What is an IRONMAN 70.3?

WHAT: For those that don't know Ironman 70.3, also known as half ironman is a triathalon (meaning 3 sports: swim, bike, and run). The distance for this race is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and finishing off with a half-marathon run, 13.1 miles. The sum of all those miles is 70.3, hence the Ironman 70.3 - can you believe that there is a Full Ironman?? with all those distances being doubled to become 140.6!!!!

WHEN: The Ironman Steelhead 70.3 in Michigan on Saturday August 31, 2010. The race started at 7, with my wave starting at 7:39 AM (so there isn't a huge mass of people at the start in the water at one moment they have the race start in waves. The waves are broken down into your own divisions based upon sex and age.)

WHERE: The race was held in a community off of Lake Michigan called Benton Harbor, Michigan, a 4.5 hour drive from our home.

I have a friend that I knew while we were living in Athens who has since moved to Michigan, just off the lake, so in hopes of seeing her I contacted her about my race. Turned out she lives 20 minutes from the race start!!! She offered to let us stay at her house, which we did, even though she was out of town. Disappointed that I didn't get to see her, grateful that I got to stay at her house.

She had told me that even though she grew up on the banks of Lake Erie, Lake Michigan is so much better. She was not lying. It is beautiful, the beaches are amazing, the sand soft... sorry Erie, Michigan makes you look pathetic.

WHY: I've always liked to run - or at least tolerated it, and I love to bike. I respected the triathalon, thought that the multisports would help with being more well-rounded and would help keep things alive with the variety, but I lacked one thing...I cannot swim. All I can do is the doggy-paddle, and I am terrible at that.

Then in comes Linda. She knows how to swim, was even on swimteam. We start talking and she invites me to do a short triathalon in August. She tells me the distances, it's not too bad...okay, I can do it. Meanwhile I start talking to her about running a marathon. This year her family is running in the Top of Utah marathon. All of her siblings, but the one returning from her mission in August, are running it, along with their dad! I try telling Linda that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and running a marathon changes your life. The good news - she's going to do it!! Just ran 17 miles on Saturday!!! GO LINDA!!

Linda met me at the pool many times and taught me how to swim - and what a job it was for her. I was a mess, but very soon I was able to swim lap after laps, I actually started to enjoy swimming.

This got me thinking more and more seriously about triathalons. Of course, since I am a researcher, I researched all I could find on triathalons. I consulted a family friend who has done a full ironman, we will call her Carrol Freakin-Awesomanwaring. After all my research I decided that I could do a half ironman. I found one that was 8 weeks away, very short time to train, but I had been exercising a lot, very fit on the running and biking, would just need to focus on the swimming and putting it all together.

So I, along with Todd's support, decided to go for it.

HOW: Upon making my decision, I put my focus on training --outside of my focus on my kids and Todd, of course. I went out to Utah for 3 weeks, all but the first weekend without Todd. We went to Lyndee's wedding in San Diego, then Todd went home and I went to Utah with my parents. It was really good timing because then I got to focus on training while having several people around to help me with my kids. When I'm home, based upon Todd's schedule, I often have to go running at 5 AM inorder to get a run in before he has to go to work.

I spent a lot of time with Carrol. I actually can't decide if I am sad that I don't live closer to her or if I'm happy that I don't live closer. She is a push-it-to-the-max person. You and your body will go to extremes that you didn't know existed just to keep up with her while she's not even breaking a sweat! As you are starting to realize how crazy this much exercise is, she is praising you and telling you how awesome you are doing and how you can do anything. I almost feel like one of those puppies that get hit then pet and cuddled, very unsure of what's going on, but always coming back for more.

All joking aside, Carrol is a great person to work-out and train with. Every other morning we would meet at 5:30 (it is 30 minutes later than 5....did I forget I was on vacation?) and we, along with another friend, Chris, would run these trails up the mountains behind her house. We would run this 11 mile course, and even did a 14 miler when we threw in a stop to the La Verkin Lookout. These hills were killers, and I would often want to quit, but at the same time I loved it.

