im ready....to be done training!!!

Wow this week most days it was so hard to get out of bed to train! Partly I think because my kids were getting dropped off later then usual the opportunity to sleep was very enticing! I went though!! Yesterday I once again had a flat bike tire! I broke the valve. I so didn't wanna ride the bike @ the gym. I had no choice cause I had a 90 min bike ride & needed a new tube. I dragged my butt outta bed & went to the gym. Mentally I was so not willing to sit on the bike @ the gym for 90min. Sure I can watch tv and its aircontitioned. But I never find a groove on the bike like I do when running. I can't ever get my heart rate up. It is no way similar to actually riding. I made it 20min & bailed. I just didn't have it in me (I've said this before haven't I) I went home & did laundry instead. I got my bike fixed in the afternoon & rented a wetsuit for the race.
This morning I was no more excited or willing to go riding (even though I had my bike fixed). I'm definitely burnt out on training. Not that I can stop I'm in the home stretch!!!
So I got out & went down to the bay. I got there @ 7am. I just rode around fiesta island 3 times earlier in the week. Crabby Katie was whining in her head I don't wanna ride around the island for 90 min...wa wa wa...so I set off in a different direction along the bay. My thought was to go a ways a long the bay & then turn around & go around the island. So I went along the bike path past Sea World, then instead of turn around, I went past Dana Landing then I thought might as well ride down to the beach & back, but as I got toward Mission Blvd I was like maybe I should just go around the whole bay?!?!?! That would be cool! its different, its something I don't even know if I can do, yeah I'm gonna do it. So I kept goin all they way along the bay side of Mission, past Crown Point, Campland, the golf course, De Anza cove back to Fiesta Island, THEN I rode around the island. It took exactly an hour and half!! Crabby Katie was replaced with happy rejuvenated proud of her accomplishment Katie! Each time I do a great training it makes me more confident about my race. I don't think it is gonna be a piece of cake BUT I know I have given my all in training for it!!!

why am I doing this?!?!

That is what I keep asking myself...
My personality is sort of I will try most anything once, I'm always down for a new experiance or adventure BUT triathlete...I keep thinking what the heck has come over me.
What I have come to realize just in this last week is how different I feel! When we were at the beach last week I got there before our friends with my kids, immeadiately I ran down to the water with the kids and started playing with them-I promise you last year I would have sat on my butt & watched from a shady spot the whole day. Then I went to a concert (in the lawn area) I jumped & danced all night long :D same thing a year ago I would have sat on the lawn to watch the show. My friends kid got stuck on the play structure & I climbed up EASILY, and got him down. All these things that I seriously was to lazy & out of shape to do! WOW
I wish I could have been better on the dieting aspect cause I'm kinda a big girl that's in good shape HAHA!
I have so much pride & self confidence in myself (not my looks) and what I can & have acheived that I don't mind so much.
I can't remember a specific time that God said "become a triathlete" (said in my head in a loud booming looming voice). But I'm sure this is His will for my life right now. There is no way I have the dedication or will within myself alone to do this or accomplish what I have done.
Getting a little personal here: I came out of my marriage so broken, full of pain I can't even explain, no self worth or self esteem. Now I feel empowered, beautiful, worthy & HAPPY!!! & its not because of swimming, cycling or running it's because when I'm in the water, on the bike, running God has been there, encouraging me, helping me, carrying me, making promises He won't break to me, loving me, completing the work He started in me.
There is a spiritual aspect to this that I needed. Thank God that my friend asked me to do that first race.
I still am not sure why triathlon/triathlete I feel nuts most days but there is something about the finishline. The feeling you get is hard to describe but I look forward to the moment (in 9 days) when I cross it & can say I DID IT!!!

12 days until race day!!!

