6 Week Count Down...

It amazes me when I think about it...I have been "counting down" to an Ironman (or two) every year for the past 8 years! This will be my ninth year in a row without a break. This realization comes to me every now and then I and simply cannot believe just how fast time can fly by! I can remember back in 2001, training for my first Ironman. I was 24 years old and I was training for IMLP at the time, but a bike crash 4 weeks before the race quickly changed my plans. With the help of mom and dad, I was signing up for a charity spot in Ironman Florida the day after my bike accident. During that summer after my accident I was forced to ride the trainer due to the 2 metal plates that were (are) inserted on each bone of my forearm. That along with pins that kept my wrist together made for a difficult time training...but train I did! I was back to running a week later with a cast that went from my shoulder to my wrist! So funny to think about it now! It amazed me just how many yells of encouragement I got EVERY TIME I went out for a run! Due to the severe pain that I would get every time I slightly moved my arm or wrist, I would be running down the road trying to hold my left arm up in the air and as still as possible...Ha! What great form! I am laughing just thinking about it! I felt like a complete fool, but this didn't stop me, oh no...I was out there training for my Ironman. The cheers I got from passing cars were a surprise and a relief...I expected much more "heckling" than I got....in fact, I don't think I got any negative comments!

As for the bike...the trainer became my friend. I would sit on that thing for hours on end...5-6 hour "long rides", intervals, you name it. I even brought it up to a friend's house while I was there visiting. Not only did I perch myself on the side of the road for a workout as a break from driving (crazy girl), but I also set it up in his parents backyard for a 6 hour ride! They must have thought I was a complete PSYCHOPATH! They would have been right! The swim wasn't so easy, so I had to take a couple of months off from that and "wing it" as best I could in the race... By race time, my arm wasn't "fully healed", but I had the plates on the bones to protect them, and the bones were "mostly healed"...my biggest fear was getting kicked in the swim, so I stayed FAR to the side during the start and dodged people as best I could! So, all went well...I won my age-group, qualified for Hawaii and was HOOKED for good! Ends up the accident was a blessing in disguise, as I doubt I had the strength to qualify in Placid at the time...funny how things work out!

Well, here I am starting my 6-week count down to IM Austria and I find that I get many of those same pre-race feelings that I got during my 1st Ironman Prep. I think this may be part of the "addiction" of Ironman. How great is it to prep for a huge event, set your goals, try and do everything right (or as "right" as you can) and countdown to a SUPER exciting day, where the outcome may be somewhat predictable due to your prep and your fitness level, but ultimately it is unknown, due to "unforeseen circumstances" on such a long day. They say that you learn the most from your worst performances... I can say that this is very true. It's during these performances that I question what I am doing with my life (during the race), but then it is these performances that get me to carefully evaluate what went wrong and how I can remedy it ( for the NEXT performance, of course)!

So, I started my "8-weeks of no ice cream/dessert" two weeks ago, a ritual of mine that I started years ago before every Ironman (I regret starting this ritual, by the way, since I usually enjoy SOME kind of dessert on MOST nights and I don't think that omitting it does anything for me really) It has become "ritual", however, and it signifies my "commitment to the race coming up"...or so that's what Ive been told when I was questioning whether I should ditch the ritual or not during a moment of weakness! Ive also had some fantastic workouts and feel quite fit, and I will be racing in two weeks at Mooseman as a type of "tune-up".

All is good in my world and as I was 8 years ago with my prep to IMFL, I am nervous and excited at the same time! The only difference is that I have 11 of these races under my belt now, Im quite a bit stronger from the years of training and it isn't as much of an "unknown" to me now. But I'm sure anyone who does them (even the studs who do 3+ a year!) can agree with me when I say that each Ironman is a bit daunting when you think about it as a whole, but each one is also special in it's own way and the excitement you get during the build-up as well as the thrill of finishing one of these races is worth all the months of training!