We did it! What an experience!

We did it! 70.3! What a journey!

As I sit back and reflect on the past 6 months, I feel inspired.  Joe and I successfully completed the Racine 70.3 Ironman.  It was probably, next to natural childbirth, the most physically and mentally grueling thing I have ever done. I am going to try and relive that day on this blog the best I can.  

 

Saturday started out with a busy day for Joe and me.  I met him and Ashley in Madison at 8:30am at my in-laws house.  We traveled to Racine and reached our destination at my parents'house.  We headed down to the Racine Civic Center to get checked in and attend an athlete debriefing meeting about the rules of the course, what to expect etc...talk about overwhelming! When we got there we had to go through several different checkpoints to get checked in.  We showed our ID, got a ticket with our bib number.  Then we had to go sign a Waiver (that was freaky-I know it's pretty standard for a run, but it just seemed freakier with what we were about to do). We picked up our timing chips and shirts and race packet.  I went crazy in the Ironman store-everything was pretty sweet.  Joe went and got some awesome wheels put on his bike that he rented for race day.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed but good until we sat down for the 35 minutes debriefing meeting.  Rules, rules and more rules. He talked about making sure if we decided not to finish the race, not to walk off with the timing chip, especially after the swim because they want to make sure the same number of people come in from the swim as head out or they would have to drag the lake looking....I think I almost threw up in my mouth a little.  After the meeting, we then had to go to the transition area to check in our bikes.  We put our stickers on the frame and front and then parked them for the night.  It was pretty windy and the lake was pretty rough so we opted out of taking a practice swim and decided to get some lunch.  As we were eating lunch, I got a frantic text from my friend and one of my training partners that they couldn't camp at the campsite they had reserved because there were storms heading our way that they were currently trying to outrun.  So they ended up staying at my parents' house with Joe, Ashley, Me, Shane and the boys.  My parents don't have a large house, but we made it work and having her and her husband with us the entire time was a Godsend. They are both happy, fun and positive people and I can't speak for Joe, but it really helped relax the mood a lot! 

 

That night we headed to Olive Garden to meet up with the other friends that were coming to cheer us on.  It was a night full of laugher as I tried to choke down my food and force myself to eat, all the while I felt like I could hurl at any given moment.  At dinner my friend Annie gave me a special book of messages written to me by my friends from the SWAT class I teach.  I couldn't read it at the table because I knew I'd lose it, so I waited until I was by myself that night.  The positive wishes, notes and love that exploded from that book was exactly what I needed to calm me down.  I also read a post from Mary that contained the blog that Jenna had written about Bryce.  I thought of the others that inspire me so and I turned the lights out at 9:39pm to be exact.  3 hours later....still up!  I could NOT fall asleep.  The clock in my parents' room seemed to ticking right inside my ear, some neighbors decided setting off fireworks at 11:30pm would be cool and every time my husband snored or grinded his teeth it seemed amplified.  The last time I looked at my Fitbit it was well after midnight.  I woke up at 3:30am and laid there thinking" How the heck am I going to do this?" I was awake until it was time to get up. Which was a good thing, because the alarm clock got unplugged (that would have been BAD)!.

 

We got up, double checked our gear and headed for the beach.  There wasn't a whole lot of conversation in the car. Again, I can't speak for Joe, but I was freaking out...just a bit.  I wrote a few sayings on my arms to remind me of some important words of wisdom:

 

 

 

 

 

 



Although I couldn't see these when I put my wetsuit on, I knew they were there and I'd have them for the rest of the day as well.  When we got down there it was already buzzing with athletes getting body marked and mentally preparing themselves for the day.  It was a BEAUTIFUL morning! No rain, very little wind and a water temperature of 60.1 degrees.  A little chilly, but could have been so much worse! This is the sunrise we were greeted to:

 

 

My anxiety slowly began to grow as I started getting my things unpacked.  I asked a few questions to a couple people and everyone was so nice. It was very evident that I seemed a little out of my league with all the experienced triathletes here, but I tried to remember that this was MY RACE to OWN and it didn't matter what anyone else did.  Once Joe and I got settled, we made the mile long trek to the starting point of the swim.  It was there that I saw Stacey, Stacy, Annie and Megan waiting for us as we headed down to the beach.  The excitement on their faces and their body language made me smile.  They seemed so excited for us and it warmed my heart to have them there.  I probably was not very social during those moments as I was really getting nervous looking at the sheer distance of the swim.  I could feel my heart beating out of my chest.  And then I saw Nikki.  Bryce's aunt.  She made it just in time before I had to swim and gave me the biggest hug.  I almost lost it. We walked down the beach and we took a few pictures.  Joe and I went in and took a dip in the water.  BRRRR!!!  It was really chilly.  We watched the professionals start their wave (STUDS) and before I knew it, I needed to line up with my wave of yellow caps.  Now was the point that I was really freaking out.  Just then I saw my Ironman friend Jen, who had come to some of her Mt. Horeb friends doing their first 70.3 and me.  She took one look at my face and knew I was struggling. She gave me some great words of wisdom about just taking one buoy at a time.  That along with what was written on my arms, kept me calm.  I gave Joe a hug, wished him good luck and headed to the starting line.

During the swim I felt really good.  I paced myself, controlled my breathing and except for some of the faster swimmers flying by me from the waves that went after mine and my left calf cramping up, I thought the swim went well.  I finished in 47 minutes which is around where I thought I might be.  It was so cool coming around the last buoy and seeing the huge inflatable Ironman arch at the finish of the swim and seeing blue shirts of my friends that were waiting for me at the finish!  And the feeling of "I am really doing this!!!"  As freaked out as I was about the swim, it ended up being my favorite leg of the race! Go figure!

