Not Feeling Very Christmas Like

Blah... I feel blah.  Maybe I haven't eaten too many cookies or maybe its the lack of sunshine lately, but I feel crappy and crabby.  My workouts are suffering and I know it.  I always feel better after I work out but lately just getting myself to the starting line has been a chore.

I continue to swim twice a week, run once and week and bike once a week.  I have been slacking on weekends due to lack of time.  I teach swimming lessons to littles and for the past 15 weeks its been both Saturday and Sunday.  I work a Monday thru Friday 9-5 and then I work both days on weekends.  It has just become too much.  I am beyond happy that this weekend is my last 2 day teaching weekend.  Beginning in January I will teach Saturday mornings and Mondays after work.  Whew... that will help.

Ah.. January... the time of New Year's Resolutions and endless hoards at the gym!

I actually like seeing so many people at the gym, I love how enthusiastic and determined they are.  I also know that many will not continue to go past the first few weeks into January.  But there will be a few that make it a habit and continue to soldier on.  Those are the people who make the January madness worth it.  Yes, I will bitch about having to park a mile from the entrance but I know it for the greater good.

January also begins triathlon training.  First race is in early May.  I love having something to work for.  Bring on 2016!  This is going to be an epic year!

PR and Masters Swim

Thanksgiving was a fantastic weekend.  Relaxing and enjoyable, not to mention very fattening.  We visited the in-laws, baked, put up Christmas decorations, went to Mockingjay II, and of course went shopping.  My favorite part of the weekend was Thursday morning!  I ran the Eastbay Turkey Trot in Wausau WI.

I didn't know what to expect with this race.  I knew it would be small (they cap the number of entrants at 1500) and I thought Wausau was pancake flat so I figured I would be nicely set up for a PR and maybe even a sub-30 min 5k.  

I got there WAY too early.  They were just setting things up when I got there but I didn't want to be late and I still had to register.  I waited for a while in my car and then went and registered.  Swag included a long-sleeved Adidas shirt and a 3 pack of Nike sport socks.  Not too shabby.  My bib number was 1297.

After registering I went back to my car and played on my phone for an hour (see, I told you I was early).  At about 8:10am I headed toward the starting line.  At 8:25 we all lined up.  I wanted to PR this race BAD so I decided to line up 3 rows from the front.  Not the best idea, the horn went off and I sprinted out with the fast runners.  Luckily I realized what I had done and slowed down after about 200m.  My garmin says I started the race at a brisk 6:21 min/mile.  WAY TOO FAST!

I slowed down and watched hundreds of runners pass me.  I got into my own pace and soldiered on.  I did not expect the hills.  Ok, so they were bridges not hills.  But they were up up up.  I haven't trained on hills in a while (although I need to start because there are some doozies during IMWI).  The only good thing about the uphill was the downhill.  Whee!

It was supposed to be cold (35 degrees) and raining.  To my delight it ended up being around 42 and misty.  Almost perfect running weather.  The course was well laid out and there were volunteers at every intersection.  Very nicely done by the Eastbay peeps!  Right before the 3 mile mark is the second and last (Thank goodness) bridge.  Up up up!  I was struggling by then.  I knew I needed to keep my pace up if I wanted to come in under 30 minutes.  I hit the 3 mile mark and looked down at my watch.  OH NO!  I was at 28 min and some.  I had under 2 min to finish my last 150 meters.  I started to really push.  I felt like I was sprinting.  As I crossed the finish line I stopped my Garmin and I had managed a sub 30 min 5K!  WHOO HOO!  

Official time: 29 min 46.7 seconds

This morning I took my next step towards IMWI.  I started Master's Swim classes.  If you aren't familiar they are similar to swim team for adults.  I haven't done the butterfly in 20 years but I guess I will be doing it regularly now.  It will be good for me to be in the pool twice a week.  The people seemed very nice and the coach seemed very knowledgeable.  

Swimming makes me very hungry!  After this past weekend I am trying to stay low carb.  I've had 3 breakfasts so far this morning.  I pray I can hold off for lunch without a snack!

Thankful

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States.  At this time every year we sit down with family and enjoy our freedoms and give thanks for all that we have.  Then we go push people to save $5 on something we really don't need.  Gotta love Black Friday!

