One final reflection..

I'm sure you're all tired of my FB posts and emails regarding Ironman. I know it's been almost 2 weeks since I crossed the finish line, but oddly enough it feels like yesterday. I don't know if I'm still riding the high or not. Actually, I've had some highs and lows. I had no idea I would be as sad as I was a few days following the race. I missed my team, crazy enough i missed the training, I missed my coach. In fact, I just wanted my coach to tell me to do something! Anything! My entire year somewhat centered around when I was going to train, who I would train with, where I was going to train, what would I eat to fuel my training, when would I sleep, and so on, and then...all of a sudden it's over. It's kind of like I hit a brick wall, actually I physically felt like I had hit a brick wall. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one feeling this way. I talked to Jenny, I text Mike. They were sad too. Don't get me wrong, I was over the moon happy, but I now believe in the post Ironman blues. I understand why people sign up again immediately for races (I am not, so don't worry :) ) I told Meg it's not just the race or training or camaraderie necessarily that would pull me back. It would be the overwhelming, full force love I felt from more people than I had ever imagined race day. Friends and family coming out in the wee hours of the morning, driving 2-3 hours just to catch a glimpse of me fly by on my bike for 30 seconds, then wait 2 hours to catch another glimpse. Or those that came out in the HOT HOT heat to sweat, sweat and sweat some more, then traipse around  trying to find me, and then hang out for 5+ hours to see me run by. I still get emotional thinking about it. I love every person that came out. And when I finished and picked up my phone and saw all the text messages from those far away that were wishing me luck, or tracking me on the athlete tracker it was amazing.  I don't think I could ever, ever say thank you enough, but I'll try, and I'll continue to thank you until you're sick of hearing it. :)

Even with my blog, I can't believe so many people read my posts.  I decided to write this as way to   look back and reflect on this year, a month, a year, or 10 years down the road when I'm feeling low, and I need a pick me up. I'll be able read this and see what I can accomplish. I had no idea, people would actually want to read my thoughts.  I've never been the best writer, and people have actually asked me to write! Thank you!


As a part of my reflection I looked back at my training since January. Are you ready to see how many miles, and the time I trained to become an Ironman!?

Ok, we'll start with swimming. First I have to thank and give props to my Coach. Dee is an amazing coach all around, but she is a phenomenal swim coach. When I started swimming with her in January, I wasn't convinced that I'd be able to EVER swim 2.4 miles. I could barley swim 50 yds. My stroke felt awful, I had no endurance, It was hard! My initial 100 yd swim time was around 2:30. After a month of drills and work with Dee, my stroke felt so much better. I continued to read about swim technique, and ask Dee questions. I worked on my swim a lot. Throughout the year, my weels consisted of at least 3 days of swim workouts, and occasionally 4 days.  My first two 1.2 mile swims in races did not go well at all. In fact. I back stroked both races. Then one day in the pool in June, everything clicked, and my stroke felt great. By Muncie in July, my open water swim went great! Now my 100yd swim time is around 1:48-1:50. :)

Now back to training, In the past year I swam 77.2 miles for a total time of 62 hours and 25 minutes.

Running. In the past year I ran 414 miles for a total of 76 hours and 31 minutes.

And now for the big one. We focused on cycling the most this year, and it paid off. We biked a total of 1, 907 miles! A total time of 120 hours and 26 minutes. A total mileage trained of 2,470 miles!  A total time trained since January was 271 hours and 44 minutes!


Thanks again for all your support. Below are links to 3 things. The first is a link to Ava's blog.  She had scans the Thursday after Ironman, and she's now been cancer free for 1 year!!!

The 2nd link is a you tube video of all the races over the past few years I did that eventually led me to Ironman, and the final is a you tube video of this year, the year of Ironman! :)


http://www.caradeephotography.com/blog/ava-one-year-cancer-free/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M52UjDgsWMw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVCUlXISqTg

 

"There will be a day I can no longer do this. Today is NOT that day!"