I got out of the water and headed for the transition area to get ready for my 56 miles. I got my wetsuit off and put my bike gear on, reapplied my sunscreen and headed out on the bike.  Hearing my friends cheering as I headed up the hill felt awesome.  The bike was relatively uneventful.  I have a pretty simple road bike, so I was definitely passed more than I passed others.  But I worked hard, only stopping once because I had to go to the bathroom so bad and the bumpy route was killer on the bladder!  I remember towards the beginning of the bike, passing a girl who had a prosthesis on her right leg and thinking, "Wow, if she can do this I can too!"  Joe caught me at about mile 40. It was awesome to see him, as he is a beast on the bike!  I knew after talking to him though, that I hadn't fueled myself before and during the bike leg enough.  I had a feeling I was going to struggle with the run without having anything in the tank.  I even grabbed some Gu Gel from one of the hydration points even though I had never taken that before (that's a no-no).  I finished the bike in just over 3 1/2 hours, again right around where I thought I'd be.  I was tired, but my legs felt ok.  Again I was greeted to massive amounts of cheering as I was coming in on the bike.  More of my friends had arrived.  It was just awesome. I dropped my bike off, reapplied more sunscreen and got ready to start the run.  I saw Ashley and Joe's sister and dad as I headed out, determined to get this run done!

I literally got about a mile into my run and I knew I was in trouble. My legs felt ok but the rest of me felt weak. I struggled during miles 2-5, probably walking more than running. I remember seeing Joe on his way back from the first loop (we had a double out and back to run) and thinking I was never going to finish.  Just as I was at my lowest point, two women, named Mary and Sara asked me if I wanted to run with them.  They were doing a running/walking interval.  I told them I would try and keep up with them and I'm pretty sure at that point I thought I never would be able to.  I ran/walked with them for the last 8 miles and it completely changed my race. They were kind, fun, and kept me going.  If it wasn't for them, I'm pretty sure I may have walked the entire thing. I would have finished, but it would have been close to the cut-off.

When we had about 2 miles left, I looked up and saw someone heading our way.  He had a blue shirt on, but I couldn't quite make out what it had on it.  And then I looked at the shoes.  It was Justin! He had made it.  He had a family baptism that day, so I knew it was going to be close whether or not he'd see me finish.  Not only did he see me finish, but he helped me finish.  He was the breath of fresh air that I needed to finish it and finish it strong.  Just when I thought I had nothing left, there was my encourager, who has encouraged me, supported me, and helped train me for this since the day I signed up.  I knew he wasn't real thrilled when I told him I was doing this because he knew how hard it would be on my body, but he always supported it and here he was to see me finish.  It meant the world to me. As I got to the top of a small hill, in addition to Justin, I saw Megan.  Her sheer, genuine excitement to see me and see me finish gave me even more energy to finish with a smile.  I could hear all my friends and family who had come cheering as I was heading to the finish line.  Immediately I began to get choked up thinking  about this journey, about Bryce, that I was almost done, and about how much love and support I have received. It was truly one of the most overwhelming moments of my life.

 

 

 

I may add a few more pictures as I receive them, but this is my last blog post.  From the bottom of my heart I want to thank everyone that has supported Joe and I for the last several months.  I won't even begin to name names because there are just too many people to thank. This has truly changed my life.  I hope this journey has inspired others to B.Strong no matter what life throws at them.

What's next? That's the question I've been hearing a lot lately. At this point I'm not sure.  My goal is to continue to try and inspire the people in my SWAT class to believe in themselves and work hard.  I have a few goals of my own in the weight room. Another 70.3? Maybe :)

 

 
 

 

 

It's Here!!!

After all this time, the big day is almost here!  It's approximately 48 hours until I cross the finish line of the Racine 70.3 Ironman. Ok, well maybe 49.  People have asked me over the past few days how I'm feeling.  If I'm ready.  Etc, etc.  I know I'm ready.  My brain just has to tell my stomach and my nerves that I am.  I know I am.  I have dedicated myself to my training since March.  I've swam the entire distance, biked 6 miles short of the entire distance and my longest run was 11 of the 13 miles.  So I know physically I can pull this off.  Is it going to be easy? Nope.  I've biked in extreme wind and rain.  I've biked more hills than I care to remember.  I've ran in all types of environments.  While in Door County, I even got a chance to train in the waves, just in case!!

DOOR COUNTY-really rainy and windy one morning!!

But I've held on to a few different phrases during this training.  First and foremost.  B.Strong.  I wear my bracelet everyday and look at it quite frequently.  It reminds me that I can do this and why I'm doing it.  Second. "Slow your breathing down!!!" A lot of people that compete in triathlons have a "coach". They hire someone to specifically train them in this sport. They work on technique, are given workouts and nutrition plans.  There aren't any tri coaches around here that I know and I certainly don't have the money to "hire" a tri coach.  That's not what I'm in this for.  But I have a coach.  My coach is my trainer Justin.  He may not be a "triathlete" and show me all the latest biking techniques or stroke development, but he provides me with so much more.  He believes in me, encourages me and pushes me harder than anyone else can.  He has trained me physically and, more importantly, mentally for this journey.  And third "Let your faith be bigger than your fear". My good friend Megan always reminds me of that when I tell her I'm scared to fly down a hill on my bike.  I still let my fear win out on big hills like that, but I think to this phrase often and know I will be on Sunday too.  In fact B.Strong, "Slow your breathing down!!!", and Let your faith be bigger than your fear will be written on my hands/arm on Sunday as a constant reminder to keep going. 

The anticipation of this day is building and building and building.  I have several friends traveling to Racine to cheer me on.  I've been busy getting shirt orders delivered, last minute checks on my bike, and going over my packing list meticulously.  I actually just want to get started!!  I'm excited to do this.  I'm nervous about the things I cannot control like the predicted possible rain/storms and horrific humidity, but they are going to be there regardless of my worry, so I'm trying to put all that in the back of my head. 

