Friday - Verona / Sunday - Rain, Run, Swim

I started writing this blog yesterday, Saturday, thinking not much would happen today, Sunday. I had an hour swim and a 2 hour run on the schedule. The most important part of the training plan was to be finished by 9 so I could be home in time to go to church at 11. Didn't think this training day would be a big deal....... Got in the car at 4:40, half way into the city the rains came down. Hard. Torrential. Wipers weren't wiping the water off fast enough. Lightening. Thunder. The works. UGH! I hate running in this but there was no way I could swim. Lightening = no swimming.

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It was still pouring when I reached tri-beach. Saw Bubba waiting in his car. Gave him a toot and found a spot 2 blocks up. "Rain before 7 gone by 11" I thought. Wait, I needed to be done by 9, well I would hope for the best. The rain let up and then stopped about a mile into the run. The lake was churning. Waves. Waves. And more WAVES. There was no one running. Just city workers picking up trash from the day before. It was still dark but an occasional flash of lighting would brighten the sky. Stopped by North ave. and used the p.a.p. Coming out I nearly ran into a group of guys and one very cold young lady walking down to the lake. It was obvious that they had enjoyed the night before and decided to watch the sun come up before getting to bed. Aaaahhhh, to be young again. They questioned my sanity for 1. running so early and 2. running in stormy weather. Hmmm. They probably drank more alcohol than I have had in the past 2 years and they are stammering towards a choppy lake in the rain - and they are questioning me?! :)

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The miles passed pretty quick. Runners were slowing starting to appear. No one was saying good morning. I was starting to feel like a leper. At least on the bike if you don't want to say hello you just nod. No nods, smiles or hello's this morning. Bubba told me not to take it personally, I was a suburban girl in the city. Finally, with about 4 miles left people starting smiling and nodding back! YEAH! Made me happy. The waves were still out there. The water was turning. Couldn't even see the buoys off of North ave. Was asking myself, how could I swim to the 4th buoy if I couldn't see it? With a mile left Bubba asked if I was going to swim. I could see tri-beach and the water seemed a little calmer inside the the break-wall. I told him to ask me when we got to the beach. Ok, we're at the beach. Swim? I had to try. Even if I just swam the first 200 M, and just kept going around them, it was important that I got my swim in.

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Put on the wetsuit, cap, goggles. Got in the water and felt this piercing in my lower back, and then a burning feeling. What? Grabbed my back and then felt it again! What the ...., something was stinging me. Here was my chance. I could get out right now. No swimming in the waves today. Well, I know I'm not allergic to bees or wasps, so it was just a sting, no damage. Watched as Bub swam away. Enough nonsense I thought. Just go. I don't know why today was different from the other times I struggled but for some reason today was different. I felt relaxed. As a wave came I was able to swim with it. Up and down. I wasn't fighting the water but floating in it. My arms moved me forward, my legs propelled me. I would float and swim, all at the same time. It all fell into place. I was ecstatic!!! Stay calm, stay focused. Just keep going. Thank you Jesus. I can't wait to call Keri and tell her. I can't wait to tell Scott. I repeated those 3 things over and over.

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I made it to 700 M. The waves were coming quicker now. They seemed to have gotten larger. I heard a group of women standing on the running path. I would go up, EEEEE they would squeal, I would come down, OOOOO they would moan. I finally stopped and looked at them. They started running and I continued on, for about 4 more strokes. I checked my watch. It was 8:30. I didn't care how long it took me to get to this point or that it was time for me to turn around. I conquered the waves!!! I ended up getting out of the water at the 200 M mark. All the turning and movement made me feel sick. Like sea sick. Saw a tri mate on the beach earlier in the swim and he had to get out at 800 M because of the sea sick feeling, now it was my turn. Again, I didn't care. I was thrilled with my swim. THRILLED!!! Mission accomplished, run - done, swim (in the waves!!!) - done, church on time - done. :) While in church I thanked Jesus one more time in case he didn't hear me the first 100 times I was in the water.

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One year ago I never heard of Verona Wisconsin. If someone asked if I knew where Verona was I probably would have guessed Italy or Spain. Today I can get there without the help of Map Quest.

Friday was my last training ride on the Ironman course. The weather was perfect and thanks to the sinus infection, I was well rested. Keri drove up with me and we met Bubba. Had made 2 maps of the course for me and Keri so we wouldn't get lost but surprised myself with how little I needed to look at the map for direction. While riding I worked on keeping my mind and body still while climbing the hills and staying focused on being in the moment of the ride. I've learned how defeating it is to think "I still have another loop left". On the other hand, I enjoyed riding with Keri and letting her know what was coming when we would turn a corner. It was a big bang to my confidence realizing I had become familar with the course.

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Race day is less than 3 weeks now. Tick tock. There's nothing I can do now that is going to change my performance on race day. Tick, tock, tick tock.