My name is Kim and I'm a TRIATHLETE!

I wasn't really nervous until about 3:00am Sunday morning...race day. I woke up with some stomach issues of course and thinking about all the things I had learned leading up to this event. I felt deep down that it was going to be a great day for me...I just knew it would be my best performance ever. I had set goals for each discipline and did better then planned.

We arrived about 5:30am and seeing 2000 people with tricked out bikes was pretty inspiring. The crazy thing was...I wasn't nervous anymore. I was completely calm and totally focused on what I needed to do.

While waiting to swim, all I could think about was what Cliff had taught me about swimming in a crowd. I held my line, kicked hard when touched and was not going to back down to anyone who tried to swim over me. Nobody was going to disrupt my swim and sure enough, I took 4 minutes off my time from just 4 weeks ago! I did it without taking rest breaks this time. I really focused on sighting and "thumbs to hips" in the water and I'M THRILLED at how I felt when I got out. Strong, relaxed and ready to ride.

The wet suite strippers were just great but eekss...I could have lost my shorts in the whole ordeal :0 I wonder how many people did...


The bike section was great. We figured out my average speed based on my time and I'm at 15mph. Not bad, but I need to improve. Here is what I need to fix. I packed TONS of food in my Bento Box but I forgot to open the baggies. That posed a challenge. I slowed way down so I didn't fall while I tried to open them with one hand and my teeth. Going around all the corners slowed me way down too. I tried to be a little fearless and use the turn techniques Dave and I have practiced but some time was lost there. Oh, when I drink I tend to stop pedalling so time was lost there too. Don't get me wrong though. I felt super strong on the bike and could have done another 30 miles!

I kept myself pretty entertained through the bike section. For any person I passed I got one point and if that same person passed me then I lost a point. I didn't want to pass people if I didn't think I could put distance between us. It was fun. I went back and forth with one gal but in the end I took her out because I was tired of playing games with her. I had an 18 - 20 mph pace during sections and 9 mph up Curry. So between the turns, eating and drinking I lost some time...

When I got to the run section my stomach was full of fuel and I was feeling groovy. My goal after all this was a 15 minute mile giving me just over hour and 30 min to finish the 6.5 miles. The pavement was really hard on my knees so I felt slow. My only walking was through the water stations and I really didn't know what my mile time was at this point. As it turns out I finished the run in 1:20...about 15 minutes faster then planned.

Hearing Rick and all our friends cheer was fantastic. It really helps pull you through a race when you know that people are waiting to see you. Thank you SO MUCH for the encouragement. Congratulations to Dave, Windy, Vickie and Hollon (who is also a 1st time Triathlete) for a great job yesterday. None of this would be possible without Dave's training and Cliffs swim coaching. A special thank you to both of them for accepting nothing less then my best at all times. I hope I made you proud :)

I have to add one special thank you to Rick. Race day was also our 6th anniversary. He never stops supporting me in all my adventures and he truly is my biggest fan - I love you babe...happy anniversary!

Am I Nervous

So far this week I've had four people ask me if I was scared or nervous about Soma. No, I'm not really. But now I wonder if I should be dammit! - Side note - I just looked up the word dammit in the online dictionary and to my pleasant surprise there is a play button that pronunciates the word for you! I'm in stitches over this! Click here. I really need to find something to do with my time! Rick and I have enjoyed typing in many slang words we probably shouldn't have ;) -End Note-

Anyway, I'm seriously not that freaked out about this weekend. Maybe it's because I know I'll do my best and that's really all I have to offer. It's not a competition with other athletes like it is with some folks I know. I'm going to achieve a personal goal and that's it. Now, that's not to say that once I arrive race day morning I won't have the pre-race jitters and perhaps I'll even make several trips to the toilet but for me it's all part of a much bigger picture - Ironman. If I can keep control over my head, I'm going to have a winning game - period.

Do you like my ghost? She was made with a Tampon :0

Much Improved!

Watch this video and then tell me again why your vote doesn't count. We need them just to cancel out these idiots! Click here to see who Sarah Palin refers to as "real Americans"

I'm doing the Soma Quarterman this weekend and now I'm starting to get anxious. I've been given the instruction from Dave today to go super easy on Thursday, take Friday completely off and do the practice swim on Saturday with Cliff. Up until today I really haven't given tons of thought about this weekend but now that it's prep time I'm starting to feel a little self imposed pressure.

Rick and I were chatting yesterday about how sometimes I do feel that my performance is a direct reflection on Dave and Cliff and anyone else who spends time teaching me how to be a better athlete. Let's break this down... I spend most of my time training with Dave and really, it's him that I worry most about. He's such a great teacher for me and I just want you to know that he's done an excellent job busting my buns. I'm totally ready for this race and there really is no discipline involved that I do not know how to do. My only competition this weekend is with myself and I'm pretty sure I can hold it together and finish with at least a few people behind me :)

Speaking of Dave (I know, I blog about him alot but training with him is pretty much my life right now) we ran Reach 11 today and I'm so happy to say that since April I've taken 7 minutes off my time!! I know, I was impressed too. Towards the end I had just a little cramp in my calf and that sharp cramp in my stomach but I was able to push through as hard as I could past the discomfort and get it done. My thoughts remained focused and positive the entire run as I continue to remind myself that I'm good, I try hard and cramps will not stop me from finishing the Ironman!

If you are interested in coming out this weekend click here. Look for - 2008 Athlete & Spectator Guide!

Specialized ERA

Check this out!!! This is a picture of my new Specialized ERA (female version of the Epic)!!! Pretty sweet huh! This photo is from a web search but it's exactly like mine (including the colors).

