Let the countdown begin...

If you ask me today how I'm feeling my response would be, somewhere between Oscar the Grouch and Sam the Eagle. My mind is tired. My body is tired. Not to mention that I am perpetually hungry and extremely cranky.

I have 30 days to go and right now everything is annoying to me. I don't want to talk on the phone, I don't want to talk about my training, I just want to sleep. I've asked some of my Ironman friends about it and they say that this is completely normal and temporary. Phew, what a relief! I was beginning to worry that this state of mind was going to carry me to race day.

Last week was a bad one for me in terms of training. I was not able to complete everything that coach prescribed and my sleep pattern was way off. Looking back, it was probably due to a combination of two things: the extreme heat (I ran 10 miles in 102 degrees and pretty much gave myself a heat stroke), and not being fully recovered from my Triple-T training weekend. Being the type A that I am, not being able to finish a workout really bothers me and I still feel guilty about it. So I decided that this week would be a better one.

Then I got the email from Coach with my schedule and my heart sank a little. Holy crap! I cannot have another bad week. I read the schedule a couple of times to let all the workouts sink in and allowed myself a few minutes to pout over it. Ok, I'm done. Yeah it's a lot, but I can do it and I will do it. All I have to do is approach it one workout at a time and slowly I will check each workout off the list. I got this.

I have a lot of mixed emotions heading into the last weeks of training. I'm excited that the countdown has begun and a part of me will be glad when it is all over. I've loved having a GIANT goal to work towards and at the same time I worry that I will feel lost once the race is done. I am also very excited to go to Hawaii, which is a place I have never been to, to relax and spend some time with my family. But most of all I am looking forward to sleeping in on the weekends again!

So Linda, it's time to embrace the "suck" and toughen up. I only have a couple more weeks of hard training before the "taper" and these workouts right now are key to crossing the finish line under 17 hours.

Triple-T Training Weekend

FRIDAY NIGHT
Sprint Triathlon

I arrive early and keep checking my phone to see if I have any missed calls or messages from people who might be joining me. Tonight is the kick off to a really long training weekend that I have been anxiously looking forward to.

Two familiar faces greet me as I gather my gear and head over to the pool deck. Now that I know I won't be by myself this evening, I'm really excited for this workout as it will be the shortest one over the next few days. Three more Kona Support Crew members join us, we each
take a lane and jump right in. The water feels amazing because, even though it's 6:00 pm, it is easily 90 degrees out. I swim a very relaxed 500 yards (00:07:55) and try my best to transition in a timely matter. This weekend my transitions are not important. The main goal is to do the entire Ironman distance over three days.

We get about a mile into our short 12 mile bike ride (00:42:28) and I get a flat. I just bought new tires so at the moment I'm a bit irritated. However my annoyance is short lived because my Coach is there to help. Yes, I am aware that I should be the one changing my own tire but if help is offered why not take it. We make our final loop and lucky
for us the weather has cooled quite a bit. Tonight the run is a piece of cake! A nice easy pace, lots of conversation, and only 3.1 miles (00:30:45). It goes by in a flash and before you know it I am done with triathlon #1.

SATURDAY MORNING
"Olympic" Triathlon #1

Zuma Beach is alive with people and every five minutes or so more and more arrive. The Nautica Malibu Triathlon is next weekend and this is the last big training day for many of the participants. It also happens to be the site where I will be doing triathlon #2.

This morning I definitely feel the love from the ladies of my triathlon group as 13 of them showed up to workout. Each one of them is training for an upcoming race so it was a lot of fun for all of us to get together. We hit the water for the 1/2 mile ocean swim (00:20:00*) and it's absolutely perfect out. A few waves here and there, but once you pass the surf line it is completely glassy.

I would say this was the longest transition of the entire weekend by far. Rinsing wet suits, changing into biking clothes, eating some food and taking my sweet time. All of us gather and head out for an easy out and back 22 mile ride (01:16:07).

Normally during the summer it stays pretty cool at the beach, today not so much. None of us are carrying any water but as luck would have it we find two water fountains along our 5 mile run (00:49:17).

We all make it back in one piece and as I head back to my car I wonder to myself, how the hell am I going to do another one of these in a few hours?

