Ironman Lake Placid

First of all, I want to start off by saying that the support that I have had throughout these past several months has been more than I ever imagined.  It seems that so many people that I know became my personal cheering squad and I can't thank you enough for believing in me.  Although I didn't log those last two miles, the 138 that I did tackle were indescribable.  This is what I want to share with you.

Before the start:

4:45 am. The first stop was body marking.  #205 was written on my arms and the front of my legs.  My age was written on my calf.  I walked over to transition to drop off my last items, headed to bike special needs drop off and finally run special needs.  I was ready to go.  Our team had a meeting place and I was the first one there.  This gave me time to pray and visualize my day.  I felt really calm about things.  My coach showed up and gave me some last words of encouragement.  

My coach, Bob, gave me all the confidence in the world. 

We took one final team picture and all headed to the swim start to our pace groups.  

Swim:  

I kept scanning the crowd for my family and when they started singing the National Anthem I spotted them.  This was huge for me.  I felt like I needed to see them one last time before I began.  The cannon went off and the pro men were in the water.  A second cannon and the women were off.  Little by little, every pace group ahead of me was gone.  It was my turn and I was actually eager.  I normally have to take several minutes to get going to let my anxiety pass and I didn't need to.  It was such a relief.  Before I knew it the first lap of the swim was over and I was exiting the water just to enter in one last time.  I was grinning ear to ear because I enjoyed it so much.  The second lap was even better than the first.  The only hiccup was that I had to go to the bathroom...bad!  Apparently, not everybody pees in Mirror Lake!  Once I was out of the water, my coach was there stripping wet suits, he instantly saw me exit and helped me on my way.  I started up the transition chute and about to turn the corner and saw the whole crew.  I stopped for quick words and hugs and was on my way to T1.  Ryan and I got to chat on the way down the chute, which was great! 

Notice how big my smile is??? 

Bike:  

T1 took a little while because my change of clothes kept sticking to me so I had to get a volunteer to help.  Once I got on my bike I kept telling myself over and over "take it easy, the second loop is harder".  I felt like I did a really good job with that.  I just took all of the scenery in and enjoyed every moment.  I was very careful about drinking and eating because I knew I still had a long day ahead of me. The mountain climbs were the hardest part for me, but I was going to make it. I was mentally prepared to tackle them and I did.   The second loop was more challenging than the first, just like I was told.  I stopped to eat a sandwich, stopped to stretch (probably more times than I should have), laid down on the grass and stretched some more.  My lower back was giving me fits.  Of course, I didn't have this problem before, but I wasn't going to let a little bit of pain stop me.  Well, my brain finally realizes that I better get moving if I'm going to make the 5:30pm bike cut off.  I climb the last of the hills and start booking it into town.  I have about 10-15 minutest before the cut off!  Way to cut it close, Ang.  I made it and was so stinking excited!  I knew that once I got off the bike that the marathon was mine!  I'm a runner and I can run a marathon!!!  

Side note:  The last 3 miles of the bike I met a wonderful angel named Anna.  She was doing her 17th IM and is only 31 years old.  She didn't plan on running the marathon, but after I shared my story with her, she asked if she could go ahead and run the marathon with me.  She wanted to get me to the finish line in under 17:00. I agreed, but I didn't want to hold her back.  She is doing Kona in October and was simply using Lake Placid as training. 

Notice how my smile is STILL big??? 

Run:  

Still SMILING!!!! 

