Trying this again - Ironman Wisconsin

The last time I tried to write a blog, I was pretty unsuccessful. I feel a need to share some of my crazy stories as I try to figure out what cosmic energy I put in the universe that makes my life seem so ridiculous at times.

At this time next week, I will be in Madison, Wisconsin hopefully standing in a few feet of water waiting for the most insane swim of my life to start. That's right, next week is Ironman Wisconsin! For those who don't know Ironman, it's also known as a full triathlon: a 2.4 hour swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile swim. Insane, right? I have completed an Ironman in Louisville, Kentucky when it was in the 90's temperature wise and humid as all heck. Here are the goals for Madison:

1. Beat my time in Louisville: 14:01:01

Swim: 1:13:23
Transition: 7:34
Bike: 6:26:33
Transition: 9:37
Run: 6:03:54

How am I going to beat this time:

I think my swim should go a bit better, mainly because it should be wetsuit legal. I am a little worried about my citing (my ability to swim straight as I go from one buoy to the next) so the goal for Wisconsin: 1:08

Transition: Ahh, bathroom break plus everything else, let's just say 6

Bike: I honestly can't imagine goiong as fast on the bike as I did in Louisville for two reasons. 1. Wisconsin's course is a bit harder. 2. I went too fast in Louisville, and that is why I couldn't muster much energy on the run. Goal: 6:45

Transition: While T2 was one of my favorite memories of Louisville because my friend made sure to volunteer so she could help me, it was too long because it was too hot. Goal: 6

Run: at this point, if you are doing the math, I am about 10 minutes behind my time in Louisville, which means it all has to come to me being able to run the run. Goal: 5:30.

Which makes my total race time: 13:35

Goal #2 for Wisconsin:

Finish before my man falls asleep. I am going up there with two of my closest guy friends. One is my best friend/significant other. The other is my mentor. The SO is an amazing athlete, and he will finish hours before I cross the line. The mentor finished his first Ironman minutes before the 17 hour cutoff, but I know he is stronger this year. Oh yeah, he is also 64 (the mentor that is). So what's the goal, finishing before the SO falls asleep back in the hotel.

Goal #3 for Wisconsin:

To enjoy the race more than I did Louisville. Louisville was hot from the getgo. If I can't wear a sweatshirt at 5am, it's freakin' hot, and it was too hot for a sweatshirt at that point and time. How am I going to enjoy this race more: positive energy.

1. My parents are coming. They have never seen me race so it should be awesome having them there (hopefully cheering for me). Sometimes, my mom is too much the realist...and I wonder where I got that particular character trait. For instance, yesterday, I had a horrible 5 mile race. I went out too fast (for me), and my heart rate shot up and with the heat, I blew up. It was awful. When I told her about it, she said, "are you sure you can make it next week?" Yes, that sent me into hysterical crying, but I am hoping it's not 90 degrees with 80% humidity for the run in Wisconsin.

2.Friendship: I am not sure if I will really see my mentor and my SO on the course, but knowing they are there should help.

3. Positive thoughts: As many people know, that while I love triathlon and am pretty good at short course (which explains why I spend so much time training for long course), I am a much better at the hobby that consumes my life from October to March (sometimes to June). That hobby being a high school debate coach. This past season was so successful that total strangers would come up to me to tell me how amazing they found my students. And I LOVE coaching. I adore these kids. From my SO watching my kids and just looking at his face when he told me in amazement how good they were. Or, the one time when I was allowed to watch one of them, and he told me that, despite the fact that I sat in the very back of the room 20 feet away, "that the scratching of my pen distracted him" as he tried to guess what I was writing. It's also about seeing one of my freshman last year follow around my senior at the state tournament like a loyal puppy, doing whatever he could to help the senior excel. Anyway, thoughts of these kids and their achievements both in the past and in the future often fuels my workouts. They have no idea how often they are with me, particularly when I run.

4. More positive thoughts. It's all about staying positive.