Utah Half Iron

Over a summer of confusion of what was going on with my body I came to find out I had "adrenal fatigue" adrenal WHAT? yeah my thoughts exactly. I was tired.. I was weak.. everything made my body sore... this is NOT me!! My coach, James Lawrence put me on a 2 week break. ummm... yeah, I dont do good with "breaks" . But my body feeling SO off I was willing to do anything to get it back. I listened! I even surprised myself with how well I listened..

The 2 weeks passed... slowly but they passed... Utah half was now 2 weeks away..
So, Utah half iron was not in my plans. Now James works in mysterious ways. He tells me 1 week before.. "oh your using that as a TRAINING day. Keeping your heart rate low. Finish the race and continue to run 7 more miles" Now you see why I love the guy! Give me MORE running!
Training day it is! The swim went well, slow but that was the plan. instead of 1.2 miles it was about 1.4. Felt great!

       Off to my cute pink bike! Needed to keep my heart rate below 140 BPM. So I feel sorry for this poor girl next to me. This was me first time meeting her. I chatted her ears off!! Thats what happens when my heart rate is low.. lol! she seemed to enjoy the company but she might have just been being nice :)
  WOW!!! My legs feel so fresh getting off and starting my 13.1 ..oh wait, 20 mile run!! My nutrition was right on! finished my 2 loops and went to grab my girls who were helping at aid station #1, to cross the finish line with me. 5:24 was my time 2nd in my age and 7th overall and holy crap... still felt GREAT!!!  My last 7 miles weren't as solid as they should have been, do to me talking and cheering for the athlete out on the course. but I got them done! Theat was the furthest I had ran in my new Altra shoes. This is not a "like" relationship I have with my Atras...its a "LOVE!!" :)
GREAT day! James really really dialed in my nutrition! Ive never felt that good after a long training day! IM BACK TO FEELING MYSELF!! YAY!!
Fueling up at the finish for my addition 7 miles..

St George Ironman

Well, yes, It’s been a few months! But still need to report on that ummm.. Awesome day...? Jk. It actually was quite a crazy but good experience.
The morning of the race, I felt AMAZING! I had trained hard and actually tapered (Im typically not good at tapering) I felt very really to reach my goal of a sup11 hour race.  The weather was perfect, lake was calm, Lake temp. was quite comfortable and I was ready to go!

Entering the water  and treading water for about 15 minute before the gun fired with thousands of athletes, I felt surprisingly very calm. BOOM! We are off... about 15-20 minutes into I feel, what felt like rain. weird. the sky was clear. Finally I pop my head up to look around. I see faces of panic and hear screams. The titans of sand hollow had been released. 5 foot swells coming down on us. Swimmers, paddle boarder, kayaks and boats were losing control. Im pretty comfortable in waves. what got my heart racing we other swimmer grabbing me and seeing their panic.
 
Continuing on my very long long swim, I feel a little brushing over me. Ignoring it thinking its a swimmer a little too close. umm..not going away. stop once again, turn around and WHACK!! A kayak with no control trying to get a swimmer out of the water hits me goes right over me. Coughing like a chain smoker! could not stop. coughed so hard I threw up. ugg.. threw up 2 more times after that in the water. Weak and tired. I see a buoy way past the Island but also see the athletes going right to the finish. What? What about the other buoy people? as much as I wanted to cut, I went out to that last buoy. then slowly made it to the swim finish..
Out of the water AT LAST!! I ask " does that really say 2 hours? " the reply "yup!" you made the cut off! I started to laugh out loud! I’ve made fun of the allotted swim time for an Ironman so many times and here, I barely made it!! Yeah, that’s what I get, right?

Biking at last! So My tummy is still hurting from coughing and throwing up. Wind still going about 30-35 mph. Oh well, get over it and keep peddling. Nutrition is what I need! Grab my drink LOADED with calories. Big swig! Yucky, but I need it. Oh, 1 minute later that come up. 20 minutes later.. waffle … up it came. Try try again. Same result. Needless to say, over the 112 miles. I was able to keep my 3 licorice down and some water the last 30 miles.

Now for the MARATHON with only 3 licorice and 10 hours of exercise already. My hubby said “ go get that 3 hour marathon babe!” He was serious.... But I just laughed at him!

 Yes this is him pointing at me saying "go get that sub 3!"


The course contains 3 loops. Loop one, great! Faster then I thought id be with my fuel level. Lap 2. Tried to drink and well, yeah, do I even need to say what happened? Lap 3. getting DARK! Trying to sip something at every aid station. So many family members and friends out there just trying to see me cross that finish line. CANT… STOP!! But I also can’t stop throwing up. One of the times Im over the curb just dry heaving and surrounded by medics. A boy around 9 or 10 was staring at me. I looked at him and said with enthusiasm “ this is SO much fun!! Are you going to do an Ironman when you grow up?” He got a weird, disgusted look on his face and nodded his head side to side. Made me chuckle J
There is is.. the FINISH LINE!! I crossed with my hands in the air. So excited to finally be done. I did get one P.R. that day…. LONGEST WORK OUT I HAVE EVER DONE!!!! 14:58
But I finished. I didn’t cut any buoys. I laughed. I cried. I remembered why I do what I do. Because I CAN!