No time to celebrate

So, for the last couple of weeks I've been conscious of the fact that when the race was over I'd have to keep going. I decided on my new routine and contemplated doing some other events.

My friend Dusty from work reminded me yesterday that when you have a goal, you can't waist time celebrating the achievements along the way. Then, last night on The Biggest Loser, one of the contestants said the same thing. It clicked. That's what Dusty meant.

So, off we go again. I started w/Jillian Michael's backside workout dvd this morning, then work on running at the Y this afternoon, and watching what I eat. No time to stop. The triathlon was awesome, but it was just a major step in the right direction!!!

The Race is Complete

It is hard to believe this day is winding down. Weeks of training and planning and it is now said and done (until next year!) I have learned a lot about myself, about my relationship with God and about how much I need to depend on Him everyday!

We got up at 5am this morning, packed my gear and bike and headed out. Keziah and Nicolas made muffins for their breakfast the night before and packed fruit, granola bars and the water cooler. Checked the weather...looking promising...maybe the down pours from the night before have passed now.

We easily parked in the lot at the park and I grabbed my bucket of gear and my bike and headed to the transition area to set up. After I got across the road I realized I left my ID with Rob, so I borrowed a phone and called him and he brought them over. I found my row in the transition area and parked everything, then went over to get my timing chip. I was early enough to get the Velcro bands which turned out to be soft and comfortable! I went to get the family and came back. I did my body markings and we headed to the transition area to let the kids see and finish setting up my spot. Some blessed woman had brought a balloon which easily marked our row!!! Thanks!!!!!!

Then, off to the pool to see the setup...wow...it was huge! I had not considered that this was an Olympic size pool!!! Our side was 16 ft deep!!!! O well, I don't touch the bottom, we'll just tell ourselves we are at the Y! lol! After much debate, I decided not to warm up in the pool...just wing it.

The kickoff was right outside the pool area...nothing like some last minute pump up!!! (Except for making all my muscles hurt from the cold and misty air!) Back inside. The start time was a few minutes late, but we quickly figured out we could sit with our families for awhile...I was number 689! Kickoff was at 8 (well a few minutes after), but my start time wasn't until 9:08:20.

They were off! Lots of bunching up after a few minutes. Some people not knowing to keep to the right to let others pass apparently...mental note, "YOU KNOW TO DO THIS!" So, slowly but surely, the numbers get to the 500's, then 6's...time to line up.

Standing in line I met some really nervous people...talking in line and encouraging each other was a great distraction!!!

Finally, my turn was up...I have to slip into the pool with no stairs without slipping down the 16ft wall!!! No worries...a little distraction apparently, because I looked for the family and Rob yells..."Your goggles!", which by the way were still around my neck....ok...seconds to go, they are in place....3, 2, 1 go!!!!

5 laps/10 lengths of the pool: As I'm sitting here writing this, I'm getting the shivers!!!!! I was booking it!!! My heart was racing!! I was struggling to catch deep enough breaths...what the heck...I can keep my head up if all else fails....even the backstroke did not help me recover my breathing....just too much adrenaline pumping!? Oh, well, just keep swimming!!!

I hear someone yell, "Keep going you are half way there!!" Praise the Lord!!! Just KEEP SWIMMING! A few extra backstrokes...still no air....as I'm about to change lanes I see Jonathan's sweet face at the edge of the pool and then, "Keep going you did it!!! Swim to the stairs!"

I jumped up the stairs...Jonathan is there!!! Yeah Mom!!! Wow my legs are jelly...too much adrenaline!!! (Can we bottle and sell this stuff?) Turn left and run out to the transition area!!!!

I find my bike row...thanks again to the balloon lady!!! Towel off...sit on the bucket...shirt...shorts...socks...shoes...what else????...get on!!!! Still cloudy...put sunglasses back...and we're off!!! Walk through bike start entrance and get on the bike and go!!!!

9 miles: Out of the parking lot and to the right is straight down hill. Nice cool mist in my face, but not too bad! All the cars were stopped, turned left with no problem!!! About half way up the hill, trying to get into my first 7 gears and my chain popped off!!!! I'm thinking what am I going to do now? I realized it wasn't broken, so I started waving for help, two of the "monitor?" guys had just passed me a minute or two before. Somehow they get word and I see them turn to come help. They were such a blessing...popped my chain back on, adjusted my gears, tested it out and even gave me a shove until I got going! I was so relieved!!!!!!!! The song "On the Road again, just can't wait to get on the road again" has much more meaning now!!