T2 doesn't take as long as T1 and before I know it I'm on the run course.  Happy as a lark!  I knew I was good to go.  The first loop was going pretty well at first.  My back was hurting still and I stopped to stretch a couple of times.  I walked the aide stations, took in Gu, water, etc.  and walked the hills.  I was trying to stick to my plan.  It started raining at about mile 9 or 10 and if you know me, I get cold really easily.  I got a long sleeved shirt to help with the cold. Something happened in between mile 13-14.  I felt sick.  Next thing I knew I was throwing up.  I was really puzzled about why because I really thought I did well with my nutrition on the bike.  Suddenly, when I took anything in, my body wanted it right back out.  This continued for the next 10 miles. In all my years of running marathons, I've never had to stop to throw up.  I started walking almost the entire time.  I would run a little bit and then have to stop.  My energy level was nonexistent.  I finally convinced Anna to go ahead.  Once she saw my family, she told them I was in bad shape and my mom, Gary, and Katelyn appeared out of nowhere.  They managed to keep me going a bit further, but I was starting to stagger, I was getting dizzy, my legs began to buckle.   My mind was screaming "keep going".  My body and spirit said "you've done all you can today".  I wanted to listen to my mind so bad.  I kept thinking "it's only two miles", but I knew.  I knew it was over.  The volunteers gave me a chair and I cried and cried.  I was so close.  Next thing I knew the race director was there and we were zooming to the medical tent.  They weighed me to compare my weight from Friday.  They took my temp, which was 95.  The nurse took it twice-I guess she didn't believe the first reading.  In an instant, I was hooked up to an IV.  My coach and my mom must've sprinted back to that medical tent because they were there in a flash. Dave came in to check on me.  The rest of the gang was waiting outside of the med tent.  I was in the tent until 12:40.  40 minutes after Ironman closed.  

Aftermath:  

I discovered later that my team was waiting right around the corner where I stopped -ready to cheer me on.  I'm talking about people who just finished their Ironman waiting for me.  People that were out there allll ddaaayyyy loonnnggg.  One of them was even waiting to run the last two miles with me to get me to the finish line.  She completed her IM earlier in the day.  Tell me that isn't the best team ever!  What a feeling!  

Yeah, my day didn't end the way I wanted it to.  I have two ways that I can look at it.  Crawl in bed and get depressed about the whole thing or think about the entire experience and be blessed.  I'll take the latter.  No, I didn't become an Ironman and cross the finish line, but I achieved what I set out to in other ways.  I gave it my all.  I spread awareness.  I raised money for research.  I met some amazing athletes and people.  I conquered more as an athlete than I ever thought possible.  I did all of this because my little girl goes through so much. Because of a disorder that she didn't ask for.  A disorder that so many others need a cure for.  And you know what?  I'm going to do it again.  

Training, training, training

3 weeks to go...

I had the opportunity to go to Lake Placid for a long training weekend.  As I'm reflecting on it, I feel like I'm walking away knowing exactly what I need to focus on throughout the next several weeks.  

We arrived on Friday evening and immediately pulled on our wetsuits for a quick swim.  The water was amazing!  However, I don't see how kids swim in it with only their bathing suits.  After our swim, we went to our first information meeting where the coaches broke down the bike course turn by turn.  I think the scariest part of the conversation was when they were talking about the descents and "feathering" our brakes.  We can get up to 50-60 miles an hour easily!  Wow!  I don't think I ever want to go that fast on two little tires. 

Saturday morning, we all met at the Olympic oval to head out on our bike ride.  The first loop was absolutely breathtaking with the views.  In my mind I kept thinking, hold back because the second loop is going to be tough.  They weren't lying.  I tanked.  My mind got the best of me and negative thoughts took over.  I was an emotional wreck and then just when I think it couldn't get any worse...I fell.  Long story short, I ended up taking the sag wagon back into town and called it a day.  I ended up going about 90 miles that day.  

Lesson learned?  You bet.  This is going to be the biggest mental game I'm ever going to play.  What really helped was speaking to the rest of the team and the coaches and getting their feedback on how to handle it when the going gets tough.  So, the next several weeks I'm going to focus on my mental preparation than anything.  On the outside looking in, one would think that I should have all I need to prepare mentally.  I'm doing this for my little girl who has gone through so much.  My little girl who didn't ask for any of the things that she had endured. Well, it's more than that when your out there.  Don't get me wrong, it will keep me going, but it's going to be fighting through more pain and digging deeper than I ever thought humanly possible.  

