For Those About to Rock the VINEMAN

With all the excitement and preparations my teammates are currently making for their Race Day, I can hardly sit still at work! I'm living vicariously through my teammates' jitters, anticipation and internal 'pump-ups' they're giving themselves at this very minute. I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever been more excited to be a cheerleader! My car's already packed, so as soon as I get to my car after work, I'm bound for Sonoma County to watch them at the start of their swim at Johnson's Beach bright and early tomorrow morning.

By now, about 80% of my Team has already gobbled up their Pasta meals and are either in their hotel rooms packing, unpacking, re-packing their transition bags. Mixing up nutrition, counting their GU packs, doing 'nutrition math' on their calculators. If they're not doing any of the above, they're out taking a walk in neighboring Santa Rosa, to try and calm themselves down and meditate / reflect upon the journey that got them to This Week. 9 continuous months of hard work, dedication; early morning swims firstly at their local pools, then graduating to Aquatic Park (a.k.a. the chilly San Francisco Bay); hours under the hot sun of the East Bay climbing some of the most notorious hills on their bikes. Run/walking continuously for 3-4 hours and calling it an 'early' or 'easy' day, because they didn't have to worry about packing a bike and 20 bottles of nutrition.

Scrapes, cuts, bruises, chainring 'tattoo's on the back of their calves after a long day. Nausea from too many calories in, a little light-headedness from dehydration and lack of Endurolytes/Thermolytes. The feeling of having pushed it too hard and not paced oneself better for a long training day. The physical and emotional pangs of experimenting with a new nutrition plan :) And having learned the lesson so you'll know better in the future.

Demons -- the mental games you play with yourself. Whether in a headwind on the bike, or through massive currents and choppy conditions in open water. Fighting through the walls of a long run. Tears and frustration you fight back and the days you contemplate cutting short because you feel there's nothing left in you.

VICTORY. Victory over the demons and things that once held you back. Reaching milestones and distances you never thought possible. The feeling of having brushed off your shoulders and gotten back on the bike. The rush of putting on your wetsuit and plunging into 54-degree salt water and feeling just the right amount of sore after a strenuous but fulfilling dip in the Bay. And then using your rest day to treat yourself to a relaxing massage or some quality time with your foam roller and a beer.

You, 20 lbs. of ice and a tub. An ice bath never felt so good after 10-11 hours of exertion and enduring a triple brick and burning probably 3 days' worth of calories in one fell swoop.

Pride. Pride, courage, strength and an Iron Will. The feeling of arriving at the Starting Line of your race, having come a long way and with the knowledge and insight lightyears ahead of where you started 9 months ago. Maturity. Awareness. Preparedness. Joy and Gratitude for all you've gone through, pushed through and now hold as memories from your training season. And after hundreds upon hundreds of human-powered miles behind you, you now have an urge to push yourself just 140.6 more to make your journey complete.

THIS is what the Ironman Journey is.

It's bittersweet to think about it ending. But it's a part of who we all are now. The hardships and successes are now ingrained in who we are as individuals. People who won't as easily shy away from a challenge or adversity. The concept of "being Iron" or the title of "Ironman" is not about a finish line or finishing time; it's not in a medal or tattoo. At least not from where I stand.

Being Iron is a state of mind. It's about the determination and tenacity to fight through something that would otherwise scare you or hold you back from something you want. Whether in a river, bike or run course -- or in life's seemingly endless course with all kinds of adversity, challenges and disruptions. It's about not holding back out of fear or because you don't think you can do it. It's about not settling for mediocrity or just what's comfortable.

Being Iron is about belief in oneself. Truly believing you are stronger and more capable than you think you are.

Being Iron is about humility. It's about patience with oneself and a respect for your body, mind and well-being. Respect for your teammates and the community of triathletes with whom you train.

I could not be more elated or humbled by the experience to not only witness my teammates and friends compete in their event tomorrow. But so happy to be able to celebrate the end of one journey and the start of the next. What this next chapter holds for each of them may be very different. Some have already signed on for another consecutive season :) Others will go on to raise their growing families. Wherever their next road may lead, I have zero doubt in my mind that these individuals are tougher, stronger, more whole and complete people. HEROES, whom I have had the sincere pleasure to know this year.

An early Congratulations to all my teammates... THE VINEMEN. I truly am so proud of you all.

The 3X (Triple) BRICK!

Phew. If I felt fearless after the East Bay Century, this week creates a term and definition of its own. And I still don't quite have the word to pinpoint it. I'll back up again for the Week in Review.

Tuesday, I was back for some more quality time with the mountain. IronMel's mantra is "hills are my friend." If that's the case, then mine is: Mount Diablo's my homie! What once intimidated me ~ the concept of a bike ride up and down a mountain after a long day of work, is now something I actually look forward to on Tuesday nights. Eight months ago, I used to fear bike rides and would have much preferred the comforts of a stationary trainer and an overhang. And now, I can't imagine my days stuck on a trainer with no place to go! I did a couple hill repeats and pumped up my heart rate to as high as 176 bpm, staying at an average of 146 bpm. I felt really good and enjoyed the ride. [Bike Stats]

I took Wednesday off to spend some time with my parents at home. They made a trip up to NorCal for their 27th wedding anniversary and I figured it was the least I could do to stay in, hang out, enjoy the quality time and catch up. Especially since their anniversary itself fell on Saturday = 3X BRICK. I took the opportunity actually to get some good stretching and hydration in. I even showed them my foam roller and the Theracane and they instantly fell in love, wanting ones of their own.

Back to ironwork on Thursday -- and I met up with Liz and Team Shadow-mate, Barb, for an open water swim at Shadow Cliffs. Both are Ironwomen in their own right (having raced at Louisville and Canada, respectively) and I knew they'd swim their tails off ahead of me (and in neoprene). I hung in there and did my usual wetsuit-less swim and encountered some demons of my own. Maybe it was that no one was close by. Maybe it was the choppy water taking me away with some currents. But I had a few mental struggles to face out there in the middle of the water. It's funny that I hadn't dealt with this when I first started open water swimming -- it's only recently that I've started to get caught up and distracted by the 'unknown' and underwater creatures. But I was a little freaked out. My mind and thoughts were just taking me places I didn't want to go -- which made me have to stop, tread water, talk myself down, and keep on swimming. I couldn't turn back for fear I would worry the ladies if they didn't see me at the first checkpoint. But I felt scared to continue on. Mild waves were pushing me around and I was by myself. Stay calm, I thought. Just keep swimming and you'll get there, I told myself. You'll be just fine. At that point, I decided to close my eyes. If I just focused on a smooth, fluid stroke ~ not letting the fear of the unknown or strange get in my way, I'd be at my destination before I knew it. This tactic actually helped me in more ways than I would realize, because by closing my eyes (and therefore regrouping and finding my sanity to swim), I could really feel my stroke. Where I favor, weight distribution, hip rotation, how much water I pull during each stroke. It was great!

