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

Countdown begins

Ironman Texas is less than a month away and there does not seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.  I have gone down to working 4 days a week until ironman in order to have one day to be a wife/mother and do the cleaning and grocery shopping.  That was my plan.  So far my days off have been filled with appointments and everything but cleaning and grocery shopping.  Of course, amazing husband Glen has stepped in to take care of all the household matters so I can concentrate on my training. 

Tavis and I have been especially busy filming two shows for Roger's TV, the second of which airs on Thursday, April 26th, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. on Channel 10.  In addition, I had a photo shoot with Whitby this Week this past weekend.  I wanted to say a special thanks to Kim Gracie who has been instrumental in making the arrangements for all the publicity for my fundraiser.

If you missed Tavis and I on Rogers "Daytime", this is the link to watch the program.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqbtdp_lisa-and-tavis-interview_lifestyle

As promised, this is my list of things I have gained by doing triathlons:

1.  The ability to open my own jars of pickles.  The Popeye arms do come in handy.

2.  Numerous scars and war wounds.  The crash in Geneva, NY left some doozers but they just make for great stories.  People are really impressed by scars.

3.  I have cut down on nail polish since I never have 10 toenails at one time.  I usually have 7 or 8 but not a full set.

4.  Great health and a butt you can bounce a quarter off.  Due to the guidance of Christine Charest-Monty, I have learned what my body needs and how much it needs.  My first half ironman I had one sports gel, 1 bottle of water, half a power bar and a coke.  I have definitely learned alot about nutrition over the years. Chris has helped me lose weight over the years but keep my muscle.  I have perfect blood pressure and cholesterol and am in really good health.  

5.  Travel.  Coming from a rural family, travel is not something you do - there are always crops to be planted and harvested, cattle to be fed, etc.  It is very hard to get away from a farm.  

6.  A well stocked medicine cabinet - pain killers, muscle relaxants, A535, immodium, band aids, polysporin, etc.

7.  An entire spandex wardrobe.

8.  The most amazing friends ever - the kind of people who make you laugh, always have a shoulder you can cry on,  are always available to listen, and can keep you smiling after 7 hours on your bike.  This is the best thing that I have gotten out of doing triathlons.

My next blog will probably be about my brother Kevin, in whose memory I am doing Ironman Texas.  This one will be a tough one for me.  As the race draws closer, Kev is always on my mind and I wish he were here to see the ironman.  He would think it was total insanity but he would also be so proud of me.

Today's picture is me and Tavis on Saturday at the Whitby Recreation Centre. This was following my 7 hour trainer ride so I am looking a little beat.  Tavis looks amazing as usual.

Lisa

I cannot believe that it has been nearly a months since my last blog.  I have honestly sat down so many times to write my blog but something always pops up.

A lot has happened in the last month.  I did Around the Bay at the end of March under sunny warm skies which was a first for this race I think.  I have done the race in snow, rain and freezing cold.  I was using the race as a training run for Ironman Texas and still managed to get a personal best time.

Training is in its final stages – Ironman Texas is only 5 weeks away.  Last weekend my bike was 6 ¼ hours and my run 32 kms.  This weekend, I will be on my bike for 6 ½ hours with a 34 kms run.  The body is holding up really well - it has become a mental game at this stage. Even though I watch movies while I spin and I chat to people, 6 hours on a trainer is a long time and it takes its toll. When you are outside riding your bike, the bike moves with you – indoors on a trainer, it does not and certain parts get awfully sore and chafed no matter how much butt butter you apply.  I find the last hour to be mind over matter.  I usually call home for a little support from Glen to get through that last stretch.

My long runs are my sanity break.  I am not someone who likes to run on a treadmill and I have been so fortunate training for Texas with the mild winter.  I can only recall one really cold Tuesday night run with the girls which necessitated the need for balaclavas.  

So running is going well, biking is going well – unfortunately, there is that third sport in triathlons - the dreaded swim.   I am not a swimmer – I usually look like I am drowning when I swim.  Coach Paul and I met last week to review my swim.  I was adamant that my left arm was straight down and that I was kicking with my legs together.  I had to eat my words when Paul taped me and showed me the video.  It was not pretty.  Paul says my problem is that I am strong and I know I can swim the 4 kms so I am not worried about how ugly it looks.  But I am also unnecessarily tiring myself out so I have been focusing on my technique in the swim and the fact that I don’t have any. 

