3 Months and Counting

As of February 19th, 2012, Ironman Texas is 3 months away.  This week has been a balancing act between trying to get my training done and celebrating my twins' birthdays.  Ethan and Tavis officially became teenagers on February 15th and I have no idea where the time has gone.  Each year to celebrate the twins birthday, we head back to the farm and spend a couple days with my family.  My family farms outside of Sarnia in a small rural area known as Oil Springs which is the site of the first commercial oil well in North America - that is my history lesson for today.  

Tuesday night I was running with my girls - Michelle (sporting her cruise tan), Sue and Elaine.  Sue is training in Florida this week and Elaine is injured so it is just down to Michelle and I.  

Wednesday was spin class with Clint leading the pack.  Christine and Paul were both in Florida.

I headed home to my family's on Friday morning.  Its odd that after living in London and then Whitby for the last 26 years, that I still consider my parents home.  Travelling for us is a huge undertaking.  Flame and Rukus have to be dropped off at the boarders.  Tavis cannot travel without his music and his snacks.  Tavis, although he is 13 years old, only weighs 50 lbs and he eats like a trucker.  It is my job on the way home to just keep popping food in his mouth much like a slot machine.  Ethan unfortunately gets motion sickness and is a barfer so he has been moved to the front of the van.  So the suitcases get loaded, then the sleeping bags, then Tav's cooler of food, then the wheelchair and finally us.

On Saturday night we had the twins' party and they got spoiled as usual.  On Sunday, I had my long run.  I am training for Around the Bay even though I retired from that race a couple years ago.  My long run was 26 kms which was an out and back between my brother Brian's farm and my parents.  Running in the rural area where my family lives is a whole different kind of running.  There is the element of danger - farm dogs and coyotes, the gravel roads which hinder you trying to sprint away from said farm dogs and coyotes, no telephone service in certain areas so if you do get caught by farm dogs or coyotes, you can't call for help, the fact that 90% of my run was done on gravel roads rutted from tractors and school buses, and the fact that some farmers have already started spreading manure which in some spots sucked the air right out of my lungs.  

In addition, you have to deal with the farmers that don't understand that you are out there running because you want to, not because your car broke down, not because something is chasing you, and not because you are lost.

Clever girl that I am, I sent my mom home with dry clothes and at the 13km turn around at my parents I changed into some dry clothes, had a coffee and protein bar with Mom and Dad and headed back to my brother's farm.  It was cold and damp on Sunday but I had a really good run.  Farm dogs were friendly, mild winter has kept the coyotes in the woods, and it was so quiet and peaceful that you could not help but enjoy yourself.

On Family Day we headed back to Whitby which is always bittersweet for me. I miss the calm of rural life and I miss my family.  I stopped at the cemetery on my way back to talk to Kevin.  The sun was shining and it was warm - just the kind of day that Kevin would have loved.  I told him that the next time I was home I would bring him my finishers medal from Ironman Texas.  I think he would like that.

Today's picture is my first try a tri in Guelph with Glen and Ethan in 2005.