Sunday was much better than Saturday.  Cycling is my weakest link, so I was in my comfort zone during the swim and run.  We started the day by swimming the entire 2.4 mile swim.  I always have anxiety, so I waited a bit and really had to talk myself down before getting into my groove.  My second lap was much better than my first and I ended up swimming the course in about 1:15 minutes.  

We had an hour or so break before we met for our 18 mile run.  I felt pretty good for the most part.  I had the honor of running about 9 miles or so with a pretty amazing guy.  He has his mental game down to an art and we were able to chat about how to prepare for that.  I'm going to take his suggestions and literally visualize myself throughout the day and how I'm going to handle everything and perform the way I'm supposed to.  I ended up getting pretty thirsty so-again-something I learned and better get my plan in check.  I finished the run and felt like the day was a success.  (I needed it after Saturday.) 

Overall,  I walked away from this weekend with so many things I've learned and things that I need to work on.  I'm so thankful that I got to experience all of this with so many great and positive athletes.  I'm excited to know that on race day, I will be able to see people I know out on the course and see coaches along the way cheering me on.  We are all in the same boat together.  

When I cross that finish line, I will cry.  This is such an emotional journey.  

4 weeks

4 weeks to go...

Wow.  Wow.  Only 4 weeks.  I have mixed emotions about what little time I have left before the day that I've been talking, eating, sleeping, and dreaming about.  You see, in the beginning, this was just a little glimmer in the back of my mind.  A "simple" bucket list item.  I never thought that I would actually do it.  This is proof to anybody that if you set your mind to it, you CAN and WILL achieve your dreams.  I'm not an elite athlete or fast.  Point A to point B is more like it.  I've held onto these thoughts over the last several weeks.  I have my frame of mind ready to go for race day and they say that is one of the biggest parts in finishing Ironman.

This time I have a story to share...

Kylie went to basketball camp the first week of summer vacation.  Last week, she broke down and told me about this little girl telling her that she is "freaky looking".  Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the same little girl has said something to Kylie.  Of course, what happens to Kylie?  Low self-esteem thoughts come racing out of her mouth.  I'm stupid.  I can't do anything.  I'm not pretty.  Talk about heartbreaking.  I know that Kylie is going to have a harder road that the "average" kid.  What gets me is how can children be so mean at such a young age?  I shared this story with one of my dear friends and I love her idea.  She said that I shouldn't teach Kylie to stoop down to a mean kids level.  Instead, Kylie can simply say, "I may not be able to change the way I look, but you are choosing to be mean."  Kylie is a fun loving, dramatic, independent, caring little girl.  The only thing I can do is continue to teach her that she is beautiful inside and out.  She is God's princess.

So, the reason why I'm sharing this story is that, as parents, we have a choice on how we raise our kids.  Just because your kid is "good" and you think they will never pick on another child.  Think again.  Teach kids that it's ok to be different.  Society and false role models have really messed things up.  The foundation starts and ends in the home.
...End of my soap box.

People with NF do look "different".  Some have tumors that are visible all over their body.  Some have them on their face and look disfigured.  Some are in wheelchairs because of bone abnormalities.  Some people have NF and you would never know.  No matter how it affects them, they are human.  They have feelings.  They need love and support.  They need a cure.

8 Weeks to go...

I guess it's time to start flipping things around and instead of how many weeks of training I'm into...the official countdown has begun.

Crazy.  This is the only word that comes to mind when I think about how little time I have until the big day.  8 weeks.

The past two weeks of training has definitely been a "push" for me.  I've spent more time on the bike than I thought I could ever possibly achieve.  I swam 4000 yards in the pool one evening after work...even after having a morning workout the same day. This is the Ironman swim distance.  Let me clarify, so you can feel my excitement.  I swam the same distance that I will be doing on my IM day!
During the workout I wasn't sure if I was going to end up making it.  Not because my body was tired, but strictly because it was absolutely boring going from one end of the pool to the other.  80 times...back and forth.  Let me tell you, it was worth it.  The sense of accomplishment moving forward with my training is beyond words.  I suddenly know, beyond a doubt, that I'm going to achieve my goal.