This year I thought it would be appropriate for me to list 10 things I am truly thankful for.  Here goes:

1) My Husband, he is a saint.  He is my best friend, an amazing father to our children, and so supportive of me in everything I do.
2) My children.  They are truly good kids.  Smart, compassionate and kind.  They drive me nuts sometimes but I love them so much.
3) My family.  My parents and brother sometimes don't understand me or even like me but they do love me and for that I am thankful.
4) My friends.  I have an amazing hodgepodge of people from different times in my life who support me through everything.  They are all so different but raise me up in different ways!
5) My co-workers.  I have been fortunate to find co-workers who are fun, kind, caring and supportive.  They are a great bunch of women (and a few men) who make work so much better than it has ever been.
6) Gastric Bypass.  Without Gastric Bypass I would still be unhealthy, sedentary and unhappy.  Gastric bypass has given me the opportunity to make myself shiny and new again (although the new me comes with stretch marks and saggy skin).  I am thankful for this opportunity every day.
7) Coffee.  Coffee makes me happy.  Without it I am a very sad person.

8) Wicking fabric.  Who ever invented moisture wicking fabric is a god.  Without this I would be a chafed and unhappy lady.
9) Online support groups.  I love my ObesityHelp ladies and the Triathlon related online groups I belong to.  They help me stay accountable and give me a much needed laugh or hug everyday.
10) My phone.  Yes, this is kind of sad.  But I am thankful for my smart phone that allows me to stay in touch with others through texting, calling, Facebook, Instagram and multitude of other avenues.  Thank you AT&T for providing me service :)

Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy your day!  I'll be reporting back on my very first Turkey Trot 5K.

What are you doing this Thanksgiving holiday?

Life Since Augusta

Hmm... All of my training was focused on Ironman Augusta 70.3 and I definitely had the post-race blues afterwards.  Sure the first week or two was awesome telling my story to anyone who would listen but after that I became lazy.  I didn't really know what to do.  I mean I have races on my calendar for next year but they all seem SOOO far away.  As I write this Ironman WIsconsin is 296 days away (yes, I have an app on my phone that tells me everyday).  I decided I needed something sooner...

I signed up for a virtual race.  The IronKiwi challenge, you have one month to complete the distances in a Ironman race (2.4 mile swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run).  I have all of November to complete (wait, that isn't all that long now).  I have only completed 18.2 running miles.  I need to get my butt to the pool and on my new bike.

Speaking of bikes... I bought a new one!!  I'm so excited.  Since I will be doing lots of long distance riding this year I thought it best to upgrade my bike (with the hubbie's permission of course).  Here he is... James the Jamis Tri Bike!

So, whats on my agenda?  Well, I've gained a bit of weight since Augusta due to my lack of training and poor eating.  So my goal is to get back to race weight by the end of January.  I want to enjoy the holidays without going overboard.  I would also like to run a sub 30 min 5K.

Last night I ran 2 miles during my daughter's swim team practice at 9:40 a mile.  Not bad for someone who couldn't run a mile at this time last year.

What are your goals?  Big or little?

Ironman Augusta 70.3 (Part II)

Transition in the morning was buzzing.  Nervous energy filled the air.  My only concern was making sure I hadn't forgotten anything essential.  I laid everything out carefully and rechecked one last time.  I met back up with my friend and we waited for the bus to take us to the swim start.

(Millions of dollars of bikes in Transition)

The bus dropped us off and we found our shepas (friends and family) quickly.  I headed off to the porta-potties and made it back in time to wait around for a while getting nervous.  We took some pictures and I slipped into my wetsuit.  The race directors were beginning to line up the participants according to swim waves.  I was in the 7th wave to go.  Luckily I didn't have to wait forever.  They played the National Anthem and the first wave of men 35-39 were off!

(Happily waiting for my turn)

The line began to move quickly.  Suddenly I was on the dock and jumping into the water.  The first thing I noticed...the current.  It was already moving us downstream.  We had to fight to stay near the dock.  And we were off!  Augusta is a great first 70.3 due to its current assisted straight swim.  The 1.2 miles went fairly quickly.  I got off course twice.  Once I hit a buoy, well almost, I looked up right before I would have smacked into it.  Thank goodness they are blow ups!

Soon I was climbing out of the water and trying to strip myself out of my wetsuit.  I looked for my husband and friends but did not see them.  As I ran through transition I was happy to have completed the first 1/3 of the race.  Transition was smooth and soon I was out on my bike.  I did see me hubbie on my way out to the bike course.  He almost missed me until I screamed his name (Yes, I actually screamed).  I was very happy I had seen him. 