Sure enough, I made it to "point 2" of the small triangle and met up with the ladies to head to the next rockpile. I practiced the same strategy and kept my eyes closed again as I swam. The only time I looked up was to sight forward every 4-5 strokes, and as I would breathe to the side. I felt the current taking me away again, but muscled through and dug deeper with my arms. Eventually, I came to complete about 1.2 miles within the hour. Wasn't my prettiest or cleanest swim, but having come back after fighting those demons, made me feel all the more accomplished. The three of us celebrated over Thai food and laughter. Great end to another iron evening.

Friday night was another family night -- which included dinner with my parents and brother (carbo-filled of course, with plenty of water and the resistance of a glass of wine) and an early bedtime of 10 p.m., giving me a solid 8 hours of sleep in prep for the big day.

Saturday came pretty quickly. I woke up feeling like it was some kind of race day. An interesting feeling. No anxiety or fear or worry. I'll sound like a a bit of a freak for saying this -- but it actually felt more like Christmas morning. I think the first phrase that came to mind was, "Here it is. Let's do this!" I was juiced.

Coach Dave describes the Triple Brick as designed to be freaking hard! And I remember Phil telling me a year ago that there's 'this one day during IronTeam training season that you're just out all day biking and running in the heat. You basically just keep going until you can't anymore.' It's a 30-mi bike ride, followed by a 1-hr run -- 3 times consecutively. Coach Mike said the 1st round is supposed to be nice and steady; the 2nd round should be at race pace; and the 3rd is just squeezing out whatever you have left. If all of that's not an intimidating description for a training day, I don't know what is. So to wake up on Triple Brick morning with the mentality that I was READY to do this... astounds and confuses me.

I had it set in my mind that I wanted to tackle any and all adversity that came my way. DRY HEAT. HUMID HEAT. Cramps, nausea, 'Tourette's'. The BONK. Bring IT, because I'm gonna chew it up and spit it out! But to our comfort, it didn't get as hot as it has historically / notoriously been for the end of July in the East Bay. Don't get me wrong, it was still hot and we had our share of hot headwinds too along the bike course, but I knew we were kind of given a break from Mother Nature, which you can take as either a good or bad thing, considering the circumstances.

So with that said -- here is the breakdown of how my 3X BRICK went:

Bike 1:
Used the restroom before leaving as I had been drinking lots and lots of water the last 2-3 days to ensure I was hydrated for all this. Also took an Endurolyte with breakfast. I felt good going in. We had some company from our Vineman teammates which was awesome, but I knew they wouldn't be there for long since they had a much shorter workout planned during their taper. Tried to find my groove and ride my own ride. Climbed and descended really well and finished the ride feeling FAST and STRONG. Actually, to the point of feeling like I may have gone out too fast. [Ride #1 Stats]



Run 1:
Definite BRICK-sensation in my legs. Restroom break #2 and stayed in my bike shorts for the run. Felt sluggish and heavy starting out, and also had issues with my run Garmin acquiring a signal, so the numbers were all off. Good lesson in flexibility though. For race day, as long as I more or less have my run/walk intervals beeping at me every five minutes; and have my average pace that's all I really need. Always have a Plan B & C! Saw Lorraine (Mentor Michelle's Mom and Full Vineman Finisher) and Joan (multi-IM finisher and unofficial Mentor extraordinaire!) at the water stop, which made me smile. Negative split by running with Liz and Belinda after the turnaround, and was happy to see my parents at transition! [Run #1 Stats]

Bike #2:
On my own along Sycamore Valley Road, and Camino Tassajara just focusing on this second bike ride -- nothing before and nothing after. I recalled that I ideally should be at race pace but feared I might be a little slower than my 'stellar 1st round'. Pacing can be a very complex thing. Saw my good friend Megan at the water stop which was fantastic! Just seeing her for a few split seconds rejuvinated my spirits, just in time for Coach Simon to join me for Highland Road. We climbed together (working on high cadence work) and pedaled and powered through the descents. Caught up to Liz for the final stretch and came in just 4 minutes later than the first round! Which gave me a HUGE boost in confidence. [Ride #2 Stats]

Run #2:
Another restroom break and changed to running shorts this time. Joined Liz and we kept each other entertained and moving forward. My IT bands were definitely starting to feel it by now, and I was covered in both sweat and salt from the heat. I wasn't as concerned with pushing it too hard on the run for distance/mileage since I wanted to space out my energy and reserves for the final bike. Coach Sedonia had said earlier in the day, "If you feel out of this world on the final bike, then go all out... but just pace yourself in the meantime." There was sort of this implication that most everyone is usually dead tired and dragging on the last round, so if it was in the cards for us and we somehow felt really, really good -- then we could give our bodies permission to kick and haul ass. Liz and I kept up with the 4:1 run/walk; drank at each walk interval; and stretched out our IT bands at the turnaround point. Took this run as the perfect opportunity to add in caffeine for the first time of the day, which gave me the necessary boost to finish out strong. Felt good coming in and saw my parents for a second time! [Run #2 Stats]

Bike #3:
Popped 2 ibuprofen before heading out. Ventured out for the final ride with Liz and Coach Mike. He recommended we do a loop that was about 3 miles shorter than the first two we had done. I had about a 5-minute window where I felt hungry, so I ate a Shot Blok - which caused me to feel a little nauseous/full. But once we got to Tami & Mike D's water stop, I popped one Tums, ate a strawberry; took another Endurolyte (I'd been taking 2-3 an hour); AND wrung out a sponge of cold water on top of my head, and down my bike jersey ~ and felt like a million bucks getting back out onto Highland to climb. UNBELIEVABLE. Third loop of the day, HOUR 7.5, hot, windy, hot wind. And I felt this good? Leapfrogged a bit with Liz and did not let up for one second on the descents and flats. Came in 8 mins faster than the 2nd loop and 4 mins faster than the 1st loop. It was startling how good I felt mentally, emotionally, nutritionally (is that a word?). Liz and I were ready for one more run to finish out the day. [Ride #3 Stats]



Run #3:
I swear I was high on something. Because I had more energy and mental ZIP and pep in my step than I would have ever thought I would, by this point in the day. Used the restroom one last time and changed back into the running shorts. Liz and I went out for the final run and caught up with Coach Sedonia for more entertainment, laughs and overall giddyness. Which are also ALL signs of a shockingly good last segment of a triple brick. Liz and I professed we DID feel out of this world, and we were thrilled! Saw Captain Tony & Carol at the water stop, who were as always so accommodating. I took a few sips of Coke and some salty pretzels for the road, which only helped. Did another bit of stretching of the ol' ITs at the turnaround and rocked our final miles of the hour-run. Coach Simon ran us all in and I actually had room for a sprint. My pace upon reaching transition at the end of the triple brick read: 7:57 mins/mi. [Run #3 Stats]

10 hours / 3 bike rides totaling 85 miles / 3 runs totaling 12 miles. I was absolutely floored by my 3X BRICK experience, performance and results. Everything just seemed to be aligned and yet I felt prepared to tackle whatever monsters, demons, weather conditions, GI issues, what have you... that made me that much more confident and feeling ready to do this. And by THIS, I mean the Ironman. I couldn't have asked for a better experience and am truly so, so thankful.



