Tag: Endurance

Ironman Lake Placid: The Morning of the Race

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Basking in the post-first Ironman glow, just a mere two days after the race, it is hard for me to remember any other day in my life that was more amazing, more inspirational, more powerful than the day I had on Sunday. It started at 4:00 a.m., to the sounds of the Rocky theme (what else?) as the alarm clock on my cell phone went off. I looked out of our hotel window. The sun wasn’t up yet, and the sky was dark. John asked, “Is it raining?” I smiled. “Nope.” Morning showers were forecasted, but they hadn’t started yet. …

Defining moments

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Yesterday, my husband John and I attended a funeral for a close friend’s mother. I did not know Bill’s mother Gloria personally, but in listening to all that was said during and after the service, it is clear that her presence on this earth touched many people, and their lives are the better for it. I am sad for my friend’s loss; having lost my father 11 years ago, I know how deeply that pain cuts. The wound never heals. Just as people were about to leave the service, Bill approached the podium. “I’d like to ask everyone to hold …

14 days

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On July 27th, 2009, John and I stood in line for several hours to sign up for Lake Placid Ironman 2010. After we entered the Lake Placid High School gymnasium, it took only a few minutes to sign up for the event. It has taken us 12 months to prepare ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. In 14 days, we will do this. So, what makes someone want to go 140.6 miles in under 17 hours? Well, there are about 3,000 registered to participate in Ironman Lake Placid, and I imagine that amounts to about 3,000 answers to that question. I …

Fireman Ironman Training Camp: “I am so lucky to be able to do this”

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“Whenever I get scared or feel anxiety, I just remind myself that I am so lucky to be able to do this.” And with that statement, Charlotte became a source of incredible knowledge and motivation as I worked my way through a challenging, exhilarating and ultimately rewarding training weekend in Lake Placid, NY. I met Charlotte on the banks of Mirror Lake, just as we were getting ready to do one loop of the swim course last Friday evening (June 18th) to kick off the 10th Annual Fireman Ironman Training Camp, which is organized by New York City Fire Fighter …

Find your *something*

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“I could never do that.” OR “I wish I could do that.” OR “I don’t know how you can train so much. I would die.” Through much of my training, I’ve heard people say these statements (or similar ones). I know people are saying these things in a complimentary way – and I am grateful for the support and words of encouragement. Yet, as odd as it may seem, these statements make me feel uncomfortable. I’m convinced that each of us have the potential to do and achieve amazing things. There’s no reason to wish to be able to do …

Vulnerability and Resiliency: Lessons from the Cancer Center

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The windows in the room lined the upper reaches of the ceiling, enough to let plenty of light in the room, but not big enough or low enough to let us see anything below the blue sky line. My sister sat in an office-grade recliner with blue plastic covering, and I sat in a matching chair, without the reclining function. The machines beeped every so often as either my sister or one of the other patients finished their bags of drugs: benadryl, saline, dextrose, various concoctions of chemotherapy. At times, I could tell by the winces on my sister’s face …

I’m going mental

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We are about 12 weeks away from the big show: Ironman Lake Placid. As I type that sentence, I can feel my heart rate elevate. A few weeks ago (7 to be exact), I wrote a post about how training for Ironman Lake Placid was changing our lives. At that time, I thought only in simple terms of time management. Ha! Silly girl. I didn’t even know the half of it when I wrote that entry. Way back on March 12th, I oh-so naively thought this journey was about managing time and training my body for the physical endurance challenge …

25 Minutes of Bliss & Lessons Learned from Injury

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“Before you come back next time, go for a short run. We need to see where that leg is at,” said Dr. Terry Andrus, my physical therapist. Wait, did I hear that correctly? Did he just clear me to go for a run? *Big smile* I guess he was reading my mind because he added, “Don’t make it a half marathon or anything. Easy and short. 20-25 minutes.” “Okay,” I replied, laughing. “I know. I know.” I was excited, but also a little bit fearful. The last time I had tried to run was February 2nd. I ran only 10 …

Indoor training doesn’t have to be as terrible as the weather

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Cold weather doesn’t bother me. I prefer it to the warmer weather. However, snow is a problem for outdoor training – especially cycling, Unfortunately, the snow has been plentiful this winter–an anomaly for the Southern New Jersey coast. With all the snow, and limited city budgets for plowing said snow, John and I have had to ride the indoor trainer* quite a bit. If you’ve never ridden a bike trainer, you have been spared what is sometimes mental agony, resulting from spinning in circles without going anywhere, which can be similar to running on a treadmill or swimming laps in …

“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – or how I came to love my heart rate

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Yes, it’s Shakespeare again. This time, the Prince of Denmark himself – Hamlet – offers wise words to keep my experiences (in training and life) in perspective. This quote reminds me that our thinking plays an integral role in how we perceive our abilities, our training, and our potential. Think negative thoughts, increase the likelihood of negative outcomes. Think positive thoughts, increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. Sounds easy enough. So, why am I so mean to myself? I know better: I’ve read plenty of articles that talk about the power of positive thinking. I know that our brains are …