As the race QUICKLY approaches my trainings have been longer & harder. One good this is my kids Dad was able to take them a little later the last few days. Saturday I finally went on my long bike ride. I was shooting for 2 hrs but didn't have enough time so I tried to get in 20 miles & again ran outta time. I did make 15 miles. My butt hurt so bad all I could think is how people do longer races?!?!
Monday since I had some kid free time, I decided to do my bike/run training at Mission Bay. My first tri I had the hardest time getting around the backside of Fiesta Island. The wind was so strong! I was determined to conquer that island. I ended up getting around it 3 times!!! About 70 min ride. Then I got off & ran for 30min (about 2.5miles). It is the weirdest sensation to run when your legs are so fatigued. I don't even know if I would call it running. It is more like wobbling. I was truly exhausted after that....in fact I came home & passed out. But if I did that Monday no reason I can't do it race day. Sure I gotta swim 500 meters before getting on the bike in frigid water but I bet I can do it!

Today was one of the first times I was truly unmotivated. I didn't want to get up. When I finally did & got to the pool. Every lane was full. Exactly the excuse I needed to turn around & leave. The thing is I knew better & just headed to the other Y location. I was then grumpy about the water complaining it was gonna be cold. Turns out it was warm, my swim went awesome.
Tomorrow I will probabaly do my long run for the week. I'm nervous/scared/excited for race day :)

a new helmet :)

This deserves its very own post...
I have come to realize that mastering 3 sports is fun, challenging & exciting. But it also means you need gear for 3 sports. There is so much STUFF you can get. Some improves your speed, training some enhances the experience (I don't know if I'm saying that right). Some stuff matters some stuff doesn't. (To me at least). God is so good that I have all the bare essentials. Shoes, bike & swimsuit. I was blessed with goggles! & was using my son's bike helmet. I felt a little silly & a new helmet was on "the wishlist". My son's helmet is black with flames shooting down the side. I was @ the store with a ladies gray bike helmet in hand debating if I should splurge....the answer was no, I really can't afford it. SO as I walked out of the store a friend called & said she had a helmet I could borrow!!! I was so excited! See how good God is :) I'm happy enough to have a loaner helmet for my race!
So imagine my surprise when she comes over & hands me the exact same helmet I almost bought & I noticed it is signed?!?! My first thought was oh this is special to her I can't borrow it. Then she explained she had all my friends sign it & select a scripture for me!!! I couldn't help but cry. It's one of those moments where you feel so blessed & loved by God through others. I know everyone would appreciate a gesture like this but to me it was such a huge gift. The fact that everyone is supporting me in this means volumes. That they went out of their way to do this. I love it so much! I went for 2 rides & I must say I ride a little better cause I don't feel so dorky with the kids helmet & I'm wrapped in the Word!! I now have a loner road bike but it needs pedals so I can use it. I can't even imagine how cool that would be to have a real race bike & new helmet on race day!!!
I love my friends & thank God for always blessing me in the little things showng me He cares about me in every detail!!!

uhhhhh week in review????

I wanted to post after each workout this week...but life & facebook keep getting in the way! I have a very specific training schedule I got from this website. The way my weeks go I kinda gotta see what workout fits in where & mix it up! Monday I was supposed to practice T1 or my first transition. Ideally I would get wet (in shower, pool, ocean) run to my transition area about 50yds away & practice getting into my cycling stuff. There wasn't really a conveinent place to do that so I moved my long run of the week to Monday. It was 60min. I opted for gym/tredmill. I have found my pace is 4.5 miles an hour. Anymore & I run outta steam. Also I found that if I slow down & walk to get some H2o I have a hard time getting & staying going again. Its hard to keep going when I wanna stop or slow down. It is like inner-conflict in my brain. Part of me says just walk the last 7 min. The other part says what the heck is wrong with you?! You come all this way & can't run 7 more minutes?!?! I finished the last 7 min running. It always feels incredible when I don't quit! If I were totally honest I must say I am kinda mean to myself in my self talk! I guess I know myself well enough to know I need tough love.
Tuesday was a pool swim day. I went @ 6am before my kids got dropped off. It helps the day if my workout is done like that before their Dad drops them off :) I really focused on bilateral breathing! I'm getting better & my swimming & stamina in the pool is good!! It is actually at the point where I think about a billion other things when I am swimming besides my swimming!!
Wed. My plan was to do a 2 hour bike ride around the lake by my folks & they would watch my kids. I was gonna add air to my tires first...well like an idiot I didn't know what I was doing & actually deflated my tire. The pump my dad had wasn't the right kind so I couldn't get air back in it :( I had to regroup & reschedule. I went to the gym. I needed to do a 70min cycle followed by 30min run this week so I worked on that. At the gym I can only leave the kids for a max of 1.5 hrs so I rode the bike for 50min/12miles & ran for 20min or so. When I run after cycling I can actually hit a faster pace...weird but true.
Thurs was a beach day with friends so I did another ocean swim @ the same beach I did my first one. WOW I did way better this time! I'm actually breathing/swimming and not swallowing the whole ocean. SO RAD! I was pretty exhausted. Hope race day I have energy left after the swim!
Today is friday & I decided to rest. My shin hurts pretty bad & I had a busy day.
Tomorrow I plan to do the 2hr bike ride. I went & bought an air pump today but then a friend actually loaned me a road bike!! SWEET!!! That paired with the amazing gift of a new helmet this week...I tell you I just may be becoming a triathlete!!!

