#IMAZ Week 2 and 3
During Week 2 I was officially cleared by the doctor as the X Rays, see last post, showed that the break had healed. In week 2 I started to feel the "tired" that is Ironman Training. Its a different kind of tired. The tired where you question what in the world you are doing but also feel so alive for knowing all that you are accomplishing. Week 2and 3 looked very similar the only difference being that I have been increasing the miles, especially when it comes to running. Week 3 was the week that I began running multiple days in a row, which to me was the real test if my ankle was going to hold out for Ironman. It held up marvelously with three days in a row each at 6 miles a piece.
During the middle of week 2 I realized that I had two weeks to get my mind and body ready for my first 100 miler as fellow Betty Teammate and friend, Anna with My So Called Life, are headed down to Lewiston, ID to do the Rivers and Ridges Rotary Challenge Ride. This is not my first 100 miler as I had completed one back in July before the accident, however when I realized I hadn't rode much over 40 miles in Week 2 I needed to get my butt in gear in order to be ready for my second 100 miles.
The ride will be a challenging one with 5500 feet of elevation gain over the 100 miles.
A bit daunting but it will be a great test to see where my endurance is and how much I need to push the bike during the month of October.
On the exciting side..... My new bike came in this week and I got myself all set up on it by Friday!!! Her name is Stella and I can tell she likes to go fast!
I got to spend 124 miles of quality time with Stella this past weekend between the two days, with a 52 mile ride on Saturday and a 72 mile ride on Sunday. Both days I spent the first half of my ride battling a head wind but coming home I was able to use the tail wind to push the bike and see what the capabilities were. The beautiful thing was that for the first time since the accident I was able to ride without back pain!
On top of the training done this past weekend as week 3 came to a close, Brandon and I joined his parents for a wonderful morning walk downtown Spokane as part of the yearly JDRF walk.
While the walk supports the JDRF and all the research they give to Type 1 Diabetes as well as the education they help provide in regards to diabetes for me it was about supporting those who are living with Type 1 Diabetes. Living with Type 1 Diabetes is not an easy task, it is an every day battle. So to go out there yesterday was just another way to help support, provide love, care, and acknowledge everyone that lives with Type 1. I pray that someday we find a way to either cure or help those living with Diabetes to make it easier.
Visit the JDRF website to learn more about living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Week 4 of Ironman Arizona training starts today, with only about 7 more weeks until race day. Thank you all for sharing this journey with me, its been an interesting one with two rehabs being thrown into but having you all with me along the way makes it much more fun!
Cheers to Week 4 and lets go crush that 100 miler on Saturday Anna!!!