113km or 70.3 Half Ironman distance...

...either way it is a long haul!

Most people start all this nonsense when they are much younger, but I have to say, that after totally trashing a full decade with over indulgence I'm now a full decade into health and fitness.

I started back running just over10 years ago.  I was Very over weight, just out of an unhappy relationship and struggling on a single income and owning my first house.  Not too much stress there!  Needless to say it has been a long haul, but one that needed to be done and I've learned so many lessons about who I am and what I needed to learn about "owning" a positive life.  Every day has been an adventure and for that I am and will be forever grateful.  Having positive people in your life is so very important, and although I'm still single, still working (and will be until I'm freedom 90, due to front loading my life with way too much fun), still struggling with some major family issues, my life is the best it has been in a very long time.

A few years ago I tried my first Try-A-Tri and fell in love with the multi-sport.  However, due to financial constraints I had to learn patience to be able obtain a suitable bike, I had to learn patience while recovering from a ruptured meniscus.  I have had to learn patience for so many of life's experiences she is throwing my way lately.  As I mentioned, I have had to learn a lot of things that most people learn at a younger age.  Trust me when I say that when I wake up every morning I say a Great BIG Thank You to the Man above and to the Universe for giving me this opportunity to learn...

This year I decided to:

So I started training....

Early spring put me out on the road cycling getting ready for the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour...then running getting ready for my season of tri's.

Swimming started in February in anticipation of the 3k Open Water Swim, Bring on the Bay.

Bring on the Bay

June saw the first Sprint Triathlon in Smiths Falls...

Age Group - Silver

On to July with the Olympic distance.

OLY Finish - Age Group Silver

Which brings us to four weeks until the Canadian Half Ironman Distance on September 3rd.  Am I ready for it?  Who knows, do you ever feel ready for such a big event???

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

Wordless Wednesday

Blizzard's first OLY

Wordless Wednesday

a day of 3k

Last Saturday was a perfect day, hot, sunny and without a breath of wind, just perfect for the 3k Bring on the Bay.  There is just no way to describe the day, so if you are on Facebook, you can see in photo's what the event looked like by linking to Bring on the Bay

the medals

the bags

a 3k finisher...guess who?

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

Bring on the Bay has been and gone

Nepean Sailing Club

Friday night was the kit pick-up and the club house was bustling with the regular "sailors" and their mates, along with the folks from Easter Seals who in conjunction with Bushtukah were hosting the Bring on the Bay as part of their regatta weekend.  Tables were laden with the silent auction items and I must say, some of the items were to die for!

The kit bag is literally a bag!  A fantastic swim bag which will be put to great use in the future.

I arrived bright and early (well, not that early) to the sailing club for my first ever 3k Open Water Swim.  Many of the 284 swimmers were already there and awaiting the start.  I met up with some friends, obtained my chip timer, gave my swim bag to one of the many helpful volunteers and made my way to the water.  Most folks were in wetsuits but just as many were not.  (I was not)

Since I really wasn't sure what to expect I seeded myself well to the back and off to the side as it had been suggested.  (Note to self, you don't need to be that far back!).  We waited for sometime in the water because they hadn't anticipated so many swimmers this year and it took forever for everyone to get their chips on and ready to go.  There was a bit of delay but really it didn't matter...this event is for such a good cause and most folks were in party mode.  

The gun went off, the sirens were shrieking and the on lookers were cheering.  We were OFF

The course was well marked and well supported with kayaker's, catamaran's, police boats and other Emergency Rescue Boats.  The really fast swimmer's were gone and I just started my swim.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day. Hot, hot, hot and sunny, there wasn't a breath of wind.  The river was so calm it was almost eerie.   I've seen that river show her true self but today she was behaving.  My swim was steady and peaceful, exactly the way I had wanted it to be.

When I arrived at the ladder to exit the swim, I felt around for the first rung to put my foot on and I immediately got a full leg cramp.  Un-freeking-believable!  I made the swim in an hour and eleven minutes and had to wait what seemed like forever to get up the ladder to stop the timer.   A very kind gentleman said to me as I stood on the bottom of the ladder "great swim my dear, but you need to climb up to stop the timer"....I had several reply's rolling around in my head, but luckily not off my tongue.  I politely looked up at him and smiled and said "I seem to have a leg cramp".  Finally it subsided and I made the climb to the top to receive my medal....chip time 1:12.

to be continued...

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

This week...

...has been flying by.  I had to actually do a double take on the calendar this morning and when I didn't believe that it was already Thursday I checked my watch.

Last weekend was busy with training.  I won't bore you with too many details but I am very happy to report "I OWN Stewartville Hill".  Never again will this hill kick my butt while I'm on the bike!

Stewartville Hill

Tuesday night was the July Beaver Chase 4 Mile Race, man it was hot, hot, hot!  I started off running with a couple of friends who ended up only running half of the course, so once they bowed out I continued on my own through the forest trails and ended up with a good negative split.  Since I'm into some serious training I picked up the pace and even though I'm not terribly fast I was happy with the end result.

Tonight is our Running Room clinic night followed by a 5km run.

Friday night, I pick up my race kit and swag for the 3k Bring on the Bay swim race.  I'm actually getting excited about this!  My main concern, believe it or not, is whether I can climb the ladder to get out of the water at the end of the race!  Hopefully my knee will be able to support me up the ladder.

If not, I truly hope they have a crane!


Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

It has been Ages!

It HAS been ages...

So much going on in real life, but also tons of things happening in my sports life...

Here are a few moments in photo's;

200k Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour - June 

Switching over to Triathlon's;

Smiths Falls Sprint Tri - Age Group Silver

on to the Kilt Run and look who found me!

Andrew Opala - fellow blogger!

This weekend is Bring on the Bay,  an open water 3k swim (with the fishes).  Hopefully the weather gods will shine down on us.

And to finish up, training has been going well for the Olympic Distance Triathlon July 30th, how I feel after that will determine whether or not I sign up for the Half Ironman on September 3rd.  That's all the time I have for now.

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily