Looking back..

I was thinking the other day about the last time I actually did an endurance race and I realized it was the Canberra half Ironman in 2005. My parents had come to Australia to watch the race which was being held on my birthday - December 11th! I remember that day very well - my Dad had bought an Aussie hat on the trip and I can still see him wearing his hat on the sidelines cheering me on. We spent the weekend in Canberra and we had so much fun!!
There are a few things that really stick out to me about that race that I thought I'd share...

1. The swim was horrible - I remember the slight feeling of panic I had in the open water particularly when the mens 30-35 age group who started after me continued to swim over me!! I can still see the kayak with the lifeguard in it paddling pretty close by sensing impending doom!! I don't think it helped that the Canberra lake was murky and full of weeds - there is a joke that it's full of dead politicians.

2. The incredible sense of joy I felt getting out of the water!!!

3. Completing the race and running to my parents!

4. Deciding that I was never going to do a full Ironman.

And here I am doing the full Ironman! It's amazing how things can change when you have a new motivation.

After thinking about the last time that I did an endurance race I couldn't help but get a little nervous. It has been a long time and since then I've had 3 kids and not a lot of time for exercise!!! The only race I've done in the past 6 years has been a 5km run in the Thanksgiving day races this past October. But there isn't anything I can do about that so I'll hand that worry over to God. All I can do is train as much as I can so that on that start line I'll have the confidence that I can do it! So that is what I'm focusing on right now!

And the training is going well!! I was at the pool the other morning feeling like my swimming was changing from borderline drowning to actually enjoying it!! I got out of the water and on the whiteboard someone had written "If you have to doubt anything then doubt your own limitations". What a perfect time to see that!! I like to call these Dad messages :-)

I have also acquired a couple of training partners who like to keep me motivated!! I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with this race!!!

My partner Ryan

My partner Tyler

My partners Ty and Damien

**** I was just talking to my Mom and we were having a laugh at a photo that she and my Dad put together as a joke!! While they were away they sent a few e-mails updating friends and family on their trip. In one e-mail they had said that while they were in Australia they decided to do a triathlon and they sent this photo:

I think they may have got a few responses congratulating them!! This reminds me of my Dad's sense of humour that I miss so much!! I had to add this to the post!!