wrecked

"Yes.... you are the man." I confessed for the trillionth time this morning over the phone to Mister 9:55. I sighed. That beat my time by over an hour. Suddenly my little 10:58 seems to suck big time.

He believes I can go sub 10 at Florida. Funny thing.... I bet I could too. But there is work to be done between now and then.

And first things first., Which means my return to Masters this morning and getting my intestines handed to me.

Ahhhh.... I love the first week of on again. You know when you have taken the proper offseason.... three days in on season everything feels good. Until you show up at masters where you've been missing for a week. When they made the transition from drills to pace and you were swimming with the girls in the ocean.

I really love the lane I swim in. It's a good group of people. I have heard of teams where there are lane wars. We line up how we line up, we frequently fight for the last spot in the lane..... and we are good to each other. We mix hard work and laughing. None of us can count, or add. Or remember the set. We've even got a new girl and she's a criminal psychiatrist.... or something insane like that. She fits right in.

This morning when we had 12 X 150 on hard-o-clock I thought.... this is an interval I can make easily.

Not so much girlfriend.

I swam about a 1200 straight. There were a few times I got to do an open turn which I count for rest. What screwed me up the most is that we had to breathe to the other side. Give me a pen and tell me to write with my left hand while you are at it. I couldn't remember what I was doing.

I thought my coach was on the other side of the pool.... but she wasn't. Caught me breathing to the right.

Shucks.

After 4600 yards my shoulders were grateful it was over and my head knew it would get better. This is what happens when you have taken proper rest. You get a little out of shape. When you come back you come back even stronger.

I was so wrecked this am that during my run I wasn't sure if I'd make 30 minutes. But I did.

And that's how things go in the beginning. This is the fire you have to travel through for the bigger gains on the other side. When times got tough today I labeled each wall opportunity. I pushed off of opportunity a gazillion times today.

2009 has nothing but that. Opportunity. Today I saw it, and tomorrow I will as well. There are goingto be days that are great, and then days that I feel like a wrecking ball has taken me down.

And each one of them holds promise.

some photos from florida.......

The face of a 9:55!

What do you do when your Dad is doing the Ironman? Watch him go by and go swim some laps in Barb's pool of course..... silly!

Every man in America's dream......... and we don't need to wonder what the seven year old was thinking...... this is what Ironman athletes do honey...... now don't tell anyone!

Two future triathletes hang out at the awards ceremony...... Luc told her he would carry her over the sand to the water.....

Our family. This picture describes me to a T...... she looks like she's got it together..... but there's one thing a little bit off.......

the finish line!

Thanks Laura for the picture! Here's Curt myself and Luc at the finish line! Shark picture is on the way!

2009 Train-This Lake Placid Training Camp

June 19, 20 21 2009!

For 6 years now we've been gathering in Lake Placid on Memorial Day Weekend to swim bike and run. For four of those years we've done it as an official Ironman Lake Placid Camp for our stable of athletes. At first we focused on those doing Ironman Lake Placid, and then the rest of our team wanted to join along. This year we have changed the date to June 19,20 and 21st!

We coach about 30-40 athletes at any given time and while our Ironman team is the one we highlight the most; we have athletes of all different distance specialties. With the growing popularity of the 70.3 distances we began to focus the weekend on that as well. Then our intermediate distances and duathletes wanted to come along for the party….. so we incorporated everyone. Each year we bring a few tag alongs along. Friends of our team, people who write and ask to come along. So this year we would like to extend an open invitation to our Train-This Lake Placid Training Camp.

If you are training for an Ironman, 70.3, or any distance event….. and would just like to get away for the weekend with an incredibly fun group of people, then please consider joining us.

What will you get out of attending our camp? I'm not a professional triathlete, I am a Mom, wife, Triathlon Coach, Triathete, Yoga instructor and Pediatric ER nurse. I am also a student.

Why tell you that?

Because I know what it is like to balance work, school and family. I understand what it is like to train for 20 hours a week and how to put it all together so it enhances your life, doesn't take it over. I am a four time Ironman Finisher. I have had a horrible Ironman, I have nailed it twice, I have had a mediocre Ironman and I have even DNF'd an Ironman. So I know what it is like all across the board. In my 10 years of racing I have done about everything from winning to injury.

You do not have to be a Train-This athlete to attend our camp this year. We will provide you coaching on pacing for long and short course events, nutrition for long and short course events, how to piece together your Iornman race, your 70.3 race and your shorter races. We will give you tips and ideas on what to put on all of those Ironman bags, how to transition for all distances. With your coaches approval we will also take a look at your swim stroke.

