Tomorrow is the day.
I've been working towards The Tri at the Grove for a year.
One year ago I started taking swim lessons from my daughter Bri. I had the idea that I wanted to do an Olympic Tri and I knew that would not be a good experience if I didn't get better at swimming. Much much better. My amazing grown up daughter agreed to give me lessons. A year of her helping me and teaching me. She pushed me to do more than I thought I could. Made me do things I was pretty sure I would never figure out (snorting water and not stopping because of it tops that list!) I cried more than once in frustration and she would give me a big Bri hug and send me on my way again. She never let me quit and she never stopped believing that I absolutely could get it figured out.
A year ago I did 1100 yards in 45 minutes which was the farthest I had ever gone. Yesterday I did 1000 yards in 25 minutes and it was an "easy" swim.
I have a most excellent swim coach. The blessing in having her coach me is getting to spend a lot of extra time with my beautiful daughter. There has been a lot of laughter this past year. Love my sweet girl and glad that we have the kind of relationship where we could make this work.
Six months ago I somewhat reluctantly agreed to have a meeting with Jon to discuss the possibility of working together as coach and athlete. I say reluctantly only because I didn't consider myself an athlete so the whole thing seemed ridiculous. Joe should have a coach, he's the athlete, and I will just do what I always do. Figure it out on my own. But Joe can be super stubborn and wanted me to work with Jon to get ready for this Olympic triathlon and see how it went.
It was a bit overwhelming at first and there were a lot of things that I was doing that were way out of my comfort zone. But Jon was so great and I started finding my rhythm with the workouts and I also started finding my confidence. Weekly workouts planned for me. Emails and texts checking in on me and how things were going. Adjustments to workouts because life happens, plans change, people get sick. Always encouragement and support. Suggestions on things to work on. Praise on the things I was doing right.
We had to make an adjustment to the height of my bike seat this week and then leave it in the shop so they could replace a brake pad. Since we couldn't ride like we have been doing every week since school let out we went for a walk instead. Jon can't be at the race on Saturday because of family plans that he had before he ever became my coach so we went over the game plan for nutrition, what I'm supposed to do to warm up before the race and all the last minute instructions. :-) Jon has phone numbers for numerous people that will be at the race so that he can get updates as the morning goes along. Then it was time for a big coach hug. I got teary, can you believe that? :-) Working with Jon all these months I not only got a great coach that I work really well with, I gained another friend.
The bonus of working with Jon was also getting to know his wife Janelle who has done a lot of runs with me the last few months. We have lots of laughs and good talks getting to know each other while running and walking. Yay! Another friend.
Bonus bonus is working out on Wednesdays with the other athletes that Jon works with. The Booth Bunch. What a great group of people. It's been fun to get to know them better and cheer each other on at different events. We all are different speeds and abilities. I love it when we do track work and we are all over the track with Jon running with someone for a bit and then switching to someone else. We are all working out together but no worries about the different speeds. :-) Yep, even more friends.
Jon gave me homework last week. I was supposed to write down four or five things that I am already proud of myself for doing while getting ready for this race. Then I'm supposed to tuck that paper into my backpack so I have it with me on race day. That way, if things all go terribly wrong I can remember that it's not really all about the one day. The one day is more a reflection of all the work I have put in leading up to it. Sometimes things just go wrong, not that I'm thinking it will but it might. Doesn't mean I can't be proud of myself.
One of the things that I was getting bent about was worrying about coming in last. There is a very good possibility that it will happen. This week I saw a video about a woman named Jamie Watts that put that worry into perspective. Check out the video and story here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/humankind/2016/07/15/runner-finishes-last-every-single-race-inspires-us-all/87122144/
I will never obsess about finishing last again. (Okay, probably shouldn't say never but I definitely will do a better job of keeping it in perspective!) I'm going to be thankful that I can participate at all!
Still nervous but I think I'm more excited than anything. I'm ready to go for it and see how all this work looks on race day.
