Finding Mary

It feels so good to feel so good. It feels so good to be enduring the aches and pains and tightness of Ironman Training. And those aches and pains can be scary. Out for a brick this afternoon a horrendous pain surged through my left leg, with no apparent source, hobbled me to a walk. Disappeared as soon as it had come and there I was running again.

But that is how it goes in the land of Iron.

Two weeks from tonight... God willing ... I will be in Panama City Beach for the Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman. While there isn't a whole lotta speedwork in this body yet, there is a lot of base. And I am feeling ready. If I close my eyes I can already hear the ocean. I can already smell the saltwater. I can already feel the sunshine on my back. I can hear the wheels on the pavement and I can feel the sweat. I can see the finish line in my mind's eye.

And wow does it make me smile.

I tried on my brand new wetsuit tonight, the Blue Seventy Helix. I gave up a wetsuit sponsorship to buy this, and it was worth it. There is nothing like the feel of brand new black neoprene against your skin. I can't wait to swim in it.

We have entered the final tune up for Gulf Coast. Within this final base week we established Wednesday through Wednesday as the "big one". Wednesday wasn't bad, a swim and a bike.

Thursday I got to ride with Johnny G. I picked him up at mile 65 and left him at 85 of 100. I didn't tell him I was out for 5 hours, but I bet he wondered why I was riding easy. :-)

Friday was interesting. Swim 1:30, run 0:30. Teach. Run 0:30 Bike 1:00 intervals run 0:30 tempo.

I stood at the top of the driveway when it was done feeling too good. Feeling ready.

So as long as I survive the next 5 days, come Wednesday night I will kick my feet up at yoga and call it a rest day. Taper then begins.

Then Thursday morning May 10th I will grab my bike box and my gear and I will board the plane with bike underneath. And I will launch into the sky looking for warmth, looking for salt water looking for heat and humidity and looking for me.

Because that's what all of this is about really. In 2004 I won almost every single race I did. 14 out of 15. 2005 I came apart at the seams. 2006 I was injured. So Mary is out there, somewhere. I feel that she is close, I feel connected with her. I feel that mojo brewing. And she's looking for me. Wiser, fitter, with a quiet mind this time.

More lovely than being the winner, is being on the starting line at all. More exciting than the crown, is the chance to toe the line. I will look at my competition and now, instead of sizing them up, I will sincerely wish them luck. Together we will find the edge. Together we will push, together we will move ahead and find out what we are made of.

Until next week, thank you so very much for your support and thank you very much for reading. It's time for bed, 4am comes early.

:-) Mary