Thanks to so much support, I've met my fundraising goal! And I shouldn't say met... My goal has been exceeded! I'm proud to say that to this point I've raised $4,822.00 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I'm overwhelmed to realize how many people have been involved in this journey with me. Thank you to the many who have supported me financially as well as emotionally! They say a triathlon is as much a mental game as a physical one. I'm not quite sure I'm there physically, but with all of your kind words I know I'm there mentally.
The major highlights of the past two weeks are:
Another bake sale - This one was in Danville. The turnout wasn't quite as big as Lexington, but hey, every penny counts!
Hurt ankles - Yes, I did say ankles, plural. I've injured them both. My physical therapist is none too pleased. I was feeling so good jogging I thought I'd try increasing my speed. Not a good idea! Slow and steady is the name of the game. For now, I'm still healing. Hopefully I can jog again soon!
"Brick" workouts - What a challenge. Brick workouts help get your muscles ready for the transition between bike and run. We biked for four miles and then ran/jogged/walked a mile. We did three sets of that workout, and let me tell you it was tough! Not nearly as bad as I was expecting, but it really is hard going from bike to run. Not to mention this unbearable heat!
Long swim workouts - This is the part I LOVE! One of the swims was actually a two-mile workout, with one mile of solid swimming; no breaks at all. I finished with energy to spare. Since the race is a 1-mile swim, I feel great about where I am in my training!
No bike falls - Every week without a bike fall is a good one. I can now count the past two weeks (almost three) fall-free!
With my fundraising goal exceeded, I can now breathe easier and concentrate solely on training (and staying injury-free!). I feel like I've won half the battle! Now if I can just cross that finish line...
August 18, 2007 I've found my calling
Today Anna and I went to Mallard Point just outside of Georgetown, KY to watch my other three team members, Britt, Erin, and Sean (and other TNT friends) participate in the Lame Duck Try-athlon. Coach Susan wanted us to do either the Tom Sawyer Tri, which I did, or the Lame Duck. After watching the festivities today, I know I made the right decision! The tri was around the same lake I had my first open water swim in. It's a very beautiful area but the terrain is extremely hilly!They started out in the lake with a 0.4 mile swim. If you look closely at the first picture, you'll see little dots of color that are actually swim caps! (Click on the picture to enlarge) It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Watching them come out of the water and run to the transition area was amazing. If you have never watched a triathlon in person, I highly recommend it.
As soon as they came out of the water we got to yell and scream for them. It was so much fun! I've decided I'd like to be a Professional Tri Spectator. It takes alot of stamina to yell for everyone and also a good eye to spot your fellow teammates. Because of this, I feel it would be almost as challenging to be a spectator as participating in the tri itself. Ok, you're right. What a cop-out! It was a lot of fun though.
After the swim was a 9 mile bike ride. Yes, my ride was 14 miles, but mostly flat. When I say the terrain is hilly at Mallard Point, I mean there are NO flat areas. At all times you are either going uphill or downhill. And these are not easy hills at all! Just watching them coming downhill was scary. They gain so much speed, if anything went wrong there would have been a serious accident. Thankfully, no one was hurt! I even confirmed this with the emergency medical crew there; they said it had been a very uneventful day for them. Thank goodness!
After the bike was a run that was just under 3 miles. Again, we are talking uphill and downhill the whole way. It looked like torture. I was perfectly content cheering at the sidelines! Everyone did extremely well, and was even able to smile after crossing the finish line! You guys are awesome.
In the second picture is my team as well as many other TNT participants from past seasons. I wish I knew everyone's name! From the left is Sean, Erin, me, and Britt. In the red t-shirt is Coach Susan. In the crown is birthday girl Stephanie (yes, she turned 30 today and wanted to celebrate by doing the Lame Duck tri!). At the end on the right is mentor Treacy.
What a fun day. I'm getting my resume together to apply for the Professional Tri Spectator job, but no one is hiring! I'm staying hopeful.
Go Team! See how good I am at that?
August 17, 2007 Almost there!
I went on a 20 mile bike ride with Anna, John, and their friend Brett. Just in case you thought I was kidding about how beautiful Lexington is, take a look at the pictures just so you get a taste of what we get to look at while we ride! Click the picture to enlarge it to get the full effect.
I'm SO CLOSE on my fundraising goal of $4,500! I just checked today, and my total is up to $4,217. If you haven't donated yet, it's not too late!
http://www.active.com/donate/tntky/tntkyMJill
Thanks to all of you who have already donated, and for your kind words. It means a lot to have so much support!
