IRONMAN Canada - We Did It!!

 

 

It is difficult to express the many emotions I have felt this past week.  When we left Salt Lake on Tuesday, I was feeling so discouraged because my right leg was hurting so badly I wasn't even sure how I was going to run a step much less a marathon. I had done all i could to get it better from a massage to therapy to Addvil so I just had to hope for the best.... and sit on ice on and off for 940 miles.  It ended up being a blessing that we spent so much time packing and driving so we couldn't run or bike or swim for four days because every day my leg felt just a little better.  We did ride the marathon course on our bikes on Thursday and I felt pretty good, other than realizing how many hard hills there were on the marathon course, and then we swam in the lake on Friday and I felt even better and then Saturday we did nothing... well let me re-phrase that, we didn't run or bike or swim, but we spent the day organizing our gear for drop-off which is a pretty daunting task.  You have to make sure you have EVERYTHING you could possibly need in the appropriate bags because if it isn't in the bag when you drop it off, you will have to do without it on race day.

 

 I am practicing changing a flat tire...just in case...I don't have
a picture of me praying that I don't get a flat tire

 

 So Many Bags So Little Time

 

 

 

We are at the back to avoid the crowds

As you can see avoiding the crowds is not an option



 

 

I have to say I had such mixed emotions when I realized that the event we had been training for over the last nine months had finally arrived. I was excited, nervous and a little sad that it was all going to be over in a day.  It had been such a fun journey getting here, from 20 laps in the pool,  4 mile runs,  and 15 mile bikerides to 2 laps around the lake, 16 mile runs and 100 mile bikerides.  That is the great thing about the training...little by little you get stronger and stronger until you are ready to swim, bike and run 140.6 miles.  The day of the race, we woke up at 4 AM, forced down some breakfast and headed to the race.  After having our race numbers written all over our body with marker, we squeezed into our wet suits and headed for the beach.  I have to say, when I stood on that beach and looked out across the lake at how far I really had to swim, I thought, "I am insane.  That is really far!!"  When the gun finally went off, and I put my face in the water and started to swim, I was surprised how calm I felt.  I reminded myself that I was just going to relax and enjoy every moment of this day because this was what I had worked so hard for.  I know "relax" may not be the best choice of words for a day when I was putting my body through ALOT, but I really was able to enjoy so many moments of the day.  Yes, there were times that weren't so enjoyable... like the moment I discovered that I had mis-counted how many bouys there were across the lake and there were four more than I had anticipated, or the time I realized I had overestimated my bladder's capabilities and there were no porta-potties for over 10 miles, or the last 15 miles of sitting on that bike seat.. or the first 2 miles of the run when I had to have a very convincing conversation with myself that I could run 26.2 miles if I ran them one mile at a time.  These were all moments when I had to dig deep but I can honestly say, other than that, I really did enjoy the day.. In fact, I must have had a big smile on my face because all the spectators commented that it was great to see my smile.  And really, I should have been smiling because I had set a goal and every step brought me closer to acheiving that goal.  When I finally crossed that finish line, it felt amazing.  I had done it.  I was an Ironman.. But at that moment I realized it wasn't the finish line or the medal or all the excitement that meant the most to me, it was the fans, not the fans on the side of the road, even though they were wonderful, but the fans that believed in me and encouraged me throughout this journey and followed our progress and congratulated our accomplishments...the fans that make my life worth living... my friends and most of all, my family.  That is truly the real prize. 

 

My biggest fan... John