The Road to Kona

Thank you to Carolee for inviting me again to be a guest to blog my Road to Kona experiences. I am excited and ready to commence.  For the next ten months I will be spending more time swimming, cycling, and running.

I took off a couple of months of hard workouts and “freelanced” my routine. I don’t do well without structure.  The biggest thing I learned after completing Ironman Florida is that I can do anything I decide to do, with good coaching, hard work, and the biggest stubborn streak anyone can ever see.

With that said, the Road to Kona has started with a few bumps. The walk/run that I did for IMFL has slowed my “running” pace so I was determined to get that back. The first time I decided to run I went in a 5K before Christmas.  My goal was just to run an easy pace, which I did.  It wasn’t that fast; however I set a new state record for my age group. Then I began doing a LOT of squats, crunches, and running across a very high bridge. New Year’s Eve there was a 5k. It was very hilly and my, “oh I set a state record last time let’s do this.” I did something bad to my knee and by 2.5 miles I had to walk. The MRI showed a meniscus tear and 70-year-old knees. I am waiting to hear from my orthopedist. My nonmedical theory is it is an old injury and I won’t need surgery. The cortisone injection has helped, and my knee feels a lot better.

The heater at the swimming pool where I have been swimming since September has died. The city has ordered a new heater, but it is going to take 4-6 weeks to be built, delivered, and installed. The lifeguards have been doing a great job manipulating the heaters in the building to keep the water temperature comfortable. The warm weather, until this past weekend, has also helped to keep the water temperature good. Today, the water temperature was 75 degrees, which is Ironman wetsuit legal.

This morning I learned my dearest friend passed away from cancer.  It is a very sad time for her family and myself. She was the best. We could not see each other for long periods of time, but we would pick up as though we had never missed a day. I will miss her and will remember all of the fond memories.

So 2017, it is on! I will swim in my wetsuit or try to find another indoor pool. I have modified some of my weight workouts. I never liked squats and lunges anyway. There are other methods of achieving what I need to do. It is time to bring my bicycle and trainer inside and do some easy spinning.

I believe being older gives me a sense of resilience that I might not have had at a younger age.  Stay tuned!