Today’s picture is my Ironman Lake Placid tattoo designed for me by good friend Susan Typert.  The koi represent a number of things including good fortune or luck; Symbolic in the Buddhism to represent courage. Humans "swim" through the "ocean of suffering" without fear, just like a fish swims through water; and the Koi is symbolic with family.   My tattoo represents my struggle in the water.  Susan designed the adult koi in the ying yang position to represent me and my husband Glen who is my support system and the little koi are my twins Tavis and Ethan.

Next blog I will fulfill my promise to list what I have gained from doing triathlons.

Tomorrow Tavis and I will be appearing live on Rogers “Daytime” at 11:00 a.m. to talk about Ironman Texas and my fundraising for Grandview Children’s Centre so if you are around, tune it.  I am not so much worried about what Tavis will do because he is unpredictable and you just have to roll with the punches.  I am more worried about myself because I don’t seem to have a filter from brain to mouth. 

Wish me luck.

What I have given up to do triathlons

What I have given up to do triathlons:

1.   Early retirement – I am on the Freedom 85 plan now.  You would think that once you own your bike and a wet suit you are good to go.  Not quite.  My friend Elaine figured out what it cost her to train for Ironman Lake Placid in 2011.  Now Elaine drove to Lake Placid so there was no airfare and she stayed at a campsite so her accommodations were not as expensive as a hotel but it still equated to nearly $9,000.00.  This includes the additional classes (spin, swimming), increased visits for chiropractor, massage, coaching fees, ironman registration, apparel – running shoes, bike shoes, helmet, etc.  It is not an inexpensive sport.

2.   Stilettos – now this really hurts.  Being a statuesque 5’3”, I really rely on my heels.  I really love those babies but because I put on alot of muscle training for ironman, from behind in anything over a 2” heel I look like a cross dresser or transvestite.  I followed someone in the underground last year with a short skirt and very defined calves and thought to myself that they must work out alot.  When he turned around, I saw the adam’s apple.  It is not just my imagination either.  When I was in Florida this year, I put on a pair of 5” stilettos to prove my point and Patty and Karen nearly wet themselves laughing.  Patty even took pictures. 

3.   Tall boots – see no. 2.  My calves get so big that I can’t zip my boots up anymore.

4.   Cap sleeves – Once again, not just my legs bulk up training for ironman.  I get what my friend Michelle calls “Popeye Arms” and I can’t get my arms through any blouses that have cap sleeves or any shirt from Suzy Shears.  There is that ominous ripping sound and I know it is no sleeves until after ironman.

5.   Snowboarding – Having duck’s disease (my ass is too close to the ground), I have a low centre of gravity and am quite a good snowboarder much to the amazement of my son Ethan.  Last year, I did not heed Coach Paul’s advice and I went snowboarding.  Well I hit a patch of ice and dropped right onto to my ass.  Despite ample padding I nearly broke my tailbone and was off training for over a month.  I could barely walk for 2 weeks.  Coach Paul said definitely no snowboarding this year.  He said after May 19^th, 2012 (Ironman Texas), I can snowboard as much as I want. In that respect, I am not too bothered by the mild winter this year.

6.    Lifting – It is funny when people know you are an ironman because then they assume you just walk around lifting cars for the hell of it.  Personally, I don’t.  I have had a weak back for about 30 years.  In addition to duck’s disease, I have small dog syndrome.  In my mind, I am 6’3” and can carry my own body weight.  In reality I lift stuff way too heavy for me and I pay the price.  For 22 years I have hauled boxes of documents around at my office and for the last 13 years I have carried my son.  Not lifting my son Tavis for me is like not having my morning coffee.  I have trouble functioning without it.  I have carried that little guy around since birth and to not be able to lift him now breaks my heart.  But I do compensate.  I lie on the floor with him and watch movies, I dance with him in his wheelchair, and I crawl into bed with him at night to talk and listen to his books on tape.