My main goal in creating this camp so many years ago was affordability, with the rise in cost of entry fees, travel fees, costs to fly your bike; we wanted to keep some things simple.

Remember the day when triathlon was really simple?

That's the goal here.
The price of this camp will be less than $200, and here is how this will work:

1. I will be reserving a block of rooms at the Alpine Inn in Lake Placid. These rooms are traditionally $60-70 per night and can hold 3-4 athletes, or you can be solo if you'd like. All I ask is that you cover your hotel and between everyone, cover mine. That typically is $5-10 per person.

2. Cover your own meals. Now keep in mind that we hit the grocery store so really the only meals we eat on the town is Friday night, Saturday night and a Sunday morning breakfast.

3. If you would like to carpool, we have plenty of room in cars. If you are flying in, try to fly to Rochester and / or ship your bike to me and we will get you to Placid.

Now….. you are welcome to make reservations at any of the hotels in Lake Placid in your own. We have been doing business with the Alpine Inn for a while and we really enjoy staying there. It's old school, low key and has a great view.

What's our agenda? That's going to evolve as we go along! We will swim, bike and run every day. We will have group talks on all of the mentioned topics throughout these three days. As we get people signed up and get people funneled into their respective groups then we will be able to create more of an agenda.

For example, the Iornman Folks can expect something like this:

Friday night: One loop of bike course without the out and back (about 42 miles)
Swim in Mirror Lake

Saturday: 112 miles of the Ironman Course with a run off the bike.
Evening swim

Sunday: Am swim, long run and easy bike.

Friday night: course preview and nutrition seminar.

Saturday: Nutrition guidance Part II, thoughts on pacing an Ironman.

So you'd like to join a great group of people in a beautiful town for a weekend of fun and training? Good! Because we would love to have you along.

Like I said you can expect to pay less than $200 for this camp. If you are interested please send me an email at maryeggers "at" gmail "dot" com. I will send you an information file. The purpose of the information file is to gather info about you so that we can arrange housing, training groups and to give you exactly what you are seeking in a camp. This is not an application!

By June 1st I will send you an invoice for your share of the hotel + $5-10 to cover my room. Then we go to camp and have a blast!

Why am I offering this camp at such a low price?

It's my way of giving back to the sport that has given me so much. It's really that simple. In a world where I see prices do nothing but escalate, some things should be kept simple. Camp….. should be simple. And as Train-This is turning five, it's our way of celebrating with you!

So please, consider joining us for a weekend of play in the town where the Miracle on Ice happened!!!!! Join our awesome team, get away for a few days and meet some amazing people while learning something really fun.

See you at camp!

freedom

Here's a scary skeleton from the beach!

Greetings from the Atlanta airport where CNN is confusing the heck out of me on the election results. Stop with the damn predictions already.... let the election just happen.

I got an invitation from my sister in law the other day to join Mammas for Obama.... and I had to decline. Sorry girlfriend I am a die hard republican. Funny how politics works these days.... I don't really get into debates over politics. To me it is your own internal set of values and ethics that determines who you are and what you believe in. It is not my job to judge you or persuade you but it is my job to accept you for who you are and whatever you believe in. That's why I am so proud to live in this country. If you consider me to be "insert your negative word here" just because I am red or blue...... then please.... move along. Move on to someone who cares to place silly judgements on people like that.

But we do that, don't we. We might judge someone based on their size, their ability or lack thereof. We may judge them because we consider them to be loud, or talkative, or ultra competitive. We judge people before and instead of taking the time to actually get to know them. Beyond words that they write or results that they produce.

It's interesting to me. I love to watch that happen.

I especially love when people judge me based on any factor before ever having a conversation with me. I stand back and I watch in amusement, because I realize that is their story, that is the story they created...... not mine.

And again, that's why I live in this country. That's why I salute the flag when I see it rise. That's why my hand is on my heart when I hear the National Anthem. That's why I know the words to the National Anthem.

Because...... I can.

As I can do that, I can also enjoy the freedom to rise above that kind of stuff.

As we know..... our lives, our families, our abilities as athletes...... they are all what we make of them. Don't worry about what others believe of you and your performance, you believe in it. You believe in your performance. You believe in the person in the mirror.

I find that those who like to lend judgement spend far too much time looking in your mirror than looking in their own. I also find that the people who react strongly and negatively to a quality that you posses...... because you reflect something within them that they aren't comfortable with.