Moving forward... this past Saturday's training.  I was up and out on my bike early.  I rode almost 30 miles up to my mom's house to catch up with DB-who has become one of my biking buddies-so, he could keep my company on the next 50 miles.  Well, about 30 miles into our ride we ended up on the side of the road with two flats and no other tubes.  A phone call later, we were picked up and I was dropped off at my house and lacing up my shoes to run.  The joys of cycling...

My morning swim workouts have ceased until school gets out.  It's been more challenging to get my swims in because of this.  All I can do... is the best I can.  I do every work out I possibly can and I no longer beat myself up inside if I have to miss one because I am busy being a wife or a mother.  Life happens.  I'm not a workout machine.  My family comes first.  Period. God willing, I will still be in the water waiting for the cannon to go off on race morning.

Kylie:  Our little hero has an endocrinologist appointment on Wednesday to check her hormone levels.  After a year on chemotherapy pills, she isn't growing or gaining any weight.  Her growth hormone level will determine the next course of action.  If the levels are low, then she will go on hormones.  If they are in the normal range, then she will start an appetite inhibitor.

Inspirational Video of the Week:

Sidemark...I have a fabulous video when DB and I were on the side of the road waiting for our ride, but I need to get with a techy on how to post video from my iphone.  Enjoy.

Week 13-14

I guess I'm just going to be really honest with this blog.  After all, it's supposed to be about my journey and this is part of it.  So here it goes...

Last week, was the roughest by far.  I found out some pretty devastating news involving our family.  Have you ever felt like crawling under the covers and not emerging for days?  Well, that was me.  Shocker, huh?  After all, I'm supposably one of the toughest, strongest people you've ever met.  Truth be known, even the strongest people fall down.  The only difference?  Strong people get back up.  In my weakest moment last week, it even crossed my mind to withdraw from Lake Placid.  Just throw away months of training and a once in a life time race that would mean the world to me.  Give up. Why didn't I succumb to these thoughts?  Because of my internal drive.  The reason why I get up at the crack of dawn to swim.  The reason why I spend hours on my bike.  I'm doing this for a bigger reason.

Let me fast forward to Saturday's training to put it into perspective for you...

I woke up at 6:00 am and decided to get on my bike trainer for 1/2 of my four hour ride.  My husband works nights and I wanted him to rest instead making him wake up and take care of the girls.  Next thing I know four hours goes by... just a short time ago I wouldn't have EVER thought about riding a trainer that long.  Honestly, it didn't even feel that long.  I had it in a gear that still gave me resistance and I was dripping with sweat by the time I got finished.  Anyway, while I'm on the bike Kylie awakes.    I get ready to head out the door for my run and go to the bathroom before I leave.  What do I find?  Throw up that hasn't been flushed.  Did Kylie say anything about it?  Complain?  Get upset?  No.  I had to actually ask her if she did and if she was ok.  Yes, she said-like it didn't even phase her.  I head out the door.  Normally, I don't wear my headphones because I can't listen to music on IM day.  I'm trying to get used to the silence.  This day, I decide to take them with me.

I'm about a mile into my run when "Shout to the Lord" comes on.  Normally, I skip these type of songs when I'm running because I want to listen to the upbeat stuff.  (I don't have playlists set up and its pretty common for Disney Princess to pop up as well.)  Anyway, I decide to turn it up and listen.  Of course, while I'm running I'm thinking about the devastating news from last week and my journey.  Next thing I know I have a feeling inside of my body that is overwhelming, kind of like the chills.  It engulfs me.  I start bursting into tears, yes, I'm still running.  Next thing I know, I can't feel my legs.  This continues for the next several miles.  I know this sounds very strange and nothing like this has ever happened to me.  But, it was real.  I do have a lot of faith in the Lord and typically don't share things like this. I don't think I could be as strong as I am without Him.  I've been through a lot, as a mom, since Kylie was diagnosed with NF.  And that's just Kylie.  I have Katelyn that I worry about as well.

But, I know without Him, this journey wouldn't be possible.