Finally up the first hill, turn the corner to flat ground!!! Did you know flat ground can get long and annoying when everything is quiet around you? I played cat and mouse with a few other riders....passed over 485!!!!! (That was cool!) Quiet again...a couple off times I remembered someone's advice to take in the scenery and enjoy it, so I did! We really had a beautiful ride!

Next turn, the officer directing traffic answers...3.6 miles down!! The next road was a beautiful ride....next turn, "You're half way!!!" Praise the Lord!!! Now I'm to the business park that we practiced in a few weeks back...I felt like I was home! Funny huh? Turn onto the business park loop and straight uphill!!! I know a turn is coming and then down hill...I'm so glad we rode this part Summer and Stephanie!!!....turn again and up the big hill. I had to stop for the first time for them to stop traffic, but just a second and I turned again, crossed 485 AGAIN, still wow...veered off the exit back onto the main road....a car tries to run us down!!! Almost there!!! Turn onto the last road up t h e b i g h i l l ...a l m o s t there....ah!!!! off the bike and back to the transition area!!!

2 miles: Ditch the bike...helmet...and I'm off...jelly legs again...no problem, I can walk the whole thing if I have to! Around the parking lot...THROUGH THE MUD???????????? (Didn't know this was that kind of race lol) swing around (Summer is cheering!!!) for first loop (ladies with water!!) through the parking lot and the park...I hear the family shouting for me!!!! Around the turn and Michael is there high five!!!

Around the park, (Summer is on the turn cheering again! Thanks Summer!) back up the
h i l l turn and back down....over one mile!!!!! Almost there....(ladies with water again!!!) back through the parking lot, to the park circle....family shouting again...family at the next turn with Summer!!!!! Almost there!!!! Quiet again???? Chirp, chirp...Last turn of the circle....turn for the finish and RUN GIRL RUN!!!! "Number 689 Donna Mari-what?" Family on the right...through the finish, Rob on the right!!!

I'm done!!!!! WATER!!!!! Rob and the kids hugging!! Summer and her family...Smile for the camera....Stephanie still there!!! Group picture!!!

We walked around for a few minutes, consumed some liquid, cliff bars and bananas....I checked for stats, but not even close to being up yet....so off we went to clean up at transition, change and get to church!

Yes, I'm exhausted just typing this....I don't want to forgot one second though!

Thank you Lord for the strength.

For the support of my family and friends.

For the guys who fixed my bike.

For all the training and all you taught me!

I love you God, You make me strong.

"I will never leave you nor forsake you!"

You are my everything and I will adore You!!

This time tomorrow it will all be over!!

Well, it's hard to believe, but this time tomorrow it will all be over!!! Today is very strange. The lull before the day! I'm very excited!

All the hard work has paid off. I finally got a bike this week! Yesterday and today have mostly been about keeping my head where it needs to be.

Rob happened to put in Facing the Giants last night...very cool movie to watch pre-triath!! It really helped remind me of what really matters. I know that no matter what happens tomorrow, the Lord has opened doors for all of this to happen and I will praise him the all the way to the end of the line!

It doesn't even make sense to my ears that I'm doing this, but God is the strength of my life and with Him all things are definitely possible! He is the Voice of Truth and the only one who could have done all of this!!

Revelations 3:8 says, "I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name."

I have struggled through this whole process to keep my eyes on the Lord...not on myself, and not on the hugeness of this task!

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all the things will be added to you!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me!

Wow. How I miss his strength when I am fighting to do it all on my own...and failing! How great it is to know that HE longs for me to depend on Him who alone is able!

Thank you Lord for all of this.
Thank you for the strength.
Thank you for the endurance.
Thank you for helping me get up every morning, 6 days a week!
Thanks for the time with my 3 older kids while they trained with me!
Thanks for a supportive husband!
No matter what happens tomorrow, it has all been worth it!
I love you Lord,
You make me strong!
Your little girl,
Donna

Let the count down begin!!

