Here is today's workout!
300 warm-up
4x50 drills
8 x 100 @ 1:45
4 x 200 @ 3:30
2 x 400 @ 7:00
50ez
4 x 50 kick
50 ez
3200 yds
Thanks Jason!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Who is Julie Moss?
Take a look at these!
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=5NzMTLMJwao&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRB1p89k7_I
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=5NzMTLMJwao&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRB1p89k7_I
The Reason I wanted to start an Ironman
I remember after watching this, http://www.google.com/search?q=1997+ironman+wendy+&btnG=Search&hl=en&rls=GWYA%2CGWYA%3A2005-08%2CGWYA%3Aen
I wanted to do an Ironman; it looked so hard and they put so much into this! "I have to try this" I remember telling myself. That was the start of my Ironman journey!!
However over coming Cancer 2 times and being a single parent I/you can achieve anything! You just need to stay positive and never ever give up! "Man oh man -I love my boys"!!!
I wanted to do an Ironman; it looked so hard and they put so much into this! "I have to try this" I remember telling myself. That was the start of my Ironman journey!!
However over coming Cancer 2 times and being a single parent I/you can achieve anything! You just need to stay positive and never ever give up! "Man oh man -I love my boys"!!!
How to do flip turns
1. Approach the wall of the pool swimming freestyle. Begin your turn just short of a body length away from the wall.
2. Tuck your chin to your chest and roll your body into a ball, so that you start to do a forward flip in the water.Tips: Blow air out of your nose to avoid inhaling water. The tighter the tuck, the better the roll. Do only a half somersault.
3. Open your body halfway through your flip and extend your legs to push off against the wall.Tips: Don't open too soon or you'll end up going to the bottom of the pool. Wait until you are facing the wall.
4. Push off the wall, and you will be propelled in the opposite direction from the one in which you were swimming.Tips: You should still be on your back at this point. Feet land on the wall, toes pointing up, your back towards the bottom of the pool, your belly towards the ceiling/sky. Push off the wall, still "back towards the bottom" of the pool, belly towards the sky.
5. Rotate (the part I was having a hard time with):As you leave the wall (remember, your hands are together, extended over your head) begin to rotate from belly up to belly down by twisting your hands slightly and by looking in the direction you want to rotate (don't twist your head - just move your eyes).
6. Streamline your entire body and roll back over onto your belly as you glide. Your shoulders should be up against your ears and your fingers should be pointed. Begin kicking immediately.6. Begin stroking with your arms as soon as your body breaks the surface of the water.
Tips:
Practice somersaults away from the wall first. Exhale through your nose forcefully as you rotate.
Don't slow down before you flip. Your momentum will make the turn easier.
Don't flail your arms everywhere after you're over. This is a major problem for almost all new flippers because the correct arm position is counter-intuitive. When both your arms are at your side and you have not yet swung your legs over, your arms are already in their correct position facing the direction you want to go. You need only turn your hands from palms facing up to palms facing the bottom of the pool.
Tips:
Practice somersaults away from the wall first. Exhale through your nose forcefully as you rotate.
Don't slow down before you flip. Your momentum will make the turn easier.
Don't flail your arms everywhere after you're over. This is a major problem for almost all new flippers because the correct arm position is counter-intuitive. When both your arms are at your side and you have not yet swung your legs over, your arms are already in their correct position facing the direction you want to go. You need only turn your hands from palms facing up to palms facing the bottom of the pool.
Have fun!
My swim workout today!
Warm Up:300 -1x150 (50 breast, 50 free, 50 breast)--1x150 (50 kick, 100 pull)
Main Set:1x400 steady effort (:30 rest)
3x200 descending (:30 rest)
4x100 descending (:20 rest)
6x50 descending (:20 rest)
Cool Down: 300 (easy)--1x150 (50 breast, 50 free, 50 back easy)--1x150 (100 pull, 50 free)Total Distance: 2300m
Main Set:1x400 steady effort (:30 rest)
3x200 descending (:30 rest)
4x100 descending (:20 rest)
6x50 descending (:20 rest)
Cool Down: 300 (easy)--1x150 (50 breast, 50 free, 50 back easy)--1x150 (100 pull, 50 free)Total Distance: 2300m
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
We were at my dad's house for our annual Christmas Party we had over 34 people there however, we were able to take a photo with just us kids and our dad.
At the top left- Sister Tammy, Brother Ray, at the bottom starting with Me, My Dad Ray, Sister Mariea and my Sister Bethanne. It's just amazing how time just goes by so fast!
What Athletes should be eating
Brian Mackenzie explains how to determine your daily nutritional requirements.
For every physical activity the body requires energy and the amount depends on the duration and type of activity. Energy is obtained from the body stores or the food we eat. Glycogen is the main source of fuel used by the muscles to enable you to undertake both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. If you train with low glycogen stores you will feel constantly tired, training performance will be lower and you will be more prone to injury and illness.
Nutrient Balance
Carefully planned nutrition must provide an energy and nutrient balance. The nutrients are:
Proteins - essential to growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues
Fats - one source of energy and important in relation to fat soluble vitamins
Carbohydrates - our main source of energy
Minerals - those inorganic elements occurring in the body and which are critical to its normal functions
Vitamins - water and fat soluble vitamins play important roles in many chemical processes in the body
Water - essential to normal body function - as a vehicle for carrying other nutrients and because 60% of the human body is water
Roughage - the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet essential to health of the digestive system
Your daily energy requirements
Personal energy requirement = basic energy requirements + extra energy requirements Basic energy requirements For every Kg of body weight approximately 1.3 kcal is required every hour. (An athlete weighing 50Kg would require 1.3 x 24hrs x 50Kg=1560 kcal/day)
Extra energy requirements
For each hours training you require approximately 8.5 kcal for each Kg of body weight. (For a two hour training session our 50Kg athlete would require 8.5 x 2hrs x 50Kg=850 kcal)
An athlete weighing 50Kg, who trains for two hours, would require an intake of approximately 2410 kcal (1560 + 850)
Energy Fuel
Like fuel for a car the energy we need has to be blended. The blend that we require is approximately as follows:
57% Carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, bread, cakes)
30% Fats (dairy products, oil)
13% Protein (eggs, milk, meat, poultry, fish)
The energy yield per gram of carbohydrate, fat and protein is as follows:
Carbohydrate - 4 kcal
Fat - 9 kcal
Protein - 4 kcal.
So what does our 50-kg athlete require in terms of carbohydrates, fats and protein?
Carbohydrates - 57% of 2410=1374 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram=1374 / 4=343 grams
Fats - 30% of 2410=723 kcal - at 9 kcal per gram=723 / 9=80 grams
Protein - 13% of 2410=313 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram=313 / 4=78 grams
Our 50kg athlete requires: 343 grams of Carbohydrates, 80 grams of Fat and 78 grams of Protein
The types of fat
The nature of the fat depends on the type of fatty acids, which make up the triglycerides. All fats contain both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids but are usually described as 'saturated' or 'unsaturated' according to the proportion of fatty acids present. As a rough guide saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature and tend to be animal fats. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are usually vegetable fats - there are exceptions e.g. palm oil, a vegetable oil which contains a high percentage of saturated fatty acids.
Unsaturated - Sunflower oil, Olive Oil, Rice Oil, Nuts, Rapeseed Oil, Oily fish - Sardines
Saturated - Beef, Bacon, Cheese, Butter, Biscuits, Crisps
adsensem(1)
The types of carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates - starchy (complex) carbohydrates and simple sugars. The simple sugars are found in confectionery, muesli bars, cakes, biscuits, cereals, puddings, soft drinks and juices, jam and honey but remember these foodstuffs also contain fat. Starchy carbohydrates are found in potatoes, rice, bread, whole grain cereals, semi skimmed milk, yoghurt, fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses. Both types effectively replace muscle glycogen. The starchy carbohydrates are the ones that have all the vitamins and minerals in them as well as protein. They are also low in fat as long as you do not slap on loads of butter and fatty sauces. The starchy foods are much more bulky so there can be a problem in actually eating that amount of food so supplementing with simple sugar alternatives is necessary.
Your digestive system converts the carbohydrates in food into glucose, a form of sugar carried in the blood and transported to cells for energy. The glucose, in turn, is broken down into carbon dioxide and water. Any glucose not used by the cells is converted into glycogen - another form of carbohydrate that is stored in the muscles and liver. However, the body's glycogen capacity is limited to about 350 grams; once this maximum has been reached, any excess glucose is quickly converted into fat. Base your main meal with the bulk on the your plate filled with carbohydrates and small amounts of protein such as meat, poultry and fish.
Carbohydrates for Performance
Following training & competition an athlete's glycogen stores are depleted. In order to replenish them the athlete needs to consider the speed at which carbohydrate is converted into blood glucose and transported to the muscles. The rapid replenishment of glycogen stores is important for the track athlete who has a number of races in a meeting. The rise in blood glucose levels is indicated by a food's Glycaemic Index (GI) and the faster and higher the blood glucose rises the higher the GI. Studies have shown that consuming high GI carbohydrate (approximately 1grm per kg body) within 2 hours after exercise speeds up the replenishment of glycogen stores and therefore speeds up recovery time. There are times when it is beneficial to consume lower GI carbohydrates, which are absorbed slowly over a longer period of time (2-4 hours before exercise). Eating 5-6 meals or snacks a day will help maximise glycogen stores and energy levels, minimise fat storage and stabilise blood glucose and insulin levels.
Eating and Competition
What you eat on a day-to-day basis is extremely important for training. Your diet will affect how fast and how well you progress and how soon you reach competitive standard. Once you are ready to compete, you will have a new concern, your competition diet. Is it important? What should you eat before your competition? When is the best time to eat? How much should you eat? Should you be eating during the event? And what can you eat between heats or matches? A lot of research has been done in this area, and it is clear that certain dietary approaches can enhance competition performance. A future Successful Coaching Newsletter will address these issues.
The way forward
Calculate your daily basic and extra requirements, monitor your daily intake (especially your carbohydrates) and then adjust your diet to meet your daily requirements. A good balanced diet should provide you with the required nutrients but does needs to be monitored. The simplest way to monitor the 'energy balance' is to keep a regular check of your weight.
Food Composition Tables
Food composition tables are widely used to assess nutrient and energy intakes, and to plan meals. The composition of food can vary widely, depending, among other factors, on the variety of plant or animal, on growing and feeding conditions and, for some foods, on freshness. Tables are based on average values from a number of samples analysed in the laboratory and therefore only provide a rough guide.
For every physical activity the body requires energy and the amount depends on the duration and type of activity. Energy is obtained from the body stores or the food we eat. Glycogen is the main source of fuel used by the muscles to enable you to undertake both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. If you train with low glycogen stores you will feel constantly tired, training performance will be lower and you will be more prone to injury and illness.
Nutrient Balance
Carefully planned nutrition must provide an energy and nutrient balance. The nutrients are:
Proteins - essential to growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues
Fats - one source of energy and important in relation to fat soluble vitamins
Carbohydrates - our main source of energy
Minerals - those inorganic elements occurring in the body and which are critical to its normal functions
Vitamins - water and fat soluble vitamins play important roles in many chemical processes in the body
Water - essential to normal body function - as a vehicle for carrying other nutrients and because 60% of the human body is water
Roughage - the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet essential to health of the digestive system
Your daily energy requirements
Personal energy requirement = basic energy requirements + extra energy requirements Basic energy requirements For every Kg of body weight approximately 1.3 kcal is required every hour. (An athlete weighing 50Kg would require 1.3 x 24hrs x 50Kg=1560 kcal/day)
Extra energy requirements
For each hours training you require approximately 8.5 kcal for each Kg of body weight. (For a two hour training session our 50Kg athlete would require 8.5 x 2hrs x 50Kg=850 kcal)
An athlete weighing 50Kg, who trains for two hours, would require an intake of approximately 2410 kcal (1560 + 850)
Energy Fuel
Like fuel for a car the energy we need has to be blended. The blend that we require is approximately as follows:
57% Carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, bread, cakes)
30% Fats (dairy products, oil)
13% Protein (eggs, milk, meat, poultry, fish)
The energy yield per gram of carbohydrate, fat and protein is as follows:
Carbohydrate - 4 kcal
Fat - 9 kcal
Protein - 4 kcal.