*forgot my watch so I don't know what my time was

INTERLUDE

My feet are up, I am eating a GIANT salad, and I am very much enjoying my air conditioned home as it is 100 degrees outside. No joke! I have about 3 hours to relax and recover before I have to head out again for triathlon #3. The key to surviving this weekend is preparation for sure. I picked the holiday weekend in advance for a reason, mapped the routes, prepared my food, and emailed my plans. Everything is going amazingly well. All I have to do is show up and let my body do the rest.

SATURDAY EVENING
"Olympic" Triathlon #2

I am fried. It's still about 100 degrees out and I have zero desire to workout. I keep telling myself that "this is the path to Kona" and "you have to train in the heat." Blah, blah, blah. All I can think about is how it feels like a freaking oven out here! My motivation is almost gone until I see my two workout companions for the evening. Oh boy! These ladies are going to make me work. I make them take a BEFORE picture because trust me there is no way in hell we'll be smiling at the end of this.

The swim is fabulous. I could have easily stayed in the pool all night but alas the 750 yards (00:11:41) goes by much too soon. We head out for what looks to be a really hot ride and being the experts that they are, they modify the bike route for less hills and less traffic. I bring three water bottles with me and some food. This weekend is not only to see how my body recovers from back to back to back workouts but also to practice my nutrition. However, right now something feels off because my stomach does not like me. It's possible that I ate too much between triathlons today, and after all those flip turns in the pool I've definitely done something to upset it.



This 22 mile bike ride (01:29:50) seems like an eternity. I absolutely love the company but my mind is all over the place. My tummy hurts, it is hot as hell, and the wind is super annoying. I try my best to embrace the Kona like conditions, but I'm struggling. Finally, I am able to focus a bit more as I set myself on auto pilot and follow their lead.

Our 5 mile run (00:53:52) is nothing special. We are beat and all we want is for it to be over with. The weather cools down a bit which is a huge plus, but our bodies have taken a beating. There is not a doubt in my mind, had these two not shown up, I probably would've skipped this one for the day. I'm so glad they did.


SUNDAY
Half Iron Triathlon

This is it. The last triathlon of the weekend. By some miracle my body seems to be holding up pretty well which is good because today I will need it. Once again a great group of comrades have assembled and we take a few minutes to discuss the day's game plan. Since today is going to be a long day, my approach is to think about in terms of parts and mentally check off each one as I complete it. Not everyone can stay, and to be honest I didn't think anyone would want to. But when my "equally crazy as me" friend says she's in for the whole thing, I am pumped!

Part 1, check! 1.2 mile ocean swim (00:31:37) Part 2, check! 56 mile bike ride (03:25.53) Part 3, the dreaded 13.1 mile run in the blistering heat (02:22:26) AH!!! I drink lots of water before we even start and I am happy to have my water belt with me, but I know it probably won't be enough. One mile at a time ticks slowly by and little by little the conversation dwindles. We are exhausted, thirsty, sweaty, and we have a little more than two miles to go when out of no where pops out an angel with a bottle of water. She is just what we needed to lift our spirits and give us the last burst of energy that we needed to finish.

4 triathlons in 3 days, equals 140+ miles of Triple-T madness!!! I survived the longest training weekend yet and couldn't have done it alone. Thank you to everyone who came out this weekend. Each one of you helped me get one step closer to my Kona goal. You're AWESOME!!!

The results are in...

I am truly humbled to see all of the support you have given me throughout my training and especially this contest. This was a great way for me to engage with you all, and based on the amount of pictures, I think it was a HUGE success. 

I love how creative you all were and that I had so many different types of pictures to choose from. Check out what I mean:

#1 Cheerleader

Runner's High

On your mark, get set, 5k!

Rex on Guard

Ready to Roll

Jumping Pookin

Swim in Peace

Back to School

Wheelchair Sprints

On the Road to Wine Country

Hermosa Beach Runner

It's Hockey Time!

PT Trooper

Sunday Mornings with Jake

Totally Loving Life

Bikini Body Prep

Maverick the Kona Crew Dog

Swim Champion

Saturday Triple-T Crew

The family that plays together, stays together

Warming up the Island

Pushups with Pancho

However, based on the original criteria of the contest, there were three pictures that stood out the most. The winners of the Kona Crew T-shirt contest are:

Bikini Body Prep, Jumping Pookin, and 
The family that plays together, stays together.

Congratulations!!! You can expect some goodies arriving on your doorstep in the near future.

Thank you all for participating.