Joe, Ashley and I will be meeting in Madison tomorrow (Saturday) at 8am, where I will leave my car and travel the rest of the way with them.  Joe and I have a busy day, heading to the Ironman Village and checking out the expo, attending an athlete debriefing, checking our bikes out and getting a lay of the land.  We will take a practice swim in Lake Michigan as well and probably drive some of the biking route to get acclimated.  Shane and the boys have a wedding to attend and then will head to Racine later tomorrow.  A group of us will be eating at the Olive Garden tomorrow night and then I'll hopefully be able to get some sleep.  Sleep has alluded me the past couple of nights.  I've tossed and turned and my stomach just doesn't feel quite right.  I know it's anticipation. I know it's nerves.  I'm hoping that once I'm there, in the thick of it all, that all of the nervousness subsides and I can enjoy the experience. 

Respect the training.  Honor the Commitment. Cherish the results.

I pray for good weather, not only for Joe, me and the other athletes, but also for all the people traveling to watch.  I want them to have fun and enjoy the experience too.  I'm excited to be an Ironman finisher! I'm excited to see all my friends and family at the finish line.  I'm excited to do this in honor and memory of a special little boy gone way to soon. I hope through this journey Joe and I have helped bring awareness to Krabbe Disease and I look forward to helping Jenna put together a memorial 5K sometime in the near future.  

AJ Gates from the newspaper called me yesterday and told me he was putting together a story about this journey.  When he asked me about why I do events in memory/honor of others (I ran a marathon 2 years ago in memory of Clint, I do 3Day walks in honor/memory of people and other events as well), I told him it's because it's something small that I can do to help honor the life of people and keep their memory alive.  It's important.  I never got the chance to meet Bryce, but I can honor his memory and if it brings even the slightest bit of comfort and hope to his special family who are near and dear to my heart, it makes it all worth it.

How will you B.strong?

Two Weeks to Go!

The realization that in less than two weeks this journey will be over both excites me and terrifies me.  I know in my head I am ready.  I have swam 1.2 miles in open water with my wetsuit and was just fine.  I biked 50 miles last week and although tired, had no trouble, even with how hot it was and the fact that you can't go anywhere to avoid the hills.  I haven't run the full 13 during my training, but I have logged 7 or 8 half marathons and a full marathon, so I know I can physically do it.  I've already created a game plan in my mind for how I'm going to finish this 70.3.  The biggest thing I'm going to do is remember that this is MY race.  Other people racing are doing it for a variety of reasons with a variety of goals.  My goal? To finish.  My goal? To enjoy the experience.  I'm not going to get worked up if people are passing me or if I have to walk during the half marathon.  I started this with the mindset that I need to B.strong.  Not just on the physical end of things, but on the mental end as well.

Don't get me wrong.  My stomach has been a mess the past week.  I keep blaming it on how much popcorn I've been consuming (a slight addiction) or that I've gotten a "bug".  I'm pretty sure it's nerves setting in.  I've been keeping an eye on the surf reports for Lake Michigan (BRRRR) and trying to nurse my hamstring so I have enough in it to cross the finish line. But anytime self-doubt creeps in, there is always someone there reminding me that I've got this.  They don't even know most of the time that I'm nervous, but they seem to know what I need to hear when I need to hear it. 

Excitement is starting to overcome the nerves.  Excitement that so many people important to me are able to be there on Race Day.  Excited about going to the Ironman Village and being an athlete, not a spectator like I was when I supported my friend Jen when she did a full IM. Excited that I get to compete (ok, use compete loosely here) in a race that I have been training for since March.  I think back to all those times I drove to UWP to swim, or had to find another place to swim (the creepy place in Prairie for example).  I think to Mary Sheckler, offering HerSuppz to sponsor me for this (What an honor!) I think back to sitting in bed on that December/January night getting kicked out of registration like 3 times because I kept chickening out to push the submit button.  I remember being able to tell Jenna Heckendorf and her family (Nikki Nemitz and Sue Kuenster) that I accepted the challenge was going to join Joe Krantz in this journey.  I get excited about all the new connections and friendships I have made during this and the support that so many people in my life have continuously given me.  It's all about to come together in one exciting weekend.  I can't wait to see my friends and family at the finish line. 

I've realized so many things through these past 5 months.  I've realized God really does put certain people in your life.  I've realized that your friends will do anything they can to support you-whether it's helping you with your training, asking you how things are going, commenting on posts with words of encouragement or taking time out of their life to come watch, even when it's inconvenient.  I've realized that you should never sell yourself short and that you will amaze yourself with what you might be able to do if you just try.  I've realized that you never know who you are inspiring.

Part of me wants this next week and half to go by slow and part of me wants to fast forward to race weekend.  Either way, I'm going to enjoy the last leg of my journey.  Every last mile. 

Race Distance at Governor Dodge!

My longest bike ride until Race Day!

Crunch Time! Have I done enough?

As I am sitting here typing this, I'm having a hard time swallowing the fact that the 70.3 is almost here.  I'm running out of time.  Have I done enough?  This training started way back in March.  Many yards have been swam, many miles have been biked and run.  I have had to make sacrifices to fit the training in, my workouts have consisted of either biking, running, swimming or lifting.  There have been times when I have had no energy or desire to get a workout in, but have done it anyways.  

People have asked me if I'm ready to be done with this.  That's a hard question.  Being done with it means Race Day is here.  One moment I feel ready, the next I don't.  One moment I think I have done enough, the next moment I panic.  I know I am not going to win my age group or even come close to it.  I know I'm not like those people that are on the Women for Tri Facebook group.  When I read what they are doing to prepare, I panic.  I wish I would have had the opportunity to do an Olympic Distance Triathlon.  I think that really would have helped me mentally.  But I have done everything I could do.  There are days where I am just exhausted and I start to worry that if I'm feeling this way after a long bike, how am I going to finish a distance twice that with the swim and the half marathon on top of it.  I'm hoping that the adrenaline of that day will propel me to the finish line.  I hope that my mental toughness that I have acquired through all of this will help keep me focused.  

