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?