So there's been a little bit of a technological malfunction - the camera battery is dead! I was able to get some more pictures, especially few from the IM Athlete dinner. Hopefully the situation will be fixed tomorrow.
The Athlete dinner was what I expected, tons of people, a comedic host, and those inspirational videos including music with lots of fanfare and slow motion video of past Ironman races. I know these videos are supposed to invoke every ounce of inspiration and motivation to get us out there and do our best. Honestly I do feel it but it also brings that feeling of fear I've been suppressing. I don't think anyone goes into an Ironman without fear. The fear of the pain, the anguish, the fight, the determination it will take to put one foot in front the other and say to yourself "now do it again."
But the one thing I am taking with me to the starting line Sunday is that whether I do just one race or one a year for the rest of my life is the feeling of accomplishment I will be overcome with at That finish line.
I Will be at the Finish Line
Friday, August 28, 2009
Ironman Louisville - Day 2 - Morning
I'm not going to say I had the best sleep last night. It was very difficult for me to fall asleep, I couldn't stop my head from over thinking this and that. I woke up this morning feeling better. I met Amy in the lobby and we walked over to the swim practice. At the Gatorade gear check tent I saw Sara volunteering. Sara was on my Little 5 team - Speed. She pretty much taught me how to ride a bike so it was awesome seeing her here. Amy swam and I just watched. Listening to other peoples reactions about the swim was positive. Most people said the current was not very strong and it was much cleaner than it had been in the past. We walked back to the hotel and it was time to check-in!! At check-in volunteer Julie took my weight, then I signed my life away, and last picked up my race packet. As I walked through the expo I picked up a few more goodies.
Right now I'm sitting in my room and there is a mess of noise going on outside. First off the new Cardinals stadium is being built right next to my room and to make it better there is some sort of carnival going on. If I here 'Its a small world' played organ style one more time!!!!!! I've got a few more errands to run then its REST, REST, and more REST.
BTW I sporting my Girls on the Run shirt!
Right now I'm sitting in my room and there is a mess of noise going on outside. First off the new Cardinals stadium is being built right next to my room and to make it better there is some sort of carnival going on. If I here 'Its a small world' played organ style one more time!!!!!! I've got a few more errands to run then its REST, REST, and more REST.
BTW I sporting my Girls on the Run shirt!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ironman Louisville Day 1
The car is packed and I was ready to go.
On my way I stopped at Panera Bread in West Lafayette so I could hop on the WiFi and get the address for the hotel and check a few emails, then I continued onwards.
Crossing the bridge over into Kentucky was a bit surreal because you could see the Transition area.
Once I got into Louisville I drove west to get out of the city and to the rural part of the bike course. I parked at the turn for the dog leg. There is a beautiful little church at this point. When we parked at the church for camp the garden crew was there. They said we could park there if we helped out. I don't think that would have been a good idea since this church is surrounded by gorgeous rose bushes and I am so bummed I forgot to take a picture. I had a short ride/run brick and of course I brought the luck of rain with me. It poured the entire time on the bike and was blue skies and sun for the run - I just don't get it!
Then I headed to the hotel, checked in, and did three trips to get all my stuff to my room - this is when I miss my tri-Sherpa, I mean hubby. On my way out to hunt for food I ran into 2 girls from Team IE. We all went to dinner together and I'm totally bummed I left my new water bottle there. I called the restaurant and told them I left my "lucky" water bottle and, yippie, they found it and I can pick up tomorrow. Well that's day one. Not much besides traveling. Tomorrow I am going to take a look at the swim start, a close up of transition, and the EXPO!!! I promise to remember my camera.
On my way I stopped at Panera Bread in West Lafayette so I could hop on the WiFi and get the address for the hotel and check a few emails, then I continued onwards.
Crossing the bridge over into Kentucky was a bit surreal because you could see the Transition area.