The bike course was fine.  The first 16 miles are flat and fast.  I went out a bit too fast but nothing that I regretted (well not too badly).  The next 20 miles are hills (nothing too bad) and the last 10 miles are not flat but not hilly, if that makes any sense.  I was happy with my progress throughout the ride.  There was mist through most of it and at times my helmet was dripping onto me.  I was so very happy it wasn't super hot!  I did manage my nutrition well on the bike.  I sucked down a camelbak full of Infinit blend, two Honey Stinger Waffles (THANK YOU ANN), and a package of shot blocks.

I had three concerns as the bike was nearing the end.  1) MY ASS HURT!  I mean really hurt.  I could barely stay in the saddle which was slowing me down considerably. 2) My left leg was cramping up and I was concerned about the run. 3) My shoulder were in knots.  They hurt.  I knew my run wouldn't be affected but it wasn't pleasant.

As I biked into transition I was thankful to be off my bike.  I have heard of people saying that it takes months to get back on their bike after a long course race.  I am one of those people.  In the month and half since Augusta I have ridden 3 times.  Ugh.  

T2 was smooth.  I left to go to the run course but my legs felt like lead.  I just couldn't get them to fire.  I stopped at the porta potties and after I tried my best to start running.  It was then that I knew it was not going to be a quick run.  Eventually I did get myself running but nowhere near the pace I would have liked.  As I ran out of transition I was really hoping to see my husband and friend Ann.  No such luck, they were already waiting further in on the run course.

Just after the first aid station I saw my hubbie and Ann.  It was like seeing angels.  I was so unbelievably happy to see them.  I kissed my husband and the words of encouragement from both of them kept me going.  Basically the run consisted of me running intervals and walking through aid stations.  I will never leave my nutrition to aid stations again.  I could not take in all the fluids I needed and I barely ate on the run.  Both very bad decisions.  

With 2 miles left I was getting so tired.  I began walking more than running.  I just kept moving forward.  Finally I was to the point where around the corner was the long finishers chute.  I began to run hard, I didn't want to leave anything out on that course.  I was so very happy.  I thought about my family and my friends.  All the support I had been given throughout my training. And how far I had come on this journey.  I threw my hands up and finished strong.  I had completed a half Ironman.  In 7 hour and 4 min.  4 minutes shy of my uber goal.  But I will take it!

(Running down the Finisher's Chute!)

(I earmed that medal!)

I found my husband and friend after I wandered through the athlete's area.  We went to cheer on my other friend on who was still on the course.  15 minutes later I felt like I was about to pass out.  My hubbie threw me on his back and we hurried over to medical.  My vitals were fine but I needed water.  I drank 3 bottles before I started to feel better.  I was fine but it made me painfully aware of just how little I had taken in over the course of the run.  There are 6 aid stations on the course.  You hit most twice.  I would grab a glass of Gatorade and Water at each aid station but the glasses were probably 6 oz.  That's only 120 oz. IF I drank it all (which I did not) in 3 hours and 13.1 miles.  I know for the next time that I will need to carry my own hydration and fuel if I plan to survive.

I was so proud of myself and my friend who finished too.  We went back to our room and my two friends left from there.  My hubbie and I stayed the night and took off in the morning.  The ride back I wore my finisher's hat and beamed at my accomplishment.  It was an amazing experience.  I cannot stress how much I appreciate the support of my husband.  He is a saint (I tell him this often).  He lets me be me and listens to my tri babble.  I cannot thank him enough.  

I also have an amazing online community through ObesityHelp who has encouraged me throughout my journey.  Thank you AV, Anny, DCGirl, Emie, Melissa, Sarah, Stacy and all the others!  I also have amazing co-workers who listen to me moan after long workouts and deal with my constant tri talk.  I have great tri friends and non-tri friends alike who have all been amazingly supportive.  TO EVERYONE: THANK YOU!  

