4 Months to Go

Four months from today will find me out on the course at Ironman Texas. 

Today I messaged my friends Shawn, Michelle and Carolyn who will be doing Ironman Texas as well to see if panic had set in.  Now I have known these three for a number of years from the triathlon community and they are a great bunch of people.  And yes, they are as panicked as I am.

I remember training for my first ironman in Lake Placid and it was pure fear training because we (John, Susan and I) did not know what to expect.  We clung together like wet puppies the day of the race.  We were petrified the morning of the race but Coach Paul got us laughing.  I have a really bad habit of either stiking my nose plug on the strap of my swim suit or in the pocket of my tri suit.  Well sure enough, I was completely in my wet suit and I realized the little bulge mid thigh was my nose plug.  I went to take off my wet suit but Paul said no - he could reach down and get it.  Well what followed was a comedy routine straight out of Laurel and Hardy.  Paul would not give up and he rooted around in my wet suit trying to find my nose plug.  I swear I had a more thorough exam than my yearly visit to my gynecologist.  Sue and John were doubled over laughing and other triathletes were standing around wondering what in the world Paul was doing.  He finally admitted defeat and I stripped off my wet suit and grabbed my nose plug.  Thank goodness Patty and her camera were nowhere in sight.

Because Ironman Lake Placid is done in loops I repeated saw friendly faces and that certainly kept me going.  The swim in Texas takes place in a canal.  The run is done in three loops but the bike is one big loop so I will be out there on my own - trying to not fall off my bike and be distracted by cowboys.

In addition to my hubby Glen, I will have Shawn, Michelle and Carolyn for support in Texas.  I am sure I will see them on at least one loop of the run.  Plus I will be taking my own personal cheerleader - Susan Typert - with me to Texas, and of course, Coach Paul, will be making the trek as well.  Both Paul and Sue are able to keep me focused and calm which is a feat in itself.  For my first half ironman in Muskoka, Glen drove me down with my face in a bag barfing and crying.  What that poor man has to put up with.  The morning of the race I was completely calm.

The week before Ironman Penticton, I was a total basket case.  Crying, throwing up, screaming like a crazy woman.  I remember going thru the arch at the Ironman Canada registration and seeing all those triathletes, and my son Ethan put his arm around me and said "you'll be okay now Mom.  You are amongst your people."  Too funny but right.

So I will continue to press on with my training.  Paul will continue to alleviate my fears and I am going to have dinner with my Texas training buddies so we can mutually support each other.

Remember, it takes a village to raise a triathlete.  :)

Lisa