Hey!

Well I'm sitting here with silence in my home. The children are at the farm. The husband is asleep (not feeling well) and I've done my first workout of my 20 week IM program.

Shit that's scary.

20 weeks!

But, it's fun too.

I had a good weekend. The sun again, showed promise to melt the layers of snow and Saturday I headed out for a birthday celebration run. I had some intentions of running a km for every year (that makes 32) but my long run mileage was stuck at 21 km's since the Hypo Half. I settled on 30. Eh, what's another 9 kms?

Quite alot!

The first 10km's were beautiful and funny. I slid down Groat Road like a fool hanging on to the dirty guard rails and laughing at the frozen waterfall effect on the sidewalks. I ran happily and 'chill' not feeling taxed or breathing hard but thinking of my friend Jill saying "two feet and a heartbeat"... At 11 km's I stopped at the washrooms and saw a swim buddy Cheryl and we chatted for a few moments (enough time to hear she's off to Boston wow!)... off I went to my turn-around at 15km's. Still feeling amazing but now a little hungry. I packed some raisins and two gels and by now between the ice slowing me here and there I'd been out for a while. Ooops also, I forgot to eat a solid breakfast.

Now, heading back I'm dreaming of hitting the Running Room and buying some shot blocks. Mmmm maybe margharita. 26km's and I'm in the store, quick purchase and shoving salty gelatenous blocks in my mouth. What's 4k? Pshaw...

It's painful. And it's a reminder to respect the marathon distance... that's what it is! I made it to my vehicle sweaty and a bit cold but happy and relieved.

I was LUCKY enough to top this off with a fun night of drinks and food at Greg and Naomi's. Just sitting around talking tri, talking life I started to get excited about what was coming. I even got to re-acquaint myself with the woman who sold me my bike - the BEST part of this was when she told me she had shaved her head this summer just 'because' and how amazing an experience it was.

It got me thinking, again, how lucky I am. Tonight as I peddled my bike I thought about when I first had the 'ironman' dream how I was riding a mountain bike, had no idea what it was like to run beyond 21 and couldn't swim as comfortably as I can now. How lucky is it that all things are coming together and if I keep working at it I might achieve what I've set out to do? How lucky is it that when I mumble outloud that I'm unsure of my direction I find a plan that fits so well? When I worry I don't have anyone to train with smiling and kind faces show up in my life and say "come train with us!"? When I say "I don't know if I should shave my freakin head what have I done?" sure enough someone is saying...

yes, it's scary
but man is it freeing


:)