Ironman Augusta 70.3 

September 27, 2015

Swim 1.2 Miles: 28:58

T1: 8:33

Bike 56 Miles: 3:25:39

T2: 8:19

Run 13.1 Miles: 2:52:02

Total: 7:04:31

2015 Tri Season V - Ironman Augusta 70.3 (Part 1)

Well, we made it here.  Sorry it took so many posts to get to this one.  But this is the big one!  The "A" race, the impossible dream.  The race I trained long and hard for.  When I started this crazy dream even my hubbie was skeptical (hell, I was skeptical).  When I signed up for this race on December 4, 2014 I could not run 2 miles or bike more than 15.  The only leg I was confident in was the swim (partially because it is current assisted) and even that was a stretch for me.  But I believed I would get there.  I knew it would be hard work but I knew I could do it (although at times I was not as confident as I displayed on the outside).

Enough enough...Fast forward many months, training really ramped up after Irongirl Pleasant Prairie.  Long rides were now 50 miles and runs were 8-10.  I felt ready.  So ready in fact that I signed up for my first full Ironman before I had even completed my first half Ironman!  What kind of lunatic does that?  I do, I am a certifiable lunatic!  But more about IMWI 2016 later :)

We left for Augusta, Georgia on Friday morning at 3am.  OMG, so early.  I drove the first 3-4 hours and let the hubbie sleep.  We stopped in Nashville at Arnold's for lunch.  SO GOOD!  Highly recommend.  He drove until we were just outside of Atlanta. We arrived in Augusta at 10pm.  That took so much longer than I imagined...

We unpacked all our stuff (my goodness I had a ton of stuff) and went to bed.  I got up in the morning around 8am and decided my legs needed a short run.  I dressed and headed out on the Riverwalk.  It is beautiful and the weather was so much better than anticipated.  It was in the mid-seventies with a bit of humidity but it could have been so much worse.  I ran a mile and decided that was enough.  I am not a fast runner but I am also not super slow runner either.  People were running past me left and right and my thoughts turned to finishing and all I could think was "I am in over my head"... I guess I would find out the next day.

The hubbie and I met up with two of our friends (one of which was doing the race with me) and we went down to registration.  It took a little while to get through the line.  We signed in, got our wrist bands, signed the waivers, picked up our swag and headed to the race expo.  SO MUCH STUFF!  I wanted it all!  But since I'm not made of money I picked up just one race t-shirt that had all of the participants name on the back.  I love that shirt.

(Our race bracelets, without these you are screwed!)

After the expo we headed out to the bike course.  We wanted to see the course first hand and get an idea of how to attack it the next day.  Everyone warns you that IM Augusta 70.3 is hilly.  I did not think it was too horrible.  Granted we live on the IMWI bike course so I am accustomed to hills.  There were 3 hills of note on the course and I was pleasantly surprised to see they were nothing worse than I had trained on.

We headed back to the hotel, met up with the SwimBikeMom Facebook group at the finish line, took our bikes to transition and then off to dinner at Carrabas.  They had our reservation wrong but they managed to get our group of 20 in anyway.  It was great to talk with others doing the race and Meredith Atwood, SwimBikeMom herself.  If you are at all interested in Triathlon and don't think you can do it I highly recommend her book "Triathlon for the Every Woman".

(The Fab SwimBikeMom Group)

Back to the hotel and into bed.  It would be an early morning.  I brought my own coffee maker and made sure to stop by Walgreens for cream the night before.  I was not leaving my one necessity to chance.  I am a coffee addict.  I love coffee with cream and sugar and I do NOT function well without it.

Wake up early, I drank a cup of coffee, got my race kit on, double and triple checked my transition bag, grabbed one more cup of coffee and a protein bar and we were off.  My hubbie and friend drove us to transition and then it was real.  The body markers put on our race numbers and I set up transition.  I failed to bring my bike pump but the lovely and generous woman next to me let me borrow hers.  Finally it was off to the swim start!

Part II to come!

2015 Tri Season Part IV (Irongirl + A History)

I only have two more races to write about, Irongirl Pleasant Prairie and my "A" race Augusta.  It's hard to believe that months of hard work amount to 5 blog posts.  Anyway, on to Irongirl!

Let me start by saying I love Irongirl!  Irongirl is a series of races specifically for women.  NO MEN ALLOWED (well, they can't compete but they can be volunteers and cheerleaders).  It's a sprint triathlon and it is put on by the same organization that puts on Ironmans and Ironman 70.3s.  Many people choose Irongirl as their first ever race because of the support and comradery out on the course.  Although it is a race, Irongirl in particular is about supporting one another.  Helping the newbies and encouraging everyone to do their best (whether that means a podium finish or just finishing).  

This was my first triathlon 2 years ago.  At that time I was 100 lbs heavier than I raced at this year.  To tell you the truth it was my Irongirl journey that prompted my decision for weight loss surgery.  I have a friend who got me into triathlon, she had done Irongirl PP a few times and loved it.  I thought it would be a great way to get in shape and do something athletic again.  

Here is a quick Nikki history lesson... In high school I played field hockey, basketball, soccer, and swam.  In college I even played Div. III field hockey.  But after I left school I got married and gained weight, went to grad school and gained weight, had children and gained even more weight.  Of course I dieted (who doesn't) and at times lost a lot of the weight, even 90 lbs on Weight Watchers after my daughter was born but I gained it all back.  I needed something to get me moving and this was my spark.

   (me in January 2013)

I began training in earnest for Irongirl PP in May 2013.  I couldn't run more than a 1/4 mile without stopping, I could barely ride 5 miles on my hybrid mountain bike, but I could swim.  Thank goodness for my lifelong love of swimming.  When I was 5 or 6 years old I began swimming on the local swim team.  I continued every summer until I was 12ish and then swam again competitively in high school.  Please do not confuse me saying "competitively" with actually winning anything.  I enjoy swimming but I have never been fast.  I have always been and continue to be a middle of the pack swimmer.

As I continued to train I repeatedly got hurt.  My knees were killing me, my hip, and my shoulder.  I got a cortisone shot in each of my knees.  I knew I would not be able to run the entire 5K but I wanted to do the race anyway.  We made a mini family vacation out of the race and I managed to finish the race. I even ran some of the 5K.  My time was 2 hr and 15 min.  Slow but the tri bug had bitten me hard!

(Finish Line 2013)

I hired a coach, bought a tri bike and as soon as I started training again and I was hurt again.  I realized that the extra weight I was carrying around was hurting me.  Well, it was doing more than just hurting me... my lipids were high, I had constant migraines and my BP was slowly adding numbers.  Despite multiple diets and attempts at exercise I was falling down a slippery slope.  Heart disease runs in my family.  My dad had a heart transplant at age 41 due to a massive heart attack.  My grandpa died of a heart attack (he had several over his life time).  I wanted to be around for my kids, so I started thinking.

In October 2013, I decided to make an appointment at the Weight Management Clinic to discuss whether I was a good candidate for surgery.  My hubbie thought I was crazy.  He said I didn't need surgery.  I could lose the weight the "hard way" and keep it off if I remained active.  I had tried so many times without success that I knew it wasn't true.  I went to the clinic and was told I was great candidate for surgery.  I still hadn't made up my mind.

A month later I went back to start my journey.  Doctor's appointments, nutritionist appointments, blood tests, Oh my!  I even found out I had sleep apnea and sleep studies are so much fun (please note sarcasm).  8 months later I went under the knife.  My life will never be the same but I am so happy for the opportunity I have been given.

Anyway, back to Irongirl PP 2015!  I convinced a friend from work to do her first triathlon and my old friend was doing the race as well.  The morning of the race I set up my transition area, met up with both friends, and walked over to the swim start.  I had no fear going into this race. I just wanted to have fun.  My swim was longer than I had hoped.  The swim was not wetsuit legal so I missed the bouyancy a wetsuit gives you.  I also placed myself behind more people than I should have.  I got stuck in bottlenecks quite a few times.

Out of the water and on to the bike.  It's a quick flat 12 mile course.  It seemed short (given that my training had been ramping up as of late).  Into transition and out onto the run.  I stopped and walked twice for short periods but I had a decent run.  My total time was 1 hr 37 min.  Almost 40 minutes faster than 2 years prior.  I was happy!

(Irongirl PP 2015)

It was a great day with good friends.  I knew this was my last race before Augusta and I was happy to have had an uneventful race day.  I knew that August and early September would be painful and looked forward to the next challenge.  

2015 Tri Season Part III (The Saga Continues)

My goodness, I did not expect my 2015 tri season to turn into Beowulf (lol).  I figured I sit down and write a short blurb about each race and be done with it but I feel like I'm leaving out so much of the process if I just do that.  I mean, you want your money's worth right?  Ha!  Anyway, onto July and my second attempt at an Olympic distance triathlon (0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run).

