So the Journey begins.....

Well, it is January 10, 2012 and I have officially begun training for the Florida Ironman 2012. This event will be held on November 03, 2012. I have just completed creating my 41 week training program to prepare me for this marvelous challenge. Upon talking with a friend today at lunch, I decided to create a blog for all my friends and family members to follow my progress. I have never created a blog before, but I figured this granted me a wonderful opportunity to begin blogging. I have struggled with fear and anxiety based on signing up for this event. I have taken full advantage of the holiday season and definitely are just now easing into training. For those of you that may not know what the Ironman is, it consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 (Marathon) which totals 140.6 miles that must be completed by 17 hours. There are various cut-off times for each event and I must make the cut-off times of each leg to be able to continue the race. I have decided to approach this "race" a bit differently than I have from my past races. I am hoping that this will be a self journey instead of a competition.

Speaking of a journey, I would like to share a brief outline about how I decided to tackle this endurance race.

In 2005-2006, I was attending Ole Miss and had gained a large amount of weight due to smoking and not exercising along with a terrible, cheap fast food habit. I actually had reached 186 lbs. which is the largest that I have ever been in my life. For those of you that have known me for years, I have always been extremely active and athletic, but not at this point. I knew that I needed to make a change because I was suffering not just physically, but mentally as well. The change began with the determination to stop smoking. This was the first step I needed to take in hopes of being able to exercise again and reduce my weight. In addition to quitting smoking, I began Weight Watchers. I started exercising weekly to gain points to be able to eat specific treats each week. The type of exercise that I was able to do was power walk and truthfully that hurt my knees and hips considering I was carrying 186 lbs. I dropped down to 170 lbs. and was very proud of myself. I was able to start lightly jogging and finally was able to jog a full mile without stopping.

In 2008, my best friend Andrea had asked me if I wanted to sign up for the Seabees Mud Run on the MS Gulf Coast and I reluctantly agreed. I weighed about 168 at that point in my life and was proud of the changes that I had made. We ran this mud run as a team and Heather, Andrea and myself came in 1st place for the female team. This started my desire to enter races. I then decided that Team Ramrod (aka Heather, Andrea and myself) needed to sign up for the Crescent City Classic 10k in New Orleans and so we did. In training for that race, I actually signed up for McGuire's 5k in Pensacola- which was my first road race ever. I had a blast! I found a new healthy way to spend my Saturdays and racing was the answer. I had finally reached my goal weight of 165lbs. I still was smoke free and absolutely loving training.

I then ran the Mobile 8k and met a few people that invited me to the Mellow Mushroom running club. I met tons of new friends that were into these things called triathlons. Now this was certainly new terminology for me. I had no idea that "common folk" could enter these events. One guy invited me to come to the YMCA and swim laps with him, ummm yeah, sounds fun right? Well, I had never actually swam laps before, but I loved swimming as a kid so how different could it actually be from playing sharks and minnows at the country club? Apparently very different. He spent a little time explaining a proper swim stroke and before the hour was up I had caught on. I was very slow and nearly died after about 5 laps, but I felt as though I knew how to swim laps (Hilarious!!!!). He had a friend and that friend's wife had signed up for the Grandman Triathlon, but  was unable to make it due to having cosmetic surgery and they offered me the slot. I agreed even though I had never been on a road bike, never swam in open water, and never put all three activities together, but I was IN, in over my head, but nonetheless in.

They allowed me to use her bike and she is 5'3 and I am 5'8- that matters on a road bike. They took me out the day before the race and showed me how to lock in with the bike shoes and pedals as well as taught me how to shift gears and we went for a 10 mile bike ride. I did survive the training and was ready for race day (oh what a novice little triathlete!!!! LOL!) On race day, these guys had forgotten to explain what a transition was as well as how to mount my bike and pretty much any information that I needed to have a successful race, but nonetheless I was determined. When they marked me for my age, I had to lie and say that I was 38 years old because that was her age. The volunteer said wow....because I was actually 26, but who was counting, right? Anyway, my heat was called and I was still searching for the race packet which had my swim cap and everything in it. I did not know if I could get into the water without my swim cap and none of the volunteers knew either. Finally I found someone who told me to go ahead and go so I started 2 heats behind my heat in the swim. I finished the swim without drowning and jumped on the tiny bike and headed off. My knees were basically up to my chin, but I was loving it already. Finally the bike portion was over and my favorite part was about to begin- the run. I made up lost time on the run and wound up beating two of the guys that came with us and had participated in triathlons the year before. I was instantly hooked!!!! Thus is the true beginning of my triathlon career.

After that I decided to purchase a road bike of my own that actually fit me and started riding with groups in Mobile and training for triathlons. I weighed 160 at this point and was really proud of myself because of the lifestyle changes that I had made. I learned healthy eating habits and was exercising routinely. I began training with a person who was in the midst of training for the Florida Ironman 2009. I learned at that point that you did not have to be an elite athlete or pro to sign up for the race, all you needed was to volunteer the year before and be prepared to lay down cash for the following year's race. I did go to the FL Ironman 2009 and watched the race. I was in awe. I knew at that moment that I would have to attempt to complete an Ironman at some point in the near future. I decided that I needed to sign up for a Half Ironman the following year and that is exactly what I did. I signed up for the Augusta Half Ironman 2010. I actually dropped even more weight and weighed 142lbs. and now weigh 138lbs. I completed the half in 5 hours and 32 minutes with a ridiculous eye injury and loved every minute of it. I needed more......what was next? I volunteered in 2011 at the FL Ironman and registered for the race the next day. That solidified my spot for the FL Ironman 2012 on November 03, 2012. Thus the journey continues...........