I guess the reason why I'm sharing all of this is just to say that this is a huge journey for me and for my family.  My husband works nights.  Most of the time it's the girls and I.  Between being a mom, extracurricular activities and a full-time job, sometimes training seems a bit overwhelming.  There are days that I don't have time to fit in my entire work out.  There are days that I walk into work exhausted before the day even begins.  But you know what?  I will be in Mirror Lake on July 28th starting a race with many others who have beautiful stories.  My journey is only one of them.  I will be doing this for NF.  God will be watching over me and I will finish in under 17 hours.  It is going to hurt and I will cry.  And it will be all worth it.

Week 12

I have trained for 94 hours, 5 minutes and 36 seconds so far.  That's 3 days, 22 hours, and 5 mins.

Training:  Overall, I'm still feeling great.  The biggest challenge that I'm having is still fitting in all of the training sessions in and managing to be a mom, wife, and teacher. I will have to say that if anybody goes into this without great time management skills, then they will come out with them! 

I did my first 100K (63 miles) bike rally on Saturday.  There were tons of hills and I really got to know my bike.  It helped a lot riding with DB, who is a very seasoned cyclist.  He really showed me out to crank it down and get up the "beasts".  However, I don't think the hills in Texas are going to be anything like the mountains in Lake Placid.  I'm going to have to look into more climbing gears on my bike.

My hero:  Kylie is just trucking along with her medication.  She takes it every night out of habit and never complains.  She loved getting her face painted yesterday after the race!  She also has dance pictures tonight and she is so excited to dress up in her costume and get all gussied up.  Such a girly girl!  Her sister, Katelyn, and "Garbear" ran a 5K race on Saturday and did terrific!   

Please to help me with my "Journey to Placid" by donating to my fundraising campaign.  I have raised $5066.00 so far and my goal is $10,000.  I'm a little over half way there!!! I'm doing all of the work, you just have to donate!  What a deal! 

http://ctf.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1034366&lis=1&kntae1034366=31D76130C77A41A899ED7F3E1722928B&supId=358283427

Week 10-11

My how the time flies!  I looked at my last post and realized it was before my 1/2 Ironman a few weeks ago.  So let me start with a quick recap.

70.3 Texas:  I felt completely ready for this race.  I started the day pumped and eager to start.  I had my wetsuit on and jumped off of a dock to start.  I was a little nervous about the type of start, simply because it was foreign to me.  When I hit the water, I couldn't believe how cold it was.  Freezing.  Still feeling confident, I moved my way to the middle of the pack knowing that I am a strong swimmer.  The gun went off, I put my head under water to swim and I lost it.  I couldn't move.  I couldn't breath.  I panicked.  I knew that if I didn't get my head in the game I wouldn't make it.  I rolled over on my back and let the others pass me while I refocused and talked myself into calming down.  Luckily, it worked.  I tried swimming again, and this time, I was off.  Before I knew it I was exiting the swim and feeling great.  The bike was flat out and back course.  It went by without a hitch, well except for getting off the bike twice to go to the bathroom.  (Apparently, a skill of using the restroom on the bike works for some triathletes.  Maybe we should address that later.)  I really tried to stay focused on my coaches words of encouragement and I think it paid off.  When I transitioned from the bike to the run, I still felt great.  I started my run a little too fast and had to slow down, but over all I walked away from this race with a smile on my face.

Training:  This is just a glimpse of my training this weekend.  Friday:  Two hours on the bike.  30 mins strength training.  Saturday:  Two hour run.  (I was supposed to swim as well, but I was STARVING after my run, so I ate instead.)  Sorry, coach.  :)  Sunday:  I was on my bike for almost 4 1/2 hours and really felt beaten up by the time I got off of the bike.  Followed by a 30 min. run.  Let's just say that I took my 30 min. run indoors because the wind won today.

It seems like when I'm thinking "Holy Cow! What have I gotten myself into???"  Things like this happen:

That's right.  After months and months of trying, she's finally riding her bike without training wheels.  

Perseverance.