I pretty much knew that I was going to get a new mountain bike because my Gary Fisher had been beaten into the ground, but I didn't plan on such a fully loaded bike.

Learning to ride a beast like her during a 7 - 8 hour race was probably not the smartest thing I've ever done... This bike is so light that it flies up hills and tossed me over the handlebars on the downhill. Yes..you read it right. I went up and over and I'm REALLY lucky I didn't break my arm. Rick said it looked like I did a cartwheel over the entire bike. I shed a few tear, brushed myself off and went at it again. I fell over, and over and it felt like an entire day of near misses. Not my best race.

Rick's navigation was perfect. I could not ask for anything better. Out of nowhere he would just stop....right next to the checkpoint! I was so impressed and pleased.

Rick also suffered a bad fall and went to the hospital shortly after we got home. He's lucky he didn't break a rib but it's pretty bruised and he can't laugh or take deep breaths...poor guy.

Overall we raced for about 7 hours I think and opted to finish under the short course instead of continue for another few hours. Everyone was packing up to leave and our spirits, or at least mine, was pretty beat up by then. I'm tough, but not that tough!

This week I anticipate some easy workouts to gear up for Soma on Sunday. Geez...I hope after this weekend I'll FINALLY be a triathlete!

Monsoon Adventure Race

Well, I said I wasn't going to do it but I did anyway..ugh! I have to pick another day off because I'm going to start running and swimming on Thursday. Leslie and I hit the pavement yesterday and pulled off 4 miles in 40 minutes followed by a swim lesson with Cliff. I'm not sure what I'm going to do because the only other day is Sunday and I don't want to give up my women's riding group...hummmm

Swimming was fun yesterday! We did some really fun exercises which included swimming with my eyes closed. HILARIOUS! I continue to breath on both sides when I swim and it's getting better and a tiny bit easier. It really is hard to believe that in April I could barely swim 25 meters without a 5 minute rest.

Rick and I are off to Tuscon for the Monsoon Adventure Race. I think I'm going to decorate our bike helmets to look like a witch's hat and his a pumpkin! How funny would that be? LOL Watch for pictures cause I think I'm gonna do it...

Rick talked me into doing the long course. He must have waited for the right moment to ask because normally I would say NO WAY! I'm looking at about 8 hours of racing now and my mountain bike is literally falling apart piece by piece. It's time to invest I think. Now I just have to convince Rick of that :)

I'll post again on Sunday or Monday to share photos and race results. Until then...GET OUTSIDE!

Things Are Looking Up

First off, Thanks Christine for the Gas-X! Nice one sister :)

As it turns out, I'm ALLOWED to enjoy my bike rides on the way to the gym!!! YEAH! So I feel much better now. I am rather hard on myself and as long as I continue to work hard for Dave, and on things he tells me to I'm A-OKAY.

I ran 4 miles last night with some friends and that was nice. However today, after mtn bike training with Dave my legs are really sore, and they don't feel this way often. Poor Leslie....my run tomorrow is going to be slllooowww girlfriend.

Speaking of DAVE! He fell into a cactus at the PBR Off Road Tri this past weekend! OMG. I tried to find an appropriate picture to post but ouch..it's just too much to look at. Some people lifted him off the cactus but can you image the pain? He still has some thorns stuck in his hands and I imagine his body too. Here is my suggestion Dave- go get waxed. It sounds crazy I know but if the needles have little hooks, the wax will be able to pull them out. Glue is not sticky enough to hold onto the thorns. Just get a wax and you'll be good to go. OUCH

This weekend Rick and I are racing in the Monsoon Adventure Race. I'm looking forward to some challenging hills and technical riding...if you can believe that. I never thought I'd say this but I do enjoy mtn biking.

I know, I can't believe my own gassy confession! Ballsy wasn't it? But, YOU have gas too so check yourself before you shake your head...

My Lame Confession / Don't Fart!!!

The real me...watching TV last night with my new bike helmet on, remote in hand and half asleep. Yes, I was really watching TV with my new helmet on! It's really cute :)

Okay look, I'm not perfect...and neither are you so don't you judge me!!

I need to clear my conscience and come clean. I'm a total slacker! It's totally hard to believe I know. Typically Dave and I meet at the gym on Monday's and I ride my bike to meet him. It's about 16 miles total...not a big deal at all right... When we started I use to come home from work by 6:50, jam to get ready to leave by 7:00 and work super hard riding to get to the gym by 7:30. It was hard, but I did it and most days I was on time. Well, I got lazy and moved our time to 8:00. That gave me more time to eat, change and have an easy ride to the gym. Yes, I said an easy ride to the gym. Easy meaning 10 - 11mph and a 45 min ride. If you know my training regime you just went, UtttOhhh If you know how much I need to work on my leg endurance and strength you just went, UtttOhh

I'm not proud..I'm ashamed. There is no excuse other then the truth, I got lazy and comfortable. Today I decided to take back my own fate and do something about it - hence the confession to you, and to Dave. So, in order for me to continue to push the envelope I have to go back to meeting at 7:30. I have some hard work to make up for now.

Here is another confession, but a little more entertaining (or embarrassing). I have some gas...but not the kind for my car. Rick will be the first to tell you that I have ALOT of gas and I'm not very lady like about it either. When Dave and I meet I'm a little, well, afraid I'll let one slip :0 I mean it's bound to happen, right??? We see each other four days a week! Today it ALMOST happened! Look, when you're on the Leg Press pushing 260 pounds some things can happen to your body that you just lose control over. My ass is as tough as my legs from squeezing so hard. So here is your warning Dave...one day something is going to slip and when it does, our relationship will have reached a whole new level :)