What I can also say is that my mental preparation and strategy for both the East Bay Century and Triple Brick were the same -- and unlike any of the other long rides or training days I've done in the past: I broke everything down into smaller, mentally manageable pieces. I knew this would be a long day, but I didn't look at it as one giant 10-hour chunk I had to swallow in one bite. If I was on the bike, I'd JUST focus on that bike ride and make it my best. If I felt sluggish and tired on the run, I JUST absorbed it 4 mins at a time. Then do a walk for a minute, regroup, and take on the next 4 mins. No dwelling on or regretting the past -- and no fearing the future. Just living in the moment and staying in the present. It's a lesson that's taken me no less than 8 months to learn, but it's such a valuable one. I'm a more aware and mature endurance athlete because of it, and it's a gem I'm taking with me to Louisville, along with the confidence & sense of accomplishment I've gained from this season and the smile on my face in celebrating my own Ironman Race Day in 4 weeks & 6 days.



***
Week #37 Workout Summary:

Swim: 2 hours and 0 minutes
Bike: 7 hours and 45 minutes
Run: 3 hours and 0 minutes
Core/Strength: 0 hours and 15 minutes
Total Workout: 13 hours and 0 minutes

Recovery Week, My Birthday & the Vineman Send-Off!

26. Someone once told me to commemorate each year and birthday with an activity or event centered around that number. Little did I know that upon looking into the number 26 -- I'd come to find that I would not only be doing a 26.2-mile marathon for my 26th year, but also, that 26 is the atomic number of a certain element: IRON. This opportunity to join IronTeam and (as my teammate Phil would say), tap into my undiscovered potential ~ could not have found me at a better time. I had been looking for an experience that would challenge, push and change me. One that would force me to take an inward look at myself and see that anything really IS possible and that I'm capable of so much more than the limits I always believed were there. And to my great fortune, all of those things have occurred throughout this journey. I set out to train for an Ironman to unveil a tougher version of myself, and that's exactly what has happened. So in and of itself, I've already found success in my experience. The rest, as I've said, is pure icing on the cake. I really couldn't ask for more.

The week started out great. And it ended on an even more fabulous note. As I took the train home from work on Monday afternoon, I rode by a view of the Castro Valley hills I had JUST climbed two days prior. Hills and mountains I had once feared were now something I could check off on my list of "To-Dos" -- well, more like "To-Conquers". And I was beside myself in amazement and truly felt fearless. There was just something about that East Bay Century (quite possibly one of the most difficult training days on our calendar this season) ~ and to finish and walk away from that ride feeling strong and with a giant smile on my face is just... well, more than I could have hoped for.

Tuesday, I met Kristie, Liz & Tiffany for a long-overdue open water swim at Shadow Cliffs. The arms were feeling a bit rusty as I had been focusing on riding and running the last few weeks. I hopped in sans wetsuit again for about an hour (which now equates to an average 1 mile-distance for me, in the water), going at an easy pace.

Open water swimming, versus the pool, keeps you honest, too. When you swim out a ways -- there's only one way you're getting back home :) Your arms work harder, as does your core. I've also adapted to a steady flutter kick, so I can save my leg muscles for what would be a bike and run afterward. My body has gotten used to trying to stay naturally buoyant without relying on a wetsuit -- which I know has made me stronger. Felt a little sluggish on that swim but put in the time and distance, so I didn't let it get me down.

After a failed attempt to hit the road for a bike ride on Wednesday (it took me nearly 2 hours to get home from SF, due to a major Bart train delay and some malfunctioning cars on my line), I missed the window to get a 40-min bike ride in with Liz and decided to use what time I had left in the evening to eat dinner, get some quality stretching in and head to bed early.

As for my Thursday, I was in for a treat. Not only did I give myself a shorter workday, but by 4 p.m. I was headed to meet one of my pro triathlete idols (and heartthrobs), Chris "Macca" McCormack. I had the fantastic opportunity to meet him briefly in May at the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon in SF. But this time, I got the chance to actually hear him speak about his career in the sport; his newly-founded charity supporting breast cancer research in honor of his late mother; and just get to know what he's like outside of triathlon. And what I CAN say, is he's amazing! Down to earth, funny, incredibly humble, and a wonderfully engaging speaker. Here are some of his tips, which he gave his audience as well as me, personally:

Macca's Words of Wisdom:

- Titles and times mean nothing. It's about your performance on race day.
- Be true to yourself and be the best you can be.
- Follow the guidelines of your nutrition plan, but be prepared to have them evolve, even at your race. Follow your instincts.
- Enjoy the challenge and experience of your Ironman race.
- If it feels really good, slow down! You're going too fast!
- Give the race and distance the respect they deserve.
- Be brave when you face your demons on race day. Find ways to turn them around and stay in the moment. After all, it's all about the war stories you tell after the Ironman :)



Friday was wonderful! I celebrated my birthday by getting a little pampering done in the morning. First-ever hot stone massage (ahh...) followed by a relaxing facial. My massage therapist was astonished to find out that my muscles weren't as tight and knotted up (a la pretzel) like most other marathoners and triathletes she's worked on in the past. When I told her about the frequency of my stretching, foam rolling and ice bathing, she felt compelled to give me a gold star :) Saw a few other friends for dinner, drinks and laughter and truly enjoyed the ringing in of another new year.

Up and outta bed at 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning and the East Bay Contingent was bound for Captain Tony's run in Alameda. Those headed to Vineman in a couple weeks had a taper run of 10-11 miles, while the rest of us training for IM Canada & IM Louisville knocked out 19 miles.



I started out the run at an easy pace with our team mascot, Belinda -- and it was great to catch up on her latest feat, The Death Ride. She had been debating cutting her run short since she's still recovering, so I kept on and finally got warmed up by mile 6. Hung in there a bit with both Captains Nick and Tony, keeping a steady 9:40 mins/mi pace (to compensate for my run/walk average) for a stretch along the shoreline.

