Countdown to Kona (not for me, but for everyone else!)

It's hard to believe the Ironman World Championships are tomorrow.  At times it feels like this year  has been flying by, and other times it's gone slowly  (like during my threshold power testing etc.).  Many of my good friends are getting ready to line up on Dig Me beach to complete a grueling test of endurance.  Tested, they will be throughout the day, over and over again (best of luck to Jocelyn, Jeremy, Joe and Chad my Ballou Skies teammates as they complete their journey tomorrow!).  It's a bit surreal not being there, but just like I had a dream back in 2005 when I told my husband I would stand on that beach and compete in the World Champs before, once again I have begun thinking about my possible return some day.

Some things have changed, my experience level, my training, my career path, but many things have not like my heart, my love for this sport and my belief that the best is yet to come.

In the mean time I refuse to be defined by, or deterred by my results.. In fact, I feel pretty good about where I am at this very moment.  One evening last week I went for a run in one of my favorite places, North Park.  I had a friend along who was willing to hit the trails with me and even though sometimes that's not the best for steady heart rate training or race specificity, I just needed a break for my brain from the day in day out grind.  I needed to see the leaves falling in all their color from the trees and feel nature all around me.  It was a perfect fall evening - 68 degrees, sunny and bright.  While we climbed hills and watched our footing on narrow trails, I couldn't help but smile like a goofy kid.  It was like play time and here I was chatting with my friend, seeing these amazing sights and dreaming about the future.

 We even took a second to take a few pictures that don't even do this place justice!  The picture above was a huge cliff behind me so once I lost my footing a bit and we both almost had a small heart attack!

 Sometimes we lose sight of what we're doing or why we're doing it this time of year.  It's tough because we know colder weather is just on the other side and some people's seasons have wrapped up already.  Maybe we didn't have that end of season race that we wanted or maybe the year ended with injury or other things that we just never saw coming.  Maybe you're like me and still chugging away hoping to squeeze out just one or more two performances that show your potential. No matter where you are this time of year can be tough.  I like to look at it as enjoying the good parts looking back and having a healthy perspective looking forward.  It's important to take stock of the good things that have come from this season so far and for the things we've learned that sometimes, without the hardships, we could not have learned any other way.

I like to look around and soak it all up, where I've been, and the fact that I may not ever be at this particular moment or juncture ever again.  Thankfulness abounds for the gifts I've been given and I try to take time to enjoy the small things like this run last week that might not have had perfect heart rates, but sure had so many other perfect parts!!

In other news I've finally purchased my first set of my OWN wheels (since getting a bike with 700c wheels vs. 650's).  I've been renting, borrowing and every other thing and that whole situation just makes me nervous.  It would be terrible if something happened and I ruined someones really expensive wheels.  We just couldn't justify getting them with me making less this year etc. for the first half but finally with a paycheck comes the ability to get some new things that will help in the future - two Firecrest Zipp 808's!  I'm super excited about them and I can't wait to try them out at Rev 3 Flordia in two weeks and then Ironman Arizona on November 18th!

The next two weeks bring on my biggest training of the whole year with close to 27 hours that second week.  I'm scared, but I'm sure there is nothing that I can't handle (and at the end, I'll do a half ironman).  Sometimes I wish all I had on the schedule was training, but I think I would be bored with that too so I'm glad the Fuel Your Passion Coaching and Sports Nutrition Counseling is in full swing.

Look forward to a lot of bitching and complaining about being tired to come!  As they said last year for our Ironman Kona theme:

KO ALOHA LA EA

Keep Your Love.. 

Yes, I think I'll do just that :)