So let it go. Just let it roll. Let people get mad that you are voting opposite what they believe. Let people think this or that because you had a slower race. Let people believe this or that about you because of "insert your quality here."

Enjoy being you. You only get to do this once so make sure you do it right from your heart.

So enjoy your right to vote today...... enjoy your right to choose...... enjoy your right to be red or blue..... enjoy your freedom to be the person that you are. Without limits and restrictions. Just freedom.

Now that's something to celebrate!

cloud nine

Or should I say cloud 9:55?

It's just so awesome to have been a part of Curt's journey. The man who has never quite hit his potential at the Ironman distance…. it was awesome to see him do it. He did every single step of it the "old school way". No HRM, no powermeter, no Garmin. Just perceived exertion and excel. That's all. He does admit that he can see how the Garmin would have been very helpful as he did spend the run slowing down. But I would take a 3:38 marathon slowing down any day.

I was proud of him in so many ways. I had parked us at the stripper house, which was at mile 1+ of the run. My athletes and especially Pelee were tracking him online and texting me with updates. I knew when he'd be coming and I knew how his splits were faring.

When I did the math after the first 13 miles I realized he could "Sh** the bed" run a 2 hour second lap and still break ten hours. Deep down inside of him, in the part that would never admit it to anyone…. I knew he wanted a sub ten hour finish. Yet like all other Ironman athletes he would never say it out loud. Something about Karma.

Tonight was the awards ceremony. By absolute chance I got to sit with Ryan and his family: Wife Melissa, daughter, mother and sister. It was an absolute highlight of this trip.

It has been funny; Curt has been finally putting faces to names from Blogland. Marit, Danni, Laura….. and then Ryan. In 2007 Ryan had a struggle of a day at Ironman Florida. Coined the term sharting…. was sure Mike Riley was in fact the voice of God and struggled his way to a 12 hour finish.

Well…… he did this race on Sunday in 9:31. 13th in the 30-34 age group. 1st Clydesdale by 90 minutes. At 6 feet a billion inches, and 220….. this guy is wicked strong. He's the age group version of Thunderbear. It was awesome to share in that celebration.

I cried when Curt finished last night and my eyes filled with tears when he got up on the stage.

He did turn down that slot to Kona. And I get it, I get why. He's been there…. done that. He loves his short course and signed up for Muskoka 70.3. He hopes to join me in Clearwater 2009. At this rate he should have no problem.

He's one hell of a decorated athlete. Throughout his career he's done a lot of things, made a lot of lists, excelled at the various distances he focuses on. I'm learning a lot form him.

And it will be my head in the Shark's arm tomorrow. For sure. In 2010 I will come back to this race and I will have at it again. I don't know why but I love this race. I love Panama City Beach. I love this time of year.

We spent the day in the ocean. Met some great people. Saw stingrays. Danni swam her first ocean swim and experienced the thrill of ocean sickness. Marit scoped for sharks. Luc demonstrated a natural ability for riding the waves.

I continued running camp along the beach. Monday is the official start date of my 2009 season and how appropriate. Ironman inspires me.

In the 30 days I was in the off-season I took a total of 12 days completely off. Not always in a row. I did yoga, a little running, occasional swims and a few bikes.

Coming to Florida and spending 6 days in the sun, sand and the seashells….. was just what I needed. I reconnected with friends….. put so many faces to names like Joy and Damie ….. and spend time with so many of you. I treasure these things like you would not believe.

Most of all….. I treasure this time with Curt and Luc. There are times when we look past the bonds we have as a family and then there are times like this…. where I hold even tighter. I feel so blessed ion so many ways.

I am signing off until Wednesday….. I promise to post all of the pictures when we get home that day. For now…. I have three more days of training in the sun. I will take a final look at Panama City Beach and I will tuck it away.

Until May.

HOORAY!

Congrats to the Train-This team for enjoying another 100% finisher rate at the Ironman!!! Congrats to first timer Kim Hase who finished in 12:29....... Jay Hollister completed his second Ironman in 13:15...... this father of three (soon to be four) made it through an injury to get there!

And of course, the story of the day that brings tears to my eyes........ CURT.

9:55, 5th in age group and Kona qualifier.

I cried my eyes out and believe me, so did he.

He has decided to decline the Kona spot. He's already done Kona (ho-hum), he PR'd and he's happy. And he's enjoying some heckling from Myself, Marit and Danni to boot!

This morning Danni signs up for the Ironman and I am happy to say..... after an inner fight of all fights, I will not be!

WOOO HOO!