Skip to main content

My road to Ironman Canada

As I love reading fellow triathletes blogs, I decided to take a stab at one of my own. My intent here is to track some training and races, connect with some other triathletes, and honestly vent about the challenges along this path to Ironman. When I signed up for this race almost 1 year ago, I had no idea what I was signing up for. Yes, I read there would be a lot of training. Yes, I knew the distances (2.4mi swim, 112mi bike, 26.2mi run). Yes, I knew I'd miss out on a few social events. Yes, I knew it was going to push me further than I'd ever gone and been pushed before. And that was the main reason I signed up - to push past all the limits I thought I had.

But what I didn't realize what how all consuming Ironman can become. It's not a hobby, it becomes your life. What do I think about most days? My training that I completed that morning, what training looks like tomorrow, what I need to consume to keep going all day, how many calories I need to eat on the bike tomorrow morning... did I really push my swim faster than race pace? Did my run really break HR 3 mid-high? Did I keep my cadence as high as I could have during those fast spins during my morning brick? Did I transition fast enough off the bike? Am I going to remember to put on glide in T2? How many PB&J sandwiches can I fit in my bike jersey?.... it goes on and on. I don't mind it, I just never thought it would take over like it has. Running, my favorite of the sports, has always been such a gift, something so freeing and spontaneous for me in the past, but Ironman training has taken on such a strict training schedule, such an all consuming mindset, I feel as though it's really changed me as a person. I think it's made me a better person - a more diligent, planned, scheduled person who actually follows through. I've always been someone that goes with the flow, does what I want when I want. But you just cannot complete training with that mindset. You have at least 90 minutes each weekday to put in, and 3-5 hours each weekend day. You can't just wing it, you have to have a plan and follow through with that plan.

The past 5 months, I have tried to train most days in the morning. I have to get up between 5am and 6am, and usually start training by 6 or 6:30. Does it suck getting up early? Totally. Do I bounce out of bed to train? NO. I battle a little mentally most mornings but know it's always going to produce the best results and help me be able to focus on work the rest of the day instead of worrying about getting my training in. I've found if I don't get my training in in the mornings, I feel like a zombie half of the day. Like my body is in some kind of recovery mode.

We (my husband and I) have been on a strict training schedule since the beginning of February but have been triathlon training consistently since last summer. Our race is July 26th, Ironman Canada!!!! While I'm anxious about the Whistler hills, I'm trying to focus on the bigger picture and realize how fantastic the last 5 months have been and how much I have transformed - physically, mentally, emotionally. It's really been quite the journey. I can't wait to cross that finish line and hear the words "KALEE, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!" Every time I have trouble getting going in my workout, or am struggling on a long ride or run, I play that moment in my mind. I picture how sweet that moment will be, the culmination of all the work I've put it, to finally become an Ironman.

I. can't. wait. All of my feelings.

Isaac said creating this blog was a little late to the game, as we're just days away from starting our official taper. But to be honest, unless Ironman kills me, I've found my sport. I fully intend to do an Ironman each year until I stop enjoying it. I think Isaac and I will start picking destination events. Despite the pain, the crashes, the constant exhaustion, the fear, the doubt, how much I despise super long bike rides...

I love it.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Being a spectator: Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens and 10 year reunions

Lake Stevens is less than 40 minutes from downtown Seattle, so Isaac and I decided to go watch the Lake Stevens Ironman 70.3. We had assumed earlier in the year we couldn't race this half Ironman 3 weeks post Ironman Canada and didn't sign up. We saw some participants wearing their IM Canada 2015 Finisher hats and were a liiiiiittle jealous. Would have loved to participate, but who knows how that would have felt on my knee, which is still hurting on runs post race (but my brain was wishing I was out on the course the whole time!) The swim start was in waves, which I'm assuming was fantastic. Nice and calm, surrounded by your age group instead of 2,000 people! Swim start So foggy on the lake! Coming in from the swim T1 and T2 were in the same spot. This portion felt like a normal tri - you have your transitions preset and have to get your run gear wet while you strip out of your wetsuit! I really loved having gear bags and changing in tents in two separate tra...

2021/2022 - Pregnancy, baby, return to racing

WOW. So much has changed since I last posted in here. About two months after that last post I found out I was pregnant!  I spent 2021 in various phases of life: First trimester I was super sick and actually unable to even get much movement in! I don't think I've ever worked out that little in my life! Every day just felt like a struggle to survive. Second and third trimesters I was able to swim, bike, run and lift. I was able to run up until a couple days before I gave birth! I mostly ran and lifted - I hated biking pregnant and wanted to limit my covid exposure so I didn't go to the pool super consistently until the very end of my pregnancy. I spent the rest of 2021 fumbling my way through learning how to be a mom and take care of a baby! It was months of living in a haze of no sleep, hormones and tears BUT with all of that in the rear view, it was an amazing time of growth and learning so much. I had 4 IM branded deferred races from 2020 that rolled to 2021, then to 2022....

Ironman Mont Tremblant Race Report

Short Summary - Swim: 1:06 - PR by 3 minutes Bike: 6:06 - PR by 9 minutes (but on a WAY tougher course than AZ!) Run: 4:28 - PR by 3 min Overall: 11:52:21 IM MT Swim:  short version- got a swim PR. long version - as I walked to the swim start, I cried (I don’t think I’ve cried in 2019). I felt so thankful to get to the start line, to be a part of this incredible group of people, and so proud of all the work I put in the bank to get here. As soon as I lined up to hit my rolling start, a calm overcame me and I repeated “stay present, each mile as it comes”. I ran in, dove to start and instantly my goggles filled with water. FUCK. I stopped to drain them and tried to keep swimming - repeated that 4 more times till I just treaded water to try to see what was wrong. Could I do this swim with no goggles or with them full? I swam so many OWS with these goggles, what on earth was happening?! Eventually I got the left goggle cleared and staying water free, and just dealt with a...