. Ask yourself: Are you willing to be okay with that? What’s that going to take? Establish a goal as to when you expect to be going full-tilt again. For example, set time goals. You may find it easier to set time goals like being back up to 80 percent in one month, 90 percent in two months, 100 percent in three month. Whatever works for you!
6. DO NOT START MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOURSELF. Be okay with what you choose and choose powerfully that which will make you feel better. The key is to choose powerfully. Create the capacity to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Your body knows when, how much, and what to do to make it feel good. You have to get your mind out of this one. Don’t make excuses, you are inviting a lower standard during the difficult times which can create a slump in the long run. Besides, making excuses isn’t a productive habit in any area of life.
7. FEED OFF SUCCESS OF THE PAST. Gain the confidence you need to get through these trying times by feeding off your success of the past. Chances are you’ve experienced some sort of slump in the past. What did you do then? What mind-set did you adopt back then that helped you? If you’ve done it before you can do it again.
8. PERSISTENCE!!!! Keep plugging away! Persistence is the most common trait among those who are successful.
9. STAY ALERT! When thing do seem to start turning around, don’t let yourself get complacent. Just when you think you have a depressed state of mind licked, it can knock you back on your tail.
LISTEN, CHOOSE, NO DRAMA!
“If you can’t fly, look down. Maybe you are standing on your cape!”
- Super Grover
Workout:
March 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
(Run)
·
Digg! this story.
Today was the kick off to the Y-Tri Club’s season. It was so fun to see familiar faces that we trained for IMC with last year! The room was standing-room-only!! Most of the folks are new to the club - planning for their first triathlon this summer. Such great energy! I’ve been on the fence about signing up for the Lake Stevens Half-Iron……that is, until today. Being around that excited, friendly, challenge-oriented, and supportive community reminded me about one of the most important reasons I do tri…… the people!
Rock on Joel, our fearless new leader! I’m so glad to have you & Rich take on the club! When’s our next “nutrition and hydration” seminar at the Main Street Ale House?
”Do or do not. There is no try.” ~ Yoda
Workout:
March 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
(Run)
·
Digg! this story.
Workout:
March 8th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
(Cycle)
·
Digg! this story.
The clouds were closing in and it was chilly outside so I chose to hit the gym instead of ride outside. Rats. By the time I was 15 minutes into my ’spin bike’ ride - it was sunny outside. Oh well. Next time!
Workout:
