Sometimes You Just Gotta Let Your Emotions Go…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYwG0kwabx0&feature=share
I saw a friend post this. So proud of her. Made me really sit and think about what goes in to this race. I just cried. Sometimes, you just gotta. Soak it up. Take it in. Visualize. There are blind people, amputees, etc racing this. I can too.
The Support and Excitement is UNREAL
All I did was sign up… and I had comment after comment on Facebook. . . and though it is only social media.. it makes me really excited to know that this many people believe in me. I am about to learn how to believe in myself more than ever. People get really excited and like “wow” when I tell them about IM, but I don’t realize yet what a big commitment this will be. If it weren’t for my friend Erin.. I wouldn’t really have considered a blog… but to be honest.. If I can do this.. anyone can. I was not born a triathlete… so I hope this blog gives you motivation and belief that you can do anything. I am your average joe… your plain Jade… just pushing to the limits. And, well…. eating a lot along the way!
The Day I Found Out I Got In To Ironman Arizona
Holy $h*t! I couldn’t believe I signed up for one of the worlds hardest races. I barely ready the subject of my confirmation e-mail that said: “congratulations…” and I started hyperventilating. . . then crying. . . then panic mode set. Was I REALLY ready for this? I called my husband several times, but he didn’t pick up his phone due to a golf date with his father. After a little bit of alone time with the dog and some fresh air… it sunk in. I am going to embark on a journey to become an iron(wo)man.
I don’t know how often I will blog (hopefully at least once a week), but I want to share my journey. I want everyone to know that this wasn’t something I had dreamed of my whole life. This is something that only started a little over a year ago. I had a foot surgery that stopped me from running. I became an endurance runner in 2005. I was NOT a swimmer or a biker. After my foot surgery, I was only allowed to swim. For a few months I figured out on my own how to swim. Then I got promoted to the spin bike. That was super fun. However… it wasn’t running. This whole time in physical therapy I was talking with the docs and aids about triathlons. A friend recommended a coach and I said sure. The challenge sounded fun. So in July of 2013 I took on my first sprint tri in Carlsbad. I hated it. It was SO short. A half mile swim, a 12 mile bike, and a 3 mile run. It took us longer to drive their than it did to do the event. After that… I was like ok.. I am an endurance athlete, I need bigger. So I told my coach I was going to do a half ironman. He was shocked. He wanted me to do more little races and prep myself. I was barely swimming properly and hated the race… he didn’t understand. And Neither did I. In November 2013, in Tempe, AZ., I took on a 70.3 half ironman race. the training was tough, but doable. The race was miserable. Hot, bleeding lips, loops on the bike and on the run… WHAT WAS I THINKING??!! I don’t know… but I did it, and I was SO SO proud of myself. Someone who said they would never and could never complete some race with a swim, bike, AND a run did. It taught me some discipline, and such, but I needed more. I don’t know. So months have passed and I have debated if I was ready to consider a full 140.6 mile ironman. A few more weeks and I was HEAVILY visualizing (I do that best) about finishing a full, about the trials and triumphs of what training would be like. I watched YouTube videos of past events and I would cry. I would cry because I want to know that feeling. I want to know that pain, the glory, the thrill. I want the title.. the medal. The respect. And so.. I am where we are today. 1 year EXACTLY away from my first full ironman. It will be 2 months of getting my body in shape to start training. Then I will embark on a 10 month rigorous training to get ready to do the race of a life time. I hope you enjoy my journey with me. I hope I see some of you at the finish line. I hope some of you will support me and help me and encourage me along the way. I am sure this is more than a training for a race. I am sure I will learn a lot about myself, my emotions, my strength, and more. I can’t wait to tell you about it. . . until next time!