big wave kate.....NOT

I think my last blog post was about my triumphant 1st ocean swim! Well today was my next attempt @ open ocean swimming @ Moonlit Beach in Encinitas. Its a popular training beach & my new mentor met me out there. The water was stinging cold which did not set the best mood for me. I got in & got wet & was hyperventilating from the shock of cold & just plain fear! :( can't really say what I was afraid of...the waves were definitely bigger, so I was intimidated. But I can't say I was afraid of drowning, maybe of the waves kicking my ass. Plus when I tried to swim the water was soooo churned up it just kinda freaked me out. GEEZ I felt so lame! We got out walked around went back in & I couldn't muster it together like I did before! I dove under waves tried to body surf them, took maybe two swimming strokes but just didn't have it in me. One or two waves had got a hold of me & I couldn't shake off the fear. So I quit :( I gave up. Not for good but for now. The thing is I know I can do it, I just didn't feel ready today. In my defense this other chick that had a wetsuit & swim cap from the half iron in hawaii didn't go out past the breakers either...
I'm not giving up I'm gonna keep at this & one day I will conquer those waves

the ironwoman

I seriously wish I hadn't flaked on the blog all this time. I totally think of stuff I wanna write/archive and then put it off.
I had the flu after my vacation & wanted to document the challenges I had with that.
I had some really positive workout, some @ 530am! And some challenging ones (mostly the bike).
A lot of issues with the diet.
So not to miss out on this nugget I writing this entry. Today I did my first open water swim in the ocean! La jolla shores to be exact! I expected that since my swimming was going so well the transition to open water would be easy. I asked a couple friends to come to no avail. By chance this nurse @ work was around & I told her I didn't have a swim buddy. She said she would! This gal is a triathlete she has done the ironman!! She is awesome!!
She gave me some pointers when we got there, very helpful stuff for race day.
Once we got in the water...I sort of panicked, fell apart, lost it. I would try to swim & end up holding my breath, swallowing salt water & concequenty gagging, choking & spitting. It was sooooo different, shockingly different.
My initial reaction was to quit! To tell her that this was a bad idea, I was not meant to do this & we should stop now. (I didn't say this out loud mind you but it probably was written on my face)
She waited while I relaxed & calmed down and would try again. I would go a little further each attempt before the gagging. Then a little further. We finally got out around 250 meters. She says great let's go in & do it again...again?!?!?! What the :-/
So we made it in & I only stopped about 10 times.

Here is the amazing part. When we went back in I just went for it! I swam & swam until we hit that 250 mark only stopping 2 times on the way out & 2 while headed back.

I had the biggest grin on my face. It was the best feeling, thinking you can't do something & wanna quit but not giving up and exceeding expectations with oneself.
I came away with so much confidence!!

Shout out to my one and only follower!!