The next few miles breezed by and soon I was greeted with a new running buddy at mile 10. Jessica, from the South Bay IronTeam, joined me and stuck with me for my run/walk intervals since she forgot her watch. By around miles 13-14, I hit a rough patch. My nutrition (of Shot Bloks, water & Thermolytes) had caught up to me and just sat in my tummy. I felt full and wanted to keep walking. Fortunately, Jessica's relaxed enthusiasm :) had me up the pace for the 4-min run intervals even to a light shuffle, just to get my body moving slightly faster than my walk pace. I suspect this will be my backup plan for race day: When I feel the onset of pain, cramping or nutrition overload, just break up the marathon into smaller pieces and even if it means bring it up to a light shuffle for 4 minutes, do it. Walk with purpose and don't stop. Just keep moving forward.

I had an emergency 2x caffeine Gu stashed in my pocket for such a moment as this. Despite being full, I knew I still needed to be taking in calories and so I thought shooting a gel (rather than something to chew or gulp down) might work. And sure enough, 20 minutes later, I found my 2nd or 3rd wind and took off! Jessica and I negative split our way to the finish, holding paces as good as 9:50-10:20 mins/mi during our run intervals back along the shoreline (which I was just told was UPHILL). No wonder my ankles hate me today.

I sprinted my way during the final yards and was greeted with another treat at the completion of 19 miles!



My Mentor, Michelle, was so thoughtful to bake me cupcakes which we all enjoyed alongside our recovery drinks before wrapping it up and calling it a day well before noon.



I enjoyed the rest of my leisurely afternoon with my feet up, and poolside with Michelle, Nate, Kathryn and Phil. We were all in disbelief that we were done with our training day so early and got to just hang out and chill in the shade with a few brews. Saturday evening was another birthday celebration with my TNT Brood of pals, hosted by my good friend, Megan. It was a great time and I felt so blessed to have so many driven, supportive, ambitious friends -- all of whom are currently training for their NEXT marathon or tri; or recovering from their last one :) Not to mention -- the table of 17 or so of us have collectively raised 10s of 1000s of dollars for the same cause. Warmed my heart :)

Sunday had a wake-up call of 5:30 a.m. [don't ask me how I do this either; because I have no idea] The East Bay carpool group was headed for Aquatic Park for an open water swim. It's been months since I've ventured out into the Bay, let alone swam in a wetsuit. I was feeling a little apprehensive, but was amazed to see how quickly that feeling went away once we got to the bleachers right outside Ghirardelli Square to suit up.



It was funny. It wasn't my first time there; but the whole place looked and felt different. Rather than feel that looming, overwhelming feeling of intimidation by the water temperature, the distance of open water, and my inexperience with swimming creep up ~ I was at complete peace. I put on my wetsuit, goggles & cap; stuck in the ear plugs; and made my way over to the shore. It was like my instincts just knew what to do. And that was, to swim. To focus, and not get caught up in fear, worry, apprehension or doubt. To just do it. And so I did.

I high-fived, laughed and shrieked (upon sticking my face in the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay) with Liz, Melissa, Sedonia, Mike & Kathryn. But shortly after, I was off! What once scared and intimidated me, was now my play area. I swam all along the perimeter of Aquatic Park. Buoy to buoy. Even with Coach Mike swimming all around me, trying to psych me out and simulate the close swimming, feet, arms and other things that could get in my way for my race swim. I just kept on and swam through the flying arms and feet in my face. He'd tap or knock my toes from behind me, but I kept on, not getting too alarmed or excited. Just focused on forward motion. Although, the few times Mike would stop to give me some important advice, I just couldn't hold it in and broke out in laughter. I couldn't take him seriously with this swim cap on.



A few brief stops to get my bearings, sight a new landmark, or aim for a new buoy -- I swam for one hour and completed nearly 2 miles, according to Coach Dave. Man oh man. When did I become this swimmer?



As I deck-changed on the bleachers (another new skill I didn't always know!), there was a new Tri Team Season of TNTers sitting in a group next to us, watching us in action. Many of them had that look of fear, intimidation, and awe of us: These people with dark tans (with at least 3 visibly known tanlines); toned arms and legs; and look of focus and pride on their faces -- who have been training for 9 months and are in the final weeks of preparing for their Ironman events. I recognized that look of intimidation all too well and I smiled, because I was once in their shoes :)

After our swim, we headed over to the Presidio Sports Basement to prepare and Send-Off our triathletes bound for Vineman in less than 2 weeks! It's so exciting and I can't wait to see more than 50% of our Team participate in their first Ironman-distance race. We discussed logistics on their transition areas, special needs bags, race week preparation and hotel arrangements. Nutrition, course specifics, time cutoffs and everything else in between. We had a few snacks to nibble on, but I was chomping at the bit for a real meal (19-mi run was likely catching up to me), and there was a little toy/game section located behind our meeting spot, complete with a piano and at least 8 kids running around as their parents likely were shopping in the store. Needless to say, the antics behind us gave a little distraction, but then again, so did BK, Sara, Chris and Jim, who were all sitting right next to me :)

The countdown has begun for our Vineman teammates and I couldn't be more excited for and proud of them and all they've accomplished this season.

As for the "CAN/LOU" counterparts, we are headed toward one of our latest heavily-anticipated workouts of the season: Our 3X BRICK! That's a 30-mi bike ride and one hour run... x3! In what I can only imagine will be some record heat out in the East Bay. Please keep us all in your thoughts as we go out and do the damn thing (that's a Coach Al-ism)! If anyone is interested in volunteering at water stops or to be in one of our roving SAG vehicles, please message me ASAP! Our 3X Brick will be this Saturday, July 24 in Danville. All are welcome to come cheer, as well, as we could certainly use your smiling faces in the latter hours of the day. We estimate the whole day will take us about 10-11 hours to complete.

On to a brand new week! Thanks again, to ALL who made my birthday this year so memorable and special.

***
Week #36 Workout Summary: [Recovery Week]

Swim: 2 hours and 0 minutes
Bike: 0 hours and 0 minutes
Run: 4 hours and 0 minutes
Core/Strength: 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total Workout: 6 hours and 30 minutes

A Phenomenal New Milestone: The East Bay Century Ride

I'm still in awe about what I experienced last Saturday. It's difficult to completely wrap my mind around what we had accomplished individually and as a Team -- as we ventured out into some of the familiar streets and not-so-familiar backroads of the East Bay for a 100-mile Century Ride.

With a start time of 6:30 a.m., Sandy and I set sail from Heather Farms Park in Walnut Creek for a day we'd never forget.

