I just want to post a bit about my day yesterday. I am sure I will expand on the stories until you are tired of hearing about it. The swim was horrendous and the marine life was the least of my problems. The water temp was 81 degrees and I had decided not to wear my wetsuit. You do not realize how much you are protected by your wetsuit. I came out of the water with huge scratches on both legs. Unlike IM Canada, I did not cry in the swim. I got mad and then I started punching back. People have NO idea how to cite in the water and this is one skill that Coach Paul cannot stress enough. I got punched so hard in the left Ta Ta that it brought tears to my eyes, kicked in the face and smacked on the side of my head but I did some damage of my own in defending my little space in the water and it is a good thing that the profanity police were not patrolling the water. :) My big fear in doing this race was my cycle since I struggled so much last season. There were rolling hills and a few false flats but the course was beautiful. I got to see Texas the way I imagined it was like. I was so happy with my bike. It was hot and really windy (although a native said that that was just a breeze yesterday). It was cycling through the farmland that I most felt the presence on my brother Kevin. When I started out on the run the heat was unreal and I had stomach cramps from being in aero position for so long. Then the leg cramps started. I knew I had time so I did more of a power walk than a run. My goal was to finish. A few days before the race Christine Charest Monty reminded me to enjoy my day and I definitely did. The volunteers were indescribible. They were the nicest, most helpful people I have ever met and I took time to thank them. They were only equalled by the cheering crowds. I saw Glen getting out of the swamp - sorry, I meant the swim. I saw Glen and Paul again at the beginning of the third loop of the run and then again running down the chute to the finish line. This time I high fived everyone and I went across that line with a smile on my face and my arms in the air. After congratulations and hugs from Coach Paul, Glen and I came back to the hotel but of course I could not sleep because I was still on an endorphin high. We headed to the finishers tent this morning. It is kind of funny to watch the line of "penguins" waddling side to side heading to the finishers tent. Everyone was feeling the effects of the race. So we are all packed up ready to leave Texas tomorrow morning. I will definitely be back. Maybe not for the ironman, but just because I think Texas just may be my zen place. The various pains have worsened - I chaffed so badly under my arms and my back that I tore off skin and stuck to the bed sheets. Glennie has bandaged me up the best he can. The legs seem to have a mind of their own and are not listening to me. The quads will no longer go down stairs. My back has seized up and I have a raging bladder infection. But none of it matters. I am just so happy with my race - why I did it and how I did it. I could not have down it without all the good wishes and thoughts of my friends but that is my next blog and may be better said in person. See y'all soon. Lisa

It's finally here!!!!

Race day is one more sleep away.


Today we went to the swim start and did a practice swim.  The water is 80.8 so it is a non wet suit race.  I swam about a kilometre and I was fine so my wetsuit is staying at the hotel tomorrow.  The water is not normally swum in and there are no boats or anything allowed so there is ALOT of marine life, algae and it is impossible to see anything in the water but I did see the turtle swim by my head.


We dropped off our bikes at transition - new thing at transition, they photographed every single bike when they were dropped off for security reasons -  and walked back to the hotel in time for a quick shower and to meet with Coach Paul.  He was in disguise this morning - no black, a lime green shirt and plaid shorts - full tourist mode.


I was so happy to see him.  I have been having a great time in Texas with Glennie and Team Texas but I needed Paul here to make everything right.  We walked down to transition and I dropped off my bike and run transition bags.  we talked about my strategy for the race and walked thru every aspect of the race from start to finish. I am so ready for my race and I hope my stars all align tomorrow and make it a good day for me.


After parting from Paul, Glen and I headed down to the expo to see Chrissie Wellington.  I met her at the book signing and she is so gracious and warm.  Glen took a great picture of the two of us.


After a late lunch, I had a two hour nap and then our for a lovely supper with Team Texas.  Michelle's sister Kim and her friend Dawn have arrived to cheer us on so we are now a party of 8.


Glen and I are just relaxing now because that 4:00 a.m. wake up call is going to come pretty early.  Coach Paul is meeting me and we are walking down to the swim start together.  I remember standing with Paul at my first try a try in Guelph years ago and him pushing me in the water because I was so afraid of the swim.  