So what does our 50-kg athlete require in terms of carbohydrates, fats and protein?
Carbohydrates - 57% of 2410=1374 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram=1374 / 4=343 grams
Fats - 30% of 2410=723 kcal - at 9 kcal per gram=723 / 9=80 grams
Protein - 13% of 2410=313 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram=313 / 4=78 grams
Our 50kg athlete requires: 343 grams of Carbohydrates, 80 grams of Fat and 78 grams of Protein
The types of fat
The nature of the fat depends on the type of fatty acids, which make up the triglycerides. All fats contain both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids but are usually described as 'saturated' or 'unsaturated' according to the proportion of fatty acids present. As a rough guide saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature and tend to be animal fats. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are usually vegetable fats - there are exceptions e.g. palm oil, a vegetable oil which contains a high percentage of saturated fatty acids.
Unsaturated - Sunflower oil, Olive Oil, Rice Oil, Nuts, Rapeseed Oil, Oily fish - Sardines
Saturated - Beef, Bacon, Cheese, Butter, Biscuits, Crisps
adsensem(1)
The types of carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates - starchy (complex) carbohydrates and simple sugars. The simple sugars are found in confectionery, muesli bars, cakes, biscuits, cereals, puddings, soft drinks and juices, jam and honey but remember these foodstuffs also contain fat. Starchy carbohydrates are found in potatoes, rice, bread, whole grain cereals, semi skimmed milk, yoghurt, fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses. Both types effectively replace muscle glycogen. The starchy carbohydrates are the ones that have all the vitamins and minerals in them as well as protein. They are also low in fat as long as you do not slap on loads of butter and fatty sauces. The starchy foods are much more bulky so there can be a problem in actually eating that amount of food so supplementing with simple sugar alternatives is necessary.
Your digestive system converts the carbohydrates in food into glucose, a form of sugar carried in the blood and transported to cells for energy. The glucose, in turn, is broken down into carbon dioxide and water. Any glucose not used by the cells is converted into glycogen - another form of carbohydrate that is stored in the muscles and liver. However, the body's glycogen capacity is limited to about 350 grams; once this maximum has been reached, any excess glucose is quickly converted into fat. Base your main meal with the bulk on the your plate filled with carbohydrates and small amounts of protein such as meat, poultry and fish.
Carbohydrates for Performance
Following training & competition an athlete's glycogen stores are depleted. In order to replenish them the athlete needs to consider the speed at which carbohydrate is converted into blood glucose and transported to the muscles. The rapid replenishment of glycogen stores is important for the track athlete who has a number of races in a meeting. The rise in blood glucose levels is indicated by a food's Glycaemic Index (GI) and the faster and higher the blood glucose rises the higher the GI. Studies have shown that consuming high GI carbohydrate (approximately 1grm per kg body) within 2 hours after exercise speeds up the replenishment of glycogen stores and therefore speeds up recovery time. There are times when it is beneficial to consume lower GI carbohydrates, which are absorbed slowly over a longer period of time (2-4 hours before exercise). Eating 5-6 meals or snacks a day will help maximise glycogen stores and energy levels, minimise fat storage and stabilise blood glucose and insulin levels.
Eating and Competition
What you eat on a day-to-day basis is extremely important for training. Your diet will affect how fast and how well you progress and how soon you reach competitive standard. Once you are ready to compete, you will have a new concern, your competition diet. Is it important? What should you eat before your competition? When is the best time to eat? How much should you eat? Should you be eating during the event? And what can you eat between heats or matches? A lot of research has been done in this area, and it is clear that certain dietary approaches can enhance competition performance. A future Successful Coaching Newsletter will address these issues.
The way forward
Calculate your daily basic and extra requirements, monitor your daily intake (especially your carbohydrates) and then adjust your diet to meet your daily requirements. A good balanced diet should provide you with the required nutrients but does needs to be monitored. The simplest way to monitor the 'energy balance' is to keep a regular check of your weight.
Food Composition Tables
Food composition tables are widely used to assess nutrient and energy intakes, and to plan meals. The composition of food can vary widely, depending, among other factors, on the variety of plant or animal, on growing and feeding conditions and, for some foods, on freshness. Tables are based on average values from a number of samples analysed in the laboratory and therefore only provide a rough guide.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Write this down next to your goals,think about it you can achieve anything!
"The Positive Thinker sees the Invisible, feels the Intangible and Achieves the Impossible."
Today I had an interview with the Coulee Region Women's Magazine as I was looking for some information I came across these notes.. When I started Cancer my round 2 with Cancer... Know these were done at the time everything was going on so I hope you can understand them..
Training for Ironman 2005 was a great time! I was swimming, biking and running all the time I put in 25 hours a week with training and teaching, I was teaching spinning, total body conditioning, Pilates, basic swimming and running for beginners so I really had an advantage.
It started September 2005, after finishing Ironman WI. I figured I should go to the doctor I was having a hard time swallowing, I was feeling fatigue, and gaining weight which I thought was weird for working out as much as I did for Ironman. I went in for my exam the first thing she did is felt my neck "Yeap" you guessed it there was a lump about the size of a dime then having a ton of them all around the Thyroid.
My doctor wanted to get a second opinion so she brought in someone else to feel my neck; she was right there was a lump. Right away we set an appointment with endocrinology it was set for 1 week after finding the lump. Well during my wait I looked into everything I could about Thyroid Cancer; then of course you scare yourself even more even know it is very curable your mind just thinks the worst. Then I got a call from the hospital saying the doctor had some family issues come up and we had to reschedule, the worrying really set in, so we scheduled another week out so 2 weeks have went by since we found the lump I was sick to my stomach.
Doctor Date was set Friday October 21, 2005 at 1:00. I went to the doctor myself I knew we would have to do a biopsy with the studding I was doing.
Doctor Asp at Gundersen Lutheran had come into the room he felt my lump and called for a biopsy. This was the scariest thing in my life to see a huge needle that was going to take tissue out of your neck as the procedure went on it wasn't as bad as I thought 3 pokes later and we were done.
Doctor Asp talked to me about our next step one including Cancer maybe it was maybe it wasn't however by the way he was talking I had a feeling it could be?? Doctor Asp asked me if he could call me on my phone to give me the results either way and of course I said yes.
It was going on 5:00 and I was at the bike shop (Smith's) where Tyler (my son) and I worked. Landen and I were picking up Tyler from work. My phone rang I have to admit I was scared to answer it, however I said "hello Sunshine" it was Doctor Asp. he said "Danniela can you come into the office"? I said if there is bad news you can tell me on the phone I'm ready he proceeded to tell me that the biopsy came out positive; You have cancer we would need to do surgery right away. Holy Schnickies I was crushed I went outside and cried my oldest son came out after me and asked me if everything was OK I proceeded to tell him yes however your mom has cancer. That was the hardest thing I would have to tell my 15 year old he hugged me and told me he loved me, not to worry we will get through this.. then my youngest son came out of the store he seen mom crying I remember him asking me is everything OK? what is wrong? I had to talk to him about this Landen didn't understand so we sat down and talk about it as much as I could. I then called all my family members and went for a long walk with my brother we had discussed everything that was going to happen. I felt like I was getting control of myself.. What’s the next step I needed to be strong for my boys and I wasn't going to let this bring me down, I had signed up for Ironman 2006 and I'm going to finish it no matter what I was going to go through.
I really had some long nights of crying after the boys went to bed; I needed to be strong for them however I was really alone, my husband at the time was not there for me, we had made the decision that we were going to separate and divorce, this was done before I found out I had cancer. My mom came up from Wyoming and helped me out in the mean time, I decided to open up to my Triathlon friends I sent out a mass e-mail and let them know what was going on I had a over welling response. I then came up with a crazy idea I would have a bike ride starting from my house to Gundersen Lutheran the day of my surgery. This was a great idea it would keep my mind off of the surgery and the Cancer itself. Over the time of two weeks I had gotten 30 e-mails a day wow I couldn't believe it I wasn’t alone I had a huge support group.
Monday October 24th – Went to the doctor with my Aunt Ramona we talked about surgery, medication, what I was going to aspect for the next few months. Then they did another exam they did find 12 more lumps wow I couldn’t hold it back I tried to say as positive as I could but again when I got dropped off at home I cried and cried until my boys were out of school again I was just sick to my stomach. When the boys got home I decided we need to go out of town together. We that Friday we went to Wisconsin Dells to the Great Wolf Lodge I had so much fun watching the boys run around play, I would sit and watch them and things would come to my mind what would I do with out them I love them so very much! I hope they know how lucky I am to have them they are my life. We said every year we would go to the Dells but cancer free..
Surgery was set for November 3, 2005 at 6:30 so everyone would have to be at my house at by 4:30 we would need to leave by 5:00. Steve one of my friends came over at 4:00 made coffee for everyone it was so nice! It was a cold November day I would have to say it was in the Thirties (Yeah I did type 30) it was cold. My son Tyler whom has never road a bike said he’s going to ride with us that was the best time ever. As we were riding our bikes to Gundersen some of my running partners were on the trail they wish me luck as we went by I just cried I couldn’t believe it. We road into Gundersen on the way there we were greeted the lady at the front desk she was amazed of all the bikers whom came in there were 23 of us my mom and step dad who drove and others I know I should have taken a picture of it. My Friend Tracie H. took my bike to Smith’s they made sure that I wouldn’t get it back until the doctor gave the ok because I would ride it any chance I got on my trainer; so to keep from the temptation they kept it. DARN IT!
Surgery went really well I remember them telling me I might not be able to talk right away so the first words I said to the nurses “Hello Sunshine’s” yeap that was the first thing I said when I woke up just to make sure I could talk, as some of you know me I’m just not a quiet person “In a good way”. I went to my room and wow I had so many visitors, cards, flowers and the two most important things in my life my boys they were the first ones in the room; I gave them huge hugs. Everything is going to be great I said to them we have a long road ahead of us but nothing we can’t get through together. My room was filled within minutes.
Come to find out they had removed my whole Thyroid and 12 lymph notes I had a nice size scare on my neck WOW it was black BIG. I have to tell you it didn’t look to hot but that’s how it goes.
Over the next few days in the hospital I was ready to get out and get back into the swing of things “so I thought”. Doctor Brecky and Doctor Asp had talked to me about taking it slow I wasn’t going to have the energy I had before right away and don’t be disappointed it will come back.
3 day’s after surgery wow was I feeling like crap! But I did get up to go for a walk with my friend Chad we went to the trail I was really, really dizzy we could only walk 1 mile if that, if you can imagine being able to do Ironman in September and then not even walking a mile wow that hit home I cried when Chad left my mom was staying with me and she knew I was having a hard time I laid in bed my boys were always there for me mom can I get you anything change the channel for you they were so good I’m so lucky I thank god for them everyday.
Day 4 went for another walk I was determined to walk 2 miles I wasn’t able to do it yet
However on day 6 I was able to walk 2 and ½ miles “wow” that was a start. I cried when I got home but I need to stay positive I’m going to get through this I kept thinking
As time went on I was on my new Thyroid medication just to get me through the next few weeks until I was able to do radiation we didn’t do radiation right away because Christmas was just around the corner and I wanted to know what was going on at all times see when you go off your Thyroid medication you loose some memory, your brain waves don’t work as well, you have headaches, you gain weight “what all women love to do”, you get really tired and sleep a lot so much fun.
Saturday November 12th – Decided to ride my bike up S on of the biggest hills around Onalaksa area- I talked to one of my Friends Tracie Happle she was willing to ride up it with me. Rode to the top and got really, really sick after that we rode 20 miles I made it. However I laid in bed very, very sick I was in so much pain my head hurt, my body hurt but I made it..