7.   Vacuuming – yahoo.  See no. 6.

8.   Gardening – See no. 6

Next blog read about what I have gained by doing triathlons.

Lisa

Well Monday is here again.  I am at that stage of my training where the weekends go by so quickly that I don't feel like I actually had one.

Saturday morning I was on my bike at the Whitby Rec Centre for 5 1/2 hours.  Mentally and physically, it was a tough one.  It was hard to get back on my stationary bike after cycling in Florida for a week.  I watched "The Sentinel" and another mystery that I can't remember right now.  Ron stopped in for a chat after his spin class as well as Elaine.  My new little buddy Laura stopped for a visit on her way to swim class - she was worried because I was not there last week - so she filled me in on what was happening with her.  For about a 4 year old child, she has an astounding vocabulary and she likes to use it.

Sunday was my long run.  I am training for Around the Bay at the end of March so my mileage was 26 kms.  Next Sunday I will do 28 and then finally 30 kms the day of the race.  I do not get a taper week because Ironman Texas is looming about 9 weeks away.

We started out with 4 - Susan, Elaine, Christine and myself.  Christine and Elaine are both limited right now by injuries.  Chris did the first 10 kms with us, and Elaine did 20.  We loop back to Chateau Typert because there is always nutrition available and we can fill up our water bottles.  The last 6 kms Sue and I were on our own but as the two of us are distance/direction challenged we ended up putting in another 8 kms instead of 6 and then it was hot tub time.  It was a gorgeous day and so nice to not have to run in the snow.

Sue and I have learned that we need to do our long runs together.  I am amazed by my friend John who goes out on Sundays and does his long runs/walks all on his own. I don't have the mental strength to do that.   Sue and I are social people with limited attention spans and I seriously cannot keep myself amused for 3 hours while I am out running, even with my i-pod.

Then it was into Mom mode and I hit the grocery store on the way home.  I sat down for a minute and got caught up watching the "Hoarders" marathon.  That always inspires me to knock the big lumps off from my own house.  So I puttered and cleaned for a while, laid on the floor and watched "Tigger" with Tavis, and actually finished unpacking my bag from Florida.

So its Monday again and I am on my trainer tonight and in the pool.  I have learned that the trick is to never sit down.  Once I sit, I am done for.  I thought I would have some time to relax after Ironman Texas but for some odd reason I signed up for the Mont Tremblant half ironman 5 weeks after I get back.  Okay, I am going to have to push my relaxation time to July.

Still alive and training

Well, I certainly have been a little remiss in posting to my blog.  In my defence, my training days are getting longer and I was in Florida last week.

My week in Florida was great.  I was training at the National Training Centre in Clermont, about 30 minutes outside of Orlando.  It was the third week of Coach Paul's camp and only Karen Charpentier and I were there that week.

It was a fabulous training week.  With the indoor bike training, it is difficult to guess if you are training hard enough - I am putting in the ass time on my bike and I know I am pushing myself but will it be enough.  I was glad to get outside on my bike.  I cycled the Green Swamp trail, around Lake Minneola and through the state park.  Everyday we swam in the pool at the NTC and the pool is amazing.  We also did weights most days at the NTC.  The week gave Coach Paul and I an idea of where I am in my training and what I need to work on before Ironman Texas.  The weather was gorgeous and the training was hard.

By about Wednesday, I was missing my boys - especially Tavis.  The twins are 13 now and Ethan sees me as the ATM machine and taxi cab service.  But my Tav Man, he is still my biggest fan.  He does not understand why I am gone away, he just knows I am not there.  I talked to him a couple times on the phone but I still missed him desperately.  Tav came to the airport to get me and held my hand all the way home.  I think he thought I was going to leave him again.

Last night was my monthly weigh in and I lost 8 lbs including two more lbs of body fat.  I have the guidance of my friend and nutritionist Christine to thank for that. 

Saturday night was snooker night for some of the triathletes and I was overjoyed to see my friends Shawn and Michelle there who are doing Ironman Texas as well.  They are two of the most entertaining people I have ever met and I know we are going to have a blast in Texas.

Lisa