9 9 What?

The number of the day is 99. Why so important? 99 Luftballoons? 99 bottles of beer on the wall? Partying like its (19)99? Umm, no. 99 days until IMTX! You can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon a 99 Texas sign. Ok, so let me repeat that. THERE ARE 99 DAYS LEFT UNTIL IRONMAN TEXAS. I would be a big, fat liar if I said I didn’t freak a little. Am I ready for 140.6 miles of fun right now? That’s a hell-to-the-no. Will I be ready? You betcha!

I wasn’t a math major but if there are 99 days until IMTX, that means there are 58 days until Galveston 70.3. I’m happy to report that doesn’t cause me near the panic. I’ve raced this distance before so I do know I can do it. Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Galveston will be a dress rehearsal for IMTX so right there, the pressure is lower. These races are only 6 weeks apart and the last thing I need to be doing is going all out in Galveston only to risk injury or doing something stupid to jeopardize IMTX. On the flip side, I do feel like I have a little to prove. While I absolutely loved my experience at Ironstar in November, I can’t figure out what happened on the bike and why I was SO damn slow. I’m not normally that slow and I felt like I was moving well but the numbers don’t lie. Did someone put training wheels on my bike? Did I have my brake applied the whole way? Was I too busy day dreaming? Whatever happened, I would like to correct that in Galveston and I know I can. Hell, if I ride how I rode this past weekend (while sick), I will take 30min off my bike time which would then mean, PR. The other thing still hanging over my head is that Galveston is where I passed out last year. Yes, it was during the Oly and I have sense redeemed myself at that distance BUT it happened IN Galveston so I kind of feel like I need to have a race there where I don’t end up in the ambulance.

So how’s my training going? Not too bad. I’ve been sick on & off for weeks like many of my teammates. I’ve had to get creative with my schedule and fitting in workouts. I’m hanging in there. Sometimes I feel the quality of the workout is suffering but I’m doing the best I can. My hopes that my work schedule would cooperate have long disappeared. While I am appreciative of the ability to work from home one day per week so I can have an easier time working out, I’m flat worn out! I know I’ve done everything I can to manage my schedule but at the end of the day, I have a job and I have to do it well because I’m the only one making money in my house. My plan to get Leia into dog modeling has fallen short given the fact she is considered overweight at only 8lbs. That’s another story though. And as if my life isn’t already busy enough, my sister is expecting her first child any day!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that the best laid plans sometimes don’t materialize. It’s not from a lack of wanting or trying to make it happen….life happens. Had I known last June that my sis would be popping out a kid right now and that work would turn into a nightmare, would I still have signed up for IMTX? Hmm, that’s a good question. Knowing me, probably! I’m a glutton for punishment. I still have that unnatural desire to start AND finish that race. Who would ever think the thought of punishing yourself for 17 hours would result in goosebumps? That’s just not right!

8 weeks & 2 days until Galveston. 14 weeks & 1 day until Ironman. I guess I'll start singing, "99 bottles of Ironman Perform on the wall"!