Saturday November 19th – Did the Turkey Trot 5K here is la Crosse Chad ran with me my heart rate was so high the whole time it was in the 190-193 but I didn’t want to back it off I kept going again I felt like crap afterwards.
My dear sister"I love her so much" when she found out I had cancer her mind was going what can I do to help my sister? So she came up with a benefit she had contacted my friends and family members they organized a benefit and a run/walk.
November 20th Surprise Cancer Benefit
I couldn’t believe it I had over 250 people there people were bidding on things we had a dance, food and drinks “wow” it was like having a wedding reception what fun. I was so thankful for my sister my friends whom helped her organize it and those whom came to my benefit I didn’t know how to thank them I was so thankful and I really hope they know that. If there was anything I could do for them to pay them back I would and some day I will be able to.
December – I was starting to loose some of my hair do to the medication I was on that was hard I have long hair and all the sudden I would brush my hair and it would come up in a lump sum. I would run my fingers through it and it would just come out I couldn’t believe this. Both of my boys said they would cut their hair for me so I wouldn’t be the only one without hair, I talked to my Aunt Ramona about this she had bought me some Nioxin this helped I think after a few weeks.
December 5th – Did another race I did the Jingle Bell run I again I was really sick afterwards however I finished it.
December 25th Christmas – Watch the boys open their gifts what a great day I knew the next day I was going off my medication.
December 26th Went off the medication again really didn’t feel anything I was told that I could only eat cretin things with low iodine in them Wow it is hard I couldn’t have gummy bears, licorice, banana’s and so many other things I love to eat.
January 6th – Went in for my first dose of Radiation it wasn’t bad at all I was taken to a small room explained what was going to happen; Took then pill and I was off in 1 hour I was going to be radio active to everyone that means I couldn’t give hugs and kisses to my kids that was going to be the worst.
Things I had to do when I was radioactive: I had to make sure I had junkie sheets, pillow cases, blankets clothes, I couldn’t go to the gym because I couldn’t touch anything with my sweat, I couldn’t eat off my own plates, silverware, couldn’t drink out of my cups I had to have plastic I had to flush the toilet 2 times, get a different tooth brush, have my own soap, could only use white towels in the house I picked this color because the boys couldn’t use them, I had to wash my cloths separate from everyone else’s, that was all easy compared to not being able to give Landen and Tyler hugs and Kisses.. I was starting to get week and headaches and just didn't want to do to much.
January 8th – Body Scan - Went in for a body scan to see if there was any more cancer in my body. This was so interesting I had to lay down under a huge ½ tube with this board just 1 inch from my nose if you were claustrophobic you wouldn’t like it. I did bring some head sets and Metallica helped me get though the 1 hour body scan. When I was finished they decided to do a larger dose of radiation his is when they decided that I needed to have a larger dose of radiation just to make sure the cancer was gone and this would also help determine if there was any more Cancer anywhere else. At this time Doctor Asp had sat in the room with me, my mom and dad and told me that he didn’t feel I would have the strength or the endurance to do the Ironman in September and I should rethink this event, it takes people over 6 to 12 months to recover from this and we had to do 2 more rounds of radiation. I listen and cried but in my head I knew I was going to do it and that I would finish it no matter how I felt I was determined someone said “I couldn’t do something and I knew I could”. I wanted to show my boys that when you have terrible times in your life you need to stay positive and get through them and press on with your life and with your goals.
January 23rd – Second dose of Radiation
Know at this time I was gaining weight 21 pounds to be exact, I couldn’t fit into some of my clothes I hated it I tried to walk as much as I could but the water weight just kept packing on it was fun.. Yea right! At this time I was walking in the mall Chad would pick me up at the house to go mall walking at 6:00 am Steve would meet us there I couldn’t be around anyone well they could handle it but I couldn’t sweat on anything or anyone… I hate this
Friday February 3rd - Next body scan this one is going to be an hour and a half. I again brought my head phones and it went forever.
I had received the results right away no specks of cancer, but I would have to go home and take my time getting back into it.
I started riding my bike in the basement I could only ride 5 min and I would have to get off and cry because my head hurt so bad. I would try and walk/run a block and couldn’t do it however I just stayed positive and took it one day at a time I had to get into bed as soon as I could I was so weak, I would make the boys supper, read a book and get my little one into bed. I was done the next morning I was up at 5:00 am riding my trainer, I would try this for 10 min. and have to get off my heart rate was so high we needed to get my medicine regulated this was going to take time.
March 2nd my Birthday – I was going to be strong day I’m going to start my 2006 Ironman training and I’m going to finish my time from last year, and show my boys you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.
Like I say "Live, Love Life, You only have one"! and Never, Never Give UP!
I want to thank everyone whom helped me get through this, I will forever be thankful for all of you!
Training for Ironman 2005 was a great time! I was swimming, biking and running all the time I put in 25 hours a week with training and teaching, I was teaching spinning, total body conditioning, Pilates, basic swimming and running for beginners so I really had an advantage.
It started September 2005, after finishing Ironman WI. I figured I should go to the doctor I was having a hard time swallowing, I was feeling fatigue, and gaining weight which I thought was weird for working out as much as I did for Ironman. I went in for my exam the first thing she did is felt my neck "Yeap" you guessed it there was a lump about the size of a dime then having a ton of them all around the Thyroid.
My doctor wanted to get a second opinion so she brought in someone else to feel my neck; she was right there was a lump. Right away we set an appointment with endocrinology it was set for 1 week after finding the lump. Well during my wait I looked into everything I could about Thyroid Cancer; then of course you scare yourself even more even know it is very curable your mind just thinks the worst. Then I got a call from the hospital saying the doctor had some family issues come up and we had to reschedule, the worrying really set in, so we scheduled another week out so 2 weeks have went by since we found the lump I was sick to my stomach.
Doctor Date was set Friday October 21, 2005 at 1:00. I went to the doctor myself I knew we would have to do a biopsy with the studding I was doing.
Doctor Asp at Gundersen Lutheran had come into the room he felt my lump and called for a biopsy. This was the scariest thing in my life to see a huge needle that was going to take tissue out of your neck as the procedure went on it wasn't as bad as I thought 3 pokes later and we were done.
Doctor Asp talked to me about our next step one including Cancer maybe it was maybe it wasn't however by the way he was talking I had a feeling it could be?? Doctor Asp asked me if he could call me on my phone to give me the results either way and of course I said yes.
It was going on 5:00 and I was at the bike shop (Smith's) where Tyler (my son) and I worked. Landen and I were picking up Tyler from work. My phone rang I have to admit I was scared to answer it, however I said "hello Sunshine" it was Doctor Asp. he said "Danniela can you come into the office"? I said if there is bad news you can tell me on the phone I'm ready he proceeded to tell me that the biopsy came out positive; You have cancer we would need to do surgery right away. Holy Schnickies I was crushed I went outside and cried my oldest son came out after me and asked me if everything was OK I proceeded to tell him yes however your mom has cancer. That was the hardest thing I would have to tell my 15 year old he hugged me and told me he loved me, not to worry we will get through this.. then my youngest son came out of the store he seen mom crying I remember him asking me is everything OK? what is wrong? I had to talk to him about this Landen didn't understand so we sat down and talk about it as much as I could. I then called all my family members and went for a long walk with my brother we had discussed everything that was going to happen. I felt like I was getting control of myself.. What’s the next step I needed to be strong for my boys and I wasn't going to let this bring me down, I had signed up for Ironman 2006 and I'm going to finish it no matter what I was going to go through.
I really had some long nights of crying after the boys went to bed; I needed to be strong for them however I was really alone, my husband at the time was not there for me, we had made the decision that we were going to separate and divorce, this was done before I found out I had cancer. My mom came up from Wyoming and helped me out in the mean time, I decided to open up to my Triathlon friends I sent out a mass e-mail and let them know what was going on I had a over welling response. I then came up with a crazy idea I would have a bike ride starting from my house to Gundersen Lutheran the day of my surgery. This was a great idea it would keep my mind off of the surgery and the Cancer itself. Over the time of two weeks I had gotten 30 e-mails a day wow I couldn't believe it I wasn’t alone I had a huge support group.
Monday October 24th – Went to the doctor with my Aunt Ramona we talked about surgery, medication, what I was going to aspect for the next few months. Then they did another exam they did find 12 more lumps wow I couldn’t hold it back I tried to say as positive as I could but again when I got dropped off at home I cried and cried until my boys were out of school again I was just sick to my stomach. When the boys got home I decided we need to go out of town together. We that Friday we went to Wisconsin Dells to the Great Wolf Lodge I had so much fun watching the boys run around play, I would sit and watch them and things would come to my mind what would I do with out them I love them so very much! I hope they know how lucky I am to have them they are my life. We said every year we would go to the Dells but cancer free..
Surgery was set for November 3, 2005 at 6:30 so everyone would have to be at my house at by 4:30 we would need to leave by 5:00. Steve one of my friends came over at 4:00 made coffee for everyone it was so nice! It was a cold November day I would have to say it was in the Thirties (Yeah I did type 30) it was cold. My son Tyler whom has never road a bike said he’s going to ride with us that was the best time ever. As we were riding our bikes to Gundersen some of my running partners were on the trail they wish me luck as we went by I just cried I couldn’t believe it. We road into Gundersen on the way there we were greeted the lady at the front desk she was amazed of all the bikers whom came in there were 23 of us my mom and step dad who drove and others I know I should have taken a picture of it. My Friend Tracie H. took my bike to Smith’s they made sure that I wouldn’t get it back until the doctor gave the ok because I would ride it any chance I got on my trainer; so to keep from the temptation they kept it. DARN IT!
Surgery went really well I remember them telling me I might not be able to talk right away so the first words I said to the nurses “Hello Sunshine’s” yeap that was the first thing I said when I woke up just to make sure I could talk, as some of you know me I’m just not a quiet person “In a good way”. I went to my room and wow I had so many visitors, cards, flowers and the two most important things in my life my boys they were the first ones in the room; I gave them huge hugs. Everything is going to be great I said to them we have a long road ahead of us but nothing we can’t get through together. My room was filled within minutes.
Come to find out they had removed my whole Thyroid and 12 lymph notes I had a nice size scare on my neck WOW it was black BIG. I have to tell you it didn’t look to hot but that’s how it goes.
Over the next few days in the hospital I was ready to get out and get back into the swing of things “so I thought”. Doctor Brecky and Doctor Asp had talked to me about taking it slow I wasn’t going to have the energy I had before right away and don’t be disappointed it will come back.
3 day’s after surgery wow was I feeling like crap! But I did get up to go for a walk with my friend Chad we went to the trail I was really, really dizzy we could only walk 1 mile if that, if you can imagine being able to do Ironman in September and then not even walking a mile wow that hit home I cried when Chad left my mom was staying with me and she knew I was having a hard time I laid in bed my boys were always there for me mom can I get you anything change the channel for you they were so good I’m so lucky I thank god for them everyday.
Day 4 went for another walk I was determined to walk 2 miles I wasn’t able to do it yet
However on day 6 I was able to walk 2 and ½ miles “wow” that was a start. I cried when I got home but I need to stay positive I’m going to get through this I kept thinking
As time went on I was on my new Thyroid medication just to get me through the next few weeks until I was able to do radiation we didn’t do radiation right away because Christmas was just around the corner and I wanted to know what was going on at all times see when you go off your Thyroid medication you loose some memory, your brain waves don’t work as well, you have headaches, you gain weight “what all women love to do”, you get really tired and sleep a lot so much fun.
Saturday November 12th – Decided to ride my bike up S on of the biggest hills around Onalaksa area- I talked to one of my Friends Tracie Happle she was willing to ride up it with me. Rode to the top and got really, really sick after that we rode 20 miles I made it. However I laid in bed very, very sick I was in so much pain my head hurt, my body hurt but I made it..
