UPS & DOWNS

Emotional Roller Coaster

Oh my goodness, the last 72 hours has been an emotional roller coaster! I have gone through so many up’s and downs that I think I have made myself dizzy! I hope you don’t mind if I share some of these emotional gyrations with you:

UP: Completing the longest training session of my life last Friday, and feeling great. I successfully did a 6-hour bike ride followed by a 45 minute run. I drove to Coeur d’ Alene with Jessi and rode 2 loops of the hilly loop of the Ironman Course and then did the run on the bike path along the lake by Higgins Point! I had a great day, I felt strong and I could clearly see myself crossing the finish line of my Ironman race on June 24th.

UP: Saturday I did a 3-hour bike ride with a friend, Nathan, and Kevin and I was the pace horse for the whole ride, I felt great and like I was a strong cyclist. We followed that by driving to Medical Lake to do a 1 ½ mile Open Water Swim! I felt strong and finished before both of the guys. It was a big confidence booster and great reward for all my hours of hard training this past year!

UP: I did an 18-mile run alone Sunday morning. Again I felt strong and good until about the 2 ½ hour point and then the last ½ hour I was feeling a few sore places, but I still had a strong finish!

UP: I went to bed Sunday night feeling at the top of my game, thinking I believe I can so do this Ironman thing!

Down: I woke up Monday morning with a kink in my neck and sharp pain between my shoulder blades. I tried to tough out the day but couldn’t and I finally asked Kevin to help me out with some massage! Kevin worked on me for about 45 minutes and it helped a lot, but I was still glad that I had the day off from training.

UP/Down: I woke up Tuesday morning to an e-mail from my coach with a 1-page letter of encouragement and challenge regarding being diligent about making the sacrifices necessary to complete the next four weeks of training and the reality that my race day was soon approaching. Just reading his letter welled up so many emotions inside me……… and then I lost it as I read his words,“Kathi I am sure that a year ago when you signed up for this race you thought it would never get here, well……….it’s here!” Oh my gosh, the flood gates opened as I had this HUGE WAVE of MIXED EMOTIONS flow in and throughout my body, and I sat at my computer and cried for the next 10 minutes! Then I printed off my next four weeks of training and saw that at the end of the last week's schedule it was written: “Sunday….Ironman Coeur d’ Alene!” Oh my gosh I started crying again.

UP/Down: My first client on Tuesday came ½ hour later and as I greeted her at the door, she looked at me and said: “Are you o.k.?” and I started crying all over again! Yikes…….I cried off and on all day Tuesday!!!

Down: I was still hurting from my kink, it was so bad all day Tuesday it was hard for me to massage my clients. I was getting stabbing pains between my shoulders. It was hurting bad enough I was having a hard time smiling and being cheerful! Even though it cost me a lot of energy I still choose JOY!

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it – Maya Angelou

UP: My amazing Chiropractor Dr. Julia Miller, “with her fabulous gift of love and compassion for her patients” actually made a “house call” and came to my house on her day off to adjust me. She was able to work her magic get my 2 ribs back in place and decrease my pain by 50% and I was able to finish my client day with much greater ease!

UP: I had a client that had to cancel an appointment in the middle of the day so I took the opportunity to get my swim in between clients!

Down: I didn’t finish my day until 7pm and I still had a 2-hour bike ride to get in. Do I suck it up or do I ditch out on the training opportunity? I am tired, I am hurting, I am hungry and I won’t make it back before dark?????

UP: Kevin offers to ride with me, even though we have not had dinner and we will be finishing after dark! I was so tired that night; I showered and went right to bed after our ride!

Down: Between my shoulder blades was hurting so bad when I was in the “aero position” on my bike that we cut our ride short.

Down: As exhausted as I was I was awake ½ the night because I am sure that on our bike ride last night I jarred my ribs out again. So I was having stabbing and throbbing pain all night!

Down: I woke up this morning early to do a really hard speed interval run and again was in tears, thinking how am I going to do this? My neck, shoulders and between my shoulder blades were throbbing and aching and stabbing pain every time I turned my head from side to side!