The race was in Dousman, Wisconsin.  It's about half way between Madison and Milwaukee just off interstate 94.  Beautiful area filled with small lakes and rolling hills.  The hubbie, the two kids and I got up around 4am to be on the road by 4:30a.  I wanted to get there early for parking and to get my spot in transition set up.  I also wanted ample time to get in the water before race start.  This was a longer swim than Michigan so I wanted to make sure I was acclimated.

Everything went smooth checking in, setting up transition and getting a warm-up swim in. My kiddos were bored already and I knew this would be a long morning for my hubbie.  He was doing a great job of being supportive and managing my frequent freak outs.  Soon the national anthem was played and the elites and men were off.  Next up the Oly distance women.  The course was out and back twice.

The swim was uneventful (whoo hoo).  The sun was out and it made it a bit harder to sight the buoys but otherwise I had a very strong swim.  I had Rihanna/TI's "Live Your Life" song stuck in my head the entire swim (actually the entire race).  It proved to be a great rhythm to swim by.  Soon I was out of the water and headed to transition.  The bike was a 2 loop course of 12 miles.  All rolling hills and nothing too difficult.  I was passed again and again.  Oh well, I do not do this to win (or I would be sorely disappointed).

The last 2 miles on the bike were ridiculous.  My butt was killing me!  I have never wanted to get off my bike more than I did at the end of that bike (this is still true after much longer rides).  I stood out of the saddle for the majority of these 2 miles and was blissfully happy when I dismounted in transition.  On to the run!

6.2 miles, a 5K course looped twice.  The most horrendous part of this race is that the loop brings you 50m short of the finish line and you have to turn around and go back out... When I came in from my first 5K I was so sad to see others finishing and I had 3.1 miles still to go.  But I saw my hubbie and kids and knew I could continue on.

I decided to run in intervals.  Run 0.4 miles, walk 0.1 miles.  It worked great.  My time wasn't awesome but I wanted to finish and not kill myself.  I took in only Gatorade on the run and it wasn't my smartest move.  I learned then that I needed to fuel with more than was offered on the course but it didn't stick (more on that later).  As I approached the finish line my son began to run with me, then my daughter joined in with about 100m left.  It was awesome to have them beside me.  Just before the finish they dropped off and I ran through the finishers chute smiling!  I had done it.  My first Oly distance tri was completed.

I even placed!  Well, honestly there were 5 people in the Novice group and I got 4th.  I still got a medal ;)

(me and the kiddos post-race)

Next up: Irongirl Pleasant Prairie

2015 Tri Season Part II

On to the rest of the season...

My next Tri was for redemption.  I continued to train and each and every swim workout scared the crap out of me.  Not because I thought I was going drown or because it was so difficult, rather, it was because it was still my strength.  I knew I had failed in KC despite having trained hard.  Psychologically I was hurting, physically I was get stronger and stronger.  So off to Michigan I went.  I needed a win...

Tri Goddess Tri is a phenomenal race put on by Epic Races outside of Jackson, MI.  It is an all women's race.  So many first timers and the energy is just fantastic.  The morning of the race the forecast was for rain.  As we readied our spots in transition we all prayed the storms would blow over.  As we made our way down to the beach for the National Anthem and start it looked as though our prays were going to be answered.  No rain, the clouds looked as though they were headed south of us.  Off we went, out into the water for the half mile swim.

My goal was to finish the swim.  After KC I needed that and that alone.  My race depended on the first 25 minutes.  As I entered the water I started slow.  I intentionally just tried to find a rhythm.  I found it quickly (much to my surprise).  Soon I began passing a few people (and was passed by others).  As I rounded the last bouy I thought "really, we're done with the swim already?"  But out of the water I went, smiling like I had just won the lottery.

The bike and swim were less notable other than the rain.  Yep, we had not been spared the rain decided to come down in sheets.  I honestly thought it was hailing while I was on the bike.  It hurt!  But I managed the ride in good time and headed off on the run.  I alternated running and walking.  The last 2 miles of the 5K was a trail run.  Since it had been raining all morning and most of the previous night the trail was mud.  But it was so much fun splashing and sliding.  I just tried not to get hurt.  Finally I was done!  I had done it.  I had finished my first triathlon post gastric bypass!  I was thrilled.

(entering the water)

(Happy to Finish)

As I drove home to Wisconsin I began to feel like IM Augusta 70.3 was actually a possibility.  That I might actually be able to do this.  I had a super supportive husband, a great group of friends, and an online group of ladies at Obesity Help who encouraged me to continue my crazy triathlon adventures.  I cannot thank them all enough.  You know who you are!

