Slow on the follow-up!

It's going to take a while to remember to update this regularly! What I have been doing regularly is training. Most weeks I'm at 6 days, and a couple of times I've doubled....albeit small doubles! I'm consistently holding my runs at 10 minute miles - for up to 8 miles, unless Jeff takes me into the hills and gets me lost, then not so much......

We did a 40 mile bike last week.....that was a killer, but fun!

I've been training out with Jeff, Denise, Cass, and solo......I can see how people get addicted to this! I'm at the point now where I feel guilty if I don't train on a day, even though it's been explained that I need rest just as much as training. I'm also enjoying the running so much more than I ever have - we'll see how that goes as it gets COLD and WET!

Thanks for following me.....it means so much! I start a formal plan in a couple of weeks, stay tuned!

Linda

Phase 1

First, I need to get a Ironman plan. 'train hard, don't get a 'DNF' doesn't seem to suffice. SO......I look around, and decide that I need to know where I am in the process, shape-wise. So I do a bit of running, a bit of biking (after I brillo-ed the rust off the bike, mountain bike!) and got back in the pool after a multiple year hiatus. Hmph. I AM tired. Found a website, http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/ that gives me a log to track my workouts. This is cool, I love gadgets!!

But I still don't know where I really stand in all of this training I've got coming up in front of me, so I decide that I need a race. So, I enter the San Jose Rock & Roll 1/2 marathon.. With just 3 weeks of running, in the last 10 years, under my belt. Seemed like a good idea at the time!

Today was the race. Ty did it with me, well, 27 minutes ahead of me (!!!) and we had a great time before and after the race. I'm so glad he went.

I had so much FUN racing! Hadn't told very many people I was doing, so I had no fans. Lots of strangers cheering, though, and the enthusiasm was amazing!! Maybe Jeff and others will be there next time..... I did the 13.1 miles in 2 hours, 15 minutes. Not bad for someone who has never raced longer than a 5k!! Downside is my legs are not working on their own right now, I have to manually lift each one to get it to move. This is definitately slowing me down!

Now I'm back to the drawing board. My next goal is the Wildflower 1/2 Ironman in May. I'll start with a formal training plan in late November. For now, I'm just trying to get stronger, and learn how to change a bike tire so that I can ride alone. Wish me luck!

Linda

Where it all began

On September 4, 2008, I decided that I needed to make some rather large changes in my life. I've been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in early 2006, and it's not improving much with time or meds. So I decided to do a 180.....get off the couch, and start training for SOMETHING. Since Jeff just finished his first Ironman Canada a few weeks earlier, this seemed logical.....I could enter Ironman Wisconsin with him! I could be competing again, I would get to spend more time with Jeff (tough with 3 kids and his fulltime+ job), and maybe this would work where rest and meds were not! Win, win, win. I hope!!! I'm going to share my journey here - and would love to hear any comments, although I prefer the nice ones!

Linda