On July 27th, 2014, the day after following along online with two of my friends (Andrea - Ironman Canada, and Allison - Ironman Lake Placid) as they completed their Ironman journeys, I decided to begin my own Ironman journey. It's so inspiring to see so much hard work and dedication pay off with such an amazing accomplishment! I believe that I am capable of not only finishing an Ironman 140.6, but doing well (or at least what I think is descent, anyway). It's a matter of training, but not just the swimming, biking, and running, but the nutrition and the mental focus. All of which are necessary to complete such a physically and mentally demanding race. Ever since I learned what an Ironman race was, probably sometime way back in middle or high school, I've had the ambition to, one day, complete one. Over the years, between school, sports, and work, there just never seemed to be enough time.
I identify most strongly with swimming, as I've been swimming competitively since 6th grade, with many years of swim lessons before that. Actually, I love swimming. From age group, all the way through college, swimming was always my constant; the thing I had to look forward to. It was something I was good at, but also made me happy. It was where I fit in. I got away from the competition for a couple years during graduate school, but tried to get in the pool once in a while. I even joined an intramural water polo team, which was a lot of fun. However, conditioning-wise, I was out of shape and starting to get antsy to get back into a regular workout routine by the time I finished grad school and moved to NC for my "big girl" job. I did some running and a few spin and boot camp classes at the YMCA back in SD, but it really wasn't until I moved to NC that I got back into any kind of regular training. I found a local masters swim team and started practicing again, feeling good again, in shape again. I trained for and competed in a few meets, which was just what I needed! I bought a house and got married a couple years after moving to NC, and it got harder to make it to as many practices, but I did my best to stick with it. My Ironman goal has gotten me back into swimming regularly and I'm loving it! The 5 am wake-up calls, not so much, but I keep hoping I'll get used to it.
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| Senior meet - Oneonta |
Of the other two disciplines, I'd have to say running is my next strongest, but only because I haven't really biked a whole lot, especially in the past 5 years. I started running competitively in middle school (track) and continued through high school (track & field). For the most part, I was a field events athlete and sprinter, which lead me down the road to pentathlon. I had a lot of fun, and somewhere along the way I decided I wanted to try every event, even the steeplechase, at least once. That meant training and practicing for some distance races. I realized that distance wasn't as bad as I though, and although I wasn't amazing, I did alright. By my senior year of high school and through college I progressively started running more. I did a few 5k races to start with early on, but by the time I graduated from Oneonta, I had completed a couple of 10k races as well. I was nice meeting people and running with friends, like Jen, who didn't mind that I was a bit slower than them, but would run with me anyway. I continued running some while in grad school, although with the weather in SD, that pretty much was only from late spring through early fall. It really wasn't until I moved to Raleigh that I started running on a fairly regular basis. The weather was much nicer and I had more "free" time in my schedule. I even got my husband (then boyfriend) into running after he moved to Raleigh with me. Of course, he is much faster than I am, which didn't take long. It is nice to have a shared interest, though.We've both done a few 5k and 8k races. We've run two Tower of Terror 10 Miler races together, the first of which was on our Honeymoon! Now, we are training for our first half marathon, the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November. My running is getting better and I'm feeling pretty good. Getting excited!
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| Christian and I at the Tower of Terror 10 miler. |
Lastly, the cycling. Probably my weakest link thus far, although given my past knee issues with running, this my end up being my second strongest. This is yet to be seen. Riding on the roads scares me, a lot. I got hit on my bike, by no fault of my own or the driver of the car, but nonetheless being on the road with cars, especially the way people drive around here, makes me really nervous. By far I am most unfamiliar with cycling, and will probably be spending the most time and money on this discipline. I've already spend $1200-$1300 and there are still some more things I'll need. First, I found a used tri bike on Craigslist a few weeks ago. It's a Felt B16, carbon fiber and beautiful. The seller, Cindy, she called it Black Beauty. It's a name I plan to keep. She took great care of it and hated to see it go, but after spending the last 3-5 years training for Ironman races, her family was ready to have her back. Black Beauty has race the Raleigh 70.3 twice, Beach to Battleship, and Coeur d'Alene 140.6. I test rode the bike and loved it instantly! Cindy had to get a few things worked out with it, but a week later, after going back to ride on the trainer, I bought the bike. I took BB out for my first solo ride on Monday and, man does she fly on the downhills. I only rode 4 miles, just to get used to her. I had bought a new/different saddle, a Terry, and it was great! I can tell I will definitely need to condition my legs for longer rides, but I wasn't terribly sore the next day, so I'll take that as a good sign. I still have to get a new helmet, since mine is a good 5+ years old, and I'll need to get a trainer before winter so I can still train when the weather doesn't cooperate, but so far, so good.
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| Black Beauty with her original saddle, my bike shoes, and riding gloves. |
Since deciding to do an Ironman, I've talked to a few of my friends who have gone through the Ironman journey to try to get as much advice and help as I can. There is so much to learn and I know it's going to be a difficult journey, but a rewarding one as well. I feel like my biggest challenge is going to be the nutrition. Learning to eat and drink during a race is so foreign to me, so I know I will struggle a bit there. The advice, see a nutritionist. It will be money well spent. I plan to check my insurance to see if nutritionist visits are covered, because that would be awesome! It's not just during the race though, but training too. Learning what my body needs before, during, and after workouts, especially the long/hard ones, is going to be crucial. Time management is also going to be key. Working a rotating shift has its pros and cons, but it will be something I just have to figure out. Most, if not all, of my coworkers are aware of my ambitions, and seem really supportive. Hopefully they will continue to be understanding when I have to use a bit more leave and work shorter shifts sometimes so I can get the necessary training in. My other hobbies (crafts) will definitely be taking a back seat, but that's fine with me.
So, race-wise here's where things stand. I was going to try for Ironman Lake Placid in 2015, but I didn't realize how fast it sold out, so that opportunity has past. My other options are Chattanooga, Texas, Maryland, or less likely Louisville or Muskoka. I'm leaning heavily toward Chattanooga, given the course and proximity. The timing isn't ideal, but I can make it happen. I even signed up to volunteer as a sunscreen applicator for this years race so I can get preferred registration for next year. Besides, it'll be awesome to experience the Ironman atmosphere! I'm registered for the Raleigh Ironman 70.3 on May 31st, 2015 and I can't wait! I have a feeling I'm really going to like the 70.3 distance. I also plan to do some sprint tri's and open water swims before then to get ready. I've gotten a few training plans from friends that I can follow, so I've got somewhere to start. All I need now is someone to train with. We'll see if I can't convince someone to do the Raleigh half with me.