This week I'm looking to do an open water swim that is the distance of the 70.3, in open water, in my wetsuit.  I have done it in the pool many times, but having a swim under my belt will help.  I'm hoping to get some longer runs in, but really trying to take care of this nagging hamstring.  I'd like to get a 50 miler in on the bike. The worst thing now would be to push it and injure myself.  These next two weeks are important.  I have to get a few more long swims, bikes and runs in and then I need to start to taper. The taper frightens me.  I feel like I need to do more, when really I need to go much lighter that last week to conserve my energy for the big day.

My friends are making plans to come watch.  That's so exciting.  Joe and I have talked about our plan for that Saturday.  We're going to head down to the Ironman Village and get our bikes checked in, figure out the transition areas and even take a practice swim in Lake Michigan to calm the nerves a little.  Then we're going to hopefully have dinner at the Olive Garden with those that are there to watch.  

So, am I ready to be done? Yes and no.  I'm ready to run, bike and swim because I want to, not because I have to.  I'm ready to give my body a rest.  I'm excited, nervous and anxious all at the same time.  I wish I believed in me as much as so many of my friends do.  The 70.3 is less than three weeks away. It's Crunch Time! Have a done enough?

Making Memories

I just spent the last week making lasting memories with my boys, my husband and my parents.  I knew that training was going to take a backseat for these days, as I spent literally every minute down there experiencing the magic of Disney World.  I can honestly say it was the best vacation I have ever taken and probably one of the best weeks of my entire life.  There is something about Disney that is magical. I know it sounds so cliche, but it's true.  Especially when you get to view Disney through the eyes of your children.  

I logged almost 10 miles a day walking every day!  Almost 70 miles on the FitBit.  We hit every park from open until almost close.  I ran a 5K distance on Saturday to honor Doug Pink, because I was not able to be at the race.  We had temperatures with a heat index of over 100 most days, so running proved to be difficult.  But I did it.  That's one thing about me that you can count on 99.9% of the time.  When I say I'm going to do something, I follow through.  I knew this vacation would put a crimp in my training, so I made sure to follow my training plan almost to the letter before I left and now that I'm back, that is my focus.

But in Disney, the experience was my focus.  Whenever I would feel anxious about not training, about not looking for a gym in the Orlando area, I would look at my boys and see the absolute joy on their faces.  I remembered that you are not guaranteed another day on this earth, and while you're here, you have to live life to the fullest.  God forbid anything happens to my boys, Shane or my parents anytime soon, but having this week to enjoy fully with them was a gift.  I just have to hope that all the training I put in so far and everything I do from here on out is enough.  I have learned too many times that our time here is never promised.  I thought of Jenna and Kyle and how cheated they were out of more memories with Bryce.  I thought of Doug and Kris and how they will never get to experience this with their grandchildren.  I thought of Mak and Clint and how many life experiences they would never get to experience.  That was what kept the anxiety of not training away while I was gone.

Here are some pictures from my amazing week:

Now I am back!  It's amazing how much your body craves its routine.  Within 30 minutes of returning to Racine, I headed over to Razor Sharp Fitness and put in 2000 yds in the pool, roughly the distance I will have to be able to swim on July 19th.  Then I hopped on the spin bike for another 45minutes.  I wanted to go longer, but it was already 9:30pm and I was exhausted from a day of travel.  Tomorrow I'm planning on a 6 mile run followed by about 30 miles + on the bike-whatever Deanna's hybrid bike can handle :)  I have 3 full weeks of training left after this week.  I'm going to make the next 4 days really count so I can start my last 3 weeks strong.  I'll have several workouts with Justin to keep me mentally strong. Time is running out.  My goals this week and next are to get some open water swims in and practice pool swimming with my wetsuit and make sure to run after every bike, even if it's only for a few miles.  

At this point I'm not sure which part of this I'm most worried about.  I'm both excited and scared, nervous, anxious, etc,etc etc.  I have a group of people coming to Racine to support Joe and I and that means the world to me.  I'm praying for great weather race day.  No wind, no waves, no rain, no humidity.  Is that too much to ask?  It's hard to believe that in 3 1/2 weeks this will all be over.  It's been quite a journey and I've learned so much about myself and have re-prioritized what's most important to me, how I spend my time, what I worry about, what I let roll off my back, who I spend my time with, and focused on being a better person.  I'm so glad I decided to do this and I can only imagine what it will feel like when I cross that finish line (in under 8 1/2 hours) with the people there that have supported me throughout this entire journey.  

                              Razor Sharp Fitness has been my home away from SUPPZ when I am traveling!

My Mindset from here on out in life-even after the 70.3

We're down to the last month!

The clock is ticking as we near the start of the biggest race either one of us has done. We have both completed a marathon and I think it's safe to say that it's quite the accomplishment in endurance sports BUT I feel like this IM may be tougher yet? Time will tell?

As we near close to the race, summer break has tried to interrupt our training. I was on vacation last week with my wife. We went bear hunting in Canada and this week Missy is on vacation in Florida. I learned that it is extremely difficult but yet possible with the right mindset to maintain healthy eating habits and still train. The outfitter we were hunting with made us every meal of every day that we were there. So as you can imagine the cook is use to feeding men who typically don't care what they eat. The food was great but you had to watch yourself a lot! I did manage to overindulge on cookies throughout the week and was well aware that I would have to work a little harder during the training days I had. So while we were there Ashley and I would go to the gym 30 minutes away and work out. I rode a spin bike every time I went there and put some serious Kilometers on that bike while we were there! By the time we would get back we would eat lunch at 1pm and then go hunt from 4 pm- 3 am and then do it all over again! We didn't want to let vacation interrupt how we feel mentally and physically after we exercise or train BUT yet we wanted to be on vacation! Most people think of vacation as the opportunity to do nothing…and that's perfectly ok. That's just not me. I view it as the opportunity to train without other interruptions that I might have at home. So now I'm back home and I have been hitting the training schedule as hard as ever along with the food. Any race I ever train for I take the last month extremely serious when it comes to food and drink. I won't drink any alcohol, junk food, soda (which I haven't drank since 10th grade) etc…etc.. It may seem crazy but it's my way of preparing myself to be in tip top condition for race day. My race day weight goal is 178 lbs (184.3 when I got back from Canada). If I feel lean, I will feel fast!!!!!

