Ironman Arizona Part II

So now that Thanksgiving is over and I am back to work and reality I can get back to my routine.  Sometimes I miss my routine but I can't say I really miss it enough to ever come back to work early from time off.  I just heard someone on the radio say they had taken one more week off but came back early because they were going crazy! 

I have a few shots that my dad sent me of Ironman Arizona I was going to add more of my own but I think it might be overload so what I'll do is at some point I'll upload mine to my photography page.  So ever since my dad signed up to do next years Ironman he's been so excited that he keeps posting about it on Facebook, so have I, but the thing is there seems to be a pessimist among his friends.  Every time he posts she comes back doubting him.  Here is an example:

• Doubter What do you mean only a year? A year is a long time. Are you sure you are up to it?

  My Dad - Hi Doubter, You should look into my history. It is not a matter of finishing the 140 mile race it is a matter of finishing ahead of my own expectations. See you at the race
• Me The body can handle it we are very resilient beings it's just a matter of having the mental strength to endure it! 

   Doubter I think I heard that somewhere. Mind over matter, or something like that? Do you know it doesn't always work?

   

  Have any of you ever had anyone try to bring you down when you have a big event you have signed up for?  I told him she must not understand what he is doing and to just blow it off but I know if it were me it would be getting to me.  How would you handle this?

  
  

  My Christmas shopping is done and everything is wrapped, the decorations are up (expect for the outdoor lights) my house is clean and I am ready for our next break!! :-)  How many of you are ready for the Holidays?

  
  

  OK now for the pics:

  

  Ready to pass out the finisher's medals

  

  Llanos Top Male Pro Finisher

  
  

  
  

  

  Taking a quick break to rest our feet

  
  
  

  

  He is in love with Zipp tires

  
  
  

  

  Finisher's Line Volunteers before the real mayhem started

  
  
  

  

  Bike Transition bags

  
  

  

  
  

  

  The dad of the green girl from Part I post

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Turkey Trek

Started the day off right with a local Turkey Trek with two other running buddies and about 2,000 other people!  It counted as my virtual 5k that I did with Daily Vitamin F, thanks for putting that on!  It took me 27:51 which lately is a pretty decent finish time for me.  I may still be slow but the good news is I'm on the upside I'm not getting slower anymore I might actually be starting to slowly get faster again.  I almost puked at the finish line but that's because I've been pushing myself too hard on the races.  I'm use to finishing faster and in my head think I should still be able to but my body knows other wise.  It ended up being perfect weather for it.  Then on home to cook a vegetarian feast for Thanksgiving!  Since the hubs is on deployment we didn't have to cook a turkey and my parents ate vegetarian with us.  I'm thankful that I had family here with me today even though my husband was not able to come home. 

On the menu:
Vegan Greenbean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Gravy
Tofurkey
Stuffing
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Soup
Vegan Pumpkin Pull Apart Rolls
Oatmeal Cookies
Pecan Pie

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ironman AZ Part I and Winner!

Where to start...  I have a winner for the MyMemories software giveaway and I will announce that here in this post.  Let's start with the fact that my dad and I are now officially Ironmen in training!  I spent the whole weekend giving my dad "outs" just to make sure he really wanted to do this and if anything his resolve grew stronger as the weekend went on.  Then after 3 hours of standing in line for the volunteer registration we did it!  It is getting way more expensive though, it's now up to $682 just for the entry fee!  I didn't realize active.com charges a fee that is proportionate to the cost of the race which made their fee alone $30!!  So starting backwards here are some pics of my dad and I signing up for Ironman 2012:

Hour 2 of the 3 hour wait in the volunteer line..

Signing your life away for the next year!

This will be our 1st father/daughter triathlon together!

Let me tell you if you have never volunteered for a race like this and always been a racer it is so worth doing.  Seeing the race from the other side was amazing!  I saw the emotion on the athletes faces and I remember what it felt like going through some of those same emotions myself.  Hearing the cheers and yells from the volunteers and spectators was thrilling and made me fully appreciate them.  The pros were amazing and non-stoppable seeing them in motion was one of the greatest experiences ever.  Not to mention watching everyone finish and seeing the proof that they left everything they had out there on the course!  I was relieved to see that the swimmers coming out of the water were as disoriented as I felt when I had done it.  It happens to everyone!  I remember when I race I am sometimes self conscious of how I look during a triathlon, I mean the bloated stomach, the wet dog look, the exhaustion that shows in your eyes you'd think that isn't a pretty look, right?!?!  But as I saw the athletes come out of the water or transition or finish all I saw was strength, determination and the will to overcome any obstacle it was beyond words and I will never again be self conscious. So because there were so many great pics I will have to do this in sections.

Part I - Swim and Transition I - These are the unedited pics.

Swim Start

Pros coming out of the swim no volunteers to help them!

Note the swim time..

Strippers, not as glorious of a job as it sounds!

Love the look on his face!

Remember to wear your bathing suit..

Unzipping duty

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It's hard getting out of the water because you are numb from the cold!

Worst job ever, taking the timing chip and telling someone they didn't make the cutoff!

Did I finish?

Ironman in to be?

Getting close to the swim cutoff..

All the kyakers coming in to guide the last people to swim finish as quickly as possible and cheering..

Being told she just barely made the cutoff

The "voice" of Ironman

Just found out she didn't make the cutoff

Heartbreaking...

Doggie support!

She was there to cheer on her dad..

My dad the real photographer and future Ironman

Already in the lead

Name that pro

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Getting bathed in sunscreen & a little booty shaking.

I am so thankful for having the opportunity to do some amazing things in my life and thanks dad for making this weekend happen!!!

Ok the WINNER for the My Memories giveaway is : Big Daddy Diesel!!!  Congrats, this might end up making a great Christmas present...  I will have a code that you will use to download the software.  Let me know an e-mail address to send the code and instructions to you.  

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!  Part II will come after Thanksgiving...