Training...

So, training is going pretty well. Schedule looks something along the lines of this:

Sunday- Rest or easy cross training
Monday- Swim with team, walk on lunch break
Tuesday- 60 minutes with personal trainer, 60 minute spin class
Wednesday- Run with team or on my own, 60 minutes
Thursday- 60 minutes with personal trainer, 60 minute spin class
Friday- rest day
Saturday- long bike/run with team

When I type it all out it looks like a lot, but it feels like I'm not doing enough when I think about how long a half ironman is. I'll cover 70.3 miles in a day.... by body power. No motors, air conditioning, gps, or relaxing. 70.3 miles of sheer effort. I can't imagine now what ever made me sign up for this. I vaguely remember being inspired by the world class athletes training in Kona when we visited on our honeymoon. Running, cycling, swimming - they were everywhere. Signs lined the roads "Athletes in Training" along the Queen Ka'ahumanu highway. The sheer athleticism of these amazing people inspired me. But as I wake up each day and do this.... I wonder if I'm a little crazy. And if it means that they are even crazier. Seriously.

I'm not quitting. I'm just freaking out a little. It has happened in the training for every event I have done. Tons of half marathons, a handful of marathons, this will be my second triathlon. When is anyone ever really ready, anyhow? When you aren't an elite athlete, when do you know your training is good enough? For me, it will be when I know I can finish before the cut off time. I believe that means 9 hours for this course. It's hard to imagine being on the go for 9 hours straight. But, I'm doing this for a great cause and I just have to remember that even when it hurts... it's not chemo. It's not a bone marrow biopsy or stem cell transplant. It's not a transfusion or being neutropenic and constantly worried about infection. It's just a silly race.

Today I just about hit the $1,000 mark in my fundraising. $3 to go until I am there. I have $2,950 to go. Whewww. The fundraising worries me more than the training. If only I could have one of them completed already, but considering that the race isn't until June, the only thing I can do to help make this feel manageable is to work on my fundraising and try to complete it as soon as possible. I am having the hardest time asking for money this time around. I'm throwing a big fundraiser on February 19th and I'm hoping to make to a good deal of the way towards my goal. It just pains me to ask people for help reaching that magic number. Look for bake sales, car washes, wine parties, and raffles coming your way as I try to make this happen.

Thanks for reading and for your support.

-Stace