Guest Blogger: 30 Days to Go

I'm honored to "guest blog" on the Road to an Ironwoman. Like many of you, I've become a dedicated reader of Liz's journey to being a Ironman. Might seem silly since we share a house, two dogs, and a fluffy eight-toed cat, but I actually don't see much of her lately. Our conversations are rarely completed - interrupted by the needs of the "animal kingdom" or her ever-present need for sleep!

Oh, we've tried to make more time for each other during her training. I've jumped into the triathlon thing more out of a need to try and spend time together than any other reason (I figured if I couldn't have more of her time outside of the swimming, biking and running, I'd best join in the swimming, biking and running). Well, while I am getting fitter (and just completed my first triathlon -sprint - earlier this summer), our training sessions aren't so successful. Liz is just in another league.

I know she says that she hates swimming and that she gets passed on the bike, but I knew Liz back when she didn't really swim at all; when she became winded after just 25 meters. She has worked and worked and overcome great fears and personal doubts with regard to the swimming thing. No one but herself to push her and to give her encouragement. Pure dedication and great inner strength has Liz in a position to swim the 2 plus miles in 30 days!

This biking thing is also fairly new to her, but she quickly read up on the sport, the bikes, the tires, the aero bars, the cranks, the gears, the gadgets, etc and has crafted herself a pretty nice ride. Of course, one can't just have a great looking bike, ya have to be able to ride it gracefully as well. And we've tried riding together but again Liz is just so much more stronger. In the end I feel as if I slowed her down and I'm sure she ends up feeling as if her mileage or her cadence or her something wasn't up to par. She ends up just throwing in an extra ride to make up the difference.

If you've been keeping up, you know that she's been training with her friend, K, on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Mountains. They like the "hill work" one can get up there as the bike course in Lake Placid is brutally difficult - sound fun?

Anyway, Liz asked me to sag behind her in our car one day since K was unable to go. So ok, a hour drive just to get there and then she unloads her bike. We agree I'll drive to the next overpass and wait for her there...continuing this for SIXTY MILES!!!

She gets on her bike and begins to climb. Up! Up! Up! For the first 5 miles she's going straight up hill. I almost cried as I followed her in the car. I knew she had 55 more miles to go and I'm pretty sure I'd be done after those first five! "Hill work"? The ride is over 3000 feet in total elevation! And each time she waived me to pass, I'd look at her for a sign that she'd had enough.....Liz was smiling and enjoying every minute (mile and climb) of the 5 1/2 hour journey. I must tell you that I fell for her again - after 14 years - that day.

Now, I've always known Liz to be a runner. When we first started dating she was an avid runner and to this day, it remains her comfort zone. She and I both feel that if she can survive the swim and stay upright on her bike, she's in the home stretch once she puts on her running shoes.

What an amazing person?!! Full of dedication to a self-imposed goal very few ever achieve. Simply for the sake of saying "I did it". She, like many triathletes, aren't entering these races to beat out the competition. She's not spending up to 8 hours a day on weekends and out of bed at 4am, 7 days a week to come in first place. The only competition is you. This sport is about so much more than swimming, biking and running. And through all her grumpiness, her aches and pains, lack of sleep, needing to be in bed by 8pm, lack of fun, and her pickiness about food, I understand. I get it now.

Your Road to being an Ironwoman has 30 days to go.......I'm so proud of you.

jjb