UP: Kevin is so in tune with needs and emotions in these last days leading up to my Ironman Race, he could see the pain in my eyes before I said anything. He lovingly said come on, you can do your run later, let’s go downstairs to the massage table and let me see if I can provide you with some relief. Kevin's healing hands worked their magic for 45 minutes! Again my pain was reduced by 50%! What a gift.

Down: I am worried about how I would even be able to endure a 7 ½ hour bike ride for my Ironman Race with this stabbing pain between my shoulders. I am digging deep to remember my dream and clarify my vision!

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us – Ralph Waldo Emerson

UP: I choose to take the mental “high road” and be thankful that I am having this issue now and not 3 or 4 weeks from now and choose to have confidence in Dr. Miller and Kevin, knowing that they will do all in their knowledge, skill, power and ability to get me pain free as soon as possible.

UP: I Got a surprise phone call today…Wednesday, from Jessi offering to do my bike ride with me. It was a beautiful sunny day and my pain was much better, just felt the stabbing pain when I turned my head from left to right, but not too bad when I was looking straight forward or in the “aero position” on my bike!

UP: Went to Dr. Miller’s office for a 5:30pm appointment and she had done some research specifically for my issues and worked some “new magic” on me and I had a significant reduction in pain before I left her office! Yea! An aligned spine is a happy spine and a happy spine allows my muscles perform at a higher level and gives them all the blood flow they need to rise up to the intense physical demand that I am putting them through!

Down: Did my run tonight, but I just didn’t have the drive, push or energy to push myself to reach the high Hear Rate Zones that I was assigned! I just didn’t have what it takes to push my self to that point of discomfort.

UP: I did not cry over this run, rather I chose to give myself credit for getting my butt out there even though my heart and body was not into it!

Trying is failing with honor –
You do or you don’t, there is no try

UP: I am going to bed with much less pain and hopeful of a good night sleep!

UP: Tomorrow brings with it the opportunity for me to accomplish yet my longest training session ever. My training schedule calls for a 6 hour & 30 minute bike ride followed by a 1hour & 15 minute run!

We become happier, much happier, when we realize life is an opportunity rather than an obligation – Mary Augustine

UP: My emotions are feeling much more stable today, I did not cry today! That in and of itself is a Victory over the last 3 days!

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Things are looking more up than down..............

Start the Countdown

Today the official Countdown to Ironman Coeur d’ Alene, “the biggest race of my life so far” begins today!

The 2007 Coeur d’ Alene Ford Ironman Race is June 24 which is exactly:
~1 month from today
~32 days from today
~768 hours from today
~46,080 minutes from today
~2,764,800 seconds from today

Yikes! That gives me a BIG lump in my throat!

As I literally stare the “Biggest Race of my Life so Far” in the face there are so many mixed emotions that flood my heart and soul.

This is a heartfelt sought after goal of mine, it is a 3 year journey in the making, and one that in all honesty is tremendously daunting. I am excited about several things and fearful of others. Let’s see if together they equal 13?

1) Excited – about surviving the intense training and getting to the starting line with out being injured (I had a hamstring scare this week, did some intense therapy and all is good)

2) Fearful – of getting injured in the last days from the intense training load and not making it to the starting line

3) Excited – about the possibility of crossing the finish line and achieving my goal of becoming an Ironman Finisher

4) Fearful – of all the miles (160.4) and the possible obstacles that could stand in the way of me crossing the finish line

5) Excited – about having so many people I love cheering for me along the race course

6) Fearful – of disappointing them if for some reason it is just not my day

7) Excited – about the opportunity to push myself beyond measure with the challenge that lies before me

8) Fearful – of the possibility that the challenge is to big for me to conquer

9) Excited – about participating in a Race that I hold in high regard and have so much respect for, I am in total “AWE” of anyone who finishes

10)Fearful – of not experiencing the sense of accomplishment and intense transformation that comes from achieving such a monumental goal

11)Excited – about going to bed and getting a good night sleep and too tired to come up with 12 and 13! How is that for being honest.

P.S. Tomorrow is a 6 hour bike ride followed by a 1 hour brick run, yippee……doing the hilly loop of the Ironman Course with Jessi……….…bring it on baby……………….

