31 days and counting . . .

31 days left until IM LOUISVILLE. I'm excited, nervous, terrified . . . .etc. Mostly I am ready for the race. Maybe not training-wise, but I am ready to have the time / energy to clean the house again. I am ready to sleep in on a Sat. morning. I am ready to do more yoga and less gotta get it done training. I'm ready to be an Ironman, again!

This is not helping . . .

Last night I was watching 20/20 or whatever news show that was on ABC w/ Diane Sawyer. The program was a tribute to Randy Pausch, the author and Carnegie Melon professor. He recently passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer. It was a very touching show, I had to turn it off before it stared talking about his kids.
His wife was being interviewed before his death and one thing really stuck out in my head. She said that a therapist taught her to stop and tell herself, "This is not helping." when she started to go to the really dark place. Now loosing your husband to cancer is a whole different ballpark than an ironman but I think I will use her thoughts (and think about her strength) with my training.
It's easy w/ training to go to the dark place. I think I often go to that place when I am not performing as well as I expect of myself. I start to beat myself up and do that horrible negative self talk. This morning when I was getting dropped on the group run I tried it. I asked myself, Is this helping? The answer was no. So I let go and just ran.
So, in your training and in your life when it gets negative or low stop and ask: Is this helping? If not you need to make a change.

RE-Evaluating Goals

So I looked back on goals that I set for myself before mono:
Goals
I have to say, they haven't changed that much.
-I think I have had more balance this year than last between home life & training. There is still work to be done, but I am a work in progress so I'll take progress.
-I have done better on the bike & had many more miles in training than last year. An hour off of last year's time might be a tad ambitious, but I am an ambitious gal.
-Hmmm, 30 - 45 min. off the marathon time might not happen, my running has been the most affected by the mono but again, shoot for the moon, right?
-I placed 2nd at Smith Mountain Lake this year. That was my first time placing at this event so I felt great about that trophy!
-Anna did her kids' tri 2 weeks ago and had a blast. It was a very positive experience. Training for the bigger race (Rambl'n Rose) is coming slow, but it's coming.
-As for the long term goal, I'm going to focus on this year and just let the future be in the future.

I found my 'intention' that a training client wrote me for last year's race. It was:

I see myself & Paul easily & effortlessly completing the Ironman in our perfect time. I see us relaxed, having fun & remembering every second of the experience. This or something better now manifest in our life & so it is!!
I think this year's intention is:
I see myself completing the Ironman in MY perfect time. I will dedicate my day to Garrett, give this race my all and that will be enough. This or something better now manifest in my life & so it is!

Saturday Mornings

This week I got my long ride in on Friday while the kids were with my sister in law. We did a crazy all over town 70 mile ride followed by a 6 mile run. It was a lot of fun but some of that might have been delerium setting in around mile 50 of the bike.

Because of the long workout Friday I got to sleep in today (sleep in on a Sat.?! It's almost unheard of) & have breakfast w/ the kids (grits for me, whole grain Pop-tarts for them - yeah, I know, it's still bad for them but a little bad is o-k with me) then cake baking w/ my son. We are trying out a new Gluten Free cake mix in preperation for his 6th birthday on Tues. If I find a gluten free mix that is yummy I can start sharing in the birthday cake at family celebrations!!

Freak'n Out

When my husband asks me why the heck I keep a blog - now I can answer! For moments like this. I am TOTALLY freaking out. The Ironman Athlete Guide was put online today. That is the 'race bible' for the race - all the details etc. All of a sudden I am mid-panic attack, I haven't biked enough, I missed a long run, I am fuzzy about my nutrition. I am not ready!!!

Now I can go back in my blog to the happy, warm, fuzzy confident times and remind myself (much my my husband just did when I called him in tears a comple basket case about the race) that I am more prepared than last year, I can do this. I have the best reason in the world to keep going when the going gets tough out there - for Garrett, Renee, Hailee, Scott and all the other thousands of families out there that have dealt with or are dealing with loosing a child. I can do this.

Aaaaaah!

Like the one word titles? I gave myself an attitude adjustment with a nice hour and a half of yoga. I think over the next 6 weeks yoga will be my treat that I give myself. It makes me feel strong, focused and peaceful. I have even remained zen with 4 kids (my 2 & my 2 nephews) for the day - including a trip to the dentist w/ them & a visit to McDonalds playplace for lunch. Man, this is better than any drug!

Ug!

You know when you are trying to do too much so none of it really gets done well . . . Currently camped out there. I need to pack up and get organzied and move on! 6 weeks from now I will be a 2x Ironman!

Next in Line . . .

Thanks to all that sent me emails about doing the 3 mile challenge! I would love to hear more - if you did the challenge email me w/ the link in the previous post.
Watching the online streaming video for the Lake Placid Ironman it started to sink in that we are next. So far there has always been atleast one other IM to go before ours so it wasn't that real. Lake Placid was the last one. Now we are next. It feels kind of like when you go on that really big roller coaster that you are petrified of. Waiting in line you are fine b/c there is a huge line of folks in front of you, it's when the last car before you pulls out and you are waiting at that gate that it sinks in, holy crap - I'm next.

Today I have a challenge for everyone. Saturday will be Garrett's third birthday. This will mark the first birthday that Renee, Scott & Hailee will have to go through since he passed away. It will be and has been a very hard time. I can't begin to understand or expain why this happened, or try to make them feel better. I have come to understand that all I can offer is love and support.

SO, this weekend I ask that you all offer support and kind thoughts and words for Renee, Scott, Hailee & especially Garrett. It's o-k if you don't know them, that's what we call the kindness of strangers. This weekend I ask that you all do a 3 mile run, bike, walk, swim - anything - in honor of Garrett. Even if you have to spit it up into more than one session, just do the miles in honor of Garrett's thrird birthday. After you finish, send me a note at my yahoo email address: kati2kids@yahoo.com just letting me know you did the 3 miles. I will forward all of them to Renee & Scott.

I also ask that you consider participating in the Take Flight Tri that benefits Garrett's Wings on Oct. 18th in Charlotte, NC. You can do it as a relay if you don't feel that you can complete all three events.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't once again say THANK YOU to all those that have supported my Janus Charity Challenge. It is your support, kind words and generosity that help me through those long hard runs, bikes and swims!!!!

Fun Running

For all those that I coached this morning - stop reading now!!! I am about to take sadistic pleasure in your pain!!!
Had two run training sessions this morning. All that riding yesterday has left me with a really sore hip so I wasn't able to do any speedwork today. Instead I made R. do sprints alone while I jogged along at my happy little pace!
Then I met my group of ladies that are training together and introduced them for the first time to speedwork Kati style. Again, I didn't exactly do any speedwork myself (thus the 9 m.m. avg. for the race at Montclair) but instead took great pleasure in inflicting pain, oops I mean improving their running!
While at the pool last night doing a training session I ran into someone from my mother daughter training group doing her workouts (WTG!!). Got me to thinking, at any given time there are people all over town cussing my name (in a loving way I am sure) for the hideous but self-improving things I force them to do.

Training Week

Well, the kids are off at summer camp & it's my chance to train myself all week! Did a 67 mile bike followed by a 6.4 mile run today. Might squeeze in a short swim if time permits. I am also doing a lot of coaching / training other people this week so I have to make sure I get my naps in!!!!

Montclair Triathlon

Well, we went up to Montclair to do the sprint / olympic distance tri there this weekend (it is a funny distance, 1k swim, 18 mi. bike, 8k run) Not the best race results as a result of camping along side a very drunk & very rude group at the Prince William Forest Park campground. It was very, very nice to get away with P. & we had a lovely time biking on Sat. afternoon.
I did enjoy the race & it was very well run - we would do this one again. (minus the rude campers!)

Tired Body!

Man, my body is tired! I am having trouble finding the energy to fold the 6 loads of laundry that are waiting to be folded & put away before another 6 loads of dirty accumulate!!
Run this morning felt SLOW & sluggish! We head up to Montclair this weekend for the Montclair Sprint triathlon, just a 'C' race for us to get away for and have some fun! We will be camping the night before the race, that will be a first.
Hopefully the tired & exausted will be done by then!!

Sunday 7/6

Ran: 15.5 miles -ouch
Swam about 2000 yards -ahhhh!
Drank: 2 quarts of grape sugar-free kool-aid - mmmmm!
Ate: 4 servings (yes, 4 straight from the container) of Bryers Snickers Swirl Ice Cream - MMMMM!

Happy 4th of July!

Hard to believe it's July already! Looking back at last year's training logs:
June 2007:
Biked 250 miles
Ran 91 miles
Swam 26,000 yards

June 2008:
Biked 475 miles
Ran 96 miles
Swam 19,500 yards

Looking at June & July 2007 I have no idea how I finished the IM! I was hardly on my bike. I am really, really hoping that all this cycling will pay off for the race this year. I'm not any faster than I was last year but I am stronger if that makes sense. I guess we'll find out Aug. 31st!

Great training day!

Yesterday was just a fabulous training day! I needed that after the total bonk on Sat. and my run cut short by thunderstorms on Sunday. Kids were w/ my sister in law so I got in 32 miles on the bike, just under 9 miles run & 2100 yards swam. Woohoo for Tuesdays over the summer!
PLUS part of that 32 miles ridden was taking Nina on her FIRST ride up Mill Mountain. She has avoided it for as long as I have been training her but yesterday was the day! She did fabulous and didn't think it was all that bad after the other torture I've put her through! :)