I started out feeling really sluggish. Likely due to the "Power Week" of workouts I had endured leading up to Saturday's ride. A brief recap: Last Tuesday was my first time to reach the Junction at Mount Diablo (a goal I had been plotting and aiming for the last few weeks - and with the extra push and encouragement from teammate Chris just a few turns away, I reached the Junction and felt incredibly proud to have made it!).



Wednesday, I did a 70-minute run with Phil ~ 50 minutes of which were at my tempo pace. I really upped the ante by increasing my speed for our 1 mile: 1 minute run/walk intervals - in order to average out to a 9:41 mins/mile pace. One of my run intervals even averaged out to a 9:01 (which Marathon Team 2009 Maria would have never believed). [Run Stats]

Thursday, my legs came through for me again - and helped me to complete a 50-minute hard spin on the bike (with Nate and Phil), followed by a 20-minute road run. By night's end, my legs were feeling like bricks for sure.

I took Friday off to get situated and ready for Saturday's big event. With an ill-timed day of stress at work, I came home late with the plan to stretch out my tired muscles; replenish my supply of Gatorade (I'd already gone through one of those 9-gallon powder tubs); mentally prepare and find my focus to tackle the ride; and host Sandy at my house for the night (so she could avoid a painfully early wake-up call and a long drive to the East Bay from Marin). So instead, we both woke up at the dark hour of 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

So. To the story of the ride.



With a new temporary tattoo to sport on the arm [one that meant Dream], I felt ready to take on the beast that was 8,732 vertical feet of climbing and infamous (not to mention, foreboding) hills known to Bay Area cyclists as Grizzly Peak, The 3 Bears, Pig Farm, and Reliez Valley Road - also including Mount Diablo and the steep climbs and descents along Skyline Blvd in Oakland.



By Mile 2 of the ride, we were already on the slow ascent up Mount Diablo. Although it was very familiar territory (and home of our Tuesday night rides), my body just felt tired. Tired, heavy -- like lead (and therefore, hardly iron). It wasn't a huge shock, but more so frustrating and disappointing to me. Sandy had taken off and it would be the last time I'd see her during the ride. I was all by myself to climb and focus.

The first thought that came to me was - why did I work so hard on the workouts this week? And should I have? The thing is -- I did exactly what was on the training calendar. Coach Dave warned us we'd have a tough week, culminating in the Century Ride. But I just couldn't help but question HOW we could put our bodies (particularly our legs) through all those hard runs and bricks and bike rides AND be ready to ride 100 miles (most of which were on hills). I was baffled, behind the pack and anxious. My heart rate wasn't even going up as high as it normally does, before I found myself tired and sweating up the hill.

One cyclist passed me on the way up (just a few turns shy of the Junction) and told me he saw a few others with the same bike jersey behind me. It was the second wave of us ~ the faster cyclists on the Team, who planned to start an hour later. I told this kind stranger, "We've got a long day, so I'm taking it nice and easy for the beginning". He responded, "You've got stronger legs than me!" It's funny; I didn't believe him at the time -- especially as he breezed on past me. But I remembered those words.



I saw Dana taking it nice and slow too, and then caught up to Tiffany, who'd reach the Junction for her first time. It was good to see a few familiar faces and it reminded me I wasn't entirely alone on the ride. I reached the Junction for the second time this week and felt accomplished. Still sluggish, but proud. I took the op to use the clean restroom and stretch out my IT bands (had some slight twinges in my knees). And to my delight, saw Captain Les and Jen when I got back to my bike outside the restroom. We decided to descend the South Side of Diablo together, and it was great to have the company.

It wasn't before long that we entered into Danville, and hit some horrible road conditions and potholes the size of craters. I knew they were there (so could anticipate them). What I didn't prepare for was that my Garmin would fly off the handle. Literally - my Garmin (bike computer/hr monitor/accomplice on all my rides) launched from my handlebars, along with the mounting piece that kept it on the bike in the first place! The roads were that bumpy. Once I got my bearings and could pull over to a safe part of the road, I walked my bike back to where I thought it had landed, praying a car didn't drive over it. To my good fortune, I found it in one piece and re-affixed it to my bars. Unfortunately though, I thought I had lost my cycling buddies again.

Not far up the road, I saw Les and Jen again, who had slowed down so I could catch up. It was a really nice gesture and soon, my spirits were back up so I could enjoy the company and move on from the feelings of doubt (from the previous climb) and mild panic (from the flying Garmin incident). Into San Ramon we went, through some interesting parts of Crow Canyon Road. I hadn't realized that the road actually has some elevation to it.

During a climb along the busy street, as I went to shift gears, my pedals locked. LOCKED! I couldn't push my foot forward and was stuck with nowhere to go but down. No room or opportunity to coast since I was going uphill. My reaction time wasn't enough to clip out of the pedals; and my only gut instinct was to avoid falling in whatever way I could. Rather than panic (which wasn't too far off from my psyche, mind you), I instead diverted my bike toward the curb so I could intentionally fall into a bush! Comical now, and even then, amidst the Saturday morning traffic in San Ramon, I'm sure it looked hysterical from a driver's perspective ~ but I was just SO relieved I didn't hit asphalt in that spot. Yet I was still left worried thinking I had just broken my bike somehow. I mean, I couldn't pedal, for goodness' sake!

Les and Jen hadn't noticed this mishap and rode off into the distance. I was alone again. I held back my worries and calmly unclipped from the pedals (after picking myself up from the bush) and walked my bike over to a safer part of the road. I didn't have any kind of phone with me, and had I waited for someone to come, it probably would have taken a good half an hour to forty-five minutes. So I brushed off what nerves I had, and attempted to inspect my bike and see what was up. Turns out, I think the chain must have gotten stuck in between the two rings. I tinkered around a bit on the side of the road and manually shifted the gears and somehow got it to work again! In reality, that whole ordeal probably took all of 4-5 minutes, but it felt like an eternity to me because I couldn't predict how this would turn out.

Got my bearings and had to start on an uphill, but I went for it. Back on the road! Shortly after, I kept my eye out for Alcosta Road. And I completely missed the turn. It's not that I didn't see it, but it was just too busy a street to try and cut across 3-4 lanes of traffic by myself to make a left turn. I would have hated to try and backtrack, so lucky for me, there was a crosswalk at the intersection, which I improvised and used to my advantage. My mind was now telling me, "Maria, today might just not be your day". But before I could even finish the sentence in my head, the iron angel on my shoulder said, "You know what? Today is going to be a long day. Anything can happen, and you just need to put everything that's happened behind you. Just put it behind you and keep moving forward."