Good Night……………..ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

BLESSINGS

Yesterday was my longest "Ironman" training day so far. I had a 5 hour bike ride followed immediately by a 45 minute brick run. Even with good music that is along time to train alone.

So how do you make a 6 hour training session seem like 3 hours?

You Train with a "HOT" Triathlete!It was such a blessing to be able to do this training session with my friend Jessi "Ironman Finisher" Thompson! And what a treat for me that she planned out the whole ride and took me on roads from here to GreenBluff to Deer Park and Riverside that I had never been on. I was amazed that I have lived in Spokane for 13 years and didn't even know these parts of the country existed!

Some of my favorite blessings of the day:

~Clear blue skies

~Warm sunshine

~Great conversation

~Beautiful new scenery

~Quality time with a True Friend

~Jessi's athleticism challenges me

~Learning more about how to prepare for my Ironman Race

~Opportunities to work on my "going fast downhill issues"

~The time flew by

~Making another great Triathlon Memory

It was a beautiful day with a beautiful friend....thanks G.G.

OZ SWIM SURVIVAL CAMP

If my swim today did not prepare me for my 1st Ironman swim nothing will. I swim at the North side OZ Fitness (use to be 24 Hour Fitness) and anyone who actually lap swims at OZ has their own collection of frustrating stories and nicknames for those who frustrate us over and over again! I am no different over the past 2 years I have collected quite a few of my own stories. But Oh My Gosh, today takes the cake by far!

It might not be a fair post because unless you have swam there this may not amaze you, but today was a record for me as far as the number of frustrating and annoying things I have ever had in 1 single swim session!

Thirteen things (no kidding) that I experienced or survived at OZ Fitness Pool today!

1) THE WATER WAS FREEZING: the employee that was doing maintenance got side tracked and over filled it and the hot tub as well, and the hot tub was actually colder than the pool and was overflowing into the pool

2) I HAD TO SHARE A LANE WITH A WATER BUFFALO: that is a code word amongst lap swimmers for very large people who take up a whole lane to just float

3) I FISHED OUT 2 BANDAIDS: over the course of my 1 hour and 30 minute swim I swam in all 3 lanes and found Band-Aids at the bottom of 2 of them

4) I SHARED A LANE WITH A TALKER: The pool is no different than the rest of the gym, some people go to actually workout and some go to socialize

5) I GOT ATTACKED BY A GIANT LOOGIE: no kidding, I have heard people tease about them but this one was very real and very giant and it was in the end corner where I was turning, it took me 5 minutes to catch it and scoop it out, I was gagging and so grossed out that it was very hard for me to mentally continue

6) I SHARED A LANE WITH A BOXER: I have never seen this guy before, probably about 26ish, medium build, red hair, had a swim cap and goggles on but literally looked and sounded like he was boxing the water with every stroke, first he took a left hook then a right hook, I was literally afraid he was going to hit me, he was exhausting to watch

7) I WAS IN ONE LANE THAT HAD AN UNDERTOW: for a while there was a guy in my lane who did the weirdest version of breast stroke/frog stroke in a really fast rhythmic motion that actually pushed me off balance as I swam by him

8) I HAD TO TEACH POOL EDUQUITE 101 TWICE: Oh my gosh! This is so one of my peeves!! Do not, I repeat do not get into my lane when I am swimming unless you ask me. I think it is so rude and so not safe to just jump into a lane when someone is lap swimming. If you are using proper swim technique for freestyle you are looking straight down at the bottom of the pool, there is no way to see someone until you are at the end doing a turn! ARRRRGGGGGG!!!!!!! I ran into 2 different people, one old and one who didn’t speak my language!

9) HAD TO DISCIPLINE FOREIGN ROPE ACROBATS: Again, people a pool is for swimming. Two Vietnamese ladies came into the pool, I am guessing to just chat because they were hanging on the rope, floating over the rope, swimming under the rope, sitting on the rope, kicking their feet under the rope. After about the 4th time of having to dodge one of their body parts in my lane I went into disciplinary mode. And of course they did not speak my language either so I resorted to hand motions and pointing fingers (no I didn’t but I wanted to J ) and after the 2nd disciplinary session they finally got my point ROAAAARRRRRR!

