An Honest Blog - should I still do IM?

Ok, usually I try to post something funny.... but I've had a few days of pondering. Maybe I can chalk it up to some scared "29 days to IM" thoughts, but maybe not. Here's the deal - listen and weigh in, will ya?

So here is the deal. I've worked what, 18 months on this? Well now it comes down to a lot of the local efforts. I've been busy trying to get host families lined up to house the 12 athletes and their families AND their friends....establishing a "Triabetes Headquarters" at the finish line (thank you SHARENDIPITY.COM you are rockstars!!!)....putting together a week long schedule, a welcome reception, dealing with NA Sports (who are FABULOUS) about logistics for safety issues on the course, trying to figure out where the best filming locations are...what is the story really going to be....who's going to market it....distribution...showing at local film festivals....

and on top of all that...I'm trying to train...and be a single mom to three great kids....and looking for a great new job (which I think I found...more to come on that).... I'm tired. And I think this: It is difficult to arrange the schedule and life of one ironman athlete during IM. How the HECK am I going to manage 13? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

I talked to Joe Brady today. Told him I was feeling a little like I should drop out of racing. I mean, someone has to make sure it runs smooth from a business standpoint. It should be me. It's my dream, my goal. Of course he answered that I just need to prioritize and basically told me to stop being a whiny baby (in his own way, but I know what he was thinking!).

Do I race? I biked 30 miles today, 22.5 HARD miles on Wednesday in the pouring rain on the hills of Mt. Vernon with an 20 mph pace...and I'm getting up super early to bike 60 miles tomorrow morning....

Should I do it? Am I being selfish? Ugh...... help?

Meet Triabetes Triathlete - Joe Brady

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFhEtDjLma0


Ok, this video rocks out. Today Nella put together a few clips to share with the world. I'm choosing this one first to share. Meet Joe Brady. Joe was my bike coach at JDRF for a couple of years. (Actually, in the photo to the right, we are at a checkpoint in Whitefish, MT. I had just climbed on board the Kansas City Smack Train and he was about to be the first finisher of the day for the JDRF century ride.) I convinced him to do the Triabetes project - now he tries to convince me to meet him to swim at 6:00 am - yuck! I spent the day over at Ray and Nella's (a.k.a Andiamo Productions). I meant to go over there just to get the video, but the kids hung out and they invited us for a delicious dinner. It was quite rewarding to watch the process of what they do to transfer the data, etc. Ray had just returned from San Francisco, filming Anne, John, Bill, et al as they swam in front of Alcatraz, ran the Golden Gate Bridge - SO jealous! I also think a very cute moment at their house was when my son, Jesse, picked up one of the Emmy Awards that sit above their tv like forgotten bowling trophies and said, "Um, is this REALLY what I think it is???" I said, "Yes. They have 13 of them." Pretty cool moment....





Ok, back to Joe. Take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFhEtDjLma0


BE SURE TO WATCH IT IN 'HIGH QUALITY'. Click the button directly under the video!





Enjoy!

Would you like one breath, or two...with your swim?

Sunday mornings are turning into my "swim with fellow Triabetes athlete, Joe Brady" day. Not that I mind, it's exactly what I need both in pushing me to pretend to be a triathlete AND to feel the camaraderie of the team. Joe was trying out his second wetsuit of the season, a two piece deal he saw Larry Smith wearing while at Diabetes Training Camp in Chicago. We had a good chuckle as we figured out which one was better and he claimed the new one to be more buoyant as we sat in the middle of the lake with his feet out.

Open water swimming has been a bit tricky in these parts as flooding has made some less-than-idea lakes even less-ideal. Lake Ripley in Cambridge had more recent flooding but the quality was do-able (not tasty, but do-able). We swam just inside the buoys to avoid the boats, me with my tingling left arm (what the hell is causing that?) while I concentrated on relaxing my legs, as I am pretty prone to leg cramps because I'm so tense in the water.

Joe tells me that during his open water swim classes, Dave is teaching him to breathe on every stroke - long, deep strokes, each time. I'm going to try this next time I'm out, but I cautioned Joe that he needs to learn several methods and here is my "I've been-there-done-that" advice from Ironman 06. Wind, rain, and waves bigger than your head smacking you in your face gives you the option of what breathing pattern you choose. If you are an even side breather, you're screwed if you are used to breathing left...and can only breathe right. My advice is to practice breathing in 3s, 4s, 5s and 7s. It also gives me something to think about while swimming.

It's been fun training with another triabetic athlete. If you are ever in the neighborhood and would like to join us, give me a shout!

Now, whether or not you take my swimming advice, you are at your own risk considering my excellent skills didn't stop me from swimming smack into a buoy. Nice sighting on my part, eh?