Eventually, my solo stint took me to the very first water stop -- at Shannon Park in Dublin, which is a very familiar location to me. I had assumed I'd be the only one straggling in and wasn't even sure if I wanted to stop because I felt I was losing time between feeling tired, moving more slowly and having to deal with the pedal-lock situation. Before I made the turn, good ol' Chris caught up to me. The same teammate who saw me conquer the Junction days before, came up out of nowhere and asked me how I was doing. "Tired," I told him. "And it's not like me to be this tired so early." "Well you look great and you're breathing fine," he said nonchalantly. He said it in a tone that was so no-big-deal and not nearly as HUGE as it was inside my own head. His cool attitude was refreshing, and I was baffled as to how differently he could see my ride than how I saw it. That I was actually doing just fine.

We pulled up at the water stop together and to my surprise, I saw a slew of my teammates there. BK, Rocky, Jim, Carol, Janice, Marina, Melissa, Coach Mike, Coach Simon, Mentor Michelle, and even Cori (who, although injured, was there to support and be in our roving SAG). I was elated! It was then that most of my worrisome feelings from the two hours prior slowly started to melt away, because after seeing my teammates and joining them back on the road (even if I'd lose some along the way), I felt ready to get back out there.



After topping off my aero bottle with water and popping a salt tab, I followed Carol, Janice, Marina, Melissa and Tiffany out to Castro Valley. And of course, we were greeted with our next set of climbs. Marina kept a great cadence climbing up the hill, so I took the opportunity to follow her and try to match her rhythm. I moved faster up that hill by following her and surprised myself. Janice, Tiffany and Carol hung back a bit and soon, it was Marina, Melissa and I for the better part of Schaefer Ranch Road. After a mild descent, we came up on a stretch of road that was pancake-flat. As a tail-wind hit, I was thankful for my own second wind. From there to the next water stop, I gunned it for about 5 miles. I got into the aero position and felt like I was flying. I had now been fully warmed up. My warm-up took 3 hours :) But MAN was it worth it! As the girls and I caught up to the water stop by the tennis courts, it was just in time to re-fill my 4-hour bottle with a new batch of electrolyte replacement fluid. This was my first time to carry ziplock bags of fuel (mixed Carbo-Pro and Gatorade powder) with me in my jersey, so I split them up into 2-hour bags (to avoid unnecessary bunching up and lopsidedness). I also carried all my Endurolyte salt tabs (about 30 of them); two packs of Shot Bloks and some spare GUs.



Another potty break (which kept me confident about my hydration) and we were off to hit Redwood Road. Coach Mike joined us and swept the course, riding along with Carol, Tiffany and Janice. I tried my best to hang and stay with Marina and Melissa, as Captain Nick sped off into the distance.

Our East Bay course later took us into the hidden nooks of Oakland and Berkeley, including THE most scenic views of the San Francisco Bay you will ever see, along the appropriately-named Skyline Blvd.



I couldn't soak in the view for too long as we had business to do on the hills. But I pumped my way through, leapfrogging with Marina and Mel. I climbed Grizzly Peak, thinking it was one of the "3 Bears" (misleading) and pulled over for another rest stop tucked away in one of the Oakland Parks. We were now about 6 hours into the ride and Melissa, Marina and I were in awe of how long we had already been out on the road and how much we had climbed. I asked which of the Bears was up next and Melissa politely responded, "Oh we haven't even reached 3 Bears yet! That was GRIZZLY".

A few descents and sharp turns got me to practice more countersteering (by now I was questioning if my brakes were still good). And up a few more pitchy climbs got me working hard and my mind slipping in and out of delirium. It got to the point where I would be wearing thin on the mental front. After I'd approach the top of a hill, I craved to just pull over and take a break. But sure enough, as I'd start to feel that weariness, a water stop would be parked along the side of the road, propelling me to go further and hold off on a solo stop just so I could make it to our volunteers who were waiting for me with open arms and comforting words. One key water stop was where Honoree Laura Warren was posted. Her presence is always so special at our workouts. Not only because she's such a prominent reminder of our Cause and why it's important to keep going even in the tough moments, but because she has one of the kindest and sweetest dispositions I've ever encountered from a water stop "volunteer"! My mind has been a blur on many occasions, arriving at Laura's water stops in the past. And without fail, the woman always makes it a point to fill up my water bottle(s), relieve me of any trash or empty wrappers, and give me the look of "thank you for doing this" that all my negative (or in Saturday's case potentially negative) thoughts just dissipate. I am able to go on. And that was one of the BEST things about this ride in particular. Everytime I felt the onset of anxiety, doubt, fear, worry or exhaustion, I came upon a water stop or a teammate or reminder that helped to break up the ride so that I could carry on and not hit that wall or point of no return that I'd experienced in the past (during rides like Clearlake and the first Tour of the East Bay Alps last month). I saw some real mental growth and progress, in addition to the physical. And it was astounding.



After departing Laura's water stop (and being given a 2x caffeine tangerine PowerBar gel from Coach Dave - which instantly took me out of my 'sleepy state'), Melissa; Marina, Susie and I set sail for Tilden Park, Wildcat Canyon and Inspiration Point. It's remarkable ~ because I've seen many of these places before but not from a cyclist's point of view. I have such an appreciation now for terrain, road conditions, traffic laws :) and the views that give you little peeks and glimpses of the breathtaking scenery and homes tucked away in the hills.

A long and speedy descent down the Canyon came to a halt at Bear Creek Road, in the town of Orinda. I recognized this area all too well: It was home to 5-6 days of crew practice back at Saint Mary's during my undergrad. I rode by Briones Reservoir but back in 2002 neglected to realize THIS was where the 3 Bears were hiding.

Susie had trailed off and decided to turn back early. Marina had been a few miles up ahead of me; and Melissa and I parted ways back at Tilden so she was behind me by a few miles and it would be the last time I'd have company along for the ride. I was on my own again, and ready to brave the bears. Just in time for the sun to really come out at full force.

I was diligent about my 200-calorie intake per hour, and took in about 3 Endurolytes an hour. When I was sick of the liquid, I moved on to Shot Bloks (and relied on the little boosts of caffeine they gave me). Despite the heat really starting to show itself, I trudged on, confident that my fuel, salt and water would take me as far as I needed and wanted to go.

