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Good morning everyone,

Kona is coming soon and I will not be there. I am not sad or bummed…Im realistic.

I had started my quest for Kona last year, I trained all winter in Santa Barbara, swam 4 to 5 times a week, ran a bunch and bike a lot too. I thought that I could make it there…Well, after St-George in the spring where I DNF’d because of a hamstring issue, I had to rethink my situation…And I did.

I took a break from running long, biking long and swimming long…and started to rest my legs. I had plans to do maybe lake placid or another Ironman in the season but as of right now, I never did. I guess I realized that I love to train and stay fit but not that much!!! It really took all my life, all my time and all my energy. Im not saying that I didn’t enjoy doing it, Im saying that I just don’t think it was for me at that time. Im also not saying that I wont try again.

Summer has been busy like always, we bought a new house, I raced in the para-cycling world championships (which changed my life), I took part in a charity 24h bike ride for cancer and started running with a group in town here. I was always a runner in heart. When I was a kid I started to race at the age of 10 until I was at University. So I joined them and really enjoy their company. Most of these guys run ultra’s…Crazy, thats like 160km or 100 miles or 4 marathons back to back or driving to montreal,QC and back from Bromont,QC. I was inspired but not willing to try that quite yet:)

So through the summer I took part in a 21km trail run and a 40km one. Then 2 weeks ago I went running with my group, hadn’t seen them for a while and they all told me they were doing VT50: thats either a mt bike race of 50 miles or you can also race on foot. I did it last year on the bike and it took me 8h15 in a real mudfest.  Great idea!!! Im in. No training, I haven’t ran more than 2hrs lately…hhmmmmm oh well!

So to prepare for that, I flew the week end before to Pittsburg and drove to Deep Creek lake in MD for the Savageman Triathlon Olympic and half Ironman distances (yes, two races). Again I did it last year and I wanted to go back. FYI I have a compact on my bike for that race, 7000 feet of climbing in 56 miles and the run is NOT flat. Again sometimes I have the best ideas out there! Im going all the way there so might as well do both. So Saturday I won the olympic distance (1.5km swim,40km bike and 10km run) and felt fine:) The next morning I woke up……sooooo sore, and I had to do it all over again and even longer:) I did it and got 3rd, with a broken derailler that had me stuck in the 11 and made me walk the last couple hills. Anyway that was fun. Training for the vt 50 was done:)

VT50:

Early morning, dark, and chilly.

Start: Feeling good but trying to hold back and start slow…not slow enough.

20km in: Im on my pace of 9h that I want to achieve

40km in: Feeling a blister on the inside of my right foot, Not good.

60km : What the hell am I doing here? Where is the truck so I can go back to the ski area and eat, its been 7h of running I think thats enough? My knee hurts…

65km: Only 9 miles to go not that bad, should be able to do that, 9 miles is no biggie…

66km; Crap still8.5 miles to go, I feel like Im not moving. My brain is no longer connected to my legs.

70km; Only 10km to go  wow I think I can finish this thing..Im not on target now but will miss the 9h, well at this point I dont care:) chips and coke at the feed.

75km; Am I there yet? God that shit is long, stay focused. think about baby steps…

76km: Can I borrow a bike for the last 4km? Man, a bike would be so nice right now? How about a chair? Bed? I need to lay down,

77km : I stop for a sec to look at my legs…knees are sooooo swollen Im in major pain

79km; Smile you are almost there not even a mile to go…Yeah right I bet Its all downhill from here too? I hate downhills!

80km; I get passed on the line by another woman who could actually run at the end. I was 5th overall In 9h24min …thats too long next year I will go for 8h30 and train for it:)

notes:

I stop swimming after Ironman St George the 1st of may and I was only 2 min slower in the water…

I make it up the 31% wall at Savageman for the 2nd year: got my second brick!

VT 50:

Dont do that at home its painful,

Pizza delivery is awesome after a 50 mile run race when you can’t walk

I hate bananas, potatoes, chips and drank heed and water,

I cant believe they do 100 miles of that

Walking around the house in compression tights is actually necessary, and looks sooo good

Ill be back next year:)

People think Im crazy!