Paul said one thing to be careful of tomorrow is not letting my mind wander and getting emotional which will be a hard thing for me.  I know my thoughts will be on my brother Kevin - I know he is always with me - but with doing the fundraiser and everything, I have put a lot of pressure on myself to do well.  If Kevin were alive, I think he would probably be here in Texas with me.  I talked to my Mom tonight and she is so proud of me and for doing this fundraiser in Kevin's name. 


Tomorrow will be what it is supposed to be.  The next time I post on my blog I plan on being an Ironman Texas finisher.


Thanks again for all the support and kind words that I have received.  It means so much.


Lisa

Hey y'all I absolutely love Texas. We arrived on Tuesday morning - flew from Buffalo to Cleveland and on to Houston. We are staying at the host hotel for Ironman Texas - The Woodlands Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre. The hotel and surrounding areas are gorgeous. We are about a 2 minute walk to the athlete registration and expo. When we arrived - Glen, Carolyn Senechal and I, we met up with the rest of Team Texas - Shawn Reid, Michelle Peacock, and Kevin Burke. Registration was so well organized we were in and registered in about 10 minutes and off to the expo which was huge. We got the best swag ever - a beautiful triathlon bag. One of the first things we noticed about Texas is that EVERYONE is so nice and friendly. You would think they were Canadian. When we returned to the hotel, our bikes had been delivered and that was one less worry. We took some time off on Tuesday afternoon from our vigourous schedule of registering and shopping and hit the hotel pool for some leisure swimming and soaking up the sun. And it is hot here. Everyday it has been 90 degrees. I have been very careful with my sunscreen. Even with a layer of 100 SPF and a layer of 85 SPF this morning I got a little pink during a 30 minute run. Today we hopped on our bikes to ensure they had survived the shipment to Texas and all was in good working order. Good thing we did. Within about 20 feet, Shawn's back tire blew. We cycled down to the transition area for the bike and run. Part of the swim is in a canal which is filled with turtles - huge turtles- and koi and tons of other marine life. Needless to say, the water is not the pristine water of Lake Placid or Penticton more like the swim at Musselman. We then cycled down to the swim start which is about a 30 minute walk from the bike/run transition. The water is 78 so wetsuits are still being allowed but you have to start 10 minutes after everyone else. I still have not made a decision whether I am wearing mine or not but am leaning towards wearing it. After seeing the marine life and the size of the snapping turtles I need all the protection I can get and I like the comfort of my wetsuit. Tonight we are packing our transition and special needs bags and droop ping them and our bikes off tomorrow. Coach Paul has arrived and is meeting with me tomorrow morning to discuss race strategy and to make sure my head is in the right place. But like I said, I love Texas! The area we are staying in seems devoid of horses and cowboys but there is definitely a lot of money. Porches, Bentleys, and tons of Mercedes. I have not given up hope of finding a cowboy yet. I am missing my kids horribly but talk to them everyday and they are surviving without me. Am having lots of laughs with Team Texas and am looking forward to the race. Lisa

Kevin

Ironman Texas is but 9 short days away.  I have gone through most of the stages that you normally do before ironman - paranoia, emotional, panic, and have settled into fear right now.  


Making the arrangements for Texas have been difficult.  It is extremely hard to find someone to care for my son Tavis. Because he is not verbal or mobile, he requires a special someone to care for him.  My babysitter backed out about a month before ironman and my backup babysitter backed out about 2 weeks ago so full blown panic set in.  It looked like Glen was going to have to stay home to care for Tavis and I was going to have to go to Texas alone - with my friends Shawn, Michelle and Carolyn, and Coach Paul of course.  As you are all aware, Glen is my rock - he keeps me sane which is a full time job.  In addition to all that he does for me throughout my training, he takes extremely good care of me the days prior to and after Ironman.  He takes care of all of the little details so I can focus on the race.  The thought of going to Texas without him had me nearly hysterical.