I would meet Carrol at the communtiy pool and she would help me with my swimming. I tried to practice while swimming with my kids at my mom's or dad's pools, but the pools just aren't long enough and you do have to keep an eye on your kids so they don't drown - right?

One day Carrol informed me that she was planning on doing the entire half ironman distance over the course of one day... that day. So we started the day with the usual run, adding in the Lookout to make it 14 miles. That afternoon we met a the pool to do laps, I got there a little late and they only allow lap swim for a limited amount of time, so I wasn't able to do the full distance (dang it). Then that evening we did a bike ride up to Zions' Canyon. There were some tough hills on that ride, the La Verkin Twist is a killer, and it just keeps on going up and up. We had to stop about 15 miles short, it was too dark to ride safely, and a stop to eat at Oscars was very inviting.

I ran the Hurricane 4-miler on the 4th of July, and guess what! I got first place in my age division. It was not easy, there were some awesome competition. I have never placed in anything before, so it was kind of cool.

When I got home to Ohio I continued my training. I went swimming in the open water in Lake Erie, running around the town, biking, and would get some speedwork in during my rec leauges' soccer games. I did one long brick workout (where you swim, bike and run in one workout, lasting for several hours) when Lana was here visiting. Afterwards I felt drained, but confident that I could do this race.

A week before the race I started really tapering my activities. I did yoga, but that was all I had planned. I got a text on Tuesday that there was an unexpected soccer game for my team that night. I couldn't miss it, but I also knew that I shouldn't be playing very long. Fortunately my sister LeNae and cousin Ivy Ellen were visiting, and both being soccer players I had them come play with me. I was so glad that I had them come. Since this was a last minute game, not a lot of people knew about it, so when the game began we had no subs. I was getting nervous, knowing that I shouldn't be playing the entire game. I was nervous not only because I should be resting, but also because I did not want to get injured.

I usually am very aggressive and hussel for everything, but this game I was not pushing myself, being extra cautious. Slowing down actually helped me see the field better, make smarter movements. But when a girl crashed into me, trapping my foot under her leg as she fell down, causing me to fall down and twist my ankle at the same time, I took myself out of the game. Luckily another teammate had just arrived so she was able to come in for me.

I had a slight illness on Monday and Tuesday, a little sore throat and a throbbing ear. It wasn't terrible, but I was nervous that it would affect my race. But it came and went with few problems.

Then on Thursday, the night that you are supposed to get the best rest possible for the upcoming race, the illness came back. You see, the rest that you benifit the most for a race occurs not the night prior to the race, but the night prior to that one. The night before a race you may get rest, but you are also very restless, anticpating the next day's events. The sad part was that the illness didn't come back to me, it hit my little Grant.

I spent half the night trying to comfort poor Grant. After sleeping about an hour, he wanted me to take him downstairs. We spent the rest of the night trying to sleep on the couch. Todd had tried to take him so that I could get more rest, but Grant wanted me. When you're sick, you want your momma, and I am a Momma before I am an athlete.

We were supposed to leave Friday right at noon, when Todd was supposed to get off from work. I got a little anxious when he didn't get home until 1:30. Turns out one of his patients was crashing, so he had to stay and get her stable.

With so many little things going not as planned was getting nervous. The long 4.5 hour drive was not helping, but we made it to the expo in time without any problems.

My mom went with me to the Expo as Todd drove over to get the keys to my friend's house. The expo was smaller than I imagined it would be, but it was still great. I love Expos, it's great to see the racing community come out.

After the expo we drove by the lake to check it out. It was gorgeous. Then Todd and I went and checked my bike in, even though the Transition area was supposed to be closed. It was cool to see all the hundreds and hundreds of bikes (over 2500 of them). Then we went to my friend's house and went to bed.

WHO: I AM IRONMAN!!!