I'm SO CLOSE on my fundraising goal of $4,500! I just checked today, and my total is up to $4,217. If you haven't donated yet, it's not too late!
http://www.active.com/donate/tntky/tntkyMJill
Thanks to all of you who have already donated, and for your kind words. It means a lot to have so much support!
August 13, 2007 - I fell and had so much fun I thought I'd do it again
They say there are two types of cyclists: those who have fallen off of their bike and those who are going to fall. I now fall in the first category!
Before you think I had a dramatic, very impressive tumble, let me paint a picture for you. We rode through a very beautiful path that went behind a neighborhood in a nice area of town. Cutting through a ball park, we all stopped at the end of the parking lot. I was going a whopping 0.2 miles per hour and I didn't get out of my pedals in time! So... down I went. I fell to my right, and my hand caught my fall. This is why you should NEVER cycle alone! No one to help you up when you go down. Not to mention, no one to laugh at you! Just kidding, they didn't laugh and were very sweet about it.
My right palm is a little bruised, scratched, and swollen, my right knee has a scratch on it, and (I have NO idea why) my left pinky got caught in something and is swelling as well! It honestly didn't hurt too much, just shook me up a little bit. The only thing I'm concerned about is I've developed two significant lumps on my right knee. I hope this doesn't set my jogging back at all!
So, we headed down the beautiful back roads of Lexington, and came to a stop sign. As we got started I felt my bike going down again! It's weird because you know it's coming but can't do anything about it. So, this time I fell to my left. Ugghh. The second one didn't hurt at all, I was just annoyed that it happened a second time.
I was irritated about the fall and had the option to ride in the truck that Eric was so kind to drive behind us. But, I decided to stick it out and cycle the rest of the way. It made me think about the people Team in Training supports - the Leukemia and Lymphoma patients. They don't have the option to quit when they want. I felt like the least I could do was to finish the ride. Please don't forget to donate to the cause because the patients are the real troopers.
I actually had a few tears when I got home but not for the reason you think. This whole summer has been filled with challenges and it has been so fun! I can't believe it will all be over in a month and a little bit. I'm sad about that! I've gotten to spend lots and lots of time with one of my best friends, Anna and her husband John (I love you guys) and I've gotten the chance to meet a whole group of people I would never have come in contact with otherwise.
As adults, we don't often get the chance or take the time to challenge ourselves and learn new things. I'm determined that this Team in Training experience will be the start to challenging myself and learning new things as long as I live.
Deep thoughts, who knew I had it in me!
The picture is me being silly after the fall(s).
Before you think I had a dramatic, very impressive tumble, let me paint a picture for you. We rode through a very beautiful path that went behind a neighborhood in a nice area of town. Cutting through a ball park, we all stopped at the end of the parking lot. I was going a whopping 0.2 miles per hour and I didn't get out of my pedals in time! So... down I went. I fell to my right, and my hand caught my fall. This is why you should NEVER cycle alone! No one to help you up when you go down. Not to mention, no one to laugh at you! Just kidding, they didn't laugh and were very sweet about it.My right palm is a little bruised, scratched, and swollen, my right knee has a scratch on it, and (I have NO idea why) my left pinky got caught in something and is swelling as well! It honestly didn't hurt too much, just shook me up a little bit. The only thing I'm concerned about is I've developed two significant lumps on my right knee. I hope this doesn't set my jogging back at all!
So, we headed down the beautiful back roads of Lexington, and came to a stop sign. As we got started I felt my bike going down again! It's weird because you know it's coming but can't do anything about it. So, this time I fell to my left. Ugghh. The second one didn't hurt at all, I was just annoyed that it happened a second time.
I was irritated about the fall and had the option to ride in the truck that Eric was so kind to drive behind us. But, I decided to stick it out and cycle the rest of the way. It made me think about the people Team in Training supports - the Leukemia and Lymphoma patients. They don't have the option to quit when they want. I felt like the least I could do was to finish the ride. Please don't forget to donate to the cause because the patients are the real troopers.
I actually had a few tears when I got home but not for the reason you think. This whole summer has been filled with challenges and it has been so fun! I can't believe it will all be over in a month and a little bit. I'm sad about that! I've gotten to spend lots and lots of time with one of my best friends, Anna and her husband John (I love you guys) and I've gotten the chance to meet a whole group of people I would never have come in contact with otherwise.
As adults, we don't often get the chance or take the time to challenge ourselves and learn new things. I'm determined that this Team in Training experience will be the start to challenging myself and learning new things as long as I live.
Deep thoughts, who knew I had it in me!