Next week I get to test myself and my gear in a triathlon that's held in Verona. This will be my first race of the year and this will be my first Olympic format triathlon. It feels rather strange to be doing something that most people won't even attempt and it's just a link in my training program. I am super jacked to go out and test myself in these distances! Hopefully Missy will be back and ready to tackle this with me!?

I look forward to meeting and seeing all of you that will be coming to watch Missy and I in Racine very soon!    BSTRONG!

Another Milestone

Well, I did it! I successfully completed my first open water sprint triathlon in Lake Mills, Wisconsin! That was a big step in this journey!  Up until that point, I had never done an open water triathlon and had never swam in a lake in a wetsuit.  I felt ready!  I wasn't even nervous on race day, which was awesome. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that my mindset going into it was to finish.  I had no worries about my time, my place, nothing! Just wanted to get one under my belt.  My original plan was to start in the back of the pack and way off to the side.  That way I wouldn't get stampeded by better swimmers.  I hear panicking is a big issue with new wetsuit open water swimmers.  I panicked only a little.  The competitive part of me took over as we started and I came out way to fast.  I found myself breathing really hard about 75 yards in and for a moment got a little wigged out. But, luckily I have an amazing friend and trainer who has been working hard with me to control my breathing.  When I started to get worried and panicky, I just repeated to myself what he says to me when he's pushed me past my limits and I'm having a hard time catching my breath.  "Slow down your breathing".  That really helped and by the time I rounded the first corner at 100 yards I was fine!  Swimming breaststroke with a wet suit takes a lot more work in my opinion.  I would just rather swim without one, but the chances of Lake Michigan being warm enough on race day is slim to none.  According to my dad, it's about 40 degrees right now.....

The biking went really really well.  I'm used to climbing huge hills in Lancaster.  I think that really prepared me well.  I finished the biking portion in 1:03, which I felt was probably on the slow end, but my legs felt great when I was done.  The run was probably the hardest part, which was really surprising because it was only 3.1 miles.  My legs didn't feel heavy.  I just felt tired.  I had a hard time catching my breath.  I felt like I was crawling, but actually finished in 28 minutes, which was great because my training runs have been much slower than that due to my bum hamstring.  

I ended up finishing in about 1 hour and 50 minutes.  That's 9 minutes faster than the last pool triathlon I did a few years back.  It's not fast by any means and I was only 16th in my age group, but thought at the end of the day, I did what I set out to do.  Finish.  The hard part was the thought after I was done that I have to go distances 4 times that on July 19th.  It's really overwhelming to think about it.  But I know I have been working hard with my training to make myself physically strong and my trainer has been working hard with me to make me mentally tough.  As long as I finish in under 8 1/2 hours, I will consider this a success.  I know I'm not fast and that's ok.  

I know that I've probably said this more often than not, but I have such an amazing support system.  Deanna, the one pictured above competed in her first open water tri with me.  It was way out of her comfort zone, but she did it to support me.  Recently she went on a 25 mile bike ride with me on her hybrid bike.  Not fun.  My friend Megan is going to go on some long rides with me as well.  My friend Stacey jumped in the pool and swam 1500 yards with me yesterday.  And those friends that aren't able to do these training things with me give me encouraging words all the time.  They don't even realize how much that keeps me going.  I know that my kids are watching what I'm doing and I'm hoping it encourages them to try something big one day.  

I leave for Disney on Monday.  I'm so excited to finally get to experience this with my family. Because I won't have the ability to get all my training in (and that really worries me) I've been working really hard this week to get in as many swims, bikes and runs as I can. When I get home, my 70.3 will be less than a month away.  But, as worried as I am, I'm trying to remind myself that this trip is an opportunity to step away from everything and just enjoy watching my boys as they experience this trip.  I'm so lucky to have two healthy, happy boys and the training can wait for a week.  You never know how that can change in a heartbeat. I'm going to enjoy every second with them and Shane and make memories to last a lifetime. When I return I will continue to put in the miles and on that day, I'll have an angel by my side pushing me to the finish line.  Several of my friends are planning to make the trip down to Racine to cheer me on and their energy will help as well.  

Below are a few more pictures from my first ever open water tri.  

Dreams and Goals

Many people are motivated by dreams and/or goals.  Some people know what they are right away, some people stumble upon them, and some people are still figuring it out. I'm a very goal-oriented person. I think it's important to set goals for yourself and work towards them. When I was a little girl, I always knew I was meant to teach.  There was never another option for me, at least in my mind.  I grew up playing school, helping out in my grandmother's classroom and dreaming of being a teacher.  Some people dream of becoming a professional athlete, I dreamt of teaching kids.  As I am getting older, I'm realizing that our time here on earth is limited.  If you have a dream you want to chase, now's the time.  I saw a Facebook post about an 87 year old woman who completed a triathlon.  You're never too old to dream.  

Fitness has always been a passion of mine, but never did I think I would be given the opportunity to combine my two passions of teaching and being a fitness instructor (what I almost consider 'coaching'.)  Today I got the opportunity to be a personal trainer. I was a little nervous at first, but the minute we started, it felt like I was meant to do it.  It felt comfortable, challenging and fun.  I'm now hooked and only hope I can find the time to do more of it. 

You might wonder what this post has to do with the 70.3.  Doing a half ironman has never been a dream of mine.  The thought of it actually made my stomach turn-even after signing up.  There are times while I'm training or even just thinking about the race that my stomach turns, just a little.  But I always go back to that idea that our time on this earth is limited.  Competing in this triathlon in memory of Bryce has inspired me to put myself out there-make myself vulnerable-make the most of this life.  It's not the actual triathlon itself that has become the goal or the dream.  It's knowing what it symbolizes.  I don't have any experience losing a child, and I hope my children long outlive me, but I can imagine all the unrealized goals and dreams that parents who have lost a child feel on a daily basis.  By completing this journey in memory of Bryce, I hope it will inspire others to dream big.  I hope it inspires others to take a leap of faith.  I hope it reminds everyone that our time on this earth is limited and we have to appreciate each day and live life to the fullest.  