Saturday November 19th – Did the Turkey Trot 5K here is la Crosse Chad ran with me my heart rate was so high the whole time it was in the 190-193 but I didn’t want to back it off I kept going again I felt like crap afterwards.
My dear sister"I love her so much" when she found out I had cancer her mind was going what can I do to help my sister? So she came up with a benefit she had contacted my friends and family members they organized a benefit and a run/walk.
November 20th Surprise Cancer Benefit
I couldn’t believe it I had over 250 people there people were bidding on things we had a dance, food and drinks “wow” it was like having a wedding reception what fun. I was so thankful for my sister my friends whom helped her organize it and those whom came to my benefit I didn’t know how to thank them I was so thankful and I really hope they know that. If there was anything I could do for them to pay them back I would and some day I will be able to.
December – I was starting to loose some of my hair do to the medication I was on that was hard I have long hair and all the sudden I would brush my hair and it would come up in a lump sum. I would run my fingers through it and it would just come out I couldn’t believe this. Both of my boys said they would cut their hair for me so I wouldn’t be the only one without hair, I talked to my Aunt Ramona about this she had bought me some Nioxin this helped I think after a few weeks.
December 5th – Did another race I did the Jingle Bell run I again I was really sick afterwards however I finished it.
December 25th Christmas – Watch the boys open their gifts what a great day I knew the next day I was going off my medication.
December 26th Went off the medication again really didn’t feel anything I was told that I could only eat cretin things with low iodine in them Wow it is hard I couldn’t have gummy bears, licorice, banana’s and so many other things I love to eat.
January 6th – Went in for my first dose of Radiation it wasn’t bad at all I was taken to a small room explained what was going to happen; Took then pill and I was off in 1 hour I was going to be radio active to everyone that means I couldn’t give hugs and kisses to my kids that was going to be the worst.
Things I had to do when I was radioactive: I had to make sure I had junkie sheets, pillow cases, blankets clothes, I couldn’t go to the gym because I couldn’t touch anything with my sweat, I couldn’t eat off my own plates, silverware, couldn’t drink out of my cups I had to have plastic I had to flush the toilet 2 times, get a different tooth brush, have my own soap, could only use white towels in the house I picked this color because the boys couldn’t use them, I had to wash my cloths separate from everyone else’s, that was all easy compared to not being able to give Landen and Tyler hugs and Kisses.. I was starting to get week and headaches and just didn't want to do to much.
January 8th – Body Scan - Went in for a body scan to see if there was any more cancer in my body. This was so interesting I had to lay down under a huge ½ tube with this board just 1 inch from my nose if you were claustrophobic you wouldn’t like it. I did bring some head sets and Metallica helped me get though the 1 hour body scan. When I was finished they decided to do a larger dose of radiation his is when they decided that I needed to have a larger dose of radiation just to make sure the cancer was gone and this would also help determine if there was any more Cancer anywhere else. At this time Doctor Asp had sat in the room with me, my mom and dad and told me that he didn’t feel I would have the strength or the endurance to do the Ironman in September and I should rethink this event, it takes people over 6 to 12 months to recover from this and we had to do 2 more rounds of radiation. I listen and cried but in my head I knew I was going to do it and that I would finish it no matter how I felt I was determined someone said “I couldn’t do something and I knew I could”. I wanted to show my boys that when you have terrible times in your life you need to stay positive and get through them and press on with your life and with your goals.
January 23rd – Second dose of Radiation
Know at this time I was gaining weight 21 pounds to be exact, I couldn’t fit into some of my clothes I hated it I tried to walk as much as I could but the water weight just kept packing on it was fun.. Yea right! At this time I was walking in the mall Chad would pick me up at the house to go mall walking at 6:00 am Steve would meet us there I couldn’t be around anyone well they could handle it but I couldn’t sweat on anything or anyone… I hate this
Friday February 3rd - Next body scan this one is going to be an hour and a half. I again brought my head phones and it went forever.
I had received the results right away no specks of cancer, but I would have to go home and take my time getting back into it.
I started riding my bike in the basement I could only ride 5 min and I would have to get off and cry because my head hurt so bad. I would try and walk/run a block and couldn’t do it however I just stayed positive and took it one day at a time I had to get into bed as soon as I could I was so weak, I would make the boys supper, read a book and get my little one into bed. I was done the next morning I was up at 5:00 am riding my trainer, I would try this for 10 min. and have to get off my heart rate was so high we needed to get my medicine regulated this was going to take time.
March 2nd my Birthday – I was going to be strong day I’m going to start my 2006 Ironman training and I’m going to finish my time from last year, and show my boys you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.
Like I say "Live, Love Life, You only have one"! and Never, Never Give UP!
I want to thank everyone whom helped me get through this, I will forever be thankful for all of you!
Thanks Marc! I like it!!
''Fancy equipment cannot ever replace dedication and desire, especially when you throw in some good ol' fashioned caffeine into the mix. Yeah!''
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Like I have always said "A little durt won't hurt"!
Shandy and Jeff at last years Muddy Buddy! I'm in for sure!!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Blane running his first 5k and he kicks my butt!
Mike and I at his first 5K
Mike has lost over 63 pounds and he is doing Awesome! He finished the 5K in 39 min. it was Icy, snowing and very yucky!!!! but Mike didn't let that bother him we ran walked the 3.1 miles as fast as we could being it was so cold out.
Mike's wife and children were at the finish line waiting for him. I have to tell you it's so awesome to be able to put my goals aside and help others achieve theirs. My clients work so hard and to see their faces when they finish is priceless!! Great Job Mike!
Now take a look at his number. That is way to funny!
Eliminate Shin Splints
Achin' Shins
You're a mile into your run and there it is, that all-too-familiar pain down the front of your leg--shin splints. Many experts attribute this common running injury to inflammation of either the tendons connecting the muscle to the shinbone or the sheath wrapping around the bone. Part of the problem may be the much stronger and tighter calf muscles in the rear pulling against the weaker muscles in front.
Sudden increases in mileage and/or intensity, running on hard surfaces, wearing worn-out shoes, or the wrong running shoe for your gait--especially overpronators, whose feet roll inward too much--may also contribute to shin splints.
To stretch tight calves and alleviate pressure on the shins, stand an arm's length in front of a wall with your hands on the wall. Bring one foot forward, keeping the back leg straight and heel pressed into the floor. Lean into the wall for a count of 20. To strengthen front lower-leg muscles, trace the letters of the alphabet with your toes while seated. Stretching the shin may also help (see Try This below).
Gender Equality
In the battle of the sexes, women are gaining on men--at least in the highest levels of sports. According to Cal State-Long Beach, there was a huge disparity in power output--how much and how fast the most force is produced--between male and female World and Olympic champion athletes between 1952 and 1972. But measured again between 1976 and 2004, the gap narrowed considerably. The credit goes to Title IX, which passed in 1972 and provided more opportunities for women to participate in athletics and have access to world-class training.
Make Fewer Trips to the Gym
A new study suggests that two days of strength training a week are as good as three, as long as you add an extra set. Twenty-nine untrained volunteers were split into two groups--one trained twice weekly performing three sets of 10 repetitions of nine exercises, the other trained three times a week performing two sets of 10 reps of the same nine exercises. Increases in strength and lean tissue mass were similar for both groups.
Did You Know?
You may not need more recovery time as you age. An Australian study compared cyclists 18 to 31 years old with those 39 to 57 during time trials and found no significant differences in the two groups' ability to recover.
T
ry This:
You're a mile into your run and there it is, that all-too-familiar pain down the front of your leg--shin splints. Many experts attribute this common running injury to inflammation of either the tendons connecting the muscle to the shinbone or the sheath wrapping around the bone. Part of the problem may be the much stronger and tighter calf muscles in the rear pulling against the weaker muscles in front.
Sudden increases in mileage and/or intensity, running on hard surfaces, wearing worn-out shoes, or the wrong running shoe for your gait--especially overpronators, whose feet roll inward too much--may also contribute to shin splints.
To stretch tight calves and alleviate pressure on the shins, stand an arm's length in front of a wall with your hands on the wall. Bring one foot forward, keeping the back leg straight and heel pressed into the floor. Lean into the wall for a count of 20. To strengthen front lower-leg muscles, trace the letters of the alphabet with your toes while seated. Stretching the shin may also help (see Try This below).
Gender Equality
In the battle of the sexes, women are gaining on men--at least in the highest levels of sports. According to Cal State-Long Beach, there was a huge disparity in power output--how much and how fast the most force is produced--between male and female World and Olympic champion athletes between 1952 and 1972. But measured again between 1976 and 2004, the gap narrowed considerably. The credit goes to Title IX, which passed in 1972 and provided more opportunities for women to participate in athletics and have access to world-class training.
Make Fewer Trips to the Gym
A new study suggests that two days of strength training a week are as good as three, as long as you add an extra set. Twenty-nine untrained volunteers were split into two groups--one trained twice weekly performing three sets of 10 repetitions of nine exercises, the other trained three times a week performing two sets of 10 reps of the same nine exercises. Increases in strength and lean tissue mass were similar for both groups.
Did You Know?
You may not need more recovery time as you age. An Australian study compared cyclists 18 to 31 years old with those 39 to 57 during time trials and found no significant differences in the two groups' ability to recover.
T
ry This: Shin Stretch: On a soft surface, sit with your legs bent directly under your thighs and the tops of your feet against the floor. With one hand on the floor for support, use the other to grab a knee and gently lift it to stretch the shin. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds then lift the other knee.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
This Gives you something to think about!
You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story.
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again so was enjoying herself immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words " United States of America ""No, not that; read further.""One cent?" "No, keep reading.""In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?""And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful! When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient..The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:1 cross+ 3 nails--------4 givenThat's the whole gospel message simply stated. Take 60 seconds give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan stops this one.
Have a wonderful Day!
Back to work and it has been Crazy!! "In a nice polite way"!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tentative Race Schedule
Here it is....2008 Race Schedule
-January (Saturday) 5 mile YMCA Fun Run
February (Saturday) Heart throb 5 mile Fun Run
April (Saturday) UW-L Coulee Duathlon
May (Saturday) St. Claire Health Mission Half-Marathon
May (Sunday) Mad-City Half-Marathon, Madison, WI
June (Sunday) Got Energy Triathlon (Olympic Distance), West Salem, WI
June (Sunday) High Cliff Half-Ironman, Appleton, WI
July (Saturday) Chileda Classic (10K Run), LaCrosse, WI
July (Saturday) Castle Rock Triathlon (Sprint Distance), Adams, WI
July (Sunday) Spirit of Racine Half-Ironman, Racine, WI
July (Sunday) Chisago City Half Ironman Chisago MN If they changed the course!!!
September (Sunday) Ironman WI.
September (Sunday) Irongirl Bloomington Duathlon MN
September: (Saturday) Maple Leaf Races (5 mile run)
September Dam Challenge (canoe-bike-run), LaFarge, WI
October Pumpkin Chase 5 mile La Crosse WI
November 9 Silverman Half Ironman (this would be a fun one!)
November Turkey Trot 3 mile La Crosse WI
December YMCA 5 mile Fun Runs Onalaska WI
“Always Remember "Life is what you make it"!
Muddy Buddy also I don't have the date yet!
I'm looking for some more half marathon
Triathlon Calender link
http://www.trifind.com/
Here it is....2008 Race Schedule
-January (Saturday) 5 mile YMCA Fun Run
February (Saturday) Heart throb 5 mile Fun Run
April (Saturday) UW-L Coulee Duathlon
May (Saturday) St. Claire Health Mission Half-Marathon
May (Sunday) Mad-City Half-Marathon, Madison, WI
June (Sunday) Got Energy Triathlon (Olympic Distance), West Salem, WI
June (Sunday) High Cliff Half-Ironman, Appleton, WI
July (Saturday) Chileda Classic (10K Run), LaCrosse, WI
July (Saturday) Castle Rock Triathlon (Sprint Distance), Adams, WI
July (Sunday) Spirit of Racine Half-Ironman, Racine, WI
July (Sunday) Chisago City Half Ironman Chisago MN If they changed the course!!!
