My Ironman experience~
It really set in that I was going to do the Ironman 3 days after Korbin was born. My body has changed for the best to have a baby but for the worst to do an Ironman. I told myself if everything went good after having him I would do it. 3 days after I had him I was on my bike I could only ride 12 miles and man did that kill me my heart rate was sky high.
Our Half
Lisa, Theresa, Kathy, Michelle and I went and did a half marathon 2 weeks prior to IM we told each other we would all stay together no matter what ~Michelle Lamore really had a hard time run/walking 13.1 miles however we did what we all said we would do which is stayed together; we finished our half at around 3:10:?? It was one of the greatest times I have had in my running races… I decided at that time I would dedicate my 6th IM to Michelle with everything she’s been through fighting Cancer, keeping her family as positive as she can and then watching her finish that Half Marathon even though she was suffering she was going to finish it.
Some of you may know that Michelle signed up for IM this year but couldn’t do it because of her transplant only 4 months ago plus she wouldn’t be strong enough to train for the IM before her transplant however mentally she would be able to do the IM Michelle reminds me of myself she is a fighter!
~Thursday was here and it was time to head down to the Ironman we left around 12:30 Blane and baby Korbin were ready for a weekend of fun~ we get to Madison time to get registered the line wasn’t that long however Korbin was crabby he was hungry and we left his bottle in the car, Blane ran to the car to get it I preceded to jump in line with a crying baby, everyone knew we were there. People around me were trying to calm him down, but it all changed when they found out he was mine and he’s only 6 weeks 5 days old and they couldn’t believe it. I heard “You’re doing Ironman that is Crazy or I would hear that is unbelievable, Are you ready?”! I said to them “When you put your mind to do something you will achieve it”
~Friday morning I head down to meet with Ron and others for a swim, I figured it was my 5th mile for the year of swimming “not good IM training” however the swim went great! Then some of us went for a bike ride after our swim and thank gosh we did my shifting cable was only hanging on by 2 strands so it was in the shop for a couple of hours. I called Michelle and found out she wasn’t going to be here to volunteer her daughter was sick (she didn’t know I was going to dedicate this IM to her) so I told her that I was dedicating this IM to her and no matter how bad I hurt I will not quit, I would keep her in mind all day I told her I’m going to finish this for her I knew this was going to be a very hard IM with the training I didn’t have. Michelle couldn’t believe it she started to cry I told her I will give her my finisher’s shirt and my metal when I was done. I told also told here I would wave as I came in just watch for me on her computer, I knew I would be close to 10:00 before I would be done.
~Sunday My alarm goes off at 3:30 am I’m up getting something to eat mentally preparing myself for the day, texting everyone letting them know they were going to be Ironman’s and be safe I also text Michelle letting her know our race was going to start in 3 hours ~ 4:45 were off to the IM I feel the butterflies in my tummy I can’t wait to get started. I headed down to my bike and there’s Lisa and Theresa ready to take photos and give me words of encouragement it was awesome!. Ron had pumped up my tires, I put everything on my bike and checked my other bags everything was great. We sat around talked watched people as they were getting ready for their big day then it came time to put on my wet suit (now I need to remind you I have 16 extra pounds on me putting on a wet suit that fit perfect last year was going to be a challenge pulling and squishing everything in and you know what I mean) so much fun I should have purchased a whole can of pam and used it hehehe…
~off to the water
I give hugs to my friends and a big hug and kiss to Blane I let him know I love him and I will see him in a bit ~as we walk down I see a ton of friends give hugs to them and walked down with Ron, we see Dan, Jenny, Craig and Taylor we say a word of prayer and off we went. This is the first time I wasn’t in the water for more then 10 min. before the cannon goes off we finally get in I was trying to get to where I normally start I couldn’t get there fast enough and I hear Mike say 1 min to go time I’m trying to warm up and my wet suit is getting tighter my heart rate is going up them all the sudden the cannon goes off oh shyt here we go I think to myself, as I started I couldn’t get it together I was taking in water, hyperventilating and getting hit by some of my