This journey will end 49 days from today.  Along the way I've made new friends.  I've further explored opportunities in the area of fitness that I may never have had the courage to try.  I've learned how to ride a road bike, on a highway! I've realized that if you set a goal and you are determined to meet it, that all it takes is a little creativity to fit it in.  If you ask my kids or my husband, I don't think they'd say their life has been altered much by my training.  There have been many early mornings and many trainer bike rides long after the kids are in bed.  I've learned that there are people willing to help you...all you have to do is ask.   I've learned who are the biggest supporters in my life. 

This is going to be a monumental week for me!  I will be heading to Governor Dodge to do my first open water swim in a wetsuit.  I will be competing in my first ever open water triathlon on Sunday in Lake Mills.  I am hoping that these two training milestones will continue to give me confidence in this journey.  Hopefully I will have some positive experiences to share in next week's blog!  Wish me luck!

Kelly, Joe and I after our 32 mile ride 

TIME…..What TIME!? 

If you read Missy's previous blog you now know we are 55 days away from the big race! And in usual fashion it will be here in the blink of an eye. I have read a million different forums about IM races and the redundant factor seems to be one thing….TIME. The world we live in moves so fast nowadays and in order to better yourself you have to find the TIME to make it happen. I hear people all the time say "I can't work out …I don't have the TIME." But they may have plenty of TIME to sit in a bar all night? I'm guilty of wasting TIME too. Hell we all are guilty, if you're reading this then you have Facebook and what a waste of TIME that can be! 

The best thing I have read from the forums so far is this "You probably haven't stayed up past 8 pm and have absolutely no social life" The earliest I have went to bed so far has been 7:30…no joke! If I stay up past 9 pm I can count on having a terrible day of training the next day. Sleep is absolutely crucial when you're making TIME to bike 15-30 miles, swim and run run run, not counting being a dad, husband and boss all while still trying to maintain a somewhat normal life!  

My strategy for making time is to be proactive in the early mornings 4:30-5:00 am and if necessary take my kids along with when realistic. We have been on a bike ride, me of course pulling them in a trailer, went to the pool, and Reece and I have ran 3 races together including the Hillbilly Hustle. (picture below) We're not blazing a trail at any of these BUT we are exercising, and making memories as a family. So it's a win win! My wife and I couldn't be more proud of Reece and his accomplishments so far. He's already completed a 5K race 2 weeks after turning 4! 

Through this journey so far I have been thinking of Bryce and his family. After all Bryce is my motivation to complete this race. Having my son do some of these events with me is so important because the TIME you have can be taken away in an instant. Jenna and Kyle were so fortunate to have gotten the time they did with Bryce but it certainly would have been awesome for Bryce to be able to play football with his dad or run with his mom and all those fun things little boys do! Bryce now has a little brother to look after! Carter James was welcomed to the world on May 22nd! So now this race is for Bryce and Carter! 

So to sum things up..TIME is what you make of it and I hope you find TIME, to make the TIME you have worth every second because TIME is ticking away! 

55 Days Out... But who's counting?

I actually looked at a calendar this morning and counted the days until my 70.3.  55 Days Out. Whew! And so much to learn.  I still haven't swam in a wetsuit (except if you count the small stint I did at Platteville pool a few weeks back-that lasted about 5 minutes). I still have never swam in Open Water.  I have yet to learn how to change a bike tire.  I don't even know what I'm going to wear and I haven't figured out Race Day nutrition. BUT...this week I am going to do a practice Open Water Swim with one of my best friends from college who actually completed a full Iron Man last September.  Right now the weather is looking rather chilly, so I'm hoping it'll still pan out.  If not, looks like my first Open Water Swim could be the day of my first ever Open Water Sprint Triathlon in Lake Mills. That ought to be interesting.  The weather is proving to be really tricky, so I've spent a lot of time on the bike trainer and on a treadmill. Not the most fun to train, but you have to get the miles in.  

Swimming has been interesting.  UW-Platteville closed for a month.  So last week Deanna and I made a trek out to Hoffman Hall in Prairie du Chien.  It's housed next to a prison and the building itself is kind of creepy.  But the pool was wonderful!!  Only to find out this week is the last week we can swim there,  because they are closing their indoor pool in anticipation for the outdoor pool to open.  So, when I was in Stoughton for a birthday party on Saturday, I headed to Verona Natatorium to swim.  Beautiful pool! Great facility! And for only $3!!  Swimming has been the most inconvenient of my training, but I have proven to myself that when you commit to something, you can always find a way to get it done.  It's that or never make it out of the lake to complete in the other two legs of the race! 

 Verona Natatorium 

Outside of Hoffman Hall

I went to Endurance House in Middleton on Saturday as well, and really got an education in what I need to think about for my tri.  Who knew I needed a "race belt".  I tried on some Tri Suits and reserved my wetsuit for my sprint tri.  Being in the wetsuit brought back the uneasiness I had when I tried to swim in it in the pool.  I'm hoping this sprint tri will give me confidence vs. freaking me out!

As summer grows closer, I am met with mixed emotions.  I know I will have more time to train, which excites me! I also know I'll be gone to Florida for a week and that scares me.  I know I won't have the access to a bike, the pools are more fit for recreational swimming and trying to find a place to run in an unknown environment will be tricky.  I also know this is the one and only time our family will go to Disney and I don't want to spend time away from the boys during this trip.  So I may get all my long runs/bikes and swims in just before we leave and make sure to do another set of those when we return and allow myself to just enjoy my vacation.  :) Life is short.  You have to take the time to make those memories, because someday, that is all you will have.  