August 8 - 12, 2007 Fundraising and a big challenge!
Let's see... The past week has been a good one!
August 8 - Anna, Sean, Linda, Treacy and I went for a bike ride near my house. I know I've said it before, but this area is absolutely beautiful to cycle in! I think we rode about 17 miles in all. It was extremely hot, but the scenery made up for it.
August 10 - Day off!!!!
August 11 - Midsummer Night's Run! This is a 5K run in downtown Lexington. My physical therapy has been going really well, so I wanted to jog as much as possible. Mission accomplished! I walked twice, but my best guess is that I jogged 2.5 miles and walked only .5. Now, my time was not impressive but I'm glad to say my knees are on the mend. I finished in 38.5 minutes.
August 12 - Bake sale / car wash! This one was fantastic. We were at WalMart in Lexington and had great results. So I came away with a good amount to add to my fundraising account. Ahhh, it was a good day.
August 8 - Anna, Sean, Linda, Treacy and I went for a bike ride near my house. I know I've said it before, but this area is absolutely beautiful to cycle in! I think we rode about 17 miles in all. It was extremely hot, but the scenery made up for it.
August 10 - Day off!!!!
August 11 - Midsummer Night's Run! This is a 5K run in downtown Lexington. My physical therapy has been going really well, so I wanted to jog as much as possible. Mission accomplished! I walked twice, but my best guess is that I jogged 2.5 miles and walked only .5. Now, my time was not impressive but I'm glad to say my knees are on the mend. I finished in 38.5 minutes.
August 12 - Bake sale / car wash! This one was fantastic. We were at WalMart in Lexington and had great results. So I came away with a good amount to add to my fundraising account. Ahhh, it was a good day.
August 5 - 7, 2007 Many adventures
August 5th - Our first bake sale. I'm about $1,300 shy of my goal (donate here!), so I was very excited about the opportunity! I was NOT excited about getting up early after the triathlon on Saturday. But, I went and actually made $160! It was great.
August 6th - Went cycling with the team. It was HOT. Almost to the point of being unbearable. Coach said the heat index was 107 degrees! I only made it 10 miles and then headed home.
August 7th - Our first open water swim. I was a little unsure about this one. I LOVE the pool for many reasons. Among these reasons are: clear water, lines to tell you you're going straight, no
visible creatures in the water, and no weird smell when you get out of the water. So, I wasn't sure how I'd do in an actual lake! We went to Mallard Point which is just outside of Georgetown. The water was VERY green, and the bottom was VERY muddy. Your feet sink when you step into it. I had to just jump in and not think about it!
The swim was so strange. I could see nothing but green when I put my head under water so we are learning how to "site", which means finding a point on land and watching it as you swim. That keeps you going somewhat in a straight line. It's much more difficult than you might think.
All in all I did ok. Open water swimming is not my favorite, but I have to do it before Disney in a month and a half!
In the picture (we smelled SO good after getting out of that water) from left to right is: Erin, Linda, birthday girl Treacy, coach Susan, Britt, Sean, and me.
August 6th - Went cycling with the team. It was HOT. Almost to the point of being unbearable. Coach said the heat index was 107 degrees! I only made it 10 miles and then headed home.
August 7th - Our first open water swim. I was a little unsure about this one. I LOVE the pool for many reasons. Among these reasons are: clear water, lines to tell you you're going straight, no
visible creatures in the water, and no weird smell when you get out of the water. So, I wasn't sure how I'd do in an actual lake! We went to Mallard Point which is just outside of Georgetown. The water was VERY green, and the bottom was VERY muddy. Your feet sink when you step into it. I had to just jump in and not think about it!The swim was so strange. I could see nothing but green when I put my head under water so we are learning how to "site", which means finding a point on land and watching it as you swim. That keeps you going somewhat in a straight line. It's much more difficult than you might think.
All in all I did ok. Open water swimming is not my favorite, but I have to do it before Disney in a month and a half!
In the picture (we smelled SO good after getting out of that water) from left to right is: Erin, Linda, birthday girl Treacy, coach Susan, Britt, Sean, and me.
August 4, 2007 Sprint tri!
I DID IT! I completed my first sprint distance triathlon in Louisville on August 4, 2007. This means a 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike, and 3 mile run. The picture from left to right includes: me, coach Susan, John, Treacy, and Anna after the race was over. The other picture is a self-portrait of my race number.Friday the 3rd, my friends Anna and John and I all met in Louisville. After getting checked in to the hotel, we met our coach to review the bike course. I knew but didn't want to think about how dangerous cycling is! The entire course was on public roadways, which meant we had to be very careful regarding traffic. Driving the course the night before was very helpful. Our coach was able to point out dangerous spots in the road as well as turns to watch out for.
