A year of Challenge

So, I fell off the blog scene and have been facebooking however I feel the need to update things.

I had a rough year and my training was sub-par as I did not do enough of it. Work and life got the best of me and I put things on the back burner.
I had some bad experiences on my back as I was training and I got depressed about it. I fell on a hill and tweaked my right knee and injured my left wrist I bruised the carpal tunnel causing numbness in my left thumb and pinky and weakening my hand strength.
I felt horrible and went home after one loop.
The next weekend I got into a similar situation and my chain dropped only I was able to un-clip quickly and did not fall. Took a few minutes to get chain on and I was off again. I got to the backside of the rollers on lancaster and I was sooo slow and I was feeling hopeless at that point and was praying I had someone to push me up the hill I was tired and frustrated and felt scared for IM. Then all of a sudden I hear this voice and I feel a push on my back. It's Roger Thompson and he's literally pushing me up the hill and we are gaining speed are you freakn' kidding ME!!! That was awesome. I ended up only able to do one lap again but, that boost picked my spirits up and gave me the courage to go try IM CDA.
I made it out of the swim which was crazy. The first loop was amazing and fun I felt like I was drafting well and things were going ok. But, the second loop was a different story just trying to swim to the 1st Orange bouy was crazy it felt like I was going nowhere. I finally made it but, the first half of the loop the waves really picked up and every time I needed a breath a wave was breaking over me as I was inhaling I drank half of the lake. The last half there was this surge and you could feel it pulling you back you'd swim forward and go back a foot. It was crazy. I had never felt so happy to get out of the water as I did that time. My time was very slow for me but, I ran up and laid down to have the suit strippers take my suit off. And I had my name mentioned as I was crossing the mat by the Legendary IM Announcer. That was exciting. I jogged up and to the change tent. My arms were rubber and it took two helpers to get me suited up for the bike and my pants were still down my butt. It was hilarious. I also saw two friends in the tent which made it fun.
I got my bike and hoped on. I was feeling supper awesome hearing people call my name seeing friends and my mom cheering me on that was a thrill. Then I saw Jay on his way in as I was heading out it was cool. I got out to the first hill and my left leg locked up in a super cramp and I couldn't bend it. So I jumped off stretched and got back on. Went up the hill turned around and all of a sudden I was throwing up.
Rinsed out my mouth and went on. I got all the way to CDA high school when my right leg locked on me. Stretched and got going again. Got down by the first real aide station with a medical tent and threw up again. Got off asked for pepto they had none had me wait and I started to feel better but, the doctor there said I was done for the day. So, I called for a SAG Wagon and I went back to the park gathered what I could and went back to the hotel to rest. When I realized I had not been able to urinate and had not felt the need to do so for the morning it was 12 by the time I got back. So, I drank 32 ounces of warm water (as I was freezing cold) and eventually pee'd but it was discolored so I drank more water and laid down for an hour. Started feeling better and went out to cheer my fellow racers and friends and my Best Friend to the finish.
I want to thank all of my supporters and friends for their encouragement and love. I will try again maybe I'm still on the fence yet. But at least I tried and I made it out of 1 event anyway.
Jay finished in a bit over 16 hours and he is still beaming with pride as he should be. Go to www.Tri-Fusion.com click on gallery then click on the CDA Ironman picture and you will see pictures of me out of the swim and on my bike.
CHEER ON!