Coach Dave breezed by in his car screaming, "Kick Papa Bear's ass!" I smiled and it made me happy to know I still HAD the capacity to smile that big and genuine at 7 hours into the ride. Truth be told, I thought I counted 4 bears instead of 3 (as I regaled this story to my brother, he told me that must have been Goldilocks). A little tired and warm, I recovered just fine on the final downhill -- just in time for ANOTHER wonderful water stop that almost seemed like a mirage that magically appeared. And it was my two favorite Ironwifeys: Claudia (Rocky's wife) and Meenu (Chris' wife). They've always got the biggest smiles on their faces and the most encouraging words to say, especially since they too are TNT Alums. I didn't need much from their stop (which was complete with salty ruffled chips, cookies, "Meenu Bars" which are a delicacy on our Team, M&Ms, and much more). I just wanted to pull over, thank them for being there, and top off the ol' aero bottle again. I couldn't resist taking one of the frosted little animal circus cookies (ohhh they are so good!), before wiping the little sweat from my brow and getting ready for the next big climb. Coach Dave was posted up at this stop too and said to get going - to which my response was Alright, bring it! I really felt unstoppable. Naturally, a little tired from the long day of being out under the sun and working away ~ but it was like everything had been aligned again. My nutrition, my physical preparedness to take on the hills, and my mental state were all where they needed to be. It felt like a significantly different ride from 6:30 this morning. If you had told me while I was climbing Diablo that my ride would have taken me here (in all respects of the phrase) and that I was actually PUMPED to climb Pig Farm after Grizzly Peak, Wildcat Canyon and the 3 Bears, I'd have laughed in your face. And now I'm eating my own words, and couldn't be happier.

A little background on Pig Farm: Our team had two rides up this hill this season. And I wouldn't even call it a hill. It's more like a wall of concrete (and I have definitely seen a few of those in my day), with a dip in the middle and then it shoots straight up. I'd heard stories of teammates traumatized by this hill. Some had to physically get off their bikes and walk it. Others found themselves burnt out from trying to take it on. And what's my story, you ask? I've never done it. Circumstantial, I suppose. The first time IronTeam faced it in January, I was still learning how to ride my bike. The second time was part of the Louie Bonpua Tri, where I had a defective shifter and could only ride in my small ring on the bike. I had actually ridden the hill from the other direction (or the 'front side' on the way out to Martinez, and descended the backside, which left ME traumatized by the descent and happy to have made it down in one piece). That should give you a picture of how steep this thing is.



I looked ahead and tried to anticipate when I'd approach the infamous Pig Farm hill. Just as I started inspecting my Garmin data and determining when to take my next salt tablet, I started to feel a little ascend and my legs started to work. "Hm, a 'surprise' hill possibly, before the BIG one?" It was a steep little bugger and my heart rate spiked up to a 168, but I just thought to myself to keep pushing up that hill. No matter what. A little reprieve and another big push (which was reminiscent of basically the whole ride; I'd climb and enjoy the little flattER sections and let-ups where I could, then brace myself for the next one). I could then see the hill leveled out and my heart rate slowly came down again. Phew! I thought. That was a bit of a toughie, but if I can do that, I can certainly do Pig Farm. Now where is it? Just as I had collected my bearings atop that hill, I saw a farm to the right side of the road. "PIGS FOR SALE", it read. Oh. My. Gosh. I just climbed up Pig Farm and didn't even realize it. There was a car coming up behind me with some loud, upbeat music playing. I smiled and thought it was a SAG car and whoever was in it was celebrating with me. Turns out, it wasn't anyone I knew ~ but the timing worked out perfectly because from where I stood, there was certainly reason to celebrate.

Down the roads I went, speeding up and hangin' in the big ring all the way through to some residential roads tucked away in Pleasant Hill. A long stretch of the road was very familiar to me as I rode it during the Louie Tri and I even recalled the parts of the road and little sidestreets I'd have to stop at to fuel, since back then I couldn't eat and drink on the bike.

Little did I know, I was headed for a place called "Reliez Valley Road". To add insult to injury, it was actually harder than Pig Farm. And I have a feeling, the majority of the Team didn't really see it coming either. I huffed and puffed and spiked to 164 bpm again climbing the hill. And when I got a chance to normalize my breathing again, it was just enough to let out a laugh. What else you got for us, Coaches??, I smiled to myself. This was just about the toughest, hilliest course -- nevermind the fact that it was 100 miles long. And we were just greeted with hill after hill after hill. After hill. Again, the fact that I could still smile and my humor was very much intact was a GOOD sign.

Headed to Olympic Blvd in Walnut Creek (more familiar territory) I was in the mindset I was now home-free. My Garmin read over 9 hours and 30 minutes of elapsed time out on the road and the rest would be all gravy. I was ready to make the turn from Pleasant Hill Road to Olympic when I saw another water stop peeking out from the right side of the road. It was IronTeam alums Mike T and Tami (both of which have finished Ironman Louisville). Hi! I said. I'm just a few turns away, right? Yep, said Mike D. You've got a small handful of turns, another hill and then it'll take you back to Heather Farms. I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that. Another hill? Mike reassured me that it was nothing compared to everything I'd already climbed. But the mere mention of the word almost set me off my rocker. Tami also chimed in, saying all the hill training we're lucky to have in the Bay Area is going to come in really handy for the Louisville rollers. Once again, I found myself teetering awfully close to the point of Tourette's, but rather than let myself go there (and thanks to these specially strategically-placed water stops), I had ZERO encounters with my dark place. Woohoo!!

Bound for Tice Valley Rd, i.e. the last of the 'climbs', I was soon back on Ygnacio Valley Rd and oh-so close to the park I had seen over 10 hours ago. I could taste it, I was so close. Onto the Canal Trail I went ~ again, the site of my Brenda Donato 5K PR! I hauled ass like there was no tomorrow. According to my Garmin, that last section had me going at a speed of 17-19 mph on the final stretch. Again, I was a woman determined.

Before I knew it, I was back at the parking lot, pulling in quietly and before anyone could really notice. It was then that I recalled the words of that cyclist about ninety miles ago. He said I had stronger legs than him. Now, whether or not that's a factual statement I'm not so sure. But to go from where I had started to how far I had reached and how much I had accomplished in over 9 hours on the bike and over 10 hours out on the bike course in total ~ I was without doubt or even a question in my mind that my legs, as well as my body, mind and will were much stronger and powerful after all.

***
Week #35 Workout Summary:

Swim: 0 hours and 0 minutes
Bike: 12 hours and 0 minutes
Run: 1 hours and 30 minutes
Core/Strength: 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total Workout: 14 hours and 0 minutes

R, R & R: Riding, Running & Rest

The past week was devoted to a few priorities I had put aside for the majority of the training season: Career Goals; Family; & Rest.

