She's got me thinking...

Cat, fellow Team Z-mate and one of my wonderful CANCER to 5K SHERPA volunteers, had a great post about BALANCE.

In essence, she talks about her struggle to find a balance between training for Ironman (IRONMAN FLORIDA in Nov 2009) and the rest of her life. And reading her blog, I found myself nodding my head alot - thinking, I know how that feels.

Quite a few people suggested that I might have taken on too many things this year. That getting married and racing an Ironman were too much and that to do another season of CANCER to 5K on top of those two big events along with a regular work schedule was just asking for trouble. I'm not sure that I agree but I guess we will have to wait until race day (July 26, 2009) to test that argument to the fullest extent. 140.6 mile should be a good test, I think...

I have, indeed, had my share of moment when I thought: "What was I thinking?" but overall, I think that things have gone well. I managed to find some balance and learned to "delegate responsibility" wherever I could this year. Of course it helps to have a Fiance/Husband who loves and supports your crazy dreams. Without Jim's support, none of this could happen.

Jim and I planned a beautiful wedding in Jackson, MS - in no small part thanks to my WEDDING PLANNER: Deborah Simmons. Delegating the responsibility of planning and handling vendors and keeping our event on track was the smartest thing we could have done. Our Wedding Planner was the biggest ticket item on our wedding budget and she was worth every penny, PLUS!

I took a BIG STEP BACK with CANCER to 5K for the Spring Season. Coach Bob and I reached out and asked some volunteers to step up and take on leadership roles as Assistant Coaches and I only attended TUESDAY track workouts this season. While I missed working out with the group more than I could have expected (there are some people who only make Saturday workouts), I was happy to see that the program can run without me around all the time. That means that things are moving in the right direction. Are there improvements to be made? Of course, but like any program, you try something new - weight the results and course correct. The bottom line is that the Team had a successful season and I learned that I don't have to do everything (which I already kind of knew...LOL)

As far as Ironman Training goes - I knew that to be effecient, I needed to let my training be handled by somebody who had the time to write my schedules and plan my workouts - making my job simply to "show up and get them done." Team Z and Coach Ed have made that possible for me. BONUS: I have a few hundred teammates to train with and about 25 teammates who are heading to Lake Placid, NY in July too. Talk about built in support systems!

It was a rough start indeed! The horrible FLU and the later bought of Pleurisy just after the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon and before the Wedding really shook my confidence. Then I had two hard race experiences at the Half Ironman Distance (both DNFs of a different kind...).

It took quite a bit of personal courage to really dig and evaluate those race experiences but I feel like in both cases, I gained some very valuable lessons. Lessons that I would rather not have learned on IRONMAN USA race day itself.

My training since the beginning of May has been good and consistent. I'm getting the miles in and I am getting the hours in. This weekend is the FINAL BIG BUILD! Saturday is a 2 mile swim and a 20 mile long run ... Sunday is 120 mile bike - both with Team Z.

142 miles over two days in prep for 140.6 miles in one day in just 5 weeks.

5 WEEKS...WOW!

Life is Good! All I can do is keep trying to find my own "balance" as IRONMAN USA race day approaches.

Thanks for the reminder Cat!