Mach3Multisport.com

This blog entry, it’s not for you. It doesn’t need to be read or commented on or even written down, but I’m posting it anyway. This blog entry, it’s for me. It is my pep talk, my “go get ‘em” speech. My football coach-type, hit ‘em hard, suck it up, make it happen, get out there and DO IT speech. Feel free to sit in on my pre-race talk; I’ll try not to slap you on the ass when I’m done.

This week - not stellar in the way of pre-race preparation. My dad is in the hospital, my husband is working late AGAIN, and my son has a cold. I don’t even remember which son has the cold, but I’m sure I heard coughing this morning.

But nothing changed my plans. I went to Phoenix Thursday, got my packet and my bags and my race bracelet. Got lots of stares and “huh?” looks, too. I took all my kids with me and beat my way through the lines to get my stuff, double jogging stroller and five kids in tow. Some nice folks were encouraging, some were flat-out rude. Are YOU racing? Yes, I am racing. No, my husband is not. Yes, these are ALL mine. No, it isn’t funny. Yes, I have my “hands full”.

And yes, in ten years when all is said and done, I’ll still have five kids and we’ll both be Ironmen and nobody will care how fast you did it.

So… let’s do this. Let’s step WAY outside our element and get some stuff done. A 2.4 mile swim in Open Water with a sleeved wetsuit? Okay. I couldn’t be more out of my comfort zone if I were selling crack in a church, but okay. A 112- mile bike with little to no training? Um, alrighty. A marathon, after all that other stuff? Yeah, let’s go ahead and finish that up too.

What a difference a year makes. Last year, nothing but trepidation and fear going into IM weekend. I was scared of everything, intimidated and more than willing to bag it before it even began. This year, I know what is coming. I am looking forward to starting this journey. I am looking forward to finishing this.

I want to be out there all day (and I will), I want to see what the TriSports Aid Station looks like, I want to hear my timing chip cross a mat after mile 50 on the bike. I want to hear that guy tell me I’m an Ironman. Last year at this time it was the swim most concerning me. I was terrified, and it showed. This year I know I can do the swim (AND I can do it slower than almost anyone else!). I know I can run, though my longest run hasn’t been much more than a half marathon. But if I can keep that bike moving for almost eight hours, I can get myself onto the run course. And once I’m there, it is just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other for a few hours.

So, let’s do this. Let’s see just how far we can go.

Ironmanlive.com #2003 – watch me go.

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written by Bizzy, April 12, 2008

You GO Girl!!

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