Once I got into Louisville I drove west to get out of the city and to the rural part of the bike course. I parked at the turn for the dog leg. There is a beautiful little church at this point. When we parked at the church for camp the garden crew was there. They said we could park there if we helped out. I don't think that would have been a good idea since this church is surrounded by gorgeous rose bushes and I am so bummed I forgot to take a picture. I had a short ride/run brick and of course I brought the luck of rain with me. It poured the entire time on the bike and was blue skies and sun for the run - I just don't get it!
Then I headed to the hotel, checked in, and did three trips to get all my stuff to my room - this is when I miss my tri-Sherpa, I mean hubby. On my way out to hunt for food I ran into 2 girls from Team IE. We all went to dinner together and I'm totally bummed I left my new water bottle there. I called the restaurant and told them I left my "lucky" water bottle and, yippie, they found it and I can pick up tomorrow. Well that's day one. Not much besides traveling. Tomorrow I am going to take a look at the swim start, a close up of transition, and the EXPO!!! I promise to remember my camera.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thanks Lunch Crew
The lunch crew at work is just Awesome. Today at lunch they gave me a card, it was super cute! Here it is below. The inside reads "One Step At a Time" and I'm pretty sure those words will be running through my mind a few times on Sunday. Wait it gets better - they also got me a gift certificate for a post race massage - see told you they're all wonderful. Thanks again guys!!!
Quote from BK
Mike sent me this today.
“Everyone has got the will to win, its only those with the will to prepare that do win”
- Bobby Knight.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
4 More to Go
Look at what I did this weekend!! Anyone who has been in the apartment may have noticed the nice pile of shit stuff accumulating next to the TV. Well after 13 months living here and one week before the race look how nice it finally looks!
Also, THANK YOU so much to Matt & Leah for sending me the best Go! card. If you can't tell what it reads - Leah says " Go Kelli" and Matt says "You can do it".
Tomorrow I pack!!
Also, THANK YOU so much to Matt & Leah for sending me the best Go! card. If you can't tell what it reads - Leah says " Go Kelli" and Matt says "You can do it".
Tomorrow I pack!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
10 Days til Ironman
In the past month I hammered in the hardest two weeks ever with logging over 22+ hours and over 250 miles of S/B/R each week. Now I'm half way through a 3 week taper with only 10 days to go and I'm at the cusp of FREAKING OUT! I recently re-read a friend's IM race report from last year and this weekend I plan to watch my DVR'd copy of IM Kona for some more motivation. Its not that I'm struggling for motivation its that I just need to focus and get in the right mind set. Pre race I may seem calm on the outside, just roaming around with headphones on but on the inside its a different world. I stay quiet more in fear if I was to express any emotion I may just loose it all.
Ironman taper time is a strange thing. You go through months of living out of laundry baskets of workout clothes then all of a sudden everything is folded in drawers. Two-a-day works out, 4am wake-ups, 3000+ calories per day to one-a-day short bricks, 6am wake-up, smoothies, salads, and lean meats.
Here I am with another off-day catching up on everything else. This weekend I plan to pack and organize all my lists. Since Ironman camp in June I've begun lists split out in to separate categories (bags). There is Weekly Food, Travel, Transition, Hubby's O-Crap, Swim, Bike Transition, Run Transition, Bike Special Needs, and Run Special Needs bags. Believe me when I say all this is necessary, well I hope it is.
Ironman taper time is a strange thing. You go through months of living out of laundry baskets of workout clothes then all of a sudden everything is folded in drawers. Two-a-day works out, 4am wake-ups, 3000+ calories per day to one-a-day short bricks, 6am wake-up, smoothies, salads, and lean meats.
Here I am with another off-day catching up on everything else. This weekend I plan to pack and organize all my lists. Since Ironman camp in June I've begun lists split out in to separate categories (bags). There is Weekly Food, Travel, Transition, Hubby's O-Crap, Swim, Bike Transition, Run Transition, Bike Special Needs, and Run Special Needs bags. Believe me when I say all this is necessary, well I hope it is.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
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