Vegas baby...here I come

Kona is a little over a month away and as I type this Lee and I are on our way to Vegas for the 70.3 World Champs.  Crazy how fast the summer flew by and before I know it I will be on a plane to the Big Island.  It gives me butterflies just thinking about the opportunity I have earned.

Tomorrow (the 6^th) is our 16^th wedding anniversary and 7 of the previous 9 years Lee has spent our anniversary at an IM - either watching with me, volunteering with me, or being there to support me while I race.  All I have to say is – What a guy.  He did let me know that next year, come September, he will be hunting every weekend of the fall.  Sounds like a good plan to me.  I’ll probably be right there with him in the duck blind.

My best friend, Lee

These last two weeks have been very hard trying to fit in my training, work, and being a mom.  There are things I have decided that aren’t that important right now and everything doesn’t have to be perfect or according to plan.  Lee and the boys have picked up a lot of the slack around the house since I’m back working and just can’t get to everything.  We are ALL doing a countdown to Kona.  For one I think the boys will be happy to have me around more and I think Lee will be happy to not have so much on his plate too.  I think they have a new appreciation of all the little things mom did behind the scene that just got taken for granted.  Which makes me realize this whole Kona thing really is all about the journey for not only me, but also my boys.  

The Andres boys on the first day of school.  I was able to keep our breakfast tradition of homemade carmel rolls on the first day of school still going this year...and I even got a yoga class in before they got up.

Here is a little pre-race report from me leading to the 70.3.  I’m trying lots of new things which I always tell people never to do on race day.  I’m trying a new breakfast, new bike shorts and top, and a pair of shoes I ran 2 miles in yesterday.  I’m even going with some new things on my bike.  I’ll make sure I give an update on those post-race.  This is my run through for Kona…my double check of things.

I’m feeling really good…strong and solid.  I’m not where I want to be in terms of fitness…yet…but I don’t need or want to be there until October 12^th.  I still have a training block to complete after Vegas.  This race, this weekend, is my springboard to jump my fitness to the next level.  The only issue is my hamstring has been bothering me lately, but I found out when my bike had some work done on it a few adjustments were missed and/or changed.  I haven’t felt right since I got it back from the shop, but chalked it up to my training.  Another bummer was finding out last night while my bike was being boxed up that my carbon seat post is bent.  It was over tightened at the bike shop. 

   

By no means are any of those two things excuses I will allow myself to fall back on when the race gets hard.  I have worked so hard this summer for these two races – Vegas and Kona.  I will be putting it all out there come Sunday when wave 16 (women 35-39) starts.  Go Hard or Go Home!  Bring the heat, bring the wind, and bring the hills cause I’ve been waiting months to swim, bike, and run fast.

Goals…I always have those!!  One of my big goals is to be able to manage the heat.  I’m very curious to see how the heat feels, how I tolerate it, and how it affects my times.  My swim goal is to go hard.  I find in previous racing I just swim relaxed and don’t push out of my comfort zone like I do on the bike and run.  My bike goal is to stay aero and focused the whole time and no matter what happens to stay relaxed and make good decisions.  On the run – its 3 loops….My plan is to be able to run stronger and stronger with each lap.  Making the podium in my age group will be amazing and I will be shooting for a spot on the stage.

Lastly to my friends Sara Carlson and Jarrod McKinney who are racing IM Wisconsin on Sunday – Go out there and Rock that course!  Enjoy the day and stay strong and focused.  All you need to do is keep moving forward.  You will be an Ironman!!  Also, to my good friend Sarah Simpsom who will be running herself to a Boston marathon qualifying time on Sunday morning - You got this girl!!