September (Sunday) Ironman WI.
September (Sunday) Irongirl Bloomington Duathlon MN
September: (Saturday) Maple Leaf Races (5 mile run)
September Dam Challenge (canoe-bike-run), LaFarge, WI
October Pumpkin Chase 5 mile La Crosse WI
November 9 Silverman Half Ironman (this would be a fun one!)
November Turkey Trot 3 mile La Crosse WI
December YMCA 5 mile Fun Runs Onalaska WI
“Always Remember "Life is what you make it"!
Muddy Buddy also I don't have the date yet!
I'm looking for some more half marathon
Triathlon Calender link
http://www.trifind.com/
Monday, November 26, 2007
A New Race in the La Crosse Area!
Inaugural Rotary Lights 5K Run/Walk
Sunday, December 2, 2007 • 4 p.m. • Riverside Park
http://www.rivercityrunningclub.com/entryforms/rotaryrunwalk.pdf
This race is new to the area come out and join us.
I will be running with Mike in this race, this will be his first 5K! Whoohooo
Sunday, December 2, 2007 • 4 p.m. • Riverside Park
http://www.rivercityrunningclub.com/entryforms/rotaryrunwalk.pdf
This race is new to the area come out and join us.
I will be running with Mike in this race, this will be his first 5K! Whoohooo
SALE, SALE, SALE
Dear Valued Customer,'Tis the season to save big on all of your endurance gear from TriSports.com!!! Save 20% storewide for the next 12 hours. Simply enter code SEASON7-E to save 20%. Hurry, this sale begins today (11/26/07) at 8AM EST and ends today at 8PM EST. This sale valid storewide except on items noted with "discounts not valid."
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
If Danniela Nichols can smile through two bouts with cancer, four Ironman triathlons and her struggles as a single mother, it's probably not a stretch for her to smile when Dave Herold inks a fresh tattoo on her ankle. Members of the Bluff Busters Triathlon Team got tattoos Saturday to celebrate the Ironman events they completed this year. Photo by Randy Erickson
By RANDY ERICKSON Editor
.Triathlon runners have to treat their bodies as temples when they’re in training, especially those who compete in the Ironman triathlons — a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. For some area Ironman athletes, though, jazzing up the outside of the temple is all part of the fun.Saturday morning, three members of the Bluff Busters Triathlon Team were initiated into the Tat Pack, getting a tattoo as a permanent reminder of the completion of their first Ironman triathlons this year.The Tat Pack formed a year ago when the six charter members lined up in downtown La Crosse’s Mind Altering Tattoos to get their red “M-dots,” as they call the Ironman logo. Several of the original Tat Packers were back Saturday, either to get some fresh ink or lend moral support.While they waited to get inked by tattoo artists Jake Phillips and Dave Herold, they shared stories of how they came to be Ironman athletes, what it was like to compete in such an extreme event and how sometimes an Ironman can go horribly wrong. Danniela Nichols stood out from the pack because of her inability to stand still for too long, her infectious smile and laugh, her habit of calling people “Sunshine” and the two-inch scar on her neck.The scar is a reminder of her second battle with cancer — thyroid cancer. Just a few years after graduating from La Crosse Central High School (Class of 1992), she won her first bout with cancer — cervical cancer.The thyroid cancer surfaced in fall 2005, soon after she had completed the Wisconsin Ironman in Madison. Ever the optimist and fitness fanatic, she rode her bike from her home in Onalaska to the hospital in La Crosse when it came time for surgery. Although plenty of people told her she wouldn’t be well enough to finish an Ironman in 2006 — it takes a good nine months of training — she proved them wrong. That can-do approach — along with beating cancer and juggling her career as an independent physical trainer with her responsibilities as a single mother of two boys — got her noticed this year at the Ironman in Louisville, Ky. At every Ironman event a person is singled out for the Everyday Hero Award because of their inspirational story. At the Louisville event in August, Nichols was honored. Saturday at the tattoo parlor, Nichols added the words “Everyday Hero” under the Ironman logo tattooed last year on her ankle. Standing by as Nichols got her tattoo was Jenny Limberg. Back when they went to Holmen Middle School together, Nichols and Limberg were good friends. Limberg used to come to track meets to watch Nichols run, but Limberg was never a runner.Growing up, Limberg was “heavy” and she kept getting heavier. Two years ago, she weighed almost 300 pounds, a lot to carry on a frame that probably doesn’t top 5 feet.Limberg had gastric bypass surgery two years ago, lost close to 200 pounds (judging from her petite appearance now) and reconnected with her childhood friend, who is helping her train to compete in next fall’s Wisconsin Ironman.Before her gastric bypass, Limberg led a largely sedentary life. The most exercise she got was lifting food to her mouth, said Limberg, who lives in Holmen.She realized when she got the gastric bypass — which restricts the amount a person can eat by decreasing the size of the stomach — that the surgery alone was just a start, that she would have to get active.“It’s a tool to get you to where you need to be,” Limberg said of the surgery.And now she has the help of her friend to get her to where she wants to go next: the Ironman in Madison. As a Bluff Busters member, Limberg also will have encouragement from a lot of other people who are as committed as athletes come. “There’s definitely an organized religion, some people might call it,” said Tracy Happel of Onalaska. A charter member of the Tat Pack, Happel was back this year to add a date to her tattoo. Like Nichols, she competed in the Louisville Ironman.After years of running marathons, Happel has been doing triathlons for five years, starting with a sprint distance — a half-mile swim, 16-mile bike ride and a 5K run.One thing Happel has learned from competing in Ironman triathlons is you don’t have to be a young, streamlined movement machine to complete an Ironman.“You would be amazed at the different sizes of people competing,” Happel said. “It’s not about your body shape, it’s about your mind.”Bob Brimer turned 60 the day he ran his first triathlon — West Salem’s Got Energy Triathlon in June 2006. He was happy about the experience, but he had his eye on a bigger prize — running the Wisconsin Ironman this year.He kept up his training and lost 50 pounds in the course of 23 months. On Sept. 9, he began the 2.4-mile swim at 7 p.m. and completed the last leg of the event at about 11:30 p.m., just half an hour short of the 17-hour maximum.Brimer said he knows he could have done it faster, but he slowed his pace halfway through the bike ride and the run. He wanted time to soak up the experience, and he wanted to feel as good as he could at the end of the day, considering he’d covered 140.6 miles all told.And he did feel good, especially when he found about a half a dozen Bluff Busters members were waiting for him at the finish line to cheer him on.For Brimer, the Ironman experience has been great. “I just wanted to see if I could get my body off the couch. I was pretty sure I could do it,” he said. “I had a lot of fun and met great people. ... I’ve never met such a positive group of people.”And he got his first tattoo. Brimer’s tattoo on his right calf features the Ironman logo inside an outline of the state of Wisconsin.So far, 36 Bluff Busters members have completed an Ironman, out of a total membership of 112. That includes Slade Hendrikson of Holmen, who joined the Tat Pack this year after completing the Madison event, and Jeff Fleig of Onalaska, the former associate principal at Onalaska High School who has gotten so good at running an Ironman that he qualified for the world championship Ironman in Hawaii. So far, though, he has declined to join the Tat Pack. Next year, Larry Schmidt expects the number of Bluff Busters who have completed an Ironman to swell to 50 or more. The 54-year-old Sparta man has completed four Ironman events since turning 50, including last year’s world Ironman in Hawaii. His tattoo features the Ironman logo inside an orchid, signifying his completion of the Hawaii Ironman. Schmidt said the tattoo ritual is kind of a bonding experience, but by the time they’ve gone through the months of training and completed an Ironman event, everybody already is pretty close, having shared all that sweat and pain.“We bond so much after all that training. There’s a bonding that transcends the sport,” Schmidt said. “It’s more than just a race. It’s the journey to doing it.”
ON THE WEB: Read about Danniela Nichol’s Ironman experiences online at ironsunshine.blogspot.com. Learn more about the Bluff Busters Triathlon Team at http://www.bluffbusterstriteam.com/.
Some Thanksgiving Quotes
Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James
Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now. ~A.W. Tozer
Stand up, on this Thanksgiving Day, stand upon your feet. Believe in man. Soberly and with clear eyes, believe in your own time and place. There is not, and there never has been a better time, or a better place to live in. ~Phillips Brooks
Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart. ~Seneca
O Lord that lends me life,Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.~William Shakespeare
None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. ~Fred De Witt Van Amburgh
Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. ~Author Unknown
The funny thing about Thanksgiving, or any huge meal, is that you spend 12 hours shopping for it and then chopping and cooking and braising and blanching. Then it takes 20 minutes to eat it and everybody sort of sits around in a food coma, and then it takes four hours to clean it up. ~Ted Allen And though I ebb in worth, I'll flow in thanks. ~John Taylor
The thing I'm most thankful for right now is elastic waistbands. ~Author Unknown
For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet.... Shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us so long? ~Rebecca Harding Davis
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. ~Aesop
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward
May your stuffing be tastyMay your turkey plump,May your potatoes and gravyHave nary a lump. May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize, and may your Thanksgiving dinner Stay off your thighs!~Author Unknown And though I ebb in worth, I'll flow in thanks.
Gluttony and surfeiting are no proper occasions for thanksgiving. ~Charles Lamb, 1821London Magazine, "Grace Before Meat," November 1821 and Essays of Elia, 1823; CTO-->But whether we have less or more, Always thank we God therefor.~Author Unknown
Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast. ~William Shakespeare
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William
A. Ward Turkey: A large bird whose flesh, when eaten on certain religious anniversaries has the peculiar property of attesting piety and gratitude. ~Ambrose Bierce,
The Devil's Dictionary Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie
Thanksgiving-day, I fear,If one the solemn truth must touch,Is celebrated, not so muchTo thank the Lord for blessing o'er,As for the sake of getting more!~Will Carleton
I love Thanksgiving turkey. It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts. ~Arnold Schwarzenegger
For hearts that are kindly, with virtue and peace, and not seeking blindly a hoard to increase; for those who are grieving o'er life's sordid plan; for souls still believing in heaven and man; for homes that are lowly with love at the board; for things that are holy, I thank thee, O Lord! ~Walt Mason
It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others. ~James Smith
When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep? ~George Canning
Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often. ~Johnny Carson
Thanksgiving is so called because we are all so thankful that it only comes once a year. ~P. J. O'Rourke
Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful for - annually, not oftener - if they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the exterminating had ceased to be mutual and was all on the white man's side, consequently on the Lord's side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend the usual annual compliments. ~Mark Twain
We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning. ~Albert Barnes
Thanksgiving is nothing if not a glad and reverent lifting of the heart to God in honor and praise for His goodness. ~Robert Casper
LintnerGot no check books, got no banks. Still I'd like to express my thanks - I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. ~Irving Berlin
If you count all your assets, you always show a profit. ~Robert Quillen
Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser
Take a day off with your family and friends- Be thankful for everything you have and bless those who are less fortunate.
Have a Wonderful, Fantastic Thanksgiving Sunshines!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Ironman Everyday Hero!
Did you watch the Ironman yesterday? That was a joke, if you were watching it did you notice it was all about Andy the Bachelor and the Pro's, not the Everyday Hero or about Mike and Jeff the other 2 guys they should have been following, usually at the other Ironman's this is what they do but not yesterday. I have watch so many of the Ironman's and needed a box of tissue because of the Everyday Hero story yesterday was a HUGE Disappointment. With all the interviews I did I couldn't believe that was it, they didn't talk about my cancer, the hard times, getting back into training, my kids, helping others while I was sick, why I did Ironman's and why Ironman is a a huge part of my life. What a Huge downer that was!
Have you ever changed someones life?
Grant before the race!