Less than a week now to go until the Ramblin' Rose. It is finally here!!!!! All training is going well...I'm as ready as I'm going to be for swimming. My breathing leaves MUCH to be desired, but there's always next year! Biking is going great, with the exception of my actual bike. This should correct itself today if all goes well. Running, well, it probably is not going to happen much...mostly walking. I say this honestly, however, many have told me that on race day adrenaline and all of the encouragement may make all the difference. That would be awesome. Either way, I want to finish the race set before me and all glory will be to the Lord who inspired all of this and has given me strength way beyond myself to come this far!!!!

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me!!

Quest is over!!

Well, the quest for running shoes has FINALLY ended!! I found Saucony's in my size!!! Hopefully this will save my knees and help me run better. It made a big difference the last time I had some! I was beginning to doubt I'd find any in time, or have to settle for something decent. I decided to look up the only one that came close, but that the store didn't have in my size. I found it on the Saucony website and looked up a list of stores that carry it and voila!!! Wide Shoe Warehouse!!!! Called them this morning and they had it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, get used to seeing me in tennis shoes for the next two weeks...gotta break these suckers in!!

Also, my friends the Pierces let me borrow a bike rack and bike!! I'll test out the bike this week. Hopefully we'll be good to go. It's all coming together!! Had to believe!!!!!!!!

swim, bike and run!

I've had a good training week despite a bum knee. Some friends told me about a knee brace that does seem to help some.

Monday I took off to let the knee rest an extra day. Tuesday we swam. A fellow triather from the Y gave me some swimming tips. I can't say I did very well at them.

Wednesday I did a combo on the stationary bike and tread mill. Yikes!!! It went well, but I was bored out of my mind after getting use to doing it all outside!

Thursday back to swimming...three sets...

Today, biking back in the hood...went well....

I can't believe it's really almost here! 2 weeks from Sunday!

Rest!

Wonderful day of rest today! My knee is a little better, but not taking any chances. Taking Labor Day off too. Hopefully I'll be back in the saddle by Tuesday!

10 MILES!!

What an exciting morning. One friend and another new one and I rode the business park loop near the triathlon location. On race day a small part of this loop will be included in our ride. So the outer rim was 2 miles with some good hill action. We road 'round 5 times with only one stop!!! That's 10 MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! It felt good.

Main issues...still a little cramping in right back muscle, maybe shifting seat down will help?? Lots of biking issues: gears not working well, wrong tires for the road and slow operator up steep hill! (that's me...he he)

Over all, a great ride and boy was the adrenaline pumping by the end.

One injury, hopefully minor...when I got off under my knee something popped and it is a little sore. I've been icing it. I took Ibuprophen and apple-cider vinegar and MSM. Lord, please keep my body together!!!!

The Voice of Truth/3 sets of 5 laps!

So, I'm on my way to swim this morning. Typical doubts rolling around my head. What am I thinking. What if... When all of a sudden the song on the radio gets to the chorus and I realize what he's singing....






But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story.
The Voice of Truth says do not be afraid.
The Voice of Truth says this is for MY Glory.
Out of all the voices calling out to me...
I will choose to listen and believe...
the Voice of Truth.

Stop, deep breath! Yes, Lord, I said I do this for your Glory. I am sorry I'm not trusting in you! I'm listening to the doubts inside my head! I can do all things through CHRIST who STRENGTHENS me!

So, I wrote The Voice of Truth on my hand in permanent marker. I got in the pool and swam my heart out! 5 laps....pools cleared out, now I can work on changing lanes (have to do for the triath)...5 more laps....breather...one more time body!!! 5 MORE LAPS!!!!!!!! Boy was the adrenaline kicking then!!!!

Thank you Lord. I could not have done it without you!

yucky bike ride yesterday!

I don't know what happened, but we had a yucky bike ride. I had taken last Friday off, so we hadn't ridden in a week...boy did it show! We we coming up on the last mile (of 6), when we stopped from exhaustion and both of us got sick! We did not eat the same foods, but we were sharing a reused water bottle. It was the weirdest thing! I don't know what happened. Neither of us got sick for the rest of the day.

Oh well! On to running at the Y today.