Until then, I'll continue to bust my butt.  My trainer actually pushed me to my breaking point last week.  It was the second time I've cried during this training.  I was so disappointed in myself that I couldn't finish the workout the way I thought I should be able to.  But, some workouts are like that. You have to suck it up and keep going.  Hopefully this week will be better! 

I'm going to leave you with this quote I saw.  I cannot begin to thank all the people who have helped me along the way so far.  People I didn't know, friends who have helped me train, words of wisdom that have kept me going, people who have watched the boys on those days I had to train and Shane was gone.  I'm thankful to Mary and Brent Sheckler and HerSuppz for sponsoring me in this.   I'm so grateful and thankful for those people and when I cross the finish line on July 19th, you'll be the first people I look for/talk to!  

Adversity

I've been blogging now for several weeks and up until now, things have gone pretty smoothly.  I have been faithful to my training schedule, made time to train even when it was inconvenient.  I've dealt with some shoulder issues and think I have a plan figured out to get through the swimming part.  I've done great on my bike and feel better than ever about that part of my race-except for the fact I don't know how to change a flat tire (add that to my list of things to learn before July 19.)  It's been relatively smooth training......until now.

I've always had tight hamstrings-refer back to a previous post about my lack of stretching.  My left hamstring has been an ongoing issue since my marathon training a few years back.  I tweaked it again last week during one of my bootcamp classes.  I wasn't able to do my long run this weekend and that really frustrated me...until I talked to my friend Jenny who completed a full Ironman last September.  She couldn't believe the miles I have put in already and said that her longest run when training for her 70.3 was 11 miles.  I ran that at Week 7 of training!! So, having to back off of the running part of  my training worries me a little....ok, A LOT! But she reassured me that I'll be ok.  

Handling adversity is one of life's biggest tests.  I could call it a day and decide not to complete this journey, or I can face it head on and finish anyway I can.  Of course, I'll be doing the latter. I'm not one to give up.  I finish things I start.  This recent injury is just going to make it that much more difficult. But then it brings me back to Jenna, Kyle and Bryce's family.  Everyday they face adversity. They face a life without their baby boy.  They don't have a choice.  They have to keep moving forward.  Their strength gives me strength.  

On a more positive note, I have some of the biggest cheerleaders out there.  Last week my trainer gave me the ultimate test.  I knew it was going to be a rough when he named it "The Confidence Workout".  He said if I could get through this one, I could get through anything.  Wow, was he ever right! It was literally the hardest workout I think I have ever done.  A total mental game!  But I did it! I think I may have even impressed him a little. So while I running may need to be limited, there are still so many other things I can do to prepare. 

My best friend is a PT.  And an amazing one at that!  She first scolded me for not taking time to REALLY stretch.  Then she showed me several deep stretches and massaged me out a little.  She's bringing over some PT stuff tonight and even right now I'm taking her advice and sitting on a tennis ball as I type :)  

I'm feeling extremely blessed through all of this.  Many of my friends have commented about how excited they are to take the road trip to Racine this summer to cheer me on.  I know with them on the sidelines cheering me on and Bryce on my shoulder, there is no way I won't succeed.

I'm going to leave you this week with a few quotes that really spoke to me this week:

Geronimo

Ge·ron·i·mo

jəˈränəˌmō/

exclamation

1. used to express exhilaration, especially when leaping from a great height or moving at a high speed.

I LOVE music! It motivates me, pushes me, and just makes me happy in general.  Certain songs remind me of times in my life.  Happy times, sad times, times of uncertainty, and times of triumph.  The song "Some Nights" by Fun always reminds me of MaKayla.  After she passed away, it took months before I could even listen to it again.  It wasn't until her class sang it at Cabaret in April, that it made me smile again. They were dressed in rainbow colors and sang it with such beauty and feeling and I knew Mak was there that day.  It was interesting, because when I was marathon training, that song seemed to come up whenever I was struggling.  Like she knew.

The song that reminds me of Bryce is Geronimo, by Sheppard.  When I looked up the meaning of the word to put on this blog, it fit perfectly (not planned by the way).  There's something about that song that just keeps you moving.  I often put it at the end of a tough SWAT Bootcamp workout and the people that come to my class agree that it's a great way to end and leaves us with an awesome feeling.  So I found in interesting how, like MaKayla's song, it just seems to pop up everywhere, when I need it most.  Like Bryce is telling me to just keep moving. 

On Wednesday, Sue Fritz made a route for Joe and I that would allow us to bike to Platteville so that we could swim after.  Deanna and Patrick were going to meet us there and then put our bikes on the back of her car and drive us home.  It was SO SO windy that day.  There were times I felt as though I was going to be blown right off my bike.  Even Daredevil Joe wasn't flying down the hills as fast (you know it had to be windy for him to slow down!) And the hills! Oh the hills.  Anyone from Southwest WI knows how hilly Stage Rd is.  We took Stage Rd to HWY B and that took us to Platteville.  It was about a 25 mile bike ride.  With hills, I think I'll add an extra 10...  There were two times Geronimo came on during my ride-once in the middle of probably the biggest hill we had.  I didn't think I was going to get up it.  The song came on and it was like I had new legs.  The second time it came on was just as we were coming into Platteville.  Tired, windblown.  Hearing that song felt like Bryce was telling me "Great job! I knew you could do it."  

So Geronimo is now Bryce's song.  Long after I'm done with this 70.3 journey, it'll be his song.  A song that reminds me to aim high.  Go after your dreams.  The moving at a high speed part is a bit questionable.  I wouldn't call myself fast by any means!!

Mother's Day held a little bit different of a meaning for me this year.  I thought a lot about Jenna during the weekend.  When Shane asked me what I wanted to do for Mother's Day, I didn't know.  I almost felt overwhelmed about having to make some grand decision about what to do.  Because really, all I wanted to do was have the four of us together.  It didn't matter what we did.  I didn't need a fancy gift, flowers, or a day out doing stuff.  We ended up going to a park, making ice cream sundaes and watching movies.  It was wonderful.  Just being with my boys and enjoying every second. 