The next race on the calendar was Triing for Childrens in Dousman, WI (local finally) on July 26th.  It was another Olympic distance triathlon and although this sprint had made me more confident in my abilities I still had doubts.  I knew Childrens wouldn't be easy but I also knew if I relaxed and took my time (hard to do in a race) I would finish.  And ultimately finishing was my primary goal...

2015 Tri Season Part I

Good morning!  I started this blog forever ago with the dream of completing Ironman Augusta 70.3.  Funny thing, I did complete Ironman Augusta 70.3 on September 27, 2015 in a time of 7 hours 4 min.  Yep, thats right.  Less than 15 months after having Gastric Bypass surgery I completed my long time goal of a half Ironman triathlon.  I swam 1.2 miles, biked 56 miles, and ran 13.1 miles (in that order) and I WAS HAPPY WHEN I FINISHED!

(Right after finishing IM Augusta 70.3) 

I felt like I had accomplished something impossible.  Of course it wasn't but I felt like it was.  I hate to admit it, but when I clicked submit on the Augusta entry in December of last year I felt like I was throwing away the $400 registration fee.  I had no idea how I was going to bike 56 miles or run (or even walk) 13.1 miles.  I'm not sure my hubbie was too optimistic either (actually he has admitted he was very skeptical).

But I started slow and worked HARD!  When I started training I could not run a mile straight.  I could only bike 15 miles.  My ass hurt!  My hips hurt.  My lungs HURT!  I continued to struggle through the training my coach handed me each month.  In April I ran the Annual Crazylegs Classic in Madison.  The 8K (5 mile) race starts at the State Capitol and ends at Camp Randall Studium.  My only goal was to finish and not to walk.  I managed to do just that.  My pace was slow and I finished in 1 hour and 1 min.  I was so disappointed that I hadn't broke an hour but so very pleased I finished without walking.

(Kiddos and me post Crazy Legs)

Next up was the first triathlon of the season.  On May 17th in Kansas City I attempted my first Olympic distance triathlon (0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) and failed miserably.  The night before there had been horrible storms.  The lake the next morning was cold and choppy.  I took off and from the get-go I knew something was off.  I couldn't find a rhythm and turned to the breast stroke.  After a couple of hundred meters I could barely breathe.  I was gasping for air despite not swimming very hard at all.  I made through the first loop of the two loop swim course and as I ran (ok I was walking) past the women cheering for me I decided to continue on.  I had previously made up my mind that I was pulling myself from the race, but seeing the ladies there screaming for me I wanted to continue.

I walked back into the water and as soon as the water got deep enough to force me to swim I knew I was done.  It hurt to breathe.  I swallowed my pride, turned around and quit.  Yes, I handed my timing chip to the lady on the shore and proceeded to walk off the course with my head hung low.  The dreaded DNF (did not finish) happened to me.  I was disappointed, ashamed, and embarassed.  I wasn't sure what had happened but I knew something wasn't right.

I continued to cheer on the other women (they were all doing the sprint disatnce) and realized I could not laugh or inhale deeply without pain.  I didn't seek medical attention (right away) but I also knew something wasn't right.  The drive home was brutal.  The friend I drove with finsihed and it killed me that I had not.  I am not a quitter, yet that was exactly what I had done.  The pain in my chest was brutal but the feeling that I had failed was worse.  Turns out I had aspirated water into my lungs and I was experiencing a mild form of dry drowning (Google it!  It's so much fun).  Swimming is normally my strength in triathlon.  This experience screwed with me mentally more than anything.  I now dreaded the pool and even worse the next open water swim.  My next tri was a month away...

The Beginning

Yes, I had weight loss surgery.  No, I did not take the easy way out.  You may have a different opinion (and you are entitled to your own) but WLS is not easy.  Yes, I have lost almost 95 lbs in 7 months.  The weight has come off faster than I ever imagined, but it has not been easy.

Now onto bigger and better things!  In December, 6 months after having RNY Gastric bypass I signed up for my first Half Ironman.  Augusta 70.3 here I come.  As of today I have 223 days and I am in no way ready.  I have a lot of endurance to gain.  I also have to figure out how to fuel over a 7 hour race given my current nutritional needs.  It seems daunting but I decided to keep a record of it here in order to hold myself accountable and hopeful survive this endeavor. 

As I figure this blog thing out I will add pictures!