Ironman #4

I didn't think I'd do it again. I've registered for my 4th Ironman.... Maryland in October. At the time this race comes up it will have been almost 5 years since my last.  I am scared to death to say the least.

After that race in Nov 2011, I had 3 surgeries.  Shoulder April 2012, Hip April 2013 and Knee October 2013.

However, when I started training again last year, I went a little nuts.

In 2015 I did:  Puerto Rico 70.3 in March, 3 half marathons in May (with 2 PR's), 70.3 Syracuse in June, Ragnar in Seattle in July, the Boston sprint tri in August, a half marathon in October and NYC marathon is November- plus a half dozen or so 5k's throughout the year.

This year I'm already looking at a half marathon May 1, my first ultra trail run on May 29, Ragnar in July, Timberman 70.3 in August and now IMMD in October. I'm almost hoping I don't get into NYC again...

What have I done. This is crazy.

Adjusting...

I'm having a hard time adjusting to a new me. I can't comprehend that the running, biking, swimming, weight-lifting, super active part of me is gone. I don't know how not be a triathlete and crazy runner.

I don't know who I'm supposed to be now.

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I should have been Dutch

I should have been Dutch. I should have been born to a tall lanky blonde couple just outside of Amsterdam. Instead, I was born to an American couple temporarily living in southern Germany.  But, I should have been Dutch.  The Dutch love their bicycles.  They ride everywhere. I know part of it is because the price of petrol is crazy high there so owning a vehicle is just crazy, but it's also because they country is so flat and it just makes sense. They're an ecologically friendly and health driven people.  And they're tall. And blonde. And look great in skinny jeans tucked into fabulous boots. 
 
I should have been Dutch. 
 
I love my parents and my family, but we should be Dutch. 

Another surgery, another season off

I had shoulder surgery in April 2012. April 2013, hip surgery. Neither of these were Ironman related. Or even sports related. I'm completely pissed that I had to take two years off from racing for stupid stupid things. And now, the marathon distance may just be a faraway memory. Sigh. What's a girl to do?

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Longer runs, shorter days!

The days are definitely getting shorter. And I mean that figuratively as well as literally!  I feel like there's never time for anything.  Granted,when I lived in Seattle my commute was 15 minutes. 20 on a super rare day when traffic was terrible. Now, it's 30 minutes. At least. And the grocery stores are further, and it takes forever to get anywhere. Plan and try as I might, it takes forever to get anything done.  Plus, I think I'm getting lazier. I blame this partly that I now live in a 3 story house. So, once I'm upstairs if I've left something on the 2nd floor, it's not being retrieved until the next time I'm down there. I mean- if I remember.

But, here I am trying to start training for another Ironman, and looking at a half marathon in two weeks.  And I am TIRED!! I slept well Saturday enough night, ran 9 miles Sunday early-afternoon and afterwards all I wanted to do was sleep some more!!! I allowed myself a 30 minute nap before I dragged myself to Costco all in shambles to buy large quantities of this that I have to drag out of my trunk (the perishables did make it inside).

Training. Eating. Working. Sleeping. Having a life.  How am I a newbie at all of these things at once again??  I'm so fortunate to be gathering people in my life who understand and appreciate how important my hobbies are to me.

Holy CRAP!!!

I can't believe it's been 10 months since I've written. Well, yes I can. See, in January I fell down a flight of stairs and hurt my shoulder.  I had to stop running. And swimming. And biking. And I was sad. In April I had surgery to repair the bicep tendon and clean up the cartilage. And I was sad.

But! In early August I got the ok to start training again- and good thing because I already registered for an Ironman in 2013. And I am happy!

So, starting next Monday, I'll be training for Ironman #4. The fourth one almost five years to the day after the first.  Let's see how this goes.  :)

Super success!!!

Ironman was just a few days ago, and I gotta say- I have no idea how I pulled it off!!

I finished in 12 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds! I can't believe I went under 13 with as little training as I actually did!

I'll give a full race report soon, once I'm back in Boston and life in general has settled. Things are a little weird right now.

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