10) HAD A GUY RACING ME: This is always funny to me and it makes me realize how far I have come. I had a younger guy in a Speedo get into my lane. He watched me for about 200 meters, faking like he was adjusting his goggles, but I knew he was checking me out to see my speed and form. He tried not to start off the wall at the same time as me because he knew he would be beat to the other end by a girl, and his ego obviously couldn’t handle that. Every time I would catch up to him he would surge to keep up and then stop at the wall like he was done with his set, but I knew it was because he was anaerobic and that his lungs were about to explode! I wanted to say one of Adam’s favorite lines “Hey buddy you can lie to me, but don’t lie to yourself” but I chose to be nice instead

11) GOT HIT ON BY AN OLD GUY: I am sure this is probably the same “old” guy that keeps hitting on my friend Kacey. He must have a leg fetish because he kept talking about how amazing my legs were. After he floated his 100 meters staring at me under water he got out and then sat on a bench next to the pool and watched me until I finished, ick!

12) WATCHED A PORNO FLICK: Again….Oh my gosh! There was a young couple in the first lane that for about ½ hour were literally full-on-making-out! I was like dude and dudette, get a room pleeeeeeeeeeease! I cannot believe that no one said anything to them, at one point one of the trainers came through giving a tour to some new people and they just kept on going at it. I mean I have seen people be playful in the pool but this was way beyond playful! Yikes!

13) I HAD MY OWN LANE: Unbelievable after all that I actually had my own lane for about the last 10 minutes of my swim. I was thinking wow, this is really nice. I can actually concentrate on my technique with out all the distractions and frustrations, sad to say but that is a rare experience swimming at OZ

NOW LOOKING AT THIS OPTIMISTICALLY…………..
I AM THINKING A MASS START………………
WITH 2000+ PEOPLE …………………..
FOR A 2.4 MILE OPEN WATER SWIM…………
IN A COLD LAKE
SHOULD BE A PIECE OF CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Team Apparel has Arrived!!!!!!!!!!

TRI FUSION TEAM APPAREL

Finally the day so many of us have been waiting for, our Tri Fusion Team Apparel arrived! We officially look like a TEAM! And just in time for our road trip to Troutdale Oregon for the Blue Lake Olympic Distance Triatlhlon Club Championships!

Pictured above is our Women's Sports Bra, Club Wind Jacket and Tri Fusion Logo long tights!Pictured above here is the one piece Tri Suit with Sponsor logos! I think the clothing line looks and feels great and I know it will make me go faster :o) Well at least I will look official and that could possibly give the illusion that I am actually going faster :o)

In a Sport that is typically labeled as very lonely, it has been a blessing to be apart of such an amazing Club. One that is comitted to developing relationships, group fellowship and supporting one another. Our Team Bond shows big time everywhere we go. In the past our actions alone showed that we were a team, now our new "Outfits" (I love to call them this because it makes the guys squirm:o))....will make an impressive statement on their own!

Go Tri Fusion....................................

Do ~ Experience ~ Learn ~ Grow

The Napa Valley Vintage 1/2 Ironman, Saturday May 5 was definately the hardest race I have ever completed so far. The distance of a 1/2 Ironman is: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike followed by a 13.2 mile run. My swim leg was 47 minutes, my bike leg was 3 hours and 30 minutes and my run leg was 1 hour and 59 minutes. Leaving me with a total overall finish time of 6 hours and 20 minutes. At the finish line I felt like a survivor!
13 Mistakes & Challenges

1) I had never swam in my new wetsuit before the race, it seemed a bit short and was causing uncomfortable pressure on my shoulders during the swim
2) I did not do my 5 minute warm up before the swim start

3) It took me the entire 1st loop of the swim to get into a breathing rhythm

4) I did not do an open water swim before this race so I hadn’t practiced sighting and ended up getting off course and got redirected by a course monitor in a kayak

5) I put my watch and timing chip on the outside of my wetsuit

6) Struggling to get my wetsuit off with my watch and timing chip folded inside cost me several extra minutes in T1, not to mention the added frustration

7) I did not ride my bike before I racked it to check that everything worked properly

8) I had trouble shifting some of my gears and heard metal rubbing the entire bike

9) Swimming in water that was so rough it actually had white caps

10) Enduring 30-37 MHP winds with up to 50 MPH wind gusts on the bike course

11) A course that was so full of hills the only flat terrain was the 3 bridges we had to cross

12) A bike course with roads so full of potholes, sink holes, cracks, bumps, also speed bumps (no kidding) and bad road patches that were so jarring that I felt like I ended up with whiplash and a few missing teeth!