I have been working with Grant the past 7 weeks. When I started with Grant I asked him what are your goals? 1. Lose weight 2. To run a 5K and do all of the holiday running series here at the YMCA 3. Maybe do a Triathlon. Grant when we started he weighed 374 pounds so my number one goal is to get Grant to eat healthy and start doing some cardio. We started run/ walking together doing 45 min. to a hour workouts everyday he does take off Sundays and he's righting down everything he eats and drinks. Grant is doing AWESOME he has lost over 55 pounds; Grant works at the YMCA he is asked everyday how much weight have you lost? This is by the members this has made him a happier person and more up beat then ever. I can go on and on about this but I have to get to the point this past weekend Grant and I did his first 5K the Turkey Trot here in La Crosse WI. He did awesome he finished it in 36 min. he blew his time away that he thought he would do it in. Grant had the biggest cheering crowed there. His next race will be December 8Th.
I tell Grant "You put your mind to it and you can achieve anything" He is doing that for sure!
Grant after the race.
Quote for the day!
"The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit."
Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty
Friday, November 16, 2007
Ford Ironman Lousville airs on Versus
Don?t miss the exciting coverage of the inaugural Ford Ironman Louisville race on the Versus network this Sunday (November 18) at 3PM (check local listings for the time in your area).
The show will be re-aired on Wednesday, November 21 at 4PM.
Published on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 01:06 PM.
The brand new Louisville event featured almost 2,000 athletes from around the world taking on a scenic course around the Greater Louisville area and finishing through one of the sports most spectacular finishes at ?Fourth Street Live,? a closed off street area in the heart of Louisville?s downtown.The men?s race features a battle between a group of evenly matched Ironman competitors ? Alex Taubert, a fourth-place Kona finisher in the past, is a logical favorite, but he?s sure to be pressed to the line by the likes of TJ Tollakson, Petr Vabrousek and Chris McDonald.
The women’s race is likely to be a closely fought battle between Nina Kraft and Heather Gollnick. Gollnick has a history of winning inaugural events at Ironman races in the United States – she won the inaugural (and second) Ford Ironman Wisconsin and the very first Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene. Additionally, several inspirational athletes are profiled to include:
Andy Baldwin - An accomplished age group athlete and former reality star from the hit show, The Bachelor, Baldwin boasts nearly 10 Ironman finishes, five Ironman 70.3 finishes and three USA Triathlon All-American titles under his belt. Baldwin participated as a representative of the US Navy, finishing with a time of 10:02:15.
Daniela Nichols - Nichols is a two-time cancer survivor and single mother. A multiple Ironman finisher, Nichols participated in the inaugural Ford Ironman Louisville proving that "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.(tm)"
Mike Demko - Demko completed the 140.6 miles wearing bib number 179 in memory of Ford Ironman World Championship finisher, Jon Blais, who passed away from ALS last May. A resident of Birmingham, MI, Demko participated to raise money and awareness for finding a cure for ALS.
Jeff Schneider - Schneider, from the Greater Louisville Sports Commission, played an integral role in bringing the event to the city of Louisville. Watch as Schneider, also a cancer survivor, finishes his first Ironman.
More Ironman events on TV:NBC’s coverage of the Ford Ironman World Championship airs on December 1, 2007 from 4:30pm-6:00pm EST (Schedule subject to change, check your local listings.)Other shows on the
Versus network include:Sun 12/02/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman WisconsinWed 12/05/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman WisconsinSun 12/16/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman FloridaWed 12/19/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironnman FloridaSun 12/23/2007 3:00 PM Ironman 70.3 St, CroixWed 12/26/2007 3:30 PM Ironman 70.3 St, CroixSchedule subject to change, check your local listings.
The show will be re-aired on Wednesday, November 21 at 4PM.
Published on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 01:06 PM.
The brand new Louisville event featured almost 2,000 athletes from around the world taking on a scenic course around the Greater Louisville area and finishing through one of the sports most spectacular finishes at ?Fourth Street Live,? a closed off street area in the heart of Louisville?s downtown.The men?s race features a battle between a group of evenly matched Ironman competitors ? Alex Taubert, a fourth-place Kona finisher in the past, is a logical favorite, but he?s sure to be pressed to the line by the likes of TJ Tollakson, Petr Vabrousek and Chris McDonald.
The women’s race is likely to be a closely fought battle between Nina Kraft and Heather Gollnick. Gollnick has a history of winning inaugural events at Ironman races in the United States – she won the inaugural (and second) Ford Ironman Wisconsin and the very first Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene. Additionally, several inspirational athletes are profiled to include:
Andy Baldwin - An accomplished age group athlete and former reality star from the hit show, The Bachelor, Baldwin boasts nearly 10 Ironman finishes, five Ironman 70.3 finishes and three USA Triathlon All-American titles under his belt. Baldwin participated as a representative of the US Navy, finishing with a time of 10:02:15.
Daniela Nichols - Nichols is a two-time cancer survivor and single mother. A multiple Ironman finisher, Nichols participated in the inaugural Ford Ironman Louisville proving that "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.(tm)"
Mike Demko - Demko completed the 140.6 miles wearing bib number 179 in memory of Ford Ironman World Championship finisher, Jon Blais, who passed away from ALS last May. A resident of Birmingham, MI, Demko participated to raise money and awareness for finding a cure for ALS.
Jeff Schneider - Schneider, from the Greater Louisville Sports Commission, played an integral role in bringing the event to the city of Louisville. Watch as Schneider, also a cancer survivor, finishes his first Ironman.
More Ironman events on TV:NBC’s coverage of the Ford Ironman World Championship airs on December 1, 2007 from 4:30pm-6:00pm EST (Schedule subject to change, check your local listings.)Other shows on the
Versus network include:Sun 12/02/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman WisconsinWed 12/05/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman WisconsinSun 12/16/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironman FloridaWed 12/19/2007 3:00 PM Ford Ironnman FloridaSun 12/23/2007 3:00 PM Ironman 70.3 St, CroixWed 12/26/2007 3:30 PM Ironman 70.3 St, CroixSchedule subject to change, check your local listings.
A Quote for the Day!
"Any idiot can train himself into the ground; the trick is working in training to get gradually stronger."
Keith Brantly
Keith Brantly
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Some Photo's of my fun race!
The Swim Start mmmmm salt water!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
My day in the sun Florida IM
left Onalaska WI at 1:30 am drove to Madison WI. This is where I was to catch my first flight to Texas. My plane ride was perfect. When I got to Texas I was walking around checking things out and a man said to me, “Are you going to do Ironman Florida?” I said, “Yes, how did you know?” He looked at my shirt and noticed that I had on an Ironman Kentucky shirt. I was introduced to his friend, Wally, and we sat and talked before we were to get on to our next flight to Florida. This would be Ken and Wally’s first Ironman and they were going to do awesome. They had a plan and they were going to race their plan. The plane ride was so beautiful! It was so cool flying to an event I love to do. Seeing the sights and the beauty of the land that God made for us! OK enough of that! However, we landed in Florida and I got an awesome greeting from Dorothy, Ron’s wife “Welcome to Florida!” with a box of Alligator gummy bears and “wowza, they were great”! It was an hour drive to Panama City. I was so tired I had to sleep instead of see the sites. However, that lasted 15 min. My phone kept going off it was my family did you make it, are you ok, Yada, Yada, Yada." In a nice Polite way" We got to the Ironman and we needed to register or check in. It wasn't’t too crazy but then again I wasn't’t driving."Thank God" We finally found a parking spot and walked to registration. I was so excited this was going to be my fourth Ironman: WHOOHOO!! and in the ocean with the Sharks, Jellyfish and whatever else is out there… After we were registered, we walked around. I saw so many people I knew, from past Ironmans this is going to be great!We went to the Condo and that was so cool! It was unbelievable! You looked out the back door and there was the ocean…so very, very cool! I have never seen anything like that with exception of TV.
We didn't have to much to do that first day so Taylor, Ron and I decided to go for a very, very, very VERY long drive. We were going to check out the bike course. Now, the key word there is (WERE). We got lost. "Great Job Ron and Taylor "Just Kidding :)" I kept falling asleep in the back seat. I tried to stay awake; however the beginning of the bike course was so flat it was boring. Ok and I didn't’t get a lot of sleep because again I was up at 1:00 am. But then we did stop at a gas station and we had to ask directions. We were 15 miles off course! Heheheeee! A man driver yeah, yeah! However, it was fun. We never did finish the bike course, but we did find the condo. Thank gosh because I was tired.
Thursday November 1st -Practice swim starting at 7:00am. Ron, Dorothy and I met with Taylor and Cami and went to the Gatorade swim. We swam 1.2 miles. That went ok. Every time I saw a school of fish, I freaked and waited for someone to be by me. I didn't want to see a bigger fish if you know what I mean. Then I was so lucky to have taken in some of the salt water, and with all of those awesome little things floating in the it, "you know they looks like fish food flakes". That was yucky; yucky. I tried hard to blow the water as much as I could. I had a tummy ache the rest of the day! Then we went to the expo and just hung out the rest of the day. So very fun. - Got back to our condos and decided to go for a bike ride. It was so windy I kept drafting off Taylor and Ron but then there was a fast rider that went by us.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzmmmmmmmm I had to see if I could stay up with him so off I went! It was fun drafting off him yeah I know you shouldn't do that but to bad that's how it goes. I stayed with him until we were finished with the bike it was fun. However it was really, really flat yucky- I kept thinking that this race is going to be long very, very long. As some of you know, I love the hills. That night we went to the athlete banquet. That was amazing! It was so full of athletes, families and the big dogs of Ironman. FUN, FUN, FUN!
Friday November 2nd- Up and at ‘em again! We met at Taylor and Cami’s room. We had some awesome coffee and we were off to the swim. Went down to the water and started to swim. It went really, really good. I didn't’t have any trouble with the salt water today! Then we went back to the condos and got our bikes ready for check in, our bags and tried to stay off our feet as much as we could. Taylor and Cami came over for some pasta and that was that for the day! Ok…we did do some shopping!