Things that went well this week:

I was able to get my 11 miles in!  I know there was no way that I could have done it without Deanna and Patrick, two friends who have been beside me swimming and running since day one.  

I got my long swim in after Brady's soccer game (on the same day I ran 11).  I was exhausted, but got all 1800yds in, which is about the amount I will have to do on Race Day!

I think I secured a friend who is willing to take tons of pictures on Race Day so I'll have some great memories to look at long after it's done.  

Things that didn't go so well:

I found out the Platteville Pool is closing from May 16-June 6.  NOT good timing, especially since the lakes are a little cold to swim in and Deanna and I have our first open water sprint triathlon on June 7. Looking to find a place to swim for a few weeks is proving to be difficult.

I didn't get a 45 miler in on the bike.  The one on Wednesday was pretty tough so I'd like to think it was close to equivalent? Maybe not.  I did hop on my trainer bike for a few hours, so although it wasn't 45, I'm getting in as much as I can.  I know I'll make up for it when summer comes and I have more time to train.  

I will leave you with a picture that pulled at my heartstrings this weekend.  It's a picture that Jenna had posted on Facebook of Bryce with a picture of his little brother who is on the way.  A little brother he will never meet on this earth.  If you haven't clicked on the B.Strong website link on this blog or the Hunter's Hope link, I strongly encourage you to take a minute and read Jenna's story.  It breaks my heart that any mom would have to go through what Jenna did, especially when prenatal testing is available (Jenna and Kyle have done a lot to get Krabbe testing to be one of the tests all mothers go through).  They are huge advocates for research.  I am hoping that through this blog and the race that it will bring awareness to this little-known, devastation disease.

What I've Learned....

I've learned a lot about myself already during my training, but this week was particularly eye-opening.  I'm in my 7th week of training...not quite halfway yet.  Runs, rides and swims are getting progressively longer and training is starting to become "inconvenient".   My friend asked me if I was sick of training.  I don't think I'm "sick of training", I just think it's starting to get overwhelming. This weekend was the first time I've shed tears during training.  I was supposed to run 10 miles on Saturday. I've run 10 miles several times in my life while training for other runs.  The weather outside was gorgeous, I had just had an awesome SWAT class (it's a bootcamp class I teach" and I was ready to go.  This run was going to be a solo run, as my normal running buddies were unable to join me.  No worries, I thought to myself, as I tied my shoes and got my playlist ready.  I'm going to have to do it myself on race day, so might as well get used to it.  The first 4 miles went pretty well.  There was a lot of hustle and bustle in Lancaster during CityWide Garage Sales and lots to look at.  I got to my house right around mile 5.  I was tired, warm, and I just felt like I had nothing in me.  Weak. I never got to 10 that day.  In fact, I stopped at 7.8miles.  I just couldn't do it anymore.  I've been beating myself up about that all weekend.  How am I supposed to finish a 70.3 when I can't even finish a 10 miler on fresh legs??  How did you let yourself quit? Why couldn't you just "b.strong". That was what kept going around and around in my head.  I cried.  I vented.  I had some friends who said, "That's ok.  7.8 is great!" We all need those friends.  But I wasn't satisfied.  There had to be something with my diet that was missing to not have that energy.  Something has to change.

Nutrition and food is something I'm always battling.  I can do awesome and make great healthy choices all week, and all it takes is one bad choice and I'm back to where I started.  Remember that post a few weeks back about food as fuel? Well, I seemed to have forgotten all that and resorted to eating junk.  It's starting to affect my workouts in negative ways.  So this week, along with trying to find a wetsuit for breaststrokers is on my list of things to do!  

The good news, is that every day is a new one.  An opportunity to do better.  On Sunday, the day after that horrible run, I brought my swim gear with me to my son's soccer game in Platteville.  He played at 11:45 and again at 2:15.  So right after his first game, as the rest of my family headed for lunch, I was dropped off to swim my long swim for the week 1500yards.  Not only did I swim that, and felt great, I opted to swim another 300 yards to make up for the run the day before.  I swam 1800 yards in well under an hour, so I felt much better.  

Things I've learned this week:

1.  Nutrition Matters! It's not about eating to lose weight.  It's about eating to stay fueled.  My good friend gave me some advice on what to eat before I do my longer workouts and I'll be looking more into sports nutrition this week using some sites my friend Kelly sent my way.

2. Don't skip a workout! I slept in Wednesday morning instead of getting up to go to the gym and had to make up those miles the next morning, which didn't give me as much recovery time for the next day's run.  And I had a really rough day-probably because my morning was so out of my routine. 

3. You are going to have bad training days.  What's most important is that you don't give up.  You get up, dust yourself out and attack each new workout with the best intensity you can.  Know that some days will be harder than others.  

4.  This is a mental game.  Yeah, you have to do the training to be able to finish, so it's not all mental, but a big part of it is.  I joined a triathlon women's group on social media and it has been SO helpful.  So many women, sharing stories, frustrations, triumphs.  I read people's stories and it reminds me that everyone has as story.  It's up to them (and me) to finish it.  

5.  Sleep is imperative.  I'm learning that the hard way too.  All of my workouts are in the morning and there have been nights I've only gotten 5 hours of sleep.  It may not hit me during the next morning's workout, but it'll catch up to me.  

6.  Ask questions!  I talked to the lifeguard at UW-Platteville about my wetsuit dilemma.  She had lots of great advice!!  

7.  Just keep believing in yourself.  Self-doubt started creeping in again this week.  People ask me about how long this is going to take and I start to think about it and get freaked out.  But all it takes is a good workout, a great conversation with a friend, or a minute to reflect on the reason behind this journey and I'm right back at it. 

It's Super Hero Day at School today.  I wore my B.Strong shirt for my youngest hero :)