36 weeks till IRONMAN - Hong Kong

So this week I have been in Hong Kong, have the experience of a lifetime.  So, I arrived in Hong Kong on Monday night, met Carrie, Nadine, and Bonnie, we took the train to the little hotel room where I promptly took my melatonin and went to sleep!

Tuesday morning, I took my first step in my IRONMAN training in Hong Kong by hiking the 'Twin Peaks' - which is all stairs - like 6 miles of stairs - no big deal I thought. . . I'm in fairly good shape!  OIYA BAJOYA - My calves began their screaming fit that would last for about a week - but we kept on walking . . . everywhere ( it was AWESOME!)

At one point in the hike I said to Nadine. . . . this is CRAZY!  You are a machine!  I don't know what my Ironman coach would say about THIS training!!  

Here are a few pictures of my training in Hong Kong!

Up and Down we went - On the Mountain IN Hong Kong

The View From the Top!  Amazing

Julie, Nadine, Me, Carrie and Bonnie - Before the 6+ miles of stairs.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into!!

Do you see that path - that is where we are going, oh and by the way, it is all stairs . . . 

Still Hiking the stairs!

We are back in the city, on our way to the market - these stairs are cool!

Getting on the MRT - "oh this isn't busy"

Cool Ad in the middle of Hong Kong - so very cool..

Question of the day . . . . . am I "No Where"  or "Now Here"??????
 . .. things that make you go .  . . .hmmm

Isn't HE AWESOME!!!

37 weeks till IRONMAN - ready or not . . .

So a little while back, my sister Carrie mentioned to me, that the Women's Conference on which she is a member of the board, was interested in having ME come and speak at their conference in Hong Kong - to tell my story of weight loss and how it has changed my life and the lives of those around me. . . .   I thought 'wouldn't that be fun', not really believing it would come true. . . As you may have figured out about me, that is always my first response "oh, that would never happen to ME!"

You would think that I would start to learn, these things are happening to ME!!!

So yes, all the pieces came together, and I am heading to Hong Kong, by myself to speak at the A.S.I.A Women's Conference in one week.  Duane has helped me get my presentation ready, and I am packed and ready to leave in the morning at 3am to drive to the Calgary Airport to catch my first flight for a very long day. . .

The last few weeks, especially this last week has been filled with getting ready to go on a 2 week trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan, alas, my IRONMAN training schedule has taken a back seat, but I am counting what I have been doing as MENTAL TRAINING EXTRORDINAIRE!!

I have learned and grown so much because of the process I have gone through to prepare this presentation.  I know in the long run ( literally - ha ha) it will be so worth it.

Ready or not, here I come Hong Kong!

My #1 sister Carrie, and Me
Summer 2010, Cardston's July 1st fireworks celebration

38 weeks till IRONMAN - the flu

my stomach hurts
my head aches
I'm tired
I think I might puke - again
I feel weak
my neck is sore

I got my schedule of workouts from Erin this week - I was SOO excited
The flu bug stole my steam- ugh

I missed my 11 mile run today - I spent it in bed - I feel behind.
I hate feeling behind
I have to remind myself that it's just one day, just one week

I hope Erin doesn't think I am a slacker  - I talked to Erin,  thank you for being my voice of reason and not thinking I am a slacker.
I don't like letting people down - I think maybe I shouldn't blog when I am sick. . . .

I missed my lifestyles appointment this week too - did I mention how much I don't like letting people down?

Hmm - it is my 17th wedding anniversary today.
What a way to spend the day. . . .

My flowers are beautiful!

I sure hope tomorrow is better I mean tomorrow will be better
I sure hope next week is better I mean next week will be fantastic

I still have 38 weeks to be ready for IRONMAN

I will probably get the flu again

Even an IRONMAN can get sick

I am human

Dang it!

39 weeks till IRONMAN - running for my soul

So I was thinking and thinking about what to write about this week, and I was at a bit of a loss.  Last week's post was a bit of a breakthrough for me, and I was feeling a bit empty this week. . . .

The one thing that kept coming back to me was. . . You have your team - they are all doing their best work to help you. . . but are YOU doing your best work to make this miracle happen???  Oh dear. . . . I know it is still early on in the season, but I know the answer to that. . . . Duane would say I am being too hard on myself. . . . but. . . I know I can do better.  So that is my challenge from here on in.  'I promise my team that I will do the work that only I can do to make this miracle happen.'

So, January came and went this week, and the 1200 mile club is succeeding!  I am learning a lot from this challenge. . . . I am learning that I need to go for a 4 mile run or walk every day - it really makes me feel better, it makes me calm, it makes me think clearly, it makes me breathe deeper, it makes me feel the power of the wind, the coolness of the snow, it makes me happy.  (When mom is happy - everyone's happy).  I am learning that my favorite walk of the week is my Sunday morning walk.  I really figure a lot of stuff out on those walks.  I love them.

It has been a good week, a fairly quiet week.  Those are nice weeks.  I enjoy every minute of those weeks because they are few are far between!

I got on my bike trainer this week, and it was hard work- really hard work. I did one of my new videos 'Pedaling Technique' (phew - at one point I had to get one of my kids to run and get me towel - ya, I was sweating that much!)

I don't know if I have mentioned before that I joined Runner's Soul Marathon Club this year.  So, on Saturday I ran 10 miles - it was a beautiful day in Lethbridge and a great run for my soul.  I was not really sure where I was going, so I kind of stuck with a lady that I met along the way, and she got me where I needed to go.  (Thank you Running Lady).  When I was at about 7.5 miles, I couldn't take the pain in my toes anymore, and so I took off my runners, left on my socks, and ran the last 2.5 miles in my socks, wearing my runners on my hands.  I got a few double takes from drivers and passerby's but my feet said, "AHHHH THANK YOU!"  Next time I run that distance, I am going to bring my vibrams along, because when I was stretching at home after the run, my mom noticed that I now had holes in my socks.  Alas - the breakfast run with the club was fun - it felt good to run with a group ( at least I stayed with the group at the beginning, then the rest of the run was good alone time).  What I learned from my run today is that if I keep that same pace for the entire marathon ( and I think I can) I will finish this IRONMAN before the 17 hour mark. . . I can do this!

In 39 weeks, I will hear over the microphone  . . . . "Patricia Beazer . . . . You are an IRONMAN!"