13) No music devices allowed in the race so I had to listen to myself gasping for air the entire 6 hours and 20 minutes!

13 Successes & Rewards

1) The temperature was in the 70’s which was great for me, I wasn’t too cold at the start of the swim and I wasn’t too hot at the end of the run

2) I survived the swim & had lots of opportunity to learn more about open water

3) I could actually feel the increase performance ability of my new bike

4) I passed a lot of people going up hills

5) I reached a new Max speed on my bike of 38.6 MPH

6) I followed my nutrition & hydration plan on the bike

7) I survived the bike & had 3:30 hours of opportunity to work on some of my fear issues on the bike, like going downhill fast, sharp corners, bad roads

8) I actually utilized Lactate Threshold data to stay with in targeted Heart Rate Zone’s, yea me for using science & technology!

9) I pushed myself with tired legs to achieve a new PR on the run

10) I survived the run & learned that my brain power when focused on the right things could tell my tired legs what to do

11) I had great fellowship with great people which led to great laughs and great memories

12) I achieved a new PR on the run for my fastest ½ Marathon time ever

13) I placed 25th over all amongst 92 females & placed 3rd in my Age group

Thirteen Thank You’s

1) To Roger for teaching me how to take my bike apart and pack it into the airline travel case

2) To Jessi for giving me wisdom regarding a nutrition plan for the race & for being my security blanket pre and post race

3) To Kevin for believing in me and encouraging me to go do this race and for supporting me in such amazing ways from afar

4) To Roger for making all the travel arrangements, which were a headache because they changed a million times

5) To Sam for scoring us all a good hotel deal

6) To Jessi for sharing a bed with me so I didn’t have to explain to Kevin why I slept with Sam

7) To Tia for being support crew for the team single handedly, for taking so many amazing pictures and for cheering her heart out all day

8) To Rachael and Margo for all their good thoughts and laborous hours spent trying to follow the race and keep updated on how I was doing

9) To Sam for helping me put my bike together and taking it back apart on his own while I was still finishing the run

10) To Kim for calling to wish me a good race

11) To my nice guy buddy Dave for Text messaging me good luck, even though I don't know how to do Text messaging?

12) To my Tri Fusion Teammates for all the cheers and encouragment along the race course

13) To my husband Kevin for his “perfect timing” in calling me within 1 minute of my finish to see how I did!

Overall I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to get an endurance distance triathlon under my belt before my Ironman race on June 24th. This experience provided me with ample opportunity to work on many of the fears and issues I have regarding the 3 disiplines of Triathlon and therefore increasing my confidence in many areas that will be critical to my success in this sport!

13 Things I like about a RACE!

13 things I like about Triathlon racing

1) I push myself harder than I would any other time
2) Every race venue is overflowing with positive energy
3) I enjoy trying to improve on my own times
4) I like the challenge of trying to pass people in front of me
5) A race is a reward for all my hard work
6) I love it when people cheer for me, it fills my words of affirmation tank
7) It makes me more motivated to be consistent with training knowing
that I have a race on the calendar
8) It is a measuring stick for me as far as improvement and reward for my efforts
9) I love the pre and post race camaraderie with other athletes
10) My Frontal Right enjoys experiencing different race courses
11) I like seeing how I stack up in my age group
12) I treasure the memories made with fellow Triathletes
13) I am always inspired by the whole experience from start to finish and the people involved

So I am off to Napa Valley California at 4am in the morning with 5 other Tri Fusion Teammates to race my 1st 1/2 Ironman race of the season. I have less anxiety and more excitement than last year pre-race. I am hoping for a new PR at this distance which will be a fabulous reward for all my winter training and it will also be some good confidence for me as I look ahead to the biggest race of my life so far.......my upcoming Full Ironman Race! Watch out Napa here I come!