Saturday November 3rd-Happy Anniversary to me! : )
This was my second year anniversary Cancer Free on this day! Whoooohooo!! I was so very excited I was up at 3:30 called my mom for good luck like I always do before a race and went to Ron and Dorothy’s room. Dorothy made pancakes for us, then off to the race site. We found a parking spot right away. Well, it was close to a fire hydrant so not too many people wanted to park next to it. We dropped off our bags, checked our bikes, stretched, and then put on that fun wet suit! We got in line for the swim start. “Here we go!” Down the beach! As we headed down, the song Thunder came on. This was the song that I heard before I dove into the Great OHIO River for Ironman Kentucky. As Ron and I were headed down the beach to the start of course right in the front… I was thinking we wouldn't’t see Taylor but then we looked and there he was right next to us. IT WAS AWESOME! We said a prayer together and then it was go time. The cannon went off. We ran into the water… it was disaster! Everyone was on you, you were on them, you were trying to get a breath, but you couldn't’t stop because you would be run over or hit yada yada yada. My first loop done! Thank God! As I passed the water station, I grabbed water, rinsed my mouth out, grabbed another and drank. Then, off to my second loop and wowza! I saw a huge, ok medium size, purple snot thing just floating there like nothing was going on. I swam so fast to get away from the jelly fish, but then I drank so much water I couldn't’t wait to get out. Finally done with the swim, off to transition, sat on the ground the volunteer took off my wet suit so fast it was in my hands almost instantly and I was off running! As I was running up the walkway my stomach was so full of water it was amazing: I could feel it sloshing! I’m going to be fine, I thought. I just needed to get on that bike and go. That’s my favorite thing.I kept telling myself… I knew I had to get something other then water in my tummy so I took a GU and oh man that didn’t sit well. Soon after I saw the 20 mile marker, I was off my bike puking…and I mean puking as much as I could get out. Back on the bike. Man oh man, I was not feeling well at all and I only had 92 miles to go to finish the bike and only 26.2 for the run. When I got to mile 49 I saw the special needs bag. I thought to myself, “That was quick!” But, in a way that stinks because were not even half way done with the bike! At the special needs bag they only had one potty! It was crazy! Thank gosh I hand put tp in my special needs bag, so me and some others were off to the woods (I know, like you needed to know that!). However when I got up my tummy wasn’t right I was puking again and this time very, very dizzy. I tried to jog to my bike and “wowza” that only lasted 4 steps. I got to my bike and the volunteer asked if I was ok and I smiled and said yes when I just wanted to say, “H*ll no!” but you all know me…I am a positive person and I had to keep that image. (and Sweet and Innocent to) Plus if you have one negative thought, you would be done. Off I went, trying to drink, and eat my Cliff Bar as much as I could. Mile 73 came. We went through the check point. Coming back from there, I saw Ron and he was looking good. I knew he was going to catch me for sure because I felt YUCKY and I hated it! But just when I thought I had been through it all, I got a bloody nose! So I’m trying to farmer blow (no one was behind me I must add). I put my head back and guess what?! It went into my tummy and off the bike I was again puking it up.. man oh man that sucked… I didn’t see Ron because I know he would have stopped for me. Back on my bike again and I am feeling like CRAP and that is an understatement! From that point on, I was singing that new Ozzy song, “Never going to stop over and over in my head.” Finally come in to the dismount area where yeah I was going a little fast but I wanted to get off that bike!!! I almost had a crash, but I think this was because I had sucky headache, tummy ache and I couldn’t look to far ahead because I would get dizzy. So, off the bike and on to the run. I was telling myself, “Almost there…” I kept telling myself that over and over. I came running out and I knew I couldn’t run because I had a sucky headache…the pounding was killing me. So, at each aid station I was trying to drink and eat just a little because I knew I was not doing so hot! At approximately mile 4 I was puking again. Not as bad as the bike, but yeah, I wasn’t able to keep anything in. Just then I started power walking. This girl looked at me and asked me if I wanted some company???? “What??” I was thinking to myself, “This is an Ironman! This is a long day to be by yourself and see what you can do!” So, I said, “Sunshine, this is how fast I have to go. I’m not doing that well at all,” and she said back to me, “My knees hurt and my IT bands do, too.” So we walked and I mean powered walked. We hit all the aid stations and all of the potty’s we could but then again at mile 16 or so I was yucky again. She waited for me. I COUILDN’T BELIEVE IT! Just then at about mile 23 I wasn’t feeling as bad. I started to pick up my walk. Jen (the girl I was walking with) said to me, “Go girl"! You can beat your PR time. You can run it in!” She then said her knees were hurting and her IT bands were on fire and she wasn’t sure if she could keep up that pace. I slowed it down looked at her and said, “Sunshine, we are in this together. We’re going to finish this darn thing together!” As most of you saw, we crossed the finish line together holding our hands up in the air and both thanking God it was done (in our heads of course)! "NOW THAT WAS A DAY"!
I have no intentions at this time of doing any Ironman with Salt water again! And in no way have a Margarita to drink!
However, it was an experience I will always remember.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
We didn't have to much to do that first day so Taylor, Ron and I decided to go for a very, very, very VERY long drive. We were going to check out the bike course. Now, the key word there is (WERE). We got lost. "Great Job Ron and Taylor "Just Kidding :)" I kept falling asleep in the back seat. I tried to stay awake; however the beginning of the bike course was so flat it was boring. Ok and I didn't’t get a lot of sleep because again I was up at 1:00 am. But then we did stop at a gas station and we had to ask directions. We were 15 miles off course! Heheheeee! A man driver yeah, yeah! However, it was fun. We never did finish the bike course, but we did find the condo. Thank gosh because I was tired.
Thursday November 1st -Practice swim starting at 7:00am. Ron, Dorothy and I met with Taylor and Cami and went to the Gatorade swim. We swam 1.2 miles. That went ok. Every time I saw a school of fish, I freaked and waited for someone to be by me. I didn't want to see a bigger fish if you know what I mean. Then I was so lucky to have taken in some of the salt water, and with all of those awesome little things floating in the it, "you know they looks like fish food flakes". That was yucky; yucky. I tried hard to blow the water as much as I could. I had a tummy ache the rest of the day! Then we went to the expo and just hung out the rest of the day. So very fun. - Got back to our condos and decided to go for a bike ride. It was so windy I kept drafting off Taylor and Ron but then there was a fast rider that went by us.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzmmmmmmmm I had to see if I could stay up with him so off I went! It was fun drafting off him yeah I know you shouldn't do that but to bad that's how it goes. I stayed with him until we were finished with the bike it was fun. However it was really, really flat yucky- I kept thinking that this race is going to be long very, very long. As some of you know, I love the hills. That night we went to the athlete banquet. That was amazing! It was so full of athletes, families and the big dogs of Ironman. FUN, FUN, FUN!
Friday November 2nd- Up and at ‘em again! We met at Taylor and Cami’s room. We had some awesome coffee and we were off to the swim. Went down to the water and started to swim. It went really, really good. I didn't’t have any trouble with the salt water today! Then we went back to the condos and got our bikes ready for check in, our bags and tried to stay off our feet as much as we could. Taylor and Cami came over for some pasta and that was that for the day! Ok…we did do some shopping!
Saturday November 3rd-Happy Anniversary to me! : )
This was my second year anniversary Cancer Free on this day! Whoooohooo!! I was so very excited I was up at 3:30 called my mom for good luck like I always do before a race and went to Ron and Dorothy’s room. Dorothy made pancakes for us, then off to the race site. We found a parking spot right away. Well, it was close to a fire hydrant so not too many people wanted to park next to it. We dropped off our bags, checked our bikes, stretched, and then put on that fun wet suit! We got in line for the swim start. “Here we go!” Down the beach! As we headed down, the song Thunder came on. This was the song that I heard before I dove into the Great OHIO River for Ironman Kentucky. As Ron and I were headed down the beach to the start of course right in the front… I was thinking we wouldn't’t see Taylor but then we looked and there he was right next to us. IT WAS AWESOME! We said a prayer together and then it was go time. The cannon went off. We ran into the water… it was disaster! Everyone was on you, you were on them, you were trying to get a breath, but you couldn't’t stop because you would be run over or hit yada yada yada. My first loop done! Thank God! As I passed the water station, I grabbed water, rinsed my mouth out, grabbed another and drank. Then, off to my second loop and wowza! I saw a huge, ok medium size, purple snot thing just floating there like nothing was going on. I swam so fast to get away from the jelly fish, but then I drank so much water I couldn't’t wait to get out. Finally done with the swim, off to transition, sat on the ground the volunteer took off my wet suit so fast it was in my hands almost instantly and I was off running! As I was running up the walkway my stomach was so full of water it was amazing: I could feel it sloshing! I’m going to be fine, I thought. I just needed to get on that bike and go. That’s my favorite thing.I kept telling myself… I knew I had to get something other then water in my tummy so I took a GU and oh man that didn’t sit well. Soon after I saw the 20 mile marker, I was off my bike puking…and I mean puking as much as I could get out. Back on the bike. Man oh man, I was not feeling well at all and I only had 92 miles to go to finish the bike and only 26.2 for the run. When I got to mile 49 I saw the special needs bag. I thought to myself, “That was quick!” But, in a way that stinks because were not even half way done with the bike! At the special needs bag they only had one potty! It was crazy! Thank gosh I hand put tp in my special needs bag, so me and some others were off to the woods (I know, like you needed to know that!). However when I got up my tummy wasn’t right I was puking again and this time very, very dizzy. I tried to jog to my bike and “wowza” that only lasted 4 steps. I got to my bike and the volunteer asked if I was ok and I smiled and said yes when I just wanted to say, “H*ll no!” but you all know me…I am a positive person and I had to keep that image. (and Sweet and Innocent to) Plus if you have one negative thought, you would be done. Off I went, trying to drink, and eat my Cliff Bar as much as I could. Mile 73 came. We went through the check point. Coming back from there, I saw Ron and he was looking good. I knew he was going to catch me for sure because I felt YUCKY and I hated it! But just when I thought I had been through it all, I got a bloody nose! So I’m trying to farmer blow (no one was behind me I must add). I put my head back and guess what?! It went into my tummy and off the bike I was again puking it up.. man oh man that sucked… I didn’t see Ron because I know he would have stopped for me. Back on my bike again and I am feeling like CRAP and that is an understatement! From that point on, I was singing that new Ozzy song, “Never going to stop over and over in my head.” Finally come in to the dismount area where yeah I was going a little fast but I wanted to get off that bike!!! I almost had a crash, but I think this was because I had sucky headache, tummy ache and I couldn’t look to far ahead because I would get dizzy. So, off the bike and on to the run. I was telling myself, “Almost there…” I kept telling myself that over and over. I came running out and I knew I couldn’t run because I had a sucky headache…the pounding was killing me. So, at each aid station I was trying to drink and eat just a little because I knew I was not doing so hot! At approximately mile 4 I was puking again. Not as bad as the bike, but yeah, I wasn’t able to keep anything in. Just then I started power walking. This girl looked at me and asked me if I wanted some company???? “What??” I was thinking to myself, “This is an Ironman! This is a long day to be by yourself and see what you can do!” So, I said, “Sunshine, this is how fast I have to go. I’m not doing that well at all,” and she said back to me, “My knees hurt and my IT bands do, too.” So we walked and I mean powered walked. We hit all the aid stations and all of the potty’s we could but then again at mile 16 or so I was yucky again. She waited for me. I COUILDN’T BELIEVE IT! Just then at about mile 23 I wasn’t feeling as bad. I started to pick up my walk. Jen (the girl I was walking with) said to me, “Go girl"! You can beat your PR time. You can run it in!” She then said her knees were hurting and her IT bands were on fire and she wasn’t sure if she could keep up that pace. I slowed it down looked at her and said, “Sunshine, we are in this together. We’re going to finish this darn thing together!” As most of you saw, we crossed the finish line together holding our hands up in the air and both thanking God it was done (in our heads of course)! "NOW THAT WAS A DAY"!
I have no intentions at this time of doing any Ironman with Salt water again! And in no way have a Margarita to drink!
However, it was an experience I will always remember.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
We all need a reminder!
"I just completed an IM race last weekend and I want to know when I should start training full volume again?"
Does this sound familiar to you after completing an IM race, or knowing someone who just did and can't wait to get going again? That doesn't sound like me "NOT" For most age groupers you are looking at 6-8 weeks, at least, to fully recover depending upon what you do for training, regeneration, and nutritional support for the body. The body must go into overtime to repair the damage from the race in terms of the muscular and cardiovascular systems. Your immune system will work overtime as well to help heal you internally along with trying to keep the variety of germs and virus's from getting you sick.
The first thing is to pay close attention to nutrition. Stay away from simple sugars and bad fats. Look at making sure you balance out the food that you eat so you are taking in quality protein/EFA fats, and complex carbs (vegetables) each day. Limit the alcohol and excessive sweets that have a tendency to make it into our diets after an IM race.
"Does this mean Gummy Bears" "Just Kidding"!
Second look into getting in some body work on a weekly basis. Massage, hot soaks with Epsom salts, hot tubs, self massage and other myofacial release type treatments will help to get you back to normal. "Now that's what I'm talking about"!
As for the training- if you come back too early you will prolong the recovery time. When one of my clients completes an IM race I say no running for at least 10-14 days.
Running is responsible for the most impact of the 3 components of the IM race. Start with some very easy swims after a period of time off (usually 4-5 days). Keep it simple, like drills, stroke work, and long recoveries between any easy repeats that you may do. Just keep the heart rate way down in the aerobic zone.
Then for the bike- start easy for short periods of time. Stay on flat roads in the small chain ring (even consider riding on the indoor trainer for a while) and keep the rpms at 90+ for the rides. Start with 45 minutes and slowly build from there over time.
Consider alternative training: water running, elliptical trainer, yoga, hiking, or other types of easy cardio work that will help you to recover.