My clothes and gear are all laid out and organized.
I did my last swim yesterday.
I did my last bike ride (15 minutes, 2.79 miles) and my last run (10 minutes, .87 miles) this morning.
We go pick up the race packet tonight.
Tomorrow is the day!
Shit just got real! lol
I've been working towards The Tri at the Grove for a year.
One year ago I started taking swim lessons from my daughter Bri. I had the idea that I wanted to do an Olympic Tri and I knew that would not be a good experience if I didn't get better at swimming. Much much better. My amazing grown up daughter agreed to give me lessons. A year of her helping me and teaching me. She pushed me to do more than I thought I could. Made me do things I was pretty sure I would never figure out (snorting water and not stopping because of it tops that list!) I cried more than once in frustration and she would give me a big Bri hug and send me on my way again. She never let me quit and she never stopped believing that I absolutely could get it figured out.
A year ago I did 1100 yards in 45 minutes which was the farthest I had ever gone. Yesterday I did 1000 yards in 25 minutes and it was an "easy" swim.
I have a most excellent swim coach. The blessing in having her coach me is getting to spend a lot of extra time with my beautiful daughter. There has been a lot of laughter this past year. Love my sweet girl and glad that we have the kind of relationship where we could make this work.
Six months ago I somewhat reluctantly agreed to have a meeting with Jon to discuss the possibility of working together as coach and athlete. I say reluctantly only because I didn't consider myself an athlete so the whole thing seemed ridiculous. Joe should have a coach, he's the athlete, and I will just do what I always do. Figure it out on my own. But Joe can be super stubborn and wanted me to work with Jon to get ready for this Olympic triathlon and see how it went.
It was a bit overwhelming at first and there were a lot of things that I was doing that were way out of my comfort zone. But Jon was so great and I started finding my rhythm with the workouts and I also started finding my confidence. Weekly workouts planned for me. Emails and texts checking in on me and how things were going. Adjustments to workouts because life happens, plans change, people get sick. Always encouragement and support. Suggestions on things to work on. Praise on the things I was doing right.
We had to make an adjustment to the height of my bike seat this week and then leave it in the shop so they could replace a brake pad. Since we couldn't ride like we have been doing every week since school let out we went for a walk instead. Jon can't be at the race on Saturday because of family plans that he had before he ever became my coach so we went over the game plan for nutrition, what I'm supposed to do to warm up before the race and all the last minute instructions. :-) Jon has phone numbers for numerous people that will be at the race so that he can get updates as the morning goes along. Then it was time for a big coach hug. I got teary, can you believe that? :-) Working with Jon all these months I not only got a great coach that I work really well with, I gained another friend.
The bonus of working with Jon was also getting to know his wife Janelle who has done a lot of runs with me the last few months. We have lots of laughs and good talks getting to know each other while running and walking. Yay! Another friend.
Bonus bonus is working out on Wednesdays with the other athletes that Jon works with. The Booth Bunch. What a great group of people. It's been fun to get to know them better and cheer each other on at different events. We all are different speeds and abilities. I love it when we do track work and we are all over the track with Jon running with someone for a bit and then switching to someone else. We are all working out together but no worries about the different speeds. :-) Yep, even more friends.
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| The older I get the more I know this is VERY true! |
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| #6-I'm proud of trying something WAY out of my comfort zone! |
I will never obsess about finishing last again. (Okay, probably shouldn't say never but I definitely will do a better job of keeping it in perspective!) I'm going to be thankful that I can participate at all!
Still nervous but I think I'm more excited than anything. I'm ready to go for it and see how all this work looks on race day.
My clothes and gear are all laid out and organized.
I did my last swim yesterday.
I did my last bike ride (15 minutes, 2.79 miles) and my last run (10 minutes, .87 miles) this morning.
We go pick up the race packet tonight.
Tomorrow is the day!
Shit just got real! lol