That night, we all had a few butterflies, and didn't sleep right away! I can't tell you how many times I went over in my head what I needed to take with me Saturday morning. Shoes, socks, cycling shoes, towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, backpack, race belt, ID... The list goes on and on!
Saturday morning we got up just before 6:00 since we needed to be at the park no later than 7 AM. I was full of nerves, but managed to pull it together enough to collect everything I needed! After a short drive, we arrived at the park to register and get branded. You have to have your race number drawn on your right shoulder and left-outer calf. I was lucky number 325. No turning back!
Next stop was to set up the transition area. We didn't get to set up transition areas together and had to take what we could get since the other 397 participants were already set up! No problem though, it actually worked out well. I managed not to forget anything, which meant I was able to start the race with one less thing on my mind.
We got set up and then headed to the pool. Since it was a pool swim instead of an open-water swim, all participants went in order by number every 20 seconds. So we had a while to wait before it was our turn! This was great though, because we got to watch the others to see how it should be done.
Time was up. My turn to jump in the pool. I got in and was off! As I've stated before, I'm most comfortable in the pool. The swim Saturday was great! The only problem was having to pass people in the pool. All in all, I passed 10 people and didn't get passed at all. Towards the end, it was too congested to pass, so I suppose my time could have been a little bit faster. Wishful thinking probably!
After getting out of the pool, I had an adrenaline rush that made it hard to focus. The transition was not as quick as I was hoping. But I did finally get it together and started the bike course. The bike was alot easier than I expected. There was only one problem... I lost a water bottle along the way. I've got to practice putting it back on the bike. When we train, it's usually on an area with hills, or at least one long steady hill. The ride Saturday was a couple of hills, but for the most part it was flat. Thank goodness!
The transition from bike to run was much better. I started out on the run in a slow jog, but quickly realized that my knees were throbbing. I ended up walking all but the last 1/2 mile. Crossing that finish line was nothing short of amazing! I can't believe I made it.
We saw our results not too long after the race was over, but didn't write it down. They should have it posted online soon. The only part I know for sure is my swim time! I finished the swim in 18 minutes/41 seconds. All in all I finished in just over two hours. So that's approximately 40 minutes on the bike and 40 minutes on the run. Obviously no land speed records were broken, but I'm completely thrilled that I finished! I actually feel like the Disney triathlon isn't such a stretch anymore.
I'M A TRIATHLETE!
July 29 - August 3, 2007 Getting ready
What a week! This week I spent trembling at the thought that I had a sprint distance triathlon on Saturday, August 4th in Louisville. Training is back on as usual!
Monday we went cycling, and I'm getting a little bit better. I'm well aware that cycling is not my sport! Not to mention that our rides are one big mile-long circle. Scenery is non existant! So, as you can imagine, I'm ready to see some new training ground. My coach said I'm too stretched out on my bike, so back to the bike shop I go for some more adjustments!
Tuesday and Thursday we were at the pool. Any day at the pool is a good day, as far as I'm concerned. I was shocked when our coach told me my time on the half-mile swim. I did it in 18.5 minutes! It felt great. When I signed up for the triathlon, I was fully expecting the one mile swim to take around an hour to finish. It looks like I should be able to finish in about 40 minutes!
Wednesday I took my bike back to the shop and spent about an hour getting the positioning correct. Turns out that the handlebars were a little too far away! That explained the pain between my shoulderblades.
Friday, we're off to Louisville! Hopefully I'm ready to put the three sports together. I can't believe I'm doing this!
Monday we went cycling, and I'm getting a little bit better. I'm well aware that cycling is not my sport! Not to mention that our rides are one big mile-long circle. Scenery is non existant! So, as you can imagine, I'm ready to see some new training ground. My coach said I'm too stretched out on my bike, so back to the bike shop I go for some more adjustments!
Tuesday and Thursday we were at the pool. Any day at the pool is a good day, as far as I'm concerned. I was shocked when our coach told me my time on the half-mile swim. I did it in 18.5 minutes! It felt great. When I signed up for the triathlon, I was fully expecting the one mile swim to take around an hour to finish. It looks like I should be able to finish in about 40 minutes!
Wednesday I took my bike back to the shop and spent about an hour getting the positioning correct. Turns out that the handlebars were a little too far away! That explained the pain between my shoulderblades.
Friday, we're off to Louisville! Hopefully I'm ready to put the three sports together. I can't believe I'm doing this!
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