The Ford Ironman 70.3 World Championships are this saturday. The news is on TV, in the paper and on the internet. The pros have been training locally for the last week and the age groupers are arriving as I write. The carbo dinner is tomorrow evening and registration is all this week. Friday is bike/gear bag check-in and Saturday is race day. The world championships are less than 5 miles from my house and sadly, I'm watching the race. I qualified for this race at IM 70.3 Florida in Orlando in May. With a PR by 20 minutes in my second 70.3 race, I was 3rd in my age group and received a slot to Clearwater through roll-down by one place. I accepted the slot thinking that I would take the opportunity to participate in two world championship races, one being the race of my dreams and the other being so close that I had to participate. After barely getting through Kona, I couldn't imagine going through the pain to finish this race. I thought about swimming and biking but I still don't feel 100% and that is where I want to be. My swimming is feeling stronger than ever and I'm just spinning my legs on my bike. I'll be honest, I'm sad about this decision not to do the event but I'll be taking lots of pictures and cheering on A LOT of my friends and training partners during the entire race. I will down in Clearwater just as if i were to race and I'll be arriving to the transition area super early. Karel is helping out on the bike course as a street marshall and my mom is helping out with registraion this morning. I think it is great that everyone is helping out and although I thought about volunteering for this race, I felt I would enjoy the race as a spectator and use my energy to cheer. I thought about the pros and cons with doing the race and I just want to be able to run again. I miss running and I miss feeling good about my training efforts. I feel 95-100% but I want to feel 100% about my sore leg. The limp is a habit and I'm trying to get rid of what's left on my gimpy leg. The deciding moment for me to not do clearwater was thinking about the pain I went through as I ran the last mile of the Ironman in Kona. I believe everyone will push through the pain at least once in life and for me I hope I only have to push through that pain once a year...wait, let me think about me at the finish line again...Ok-I hope I only have to push through that pain ONCE in my LIFE! Before I left for Kona I told Karel that finishing Kona is all I wanted to do and I didn't care about anything else this season. I just want to finish that race! Therefore, I did what I wanted to do and I can't be upset at my decision to not race this weekend. I do appreciate the support of my friends who check-in on me and my training. My sponsors have been just great and I don't think I would look so good and feel so healthy without Zoot and Hammer. Also, I owe so many thanks to those who helped me have the season of my life. The past 2 years have been very exciting and from the Boston Marathon in 2006 to the Ironman World Championships in 2007 I feel incredibly lucky to have raced in two amazing events. As far as my upcoming season, I have big goals and expectations and I can't wait to continue to work towards my dreams and help others pursue their own.
Good luck to the 70.3 World champ participants and a special good luck to Hunter Orr, Celia Dubey, John and Dan (my two favorite cops!) and Joe Boness.
Good luck to the 70.3 World champ participants and a special good luck to Hunter Orr, Celia Dubey, John and Dan (my two favorite cops!) and Joe Boness.