The bottom line is to listen to your body and not let the mental aspect get in the way. Recovery is what will make you stronger, not just the quality training and racing.
Steve Fluet- Head Coach
Endurance Sports Training Systems
"Darn so this means I have to take it easy for a couple more days" hehehee : )
I will post my Ironman Florida report here soon; with some photo's :)
Does this sound familiar to you after completing an IM race, or knowing someone who just did and can't wait to get going again? That doesn't sound like me "NOT" For most age groupers you are looking at 6-8 weeks, at least, to fully recover depending upon what you do for training, regeneration, and nutritional support for the body. The body must go into overtime to repair the damage from the race in terms of the muscular and cardiovascular systems. Your immune system will work overtime as well to help heal you internally along with trying to keep the variety of germs and virus's from getting you sick.
The first thing is to pay close attention to nutrition. Stay away from simple sugars and bad fats. Look at making sure you balance out the food that you eat so you are taking in quality protein/EFA fats, and complex carbs (vegetables) each day. Limit the alcohol and excessive sweets that have a tendency to make it into our diets after an IM race.
"Does this mean Gummy Bears" "Just Kidding"!
Second look into getting in some body work on a weekly basis. Massage, hot soaks with Epsom salts, hot tubs, self massage and other myofacial release type treatments will help to get you back to normal. "Now that's what I'm talking about"!
As for the training- if you come back too early you will prolong the recovery time. When one of my clients completes an IM race I say no running for at least 10-14 days.
Running is responsible for the most impact of the 3 components of the IM race. Start with some very easy swims after a period of time off (usually 4-5 days). Keep it simple, like drills, stroke work, and long recoveries between any easy repeats that you may do. Just keep the heart rate way down in the aerobic zone.
Then for the bike- start easy for short periods of time. Stay on flat roads in the small chain ring (even consider riding on the indoor trainer for a while) and keep the rpms at 90+ for the rides. Start with 45 minutes and slowly build from there over time.
Consider alternative training: water running, elliptical trainer, yoga, hiking, or other types of easy cardio work that will help you to recover.
The bottom line is to listen to your body and not let the mental aspect get in the way. Recovery is what will make you stronger, not just the quality training and racing.
Steve Fluet- Head Coach
Endurance Sports Training Systems
"Darn so this means I have to take it easy for a couple more days" hehehee : )
I will post my Ironman Florida report here soon; with some photo's :)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Ironman Florida Warning This is sad!!!
Collin County woman dies after Ironman triathlon
Woman, 43, wanted efforts to benefit support group
05:10 PM CST on Friday, November 9, 2007
By ROY APPLETON / The Dallas Morning News rappleton@dallasnews.com
Exercise helped Dorothy Barnett-Griffin move beyond the death of her husband.
Dorothy Barnett-Griffin
With her first Ironman triathlon, she wanted to raise money for a support group that had helped her three children deal with the loss of their father.
Now the pain has returned.
Five days after collapsing during her competitive swim in the Gulf of Mexico, the Collin County woman died Thursday in a Panama City, Fla., hospital. She was 43.
"It's bizarre. It's wrong," said friend Carla Blatney. "I go from being sad to mad."
While Ms. Barnett-Griffin's family privately mourned their stunning loss, Ms. Blatney and others this week spoke of a bright, caring, upbeat and inspirational woman – a former nurse with a remarkable passion for her husband, three children, exercise and the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center in Plano.
"You never saw Dorothy without a smile on her face," said Jody Gunsolus, a friend and occasional training partner.
And "you've never met two people more in love," she said of Ms. Barnett-Griffin and her husband, Mike Griffin, whom she met on a Christian singles ski trip in Utah.
After a car crash killed her first husband, Dr. John Barnett Jr., five years ago, she began bicycling to escape the sorrow and find inner strength.
"It was great therapy for me, and I found out that you can cry and ride at the same time," she wrote in a recent online posting for Journey of Hope, detailing her support for the center and her "Journey to Ironman."
Ms. Barnett-Griffin and her children – Kim, now 15; Derek, 11; and Zachary, 8 – turned to the group, finding comfort there by sharing their grief with others, she said.
She joined the center's board of directors and became an active fundraiser for the program that helps children and their families confront the death of loved ones.
"She was so generous with her time, financial support and passion," said Susan Tucker Williams, executive director. "Everyone's loss is terrible, but for us this is huge. We are grieving, too."
A resident of Lucas, Ms. Barnett-Griffin hoped to raise $10,000 for Journey of Hope through donations to her Ironman effort. It was to be her biggest physical challenge, the next step after advancing from bicycle rides to rallies to the swim-bike-run combo of triathlons.
She competed in her first triathlon last year and finished two half Ironman events this year before going for the full 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run with her husband Saturday in Florida.
"So ...we will do the hard part," she wrote in her Journey of Hope posting. "We will swim, bike and run all day and train very hard to be able to make it."
Gerald Jackson, a triathlete and coach for the Dallas-based group Fit2Train, said he met Ms. Barnett-Griffin at a workout camp this summer.
"It was going to be a difficult challenge for her," he said of the Florida race where a swimmer died last year. "But she was going to go out at her own pace and knock it out."
On the day of the race, her husband had advanced to the biking phase. Ms. Barnett-Griffin was one of two swimmers left in the water, talking occasionally with escorts in kayaks. And suddenly she "rolled onto her back, said 'help' and passed out," said Helen Manning, spokeswoman for North America Sports, owner and manager of the Ironman events.
Ms. Barnett-Griffin was briefly underwater before being rushed to shore, where her children and mother were waiting to cheer her on, Ms. Manning and others said. Water conditions for the race were ideal, she said.
Revival efforts failed, and Ms. Barnett-Griffin never regained consciousness despite two surgeries to ease swelling of her brain.
The cause of death is unknown. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Contributions to Journey of Hope in Ms. Barnett-Griffin's name have almost tripled since Wednesday and exceeded her $10,000 goal.
The woman who spent her life working, encouraging and leading others would have relished the news, her friends said.
"Dorothy was one tough cookie," Ms. Blatney said. "She's the type of person that you fight your demons. You step out there, out of your comfort zone."
Just as Ms. Barnett-Griffin did Saturday.
"One day of pushing your body beyond any limit that you thought possible," she wrote in her Journey of Hope posting. "Sounds crazy? Most of you would agree. So call us crazy!"
A friend of ours was watching her husband and this is what she witnessed!
This is what I witnessed, as I watched the end of the swim…unbelievable to have seen her three kids watching and waiting (I was six feet away from them and know it was her family because they had navy blue “team Barnett-griffin” t-shirts on)…to have watched a volunteer fly to the beach on a wave runner, let it go and jump off and run…to have seen the EMT’s pumping on someone’s chest as they drove down the beach on a four-wheeler…to have accidentally walked into the area where the ambulances were to try to get back to our condo and seen an Ironman volunteer walking the mom of the injured woman, holding her arm as she was being brought to the ambulance…to have seen them still working on the woman, in the ambulance with the door open…to have overheard the grandmother (?) later in the day, at another spot, saying they think she will make it…
It is just shocking…I am especially grateful to God for Taylor, Danni and Ron’s safety that day… I just can’t imagine those kids losing both parents in freak accidents.
Woman, 43, wanted efforts to benefit support group
05:10 PM CST on Friday, November 9, 2007
By ROY APPLETON / The Dallas Morning News rappleton@dallasnews.com
Exercise helped Dorothy Barnett-Griffin move beyond the death of her husband.
Dorothy Barnett-Griffin
With her first Ironman triathlon, she wanted to raise money for a support group that had helped her three children deal with the loss of their father.
Now the pain has returned.
Five days after collapsing during her competitive swim in the Gulf of Mexico, the Collin County woman died Thursday in a Panama City, Fla., hospital. She was 43.
"It's bizarre. It's wrong," said friend Carla Blatney. "I go from being sad to mad."
While Ms. Barnett-Griffin's family privately mourned their stunning loss, Ms. Blatney and others this week spoke of a bright, caring, upbeat and inspirational woman – a former nurse with a remarkable passion for her husband, three children, exercise and the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center in Plano.
"You never saw Dorothy without a smile on her face," said Jody Gunsolus, a friend and occasional training partner.
And "you've never met two people more in love," she said of Ms. Barnett-Griffin and her husband, Mike Griffin, whom she met on a Christian singles ski trip in Utah.
After a car crash killed her first husband, Dr. John Barnett Jr., five years ago, she began bicycling to escape the sorrow and find inner strength.
"It was great therapy for me, and I found out that you can cry and ride at the same time," she wrote in a recent online posting for Journey of Hope, detailing her support for the center and her "Journey to Ironman."
Ms. Barnett-Griffin and her children – Kim, now 15; Derek, 11; and Zachary, 8 – turned to the group, finding comfort there by sharing their grief with others, she said.
She joined the center's board of directors and became an active fundraiser for the program that helps children and their families confront the death of loved ones.
"She was so generous with her time, financial support and passion," said Susan Tucker Williams, executive director. "Everyone's loss is terrible, but for us this is huge. We are grieving, too."
A resident of Lucas, Ms. Barnett-Griffin hoped to raise $10,000 for Journey of Hope through donations to her Ironman effort. It was to be her biggest physical challenge, the next step after advancing from bicycle rides to rallies to the swim-bike-run combo of triathlons.
She competed in her first triathlon last year and finished two half Ironman events this year before going for the full 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run with her husband Saturday in Florida.
"So ...we will do the hard part," she wrote in her Journey of Hope posting. "We will swim, bike and run all day and train very hard to be able to make it."
Gerald Jackson, a triathlete and coach for the Dallas-based group Fit2Train, said he met Ms. Barnett-Griffin at a workout camp this summer.
"It was going to be a difficult challenge for her," he said of the Florida race where a swimmer died last year. "But she was going to go out at her own pace and knock it out."
On the day of the race, her husband had advanced to the biking phase. Ms. Barnett-Griffin was one of two swimmers left in the water, talking occasionally with escorts in kayaks. And suddenly she "rolled onto her back, said 'help' and passed out," said Helen Manning, spokeswoman for North America Sports, owner and manager of the Ironman events.
Ms. Barnett-Griffin was briefly underwater before being rushed to shore, where her children and mother were waiting to cheer her on, Ms. Manning and others said. Water conditions for the race were ideal, she said.
Revival efforts failed, and Ms. Barnett-Griffin never regained consciousness despite two surgeries to ease swelling of her brain.
The cause of death is unknown. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Contributions to Journey of Hope in Ms. Barnett-Griffin's name have almost tripled since Wednesday and exceeded her $10,000 goal.
The woman who spent her life working, encouraging and leading others would have relished the news, her friends said.
"Dorothy was one tough cookie," Ms. Blatney said. "She's the type of person that you fight your demons. You step out there, out of your comfort zone."
Just as Ms. Barnett-Griffin did Saturday.
"One day of pushing your body beyond any limit that you thought possible," she wrote in her Journey of Hope posting. "Sounds crazy? Most of you would agree. So call us crazy!"
A friend of ours was watching her husband and this is what she witnessed!
This is what I witnessed, as I watched the end of the swim…unbelievable to have seen her three kids watching and waiting (I was six feet away from them and know it was her family because they had navy blue “team Barnett-griffin” t-shirts on)…to have watched a volunteer fly to the beach on a wave runner, let it go and jump off and run…to have seen the EMT’s pumping on someone’s chest as they drove down the beach on a four-wheeler…to have accidentally walked into the area where the ambulances were to try to get back to our condo and seen an Ironman volunteer walking the mom of the injured woman, holding her arm as she was being brought to the ambulance…to have seen them still working on the woman, in the ambulance with the door open…to have overheard the grandmother (?) later in the day, at another spot, saying they think she will make it…
It is just shocking…I am especially grateful to God for Taylor, Danni and Ron’s safety that day… I just can’t imagine those kids losing both parents in freak accidents.
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