Luckily, with a call to Grandview, they found someone who could stay with Tavis while we are away.  Ethan is heading to his grandfathers and Tavis is going to be able to stay in our home where he is most comfortable and to continue his usual schedule.  


So all is in place.  Flights booked, hotels booked, training done.


So I thought I would talk a bit about my other ironman besides Tavis, my brother Kevin.


First, some family history.


I was originally 1 of 3 children.  I was the youngest, then sister Kim, and Kevin was the oldest.  When I was 4, Kim 5, and Kevin 6, our father was killed in a car accident driving to work.  My mom was 23.


After Dad's death my mom held down two jobs - she worked in a canning factory during the day and a nursing home at night.   


We were raised on a farm outside of Sarnia.  As kids, I was the pesky little sister that followed Kevin all over the place and he was okay with that.  I had to do everything he did.  When Kev lost his first tooth, I remember my Dad pretending to pull one of mine out as well because I wanted to be just like Kevin.


Four years after my Dad's death, my Mom remarried my stepdad.  My stepdad has never been that, he is my father.  I have memories of my biological father but my Dad has been there since I was 8 years old.  Dad came to the marriage with 3 kids of his own and he and my Mom had another one between them - our own version of the Brady Bunch.


We had a Norman Rockwell kind of upbringing and I would not have changed anything.


Kevin and I remained close throughout the years even after we both got married.  He and I were very similar in temperament, including having nasty tempers.  He helped me financially through university and I, in turn, repaid him by helping out his kids.  

He was the epitome of what an older brother should be.  He loved me unconditionally but when I was in the wrong, he pulled no punches.

About 7 years ago at Xmas, Kev was really thin and my Mom said he had not been feeling well and was having some testing done.  Now my brother never went to a doctor.  He had a pain in his side a few years before that and thought it would just go away.  It wasn't until his appendix actually burst that he thought it might be a good idea to go to the hospital. 

Kevin was put on the emergency list for a colonoscopy but still had to wait 3 months.  I remember his call one night at my home in Whitby.  He wanted to call me first because I was his youngest sibling.  Colon cancer.  I remember screaming “no” repeatedly at him on the phone.  My family tends to shield alot from me because they think I have enough on my plate taking care of Tavis.  Kev just let me cry it out and then told me not to worry that he was going to beat the cancer and he would be fine.  I held him at his word.  I did not speak to my brother for about 4 months after that call because I could not deal with him having cancer – the thought of living my life without my brother was overwhelming. 

For years I watched my brother battle against a demon he could not defeat.  The cancer would disappear in one spot, only to reappear in another.  Through it all Kevin maintained his dignity and grace.  He continued to farm - to plants his crops every spring and harvest them in the fall.  Every morning and evening he went out to feed his cattle.  He even drove other cancer patients to chemotherapy when they were too sick to do so.  When you asked him how he was, he was always “fine”.  He expected sympathy from no one and continued on his life as if the cancer was merely an inconvenience.

5 years later after 3 years of chemotherapy, 5 weeks of radiation and 8 major surgeries my brother Kevin lost his battle with cancer and passed away at home on September 25^th, 2010.  My mom says to this day, she is not sure who was more surprised that Kevin did not beat the cancer - me or him.  It really had never occurred to me that Kev would not make it.

The year following Kev's death is a bit of a blur to me.  There are months and events that I don't remember.  I said to my friend Michelle Barrett the other night when we were running that for 6 months after Kev died I could not take a deep breathe because it hurt too much.  I have had to learn to live without Kevin and it has been a long and ongoing process.  Every birthday, every holiday, every Xmas it is like ripping a bandage off a wound.

I see Kevin everyday in my son Tavis.  Tav resembles his uncle with his big blue eyes and his funny patch of white hair at the back of his head that Kevin had when he was younger.  But mostly I see Kevin in the way that Tavis tackles life.  He has Kevin's toughness and perseverance.


Ironman Texas will be very special to me no matter what happens.  Kev went to Texas a few years before he got really sick and loved it.  I know Kev will be with me in Texas every step of the way - he really will - I have a tattoo of him on my back. :)


Lisa