3 Weeks into training. 27 weeks to go....

Well... I am knee deep into official training for IRONMAN Florida - and I will say, my butt is getting kicked. I went from 0 days to working out/exercising/being active to a slow 3-ish days to now 6 days a week of training. Most days I have 2 work outs and depending on which ones, they are 1 hour each or more. Right now, I feel like I am handling it ok...so far. I haven't missed any workouts yet... (Mainly because I'm scared my coach may yell at me) but also because it just plain feels good to be active! My biggest weakness is still swimming. It’s definitely a work out and I feel it all the way through. My stroke, my breathing and my overall technique needs all the help it can get. The training weeks are already getting longer and this is just the beginning. Another hurdle to jump over is juggling training and family time. It's already hard. When Jason is working late and I'm home with the kiddos...I still have to get a ride or run in. If Jason is home, we will take the kids with us - especially if it is a run. BUT, when he is working, I get to ride my bike in the house on the trainer. (A stand thing that turns my bike into a stationary bike. Being on it for an hour or more with the kids wanting to play....or eat or whatever, is tough. I try and have something planned for them to do, or save their TV time for that time...but sometimes they are just staring at me on the bike waiting on me to finish. Poor things.

 The meaning behind this IRONMAN is very personal to me. If you've followed along with our races and fundraising efforts before...you'll know that I am NOT a fan of running. I've never ran anything over 13.1 miles and this is 26.2 miles of running. And that is AFTER a 2.4 mile swim and 112 miles on the bike. That makes for a VERY long day. (A 17 hour time-frame) A day that you have to prepare for mentally as much as you do training. I'll be honest... after 3 weeks of training, I have already wanted to give up and call it quits. Especially in swimming…and running...and on the bike. But then I look down at the little pink and purple bracelets that Denver gave me for mother’s day. They're always on my wrist... I see those 3 little bracelets and remember WHY I am doing this. I think of those times when D has to go get an MRI. He hates it. He hates the "medicine" of being put under, and it almost always makes him sick when he wakes up. I remember holding that sweet boy 4 days after he turned 4 as he was going to sleep for his first surgery. I vividly remember walking away from the pre-op room after they took him back. I got lost in the hospital hallways because my eyes were full of tears. Those were the longest 3 ½ hours ever. I remember staying up with him all night after his surgery because he was so antsy, and nauseous. When I’m swimming and I look down and see those 3 little bracelets…I remember that I am fighting for Denver and to find a cure for him. I am going far beyond any comfort zone that I ever thought I had and fighting for a little hope that there will one day be a cure.

One thing that makes me a VERY happy girl is Jason is now going to train and compete in IRONMAN Florida with me! This makes me beyond happy because we are not only committed to train together...we are committed to compete 100% beside each other. It will certainly be a challenge at times. It'll be hard and it'll be fun. Having him there beside me during IRONMAN will not only encourage me to keep going, it'll be an awesome experience as a couple! Now, this does raise our fundraising minimum... but with everyone's support....I think we'll do it just fine! If you happen to want to encourage us a little.... you can donate HERE!