Last Tuesday, I set aside my usual Mount Diablo North Side Hill Climb ~ to attend an info meeting at my alma mater, Saint Mary's College, to further research whether a Master's degree is in my future. It's still an ongoing discussion (with myself, and a few mentors), but I can definitely say it was like a breath of fresh air getting back on campus, reminiscing on some of the most memorable years of my life, and getting to speak with and learn from some such highly educated, motivating, encouraging individuals. I enjoyed the opportunity of meeting and discussing some new potential career and educational goals in addition to the athletic pursuits I've had my eye on over the last eight months (and a year before that!).



Wednesday, I co-spearheaded a bike ride with Honoree Captain Liz and Carol to venture over to the South Side of Mount Diablo for the first time. Liz was so kind to guide us over from her neck of the woods to the South Gate. We rode along Blackhawk Road, up to the Athenian School (reminiscent of our Tour of the East Bay Alps ride). From there, we rode through some pitted and potholed areas of the road to reach the entrance to the park. Avoiding the cyclists flying down the left side of the hill, we climbed. Although it was the same mountain Carol and I are normally used to, we had to wonder what would be in store for us on the south side. It's sure got its charm! We noticed there were steeper pitches throughout the climb; however, more areas that flattened out in between the climbs. I felt really good going in -- even the ride leading up to the gate had a number of mini-peaks and valleys, but I felt strong. The early evening had its windy moments, but getting our heart rates up kept us balanced and warm. I went Garmin-less this time as well, solely going off the feel, or my rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to get me through. It was just great being able to enjoy the ride for the mere sake of enjoying it -- not strapped to any numbers or data.

Liz showed Carol and I some good tips on pedaling through the downhills in preparation for the next roller. I normally pedal on descents, but this time, Liz shared her secret of really powering through and pedaling as hard as you can (even adding a gear if need be), in order for it to take you up (almost even halfway up) the next hill. Something I'll definitely practice some more for the Louisville bike course.

As the sun started to set, we continued to climb. At the turnaround (per Liz's call, at about 40 mins into the ride), I still felt strong ~ which was a great sign, because I know I had been working hard that whole ride. The descent had its fun moments, as well as its scary ones (tight corners, massive potholes at the bottom, high speeds, and close calls with cars). And then there were a few small climbs still on the way back. But it was smooth sailing, and a few rollers, back to Blackhawk. I left Danville feeling proud, accomplished and strong. Liz and Carol kept me great company and I am so thankful to them!

Thursday, I was on a plane, headed south for the weekend. I was really looking forward to a little getaway ~ to see my parents and brother in San Diego for the 4th of July. I'll say... I got more rest and sleep than I knew I even needed during my extended holiday weekend. I just found myself taking deep power naps throughout the day, and felt a little groggy overall. My dad reminded me that it's probably been months since I've just sat and not done anything -- since I'm always on the run or out the door to and from training. The need for real rest caught up to me and I was so grateful to have the downtime I got. My parents' new condo in downtown San Diego was a real haven for this tired body.



Bright 'n early (7 a.m.) on Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Marina for a run along the harbor. We coordinated schedules since we both planned to be in SD for the weekend; so we took advantage of the IronTeam contingent of 2 and headed out to complete... wait for it... our 16-mile run! I can say without a single doubt, that there is no way I would have had the motivation to complete even half of this by myself that early on a Saturday morning during a holiday weekend. So thank you, Marina!

We started out at the USS Midway and made our way over to Seaport Village. From there, we went on past the Convention Center, the Hyatt, Hilton and PETCO Park. Upon reaching Pacific Highway again, we headed out for a long stretch along the water, which was gorgeous! A little overcast, but just the right temparature for our long run. We did a nice run/walk of 4:1 and enjoyed the sights while keeping each other's pace in check.

The funny thing about our self-mapped "run course" was that we'd hit a number of dead-ends. I told Marina I felt like Forrest Gump, reaching the pier and saying, "Well, I think I'll just turn around and go home now." But we'd find another way to get back to our run along the water -- which took us all the way out past the San Diego Airport, through Point Loma and over to Shelter Island. We saw some fun resorts, beautiful artwork and fountains among the parks and really enjoyed our time outside. It was great to have each other as company along the way, and even reviewed our race and nutrition plans (Marina's race is in about four weeks!). We felt strong afterwards and neither of us remotely had the look of 'worn-out' or exhausted after 3 hours of running. Thank you, run/walk!

We improvised post-run and hit the local 7-11 for chocolate milk/protein recovery drinks. We felt proud and super accomplished by morning's end, and wished each other well before returning to our Independence Day Weekend plans.





The remainder of my stint down in SD was filled with lots of quality time with my family. I put away the phone, turned off the internet (Facebook and e-mail) and soaked up as much of my vacation as I could. I also went to support a loved one during her second to last radiation therapy treatment to fight off her remaining cancer cells. It truly drove home the reminder and importance of what it is we're doing with Team in Training. Which brings me to...

CONNECTING WITH THE CAUSE

Last week, our Team Manager, Merla, wrote us the following story from one of IronTeam 2011's newest registrants:

My family (mom, dad and I) were and always will be so eternally grateful to LLS and TNT. When my dad was approved for the transplant we needed to fund the donor search ourselves. It cost close to $37K. We were short about $3700. The donor co-coordinator for the Seattle Cancer Center with the Hutchinson Center appealed to LLS for the remaining funds. LLS sent a check to cover the balance for the search. My dad's donor was found in Western Europe and he was transplanted the night of Dec 9th, 2009.

I read this brief story and in the back of my mind, I knew who this person was. The details of her story just sounded too familiar to forget. To protect her anonymity, I'll just say she was someone I had the privilege of training with and running my first marathon with back in March 2009 (so, we were in Rome together!). She has been and continues to be exceptionally dedicated to the Cause and her training, and I am so glad she decided to get on board with IronTeam next season.

Tragically, her father lost his battle with blood cancer on May 21st this year - which touches me deeply. However, because of the dollars we have raised together, he was able to spend 5 more months with his family. Time is something that we can never get back. It truly is so precious and limited. And that is something you and your generous hearts have given this family. So on behalf of Team in Training, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and all others training for their endurance races and continuing to raise funds and awareness for the Cause -- I thank you.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend with those near and dear to you. It's funny how family members, friends, and loved ones (quirks 'n all) can sometimes get on our nerves, push our buttons and sometimes annoy us to no end! But it's in these moments that we're together that we should cherish the time we have. Support one another in our endeavors to become better people and help others. And most of all, appreciate one another for the unique gifts and talents we each have to offer throughout our lifetime.

On to Power Week! Stay tuned for the details (including my second Century Ride, coming up this Saturday)!

***
Week #34 Workout Summary:

Swim: 0 hours and 0 minutes
Bike: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Run: 3 hours and 0 minutes
Core/Strength: 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total Workout: 5 hours and 0 minutes

My Fundraising Progress to Date: $9,191