new friends, friends that I was going to spend the rest of the day with. I finally gave in I found someone in a kayak and hold on to it my heart rate was 192 “wowza” I have never felt like that, I felt like I was going to drowned in my wet suit, the man in the kayak said are you ok?, you can stay on here as long as you need to, remember you trained for this I said to him “I had a baby 7 weeks ago and I didn’t train like I should have” as I watched everyone go by I thought to myself you know what you are doing, you’ve trained people to swim, you’ve helped others in this situation now let go and get it together so that’s what I did by the first turn I got it together thank gosh! I get out of the water and I didn’t even want to see my time. I start to run to the wet suit volunteers I get it off my shoulders and he couldn’t get the rest of the way it was so funny and then finally it comes off “man oh man” I’m sure that was a sight to see. I was off and running again to T1 I get my bag and change (now you don’t even want to hear about that but I have to say thank gosh for volunteers)! I’m changed I run out I have to go to the awesome outside potties when I opened the door there was a guy going potty nice sight that was “NOT” “I was thinking Sweet Jesus lock that door duh” off to my bike I hear so many people yelling my name I’m running with my bike jump on now I’m on to my way to a fun filled 112 mile bike ride with all my new training friends. I’m feeling really good until mile 32 I go down a hill, up a hill and my tire makes this terrible noise I look down it’s not flat, my break is not touching the tire what the hell is it I think to myself? I pulled over by this time the wheel wouldn’t turn I take it off and here comes a sweet IM official, he asked if I was ok I said yes but I wasn’t sure about my bike I said I wasn’t sure what was going on with it and he said it must be the barring’s I can’t let you ride it it’s unsafe ~ he did say something about calling support however they were backed up. I said I have to finish I was dedicating this IM to a friend that’s had Cancer and couldn’t do this race which she signed up for I asked him to please let me ride down the next hill and see if it would work I prayed that it would over and over as I was riding down guess what it did T.G. I get to the top of the hill and there was my aunt and uncle I have to say what a great site that was. To make a long story short on the rest of my bike I have never cramped up so much my quads were on fire my calves were also on fire and I had to get off my bike because it wouldn’t stop cramping ~ my tummy was feeling crappy but I was going to finish this ride no matter what! I get into town and into T2 for my running clothes there is Maggie F. was she grabs my bag and helps me out I have to say what a great women she dumps it out and helps me she really kept me calm and in control. I thank her for that! Out the door I go to the bathroom again however I did open the door very slowly just incase….. I see Lisa and Theresa again it was so nice to see your friends and family supporting you, I started to jog but then remembered I just had a baby 7 weeks ago and if I run I’m going to pee my paints because of the pressure of having a baby (if that was to much info. Sorry that’s just how it is) so I knew I was going to have to power walk the whole marathon and that’s what I did I shared my gummy bears with people, ate a cheese burger my hubby gave to me at mile 12, I talked with all different people I really tried to make it as fun as I could finally to mile 20 my husband was waiting for me with Larry S. it was great he walked with me the last 6 miles it was the greatest experience ever I loved it. As I came down the shoot to hear Danniela Neher you are an Ironman it was sad that Landen couldn’t run with me but then it made me happy because I knew I wasn’t just doing this race for me I was doing it for Michelle to as I came in I waved to Michelle I was hoping she was watching me. Then I see my family and my friends waiting for me they were ready to put my metal on and give me hugs, I made it! I would have to say out of all 6th of my Ironman’s I have done that was for sure the toughest one I wonder if it was the lack of training or if it was having a baby 7 weeks ago? I have to say during the whole race I thought about Michelle all her pain and struggles and how much she wanted to do this race it really helped me get through it.
Always remember “If you put your mind to it you will achieve anything and I mean anything!”
I really want to thank everyone for your support, understanding, friendship and help with everything! A huge hug and thanks to Arne my guardian angle at all times!
Happy Recovery Sunshine’s
If your wondering what my next goal is you will have to wait and see! :~O
