New year, new blog...my first Ironman journey!

I remember doing my first 15K race (9.4 miles) years ago.  I really don't think I had ever run that far, I'm not sure why I signed up other than peer pressure, and even though the route was a beautiful course through downtown Orlando, all I remember is at about mile 8, having to stop and walk a bit, and saying to a friend, "This is crazy.  I would never do a marathon!"

Since that proclamation, I've completed 9 marathons, and more half marathons than that.  All along this endurance running journey, which includes various triathlons (many sprint and Olympic distances), I always maintained that as much as I enjoy distance running, I would NEVER be interested in completing a full Ironman.  That's just crazy.  (Apparently, just as crazy as completing marathons.)  Then came 2011, probably my best year of fitness to date (as an adult, anyway).  I started CrossFit and focused on triathlons.  My A race was a half ironman in October.  I did quite a few shorter triathlons that year, and did quite well, even placing 1st and 2nd in my age group a few times.  And then I did the half ironman.  Though my swim was deplorable (due to lack of swim training and my error of swimming off course, adding at least 5 minutes to my time), my bike was good, and my run was okay.  I could have done a little better, but I placed second in my age group and was very pleased with my result.  And do you know what thought crossed my mind?  Yup, maybe I COULD do an Ironman someday.  And internally, that is when this journey began.

My goal with this blog is to use it as a release for my excitement, my fears, my frustrations, and just generally as an outlet for this journey.  Even if no one reads it, I find it therapeutic to get it all out and down on paper...well, down on the computer screen, but whatever.  Same thing.  My intention is to post at minimum weekly, detailing my training successes and set backs, and whatever else might be relevant (or completely random observations) during my training.  I am a person who needs a goal.  I know it's supposed to "be about the journey," but do you know what my motivation is?  Thinking about myself crossing that finish line.  I can picture myself in that moment, and I think about what it will be like.  I try to keep these thoughts positive--I have an amazing race, I have enough energy to raise my arms over my head in an excited salute, and of course I cry with happiness.  I know that it might not happen that way, that anything can happen in a race to derail the best of intentions and a religiously followed training plan.  But that's not what I think about--I want the victory, whatever that may mean for me.  And I know that focusing on the end is not necessarily the best, but a successful end means that the journey has been successful.  It also will help motivate me to stick to the hard work that it's going to take to get myself ready to reach that goal.

For those who may be reading this, however few that may be, who are not familiar with Ironman...it is a triathlon with the usual combination of swim, bike then run.  But it's long.  It starts with a 2.4 mile swim.  Yes, all at once.  After exiting the water, you run to what is called the transition area (T1), to get on your bike.  The bike leg is 112 miles.  Yes, all at once.  After completing the bike leg, you go back to the transition area (T2) to drop off your bike and put on your running shoes.  Then you run a marathon.  26.2 miles.  Yes, you guessed it, all at once.

All of this must be accomplished in less than 17 hours, start to finish.  Seventeen hours is an extremely long time.  Many people aren't even awake for 17 hours a day.  The professional women and men will complete it between 8 1/2 - 10 hours. Of course my overall goal is to finish, and finish within the timeframe.  But I know I won't be satisfied with that.  I have a number in my head, the time I want to beat.  Maybe I'll share that later, but not right now.

I will close this first post by saying that I am so excited!  I am really looking forward to this challenge, because I know I can do it.  But I also know my weaknesses, and they will keep cropping up during this journey...lack of follow-through...procrastination...over-estimation of ability...Happily, all of those challenges can be controlled--I just have to want it bad enough.  I watched a video today of the 2012 Louisville Ironman--OH!  I totally forgot to mention--my race is Ironman Louisville on August 25, 2013.  Anyway, the video highlighted the volunteers, the competitors, both professional and age groupers, and showed quite a bit of the finish line.  That is my motivation--I will be there, I will cross that finish line having done all that I can to make it a great race